The ZVex Super Duper Concert Bass Mod is a limited edition, bass-heavy version of the Super Duper 2-in-1, a boost pedal with added distortion. ZVex announced it in June 2018 as a modded take on its own Super Duper, built to mimic the Sunn Concert Bass solid-state amp, with increased sub-sonic frequency response and changed transistors1. It sits among bass pedals as a low-end boost that can also push into crunch and bottom-heavy gain1.
What it does to your sound
ZVex describes the pedal's core sound as based around the Sunn Concert Bass amp, and the modded version as a bass heavy, super low-frequency take on the Super Duper2. To get there, the company increased the sub-sonic frequency response of the circuit and changed transistors1. Gearnews, covering the announcement, noted that one side is seriously bass heavy and is marked bright red, "probably to help you avoid blowing your speaker cones"2.
The pedal builds on the Super Duper 2-in-1, which ZVex describes as two of its Super Hard On boosts in one small box, plus a Master volume control that lets you use it as an overdrive or distortion with any input volume3. The Concert Bass Mod keeps the red-and-yellow split of the original: on the red side you find the Crackle Okay and Master knobs for gain and volume, while the yellow section is a new circuit that adds more crunch to your signal, along with bottom-heavy gain1.
The published reports disagree on the channel count. Guitar.com states that unlike the regular Super Duper, which packs two Super Hard On channels, the Concert Bass Mod only has one1. Gearnews describes it as twin-channel, with one side seriously bass heavy and marked bright red2. Both agree on the red side's Crackle Okay gain knob and Master volume knob.
Controls
| Control | Side | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Crackle Okay | Red | Gain control1 |
| Master | Red | Volume control1 |
| Yellow section | Yellow | New circuit adding crunch and bottom-heavy gain1 |
From the Super Duper to the Concert Bass Mod
The Super Duper 2-in-1 is essentially two Super Hard-On pedals stacked, and the Concert Bass Mod is a bass-heavy version of that circuit2. The regular Super Duper has its own history among players and builders: on the DIY circuit-analysis site Guitar FX Layouts, a commenter named johnk found that when the drives are turned up to clip a lot, "its distortion is a bit too one dimensional for me, but if used as slight boost" it works, and another builder described adding clipping diodes before the master volume on an on-off-on switch, giving "everything from clean boost" to fuzzy drive4. The Concert Bass Mod is ZVex's own factory answer to that kind of low-end and drive shaping, aimed at bass rather than guitar.
ZVex has made other bass-focused limited editions in the same vein, such as the Woolly Mammoth fuzz and the Basstortion, and a Vexter version of the Super Duper exists with several small differences from the hand-painted layout4.
The Concert Bass Mod was announced as a limited edition in June 2018, so availability is not open-ended2. As with ZVex's hand painted pedals, colors and details may vary from unit to unit3.
Videos
Z VEX
Theo And His Pedals
The Lo-Fi Bass Junction
Questions
What is the difference between the Super Duper and the Super Duper Concert Bass Mod?
The Concert Bass Mod is a bass-heavy version of the regular Super Duper 2-in-1. ZVEX increased the sub-sonic frequency response and changed transistors, and voiced the core sound after the Sunn Concert Bass solid-state amp. The regular Super Duper packs two Super Hard On channels, while the Concert Bass Mod has one channel on one account and a twin-channel layout on another, so the published reports disagree on that point.
Is the ZVex Super Duper Concert Bass Mod a limited edition?
Yes. When ZVex announced the pedal in June 2018 it was described as a limited edition, with the outlet advising players not to take too much time making up their minds. Like other hand painted ZVex pedals, colors and details may vary from unit to unit.
Who designed the ZVex Super Duper Concert Bass Mod?
The pedal is a bass-heavy version of Zachary Vex's Super Duper pedal, built by ZVex, the boutique brand Zachary Vex founded. The Super Duper itself is essentially two Super Hard-On pedals stacked in one box.
Does the Concert Bass Mod have one channel or two?
The published reports disagree. Guitar.com states that unlike the regular Super Duper, which packs two Super Hard On channels, the Concert Bass Mod only has one. Gearnews.com describes it as twin-channel, with one side seriously bass heavy and marked bright red. Both accounts agree the red side carries the Crackle Okay gain knob and the Master volume knob.
How much does the ZVex Super Duper Concert Bass Mod cost?
The Super Duper Sunn Concert Bass Mod listed for $249 when it was announced in June 2018, a figure reported by both Guitar.com and Gearnews.com.
Sources (4)
- ZVEX launches new Super Duper 2-in-1 mod, Guitar.com, 2018-06-25
- ZVex Super Duper Concert Bass Mod: Subsonic limited edition with a Sunn O))) vibe, gearnews.com, 2018-06-24
- Super Duper 2-in-1, ZVEX Effects (www.zvex.com)
- Guitar FX Layouts: ZVex Super Duper 2 in 1, Guitar FX Layouts (tagboardeffects.blogspot.com), 2012-07-29
