Tech 21 SansAmp 3-Channel Programmable Bass Driver DI 

Comments about Tech 21 SansAmp 3-Channel Programmable Bass Driver DI:

The Sans Amp is a very versatile piece of equipment (calling it a simple driver limits it too much) which can do just about anything, provided that you know how to use it and have the patience to dial it in. Another advantage is that it is hard to accidently change the settings, since programming an effect takes more than just turning a knob at random.

The only negative thing that I can say about it is that it is a bit bulky, although if that is a problem the non-programmable unit is a bit smaller.

Comments about Tech 21 SansAmp 3-Channel Programmable Bass Driver DI:

Bought to use in a church setting. I was looking for a pre-amp to beef up our bass signal (running direct into the board), and this unit does a great job. If you're looking for a wide range of effects this obviously won't do the trick, but it's not designed to do that. It's essentially an EQ and overdrive pedal, and it does those things pretty well. On its more extreme gain settings the drive tends to get a little fizzy for my tastes, but some may find that sound useful. I really like the way it rounds out the tone at lower-gain settings, and some of the suggested presets in the manual are really excellent. The all-metal construction feels solid and the switches are quiet; I have no worries about its durability, especially in church where it's not likely to take a beating.

I like it quite well for our uses, and I can definitely see it coming in handy even running into a full bass rig.

Comments about Tech 21 SansAmp 3-Channel Programmable Bass Driver DI:

Overall rating is 10.....
What can i say? I read the reviews online and that pushed me to buy this item. And the review are true. This item is a must. Unless you have a very high end Bass rig.
The item is tough enough to survive the road gigs..

Comments about Tech 21 SansAmp 3-Channel Programmable Bass Driver DI:

I have never been into a wide variety of bass sounds. I prefer one good bass tone and run with it. However with this pedal I found three great sounds that I use quit a bit. My main sound is the SVT setting. I also have a setting for a slap bass sound and a distortion setting.
I had been looking for a good quality bass DI to connect my bass to our P.A. After much research I narrowed my decision to either the Sansamp or the Eden pedal. I deicded to go with this pedal for the versatility of having three different presets available with the press of a footswitch.
Like others have mentioned, this thing is built like a tank. Switches and knobs are high quality. The in and out jacks are solid. The plastic battery jack doesn't bother me in the least. It holds the battery and that is what it's supposed to do. It's located under the unit where there would be very little chance of damage to the plastic.
Considering it is only $10 more than the single channel Sansamp it is a no-brainer that this is a great value.

Comments about Tech 21 SansAmp 3-Channel Programmable Bass Driver DI:

Just received this pedal yesterday in the mail and spent hours messing around with it. I use a solid state Carvin head and Carvin cabinets, with American Standard Jazz (primarily) and the SansAmp does exactly what I want. With the boost on there is a little buzz, but once I adjusted my head a little it sounds fine. A very small amount of buzz won't hurt anything. If you want to bypass the channels (but why?) this thing is silent. The factory presets give you a good starting point, and there are endless capabilities for your sound. I personally like the "SVT" setting with a digitech bass overdrive pedal and it sounds fantastic. I did try my dunlop wah pedal with it and it sounded like garbage, still working on that...A mid control really isn't necessary. This thing has everything you need; if you want a little dirt in your sound, lots of fuzz, or a clean boost then it is worth the money. It is built solid, all metal, plastic battery cover. If you are considering this product, then quit wasting time and buy it!

Comments about Tech 21 SansAmp 3-Channel Programmable Bass Driver DI:

I bought this pedal hoping it would warm up my solid state head with its tube emulation. It really just added some unecessary bass and treble and sucked away all the mids. Maybe if there was a mid control on this pedal it wouldn't be so bad but I couldnt seem to dial in a good tone. Its either really bassy or really trebley and nothing in between. Do yourself a favor and save your money

Comments about Tech 21 SansAmp 3-Channel Programmable Bass Driver DI:

This is an interesting tool. I have always had trouble getting a "usable" tone at a Jam session without mangling (so to speak) theEQ of the bassist in the host band. With the Sansamp I can get a decent usable tone that completely overrides the tone of the host amp. I can then program the box for that venue. This gives me the potential to permanently program 3 different jam session venues so I don't have to hassle with that problem each time. The host bassist was grateful by the way.

Comments about Tech 21 SansAmp 3-Channel Programmable Bass Driver DI:

Almost two years now and no worries. I have found that if I use a mic xlr to 1/4 cable and punch the xlr pad button, even the driest, thinnest tone I dial in has almost no unwanted noise, even on an unforgiving 1972 Peavey head. Good stuff. Half a point off for the battery cover, no big deal. You will be mad as hell if you leave this behind after a gig.

Comments about Tech 21 SansAmp 3-Channel Programmable Bass Driver DI:

This pedal allows you to dial in a lot of different tones and save up to three different tone settings. It is very easy to use and save tones and it is very rugged. I had it on the road and it never got a single scratch or ding in about 5 months of heavy use. However, as soon as I upgraded my rig I no longer had a need for this pedal. I am able to get my tone from my amp head and cab and don't need to use this pedal any more. I was disappointed with the drive knob on this pedal as it never gave a very good distortion or even a slight overdrive, so I am glad to have my boss distortion pedal back. This pedal does a great job in a recording setting because you can bypass all of those amp plugins and get great tones. Overall this is a great pedal if you do not have professional grade gear. I tune to drop C and have a gritty overdriven tone (Mike D, Fuzz, Johnny Christ, etc.) and this pedal did a great job until I got sufficient live equipment.

Comments about Tech 21 SansAmp 3-Channel Programmable Bass Driver DI:

I have a vintage Peavy bass amp(solid state) that has a 7 band eq and an active Schecter 5 string, which has a lot of tonal capability. This Tech 21 Bass Driver duplicates my amp sounds and more. With 3 presets it's like having 3 guitars on stage, it really lets my bass come alive and I can run direct into the PA as well as my amp, both at the same time. Thats pretty awesome!! Kinda spendy but for what you get it's worth it. The settings are endless and you can change presets over and over. The owners manual has 15 or 20 preset suggestions(very cool), after you figure out what the knobs do, the sky's the limit!! I've owned this driver for about a year, I don't abuse my gear but a friend dropped it down a flight of stairs, it never bobbled and when you plug into the PA fantom power operates it(no batteries) That's it! Rock on !!