Since the late-'90s, the Tech 21 SansAmp has been the go-to "rig in a box" for bassists who can't get enough of a good thing. The SansAmp Programmable Bass Driver DI delivers three hot tones right at your toetips. Your signal chain remains all analog, but the pedal uses digital switching to allow you to select from three different presets.
The controls are straightforward: Drive, Bass, Presence, Blend, and Level. The SansAmp can be used as a tone-shaping pedal before an amp, and it can be one heck of a dirt pedal when you push the Drive knob. But as the name implies, the SansAmp can be used without an amp, and it delivers rich tone just the same. Via the XLR out, you can plug it directly into a PA or use it as a preamp into a powered cabinet.
For bassists who need consistency, the SansAmp functions really well as a DI, and since the programmable version gives you three presets, it may be all you need to bring to the gig!
This 1998 Tech 21 SansAmp Programmable Bass Driver DI shows the expected wear and tear of a 24-year-old pedal. It has no repairs/issues and functions 100% as it should, and it sounds great. While this pedal is hugely popular as a DI, it is really impressive as a dirt pedal for bass. It also sounds good on guitar, but it feels like the EQ is more calibrated for the lower frequencies of the bass, so there's definitely more flexibility with a 4-string.