The drive control on the new Ampeg Scrambler deliver the perfect amount of grit, and the blend is like a mix control, balancing between the overdriven and unaffected tone. At lower settings, the drive control is still very present; it’s thick and meaty. At this point it sounds like an SVT already at saturation point. Going further, it gets dirtier and raspier.
Using the blend control helps to maintain clarity, and the treble control brings in some additional high end to keep things from getting too compressed, where bass tones could get lost in the mix. Even passive single coil basses can get into that Motörhead area without maxing the settings out. In a live setting as a DI, or in front of an amp, it can really mark out a bass player’s sonic territory in the mix. We loved it.
It’s not just meant to be plugged into an amp; using it as a DI in front of a DAW interface brings that warm and heavy tone, without having to crank up a tube bass head. So, for a bassist looking to thicken things up a bit, this will certainly fit the bill, from nice and tube-ish, to massive over-the-top thick fuzz, while still being able to control and contour the overall feel. At $99 it won’t break the bank, and while bassists might not like the idea of going down the pedalboard rabbit hole, this is well worth considering.
PROS:
excellent musical overdriven tones.
CONS:
extreme settings might be a bit much.