For me, the best sounding most versatile Bass DI in the "under $200" category is far and away the SansAmp Bass Driver DI... I love the fact you can use just the 'preamp' section and send the 'wet' instrument level output into other DI's if you like. Just a very cool box all around!

There is so many posts about the Sansamp bass DI. Just for info sake,
I want to say that for a little extra (I know this is much more than the $150 limit) The SansAmp bass RBI (rack version of the DI stompbox) is VERY NICE.. more output options and to me, more importantly, greater mid control.

I have to second the vtb-1, but Im not sure it would sound better than the few you have. I would say save up, and get into another league than you are in already.

A used brick would sound better thaN the 2 you have also. The Brick isnt a starved plate, like the presonus and the vtb either. I dont see too many of them for sale, that may mean something!!

I second the SansAmp RBI. Been using it for a while now with a Fender Amer. J-Bass and i'm very pleased. Chain is J-Bass->RBI->Brick->Digi002

I agree the Mid Control makes all the difference.

BSS AR-133
+1

Under $150 and nice.

I have a DiMarzio Model-1 pickup in my Schecter Stiletto Elit bass, and this feeds an on-board 2-band active EQ. The Dimarzio is a very hot p'up, and it was overdriving the gain from the EQ (EMG BTS), and sending clipped signal to my BBE preamp.

I fixed this by installing a trim-pot between the DiMarzio and the BTS EQ- all fixed. Moving the pole-pieces further from the strings may have done it too, but I want to be able to get the sound from the strings from where I've been playing them. This worked best for me... but as is said, "YMMV".

Now there are some fine suggestions here- and the one I would most like to go with is save up for something 'up the line'! But I'm not doing this for a living, and expedience is of interest, as I'm doing some projects imminently. So I'm gonna take this little shopping list and try some stuff out. I'd have done it already, but hey, I've been busy! I may even just do a mod on the ART Tube MP... for now...

Thanks all for the suggestions/offerings. I stand advised and armed! And of course I'll check back...

Peace.

Like others have said.... the SansAmp Bass Driver DI.

My previous engineer here had one for studio use and since he moved on, I find myself missing it, severely. The EQ brings a whole other dimension to the bass... tho it's hard not to rely just on that or I mean tweak the living crap out of it (with wonderful results). It's great "straight up" with a great bass guitar and really shines-thru when someone comes in with a semi-cruddy bass guitar that needs something with "a little/lot extra dial-in sweetness".

Also stellar as a re-amp go-between... for both guitar and/or bass.

-- Adam Lazlo

Id go with the time tested country man or the vtb1.the country man are
the, sm57 of the DI realm .

+1 for the BSS unit. Sounds great. The only thing is that it can´t
handle much input. For strong signals you have to use the damping
switch... but that wasn´t really a problem...

I second the cehap whirlwind and new transformer option- $30 for the imp-2, $50 for the cinemag DI transformer (same as the jensen with a claimed slight improvement). I just did this and it is amazing. Just soldered a few wires (and I am NOT a pro at soldering- it was very easy). I mounted the transformer by drilling four holes in the top and using plastic wire ties. Screws would work too but I didn't have the right size and was impatient...But it sounds great. Very aggressive, full, and open.

YES! I have a precision with Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder pickups that are apparently too hot for the sansamp. I ended up returning it because the sansamp would fart as soon as I turned up the blend knob. It drove me nuts.

Glad I wasn't the only one.

Hey Nick,

My initial thought was to just lower the output of your bass if it's active (which I guess), you shouldn't loose hi end due to impedance mismatching like with a passive bass.

I recently recorded a bass player where the same problem occured, we just switched the bass into passive mode, ->lower output, problem solved. I wouldn't want to have too many active devices in the chain anyways. Either the SansAmp for toneshaping, or the active circuit of the bass. Less is more.

But since you already solved the problem by changing the pickup height I realize I maybe should ask the next "hot" bass player insisting on using it's active circuit to try just that, thanks.

An alternative to radioshack with better parts...

The Naiant mdi

MXR M-80 Bass DI+!!!!!!

This thing kicks ass. I picked one up on clearance at GC for sh**s and giggles and it might be the best $100 I've spent. It's almost hard to believe. I'll use it on a track and think to myself "Did I really do that with a $100 DI?"

Check it out. Sounds amazing with my J-bass with SD Quarter Pounds....

I've had a couple P-style basses with overly hot passive pickups and have noticed that most of them just sound better if I don't run the volume full-open. Maybe thats just a characteristic of hot, cheap pickups but I think its o.k. to choose a volume setting on the instrument to get a tone and use the amplifier to achieve the actual volume. For what its worth my Jazz bass has very nice pickups, awesome tone and probably half the output of of any of the cheap p-basses I have owned. If I want to overdrive the inputs of any of the downstream gear I use a dod preamp 250 or the sansamp bass driver (often both).

Go to Basstasters and listen to different clips.

basstasters.com || welcome

My fav was the Reddi, but we are talking $700. My second favorite which I bought and swear by for rich, fat juicy tone is the Radial JDI. Of course it works for me because I have active pups. I am not sure how well it works without them. I also use the Ampeg SVT to play around with the tone. Really like this set up after being frustrated for some time trying to dial the bass in with other setups I had.

Well.. yaneverno what stuff will go for on ebay ... I've seen people get crazy on ebay and pay over 80% of the new retail price for used gear, but I like to use 50% retail as a guideline for used gear, and at that rate, this would fit your budget.

ART Pro Channel Tube Microphone Preamp & Compressor - (eBay item 190174848445 end time Nov-23-07 15:37:01 PST)

I use one of mine for bass and like it. But then I was also happy with the bass going direct into my 002 (I'm not a bass player ... I only fake it for the sake of getting my song down onto the hard drive). Pretty versatile unit if it comes in within your budget.

Charlie

Adam,
Re: reamping and the SansAmp D.I. Can you elaborate? Recorded track in to SansAmp input, output to amp? Or track in to SansAmp output? If so, which one?
Thanks.

+1 Sansamp BassDriver DI.

With the blend all the way up, it sounds a bit too hyped, IMO. I thought 'what the heck is the fuss' at first, but to me, the real beauty of this box is the subtlety of the tone shaping when you mix it with direct signal, and even more important to me later on was the active DI and line level outs.

ALSO...at $70 USD the hartke bass attack looks pretty sweet for a DI and tone shaping unit. I haven't heard one, but I'm dying to try one out just for the cheap and cheerful factor...

I don't know the model # but the green Radial passive DI kicks ass!

I personally do not like recording active basses with DI's. Never worked well with my Musicman or my EMG loaded bass. For passive basses I love the DI sound on both my FMR RNP and my Great River. Plug and play goodness from both with any of my passive basses.

i'd second the sansamp for a good cheap fix

Yes you nailed it - Once you put the blend 50/50 or less it regains the important mid freqs - otherwise it sounds too scooped - and careful with that prescence control!

This is truly a great box - it sounds and feels amp-like

SansAmp Bass Driver DI

how about the dbx 163 /x/a

Used for between $40 and $60, they've got a DI built in as well as a decent sounding compressor.

i like the Countryman. very classic sound.