Xotic BB Preamp vs Fulltone PlimSoul

[tmac65]

I was in a store on Friday to buys used SRV Strat and was talking to the owner who also designs pro pedal boards. We started talking about gear and I told him my chain was EP (always on) > PlimSoul > Timmy.

He went on and on about how great the Timmy was, but suggested that I swap out the PlimSoul with a different OD. He said the PlimSoul sounded too artificial (fake) compared to the Timmy.

One of his suggestions was the BB Preamp.

Any thoughts on the BB Preamp? Or the PlimSoul sounding fake.

 

[wundergussy]

The regular BB will seem very scooped compared to the Plim. But, I had a BB mid-boost and a Plim at th same time and found the Plim had a weird decay to notes at lower gains. It never felt right, which is too bad because it's a great pedal otherwise. The BBMB on the other hand is very natural. Both can fill the same context of low through mid gain, but I chose the Xotic.

 

[richpjr]

In the brief time I played a PlimSoul I didn't find anything odd or fake sounding (in fact I quite liked it). But I loved the BB with the mid boost so much I picked one up and it's still on my board.

 

[buddaman71]

I like the PlimSoul, but I love my BB. It's a very transparent, organic sounding unit and one of my all-time very fave OD pedals.

 

[lonetone483]

I recently picked up a regular bb to try out in my setup and is currently on the chopping block. I bought to replace my OCD on my board. So far so good but I'm still tweaking. I tried a plimsoul at a store and it just did not do it for me. It didn't as natural to my ears as the bb or OCD for that matter

 

[BGrizzMayne]

The BB is very transparent. I've got a Mid Boost version of the BB and really dig it. It's pretty straight forward

 

[Tito83]

Never played the Plimsoul, but if Michael Landau, Scott Henderson and Sonny Landreth praise and use the Plimsoul regurlarly, it's really hard for me to believe it sounds "fake". Not dissing the guy's opinion, but only stating that it's just an opinion.

I love Andy Timmons tone, but I don't like the BB preamp, it's just too compressed/saggy for me. There's not really anything wrong with it, it's just not for me, maybe just as the Plimsoul is not for this guy. The real important question is: How does it sound and feel for YOU?

 

[heavy dupree]

Got rid of the Plimsoul soon after I bought it. I also experienced a wierd decay which reminded me of the sound a steel screw makes when its rattling inside a hubcap.

Bought the BB Comp, and am thoroughly satisfied with it.

 

[tmac65]

Never played the Plimsoul, but if Michael Landau, Scott Henderson and Sonny Landreth praise and use the Plimsoul regurlarly, it's really hard for me to believe it sounds "fake". Not dissing the guy's opinion, but only stating that it's just an opinion.

I love Andy Timmons tone, but I don't like the BB preamp, it's just too compressed/saggy for me. There's not really anything wrong with it, it's just not for me, maybe just as the Plimsoul is not for this guy. The real important question is: How does it sound and feel for YOU?

This was my take on it too. I'm a David Grissom fan and the EP Boost and PlimSoul were the only boost/OD pedals on his board. I think he recently replaced the PlimSoul with the new Secret Freq. Grissom is a tone freak and if it was good enough for him...

I've been very happy with the PlimSoul overall. It is very versatile. But if there is something better out there, I'd swap it.

 

[frontingbravery]

I don't consider the Plimsoul to sound artificial or fake. Both the BB and Plim are great pedals although voiced completely different.

 

[RockStarNick]

BB and Plimsoul = apples and oranges.

I still don't understand why people insist that a BB sounds like an amp. It doesn't.

It sounds like a tube screamer with more clarity and EQ options, but it sure as hell doesn't sound like tubes. Sounds like a GREAT op-amp overdrive. Sounds great in front of a gainy amp for a boost. Super versatile, but I don't think it sounds tubey at all.

The Plimsoul, while being scoopy as heck, feels much more like an amp. Has that squish and sag and that glass on top.

Very different pedals for very different tonal options and colors.

 

[lazer111]

Been quite a while since I had the Plim, but I have the BB-MB and chose it over the Plim at the time. They are different concepts, with the Plim having the 2nd gain stage, and I really liked the snarly 2nd stage, but it added bass (if I remember correctly) that I couldn't dial out. Both can be setup to sound very similar. The Plim reminded me of the Fulldrive on lower Stage 2 settings.

