Amps like the Line 6 Big Bottom

M

mattman1985

Member
Hey, so I was just watching a video about the production of a Silent Planet song and Buster was using the Line 6 Big Bottom amp and I know a lot of other bands have use that amp. Does Fractal have anything that gets close to the Big Bottom thing? Currently I’m using a blend of the Revv Generator 120 and a Bogner Uberschall, but if I can I’d love to swap out the Bogner for something else that’s like the Big Bottom!

thank you in advance for all the help!
 
I'm no Line 6 expert, but a quick consultation with Dr. Google says it was based on a Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier with a Rivera Big Bottom Sub. No idea if this is accurate, but I would start with one of the Dual Rectifiers in the Axe-Fx and look for an IR that is known to be heavy on the lows.
 
Given the time frame that the Metal Shop expansion pack came out, you'd have to think "Big Bottom" would be a Dual Rectifier sound. I would start there with a Mesa V30 cab. Nothing in the Axe can give you that boom from the long guitar scale though...!
 
Way back in the day I had the original Line 6 Vetta and used the Big Bottom amp A LOT! It is basically a caricature of a Dual Rectifier. Not sure how their modeling worked back then but they do say it was run through a Rivera Los Lobottom Cab that had a subwofer in it. It was a fun model for sure.
 
Did you try post EQ? You can surely get the pant flapping lows like that amp had.
The tone wasn't especially remarkable, it did sound like a recto, but the low push was unique! : )

I mean the amp was a really fun - I'd practice with it for a smile - but nothing I'd ever use in a band setting unless we didn't have a bass player. You are all over the spectrum that is normally for them.
 
ocaptainjr2 said:
I'm no Line 6 expert, but a quick consultation with Dr. Google says it was based on a Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier with a Rivera Big Bottom Sub. No idea if this is accurate, but I would start with one of the Dual Rectifiers in the Axe-Fx and look for an IR that is known to be heavy on the lows.
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Just use a Dual rectifier with an oversized mesa 4x12 ir. I boost mine with a Butler tube driver, gain at like 0.9 , tone at 5, level all the way up.
 
If you mean Badonk as in the current version and not the one that is 20+ years old now. Try Helix native. Demo it and play with the Badonk model. Then play the Axe FX through the 50 high gain amp models. Rectifier. Skull crusher. Soldano models. 5150 models. Etc. If you like the Badonk that much than just get Helix native too.

I think if you do this you will play it for like 20 minutes, then when you go back to the Axe you'll wonder what the heck was I thinking in the first place, honestly.
 
cole lewis said:
If you mean Badonk as in the current version and not the one that is 20+ years old now. Try Helix native. Demo it and play with the Badonk model. Then play the Axe FX through the 50 high gain amp models. Rectifier. Skull crusher. Soldano models. 5150 models. Etc. If you like the Badonk that much than just get Helix native too.

I think if you do this you will play it for like 20 minutes, then when you go back to the Axe you'll wonder what the heck was I thinking in the first place, honestly.
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As someone who owns a Helix Lt and AFX3mk2 , this comment is on point. I also have the Spider V, so I have used both Big Bottom and Badonk. When I first tried the Badonk, it was such an improvement over the previous iteration, I wondered how I ever thought the more digital sounding Big Bottom was all that. Then when I went through some of the top 10 high gainers in the Fractal( both stock and FAS) I thought pretty much along those lines again. With the amount of control you get to tailor/ sculpt, you can get there with minimal effort. Any dual rec/ FAS equivalent amp,+ a 4x12 mesa oversized, or: a 4x12 VHT fatbottom eminence, OR: a Zilla Fatboy(or super Fatboy) 2x12 or 4x12 and you are right there. 💪😎👍
 
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cole lewis said:
If you mean Badonk as in the current version and not the one that is 20+ years old now. Try Helix native. Demo it and play with the Badonk model. Then play the Axe FX through the 50 high gain amp models. Rectifier. Skull crusher. Soldano models. 5150 models. Etc. If you like the Badonk that much than just get Helix native too.

I think if you do this you will play it for like 20 minutes, then when you go back to the Axe you'll wonder what the heck was I thinking in the first place, honestly.
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Yeah, I have a helix in my rack and I am just looking for something adjacent to the big bottom or badonk. I'm not looking to actually use the amp(s) since I think the axe fx sounds better then just about everything else (including "real" tube amps) but having that kind of flavor would be very nice
 
mattman1985 said:
Yeah, I have a helix in my rack and I am just looking for something adjacent to the big bottom or badonk. I'm not looking to actually use the amp(s) since I think the axe fx sounds better then just about everything else (including "real" tube amps) but having that kind of flavor would be very nice
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Were you not aware the big bottom models are based on Rectifiers?

My process here would be. Play the Badonk model, with the same IR you will be using with the Axe FX. Next, have a preset ready on the Axe FX with Recto models, or "American" style high gain amp models. 5150, Soldano, etc. Then play the Axe FX models until you find the one that you think is closest. Try to have the presets as close as possible on the Helix and the Axe, try to use the same drive model with similar settings. There are a whole bunch of high gain amps in the Axe FX.

You can also try to tone match the sound if you want on the Axe FX. Tone match it at every possible setting that sounds good to you then save them in the Axe. To do that you would make recordings on the Helix Badonk model then tone match those recordings.
 
I think the Fas modern would the be the closest. You should also try Buster's low end pitch block trick, it gives you that super fat low end the big bottom is known for.
 
Definitely try the Splawn Nitro 1. That model has enough bass to batter down the walls of a castle.

EDIT: Modern II is pretty chunky as well (Modern I is tighter) and Modern III is different in the mids but similar in the low end to the II.
 
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