For the application I was after (smooth lead overdrive) I thought the BB did it it better, with much more control over the EQ. Really nice being able to boost the bass and mids, and tame to highs. That was the kicker.

Both are awesome pedals... I guess it depends on your setup and what you're trying to achieve. I'm running a DRRI.

 

[bluesdoc]

Been a while since I had the BB, but I did own it for most of the last decade. It was very good, but didn't have my heart, or balls. I've had the PlimSoul for a week and am totally stoked with it. I've had a LOT of pedals in my time, and this one stands way out among those at the top. My ears, my rig, ymmv, etc, etc... btw, it's not the sort of pedal that cleans up with the guitar's vol pot. fwiw....

jon

 

[chrismellotron]

The PlimSoul doesn't sound scooped at all to me. As far as the PlimSoul sounding "fake" goes, it sounds like a very "real" OD circuit with some choice diodes. Absolutely bitchen when stacked with Timmy. I never thought of the PlimSoul as an amp simulator, just a damn good OD circuit.

 

[Sirloin]

I was in a store on Friday to buys used SRV Strat and was talking to the owner who also designs pro pedal boards. We started talking about gear and I told him my chain was EP (always on) > PlimSoul > Timmy.

He went on and on about how great the Timmy was, but suggested that I swap out the PlimSoul with a different OD. He said the PlimSoul sounded too artificial (fake) compared to the Timmy.

One of his suggestions was the BB Preamp.

Any thoughts on the BB Preamp? Or the PlimSoul sounding fake.

Is this for live gigging or hoime/recording. If live gigging, I would check out pretty much anything from Barber. The BB Pre got too lost/compressed for me in a live situation.

 

[chrismellotron]

The Barber 1/2 Gainer gets my vote. The PlimSoul, however, ain't leavin' my board.

 

[Lonestar Boogie]

I've never tried a Plim, nor an OCD for that matter. I do own a BB Plus and just love it.

 

[gtrbarbarian]

I've owned the plim and the bb. Yes, the plim sounded artificial to me...the decay on the notes was not pleasant. I could also not seem to find a good tonal balance between the 1st gain stage (soft clipping) and the 2nd (hard clipping). It's a great concept, but I like pedals that sound good at all gain levels, all eq settings, and clean up well.

I did like the BB and had it for about 3 years...but it didn't have the mid hump that my SD-1 (analogman modded) has, and I _like_ that mid hump in a TS circuit. It also didn't have enough gain for it to be usable by itself. And as a boost, my SD-1 is just better for my needs at the job of boosting. Now the bb was extremely warm, and for just a hair of gain was wonderful. But now I have a joyo sweet baby which does it better.

My favorite overdrive is, has been since it came out, and probably always will be, the OCD. I have had v2, and now v4, and to my ears, this is Marshall in a box... not a jcm800 or jmp2203 mind you (like a crunchbox) but an old school power tube distortion metal panel marshall. I've had all three amps in question. The OCD sounds like old school power tube distortion, and cleans right up with the volume knob. Many people think it lacks treble, but then, so do many old marshalls. Put an eq with it, or a tube screamer in front, and you are into hot-rodded marshall territory.

 

[Capador]

A suggestion like that sounds more like gear snobbery than unbiased advice. The BB and the Plimsoul couldn’t be more different and, IMO, would be bad replacements for one another.

It’s more likely that this “pro” pedalboard builder just doesn’t like the fact that this pedal says “Fulltone” and enjoys recommending “Xotic”. Some people get off on lording their gear knowledge over the less experienced…even to the point of making suggestions to their detriment.

Okay, now that I got that out of the way...

I’ve owned both the BB (non-MB) and the Plimsoul. As I said, they are very different, but I’m not sure what you are using the Plimsoul for. Depending on that, the BB could be better or worse for the situation. I never thought the PS was “fake” sounding, but it does add a lot of bass and fullness. It also has a lot of gain and boost on tap which can quickly get out of control if you don’t take the time to dial things in. If you enjoy the beef the PS adds to your signal, you will not find the same with the BB. The BB has much more finesse and FUNCTIONS (not sounds) more like a TS style pedal. It’s great as a boost or a light, bluesy OD, but I never found it to be much of a stand alone/chunky rhythm pedal. The PS is much more suited for that.

Personally, I think the BB would just be a good ADDITION to your rig.

 

[kirkham13]

Have had a couple plimsouls, they are great in Fender amps... will have to try an OCD.