Wampler Pantheon Dual Overdrive Deluxe

The standard version of the Pantheon is a pretty straightforward pedal, while the deluxe version has a lot more going on. I read the manual once, and that was weeks ago, so here is what I figured out by playing around with it: You basically get two completely independent drive pedals that only share a single knob, named Presence. That one seems to give you a boost around the top end, but it works differently from the EQ knobs. Each drive has three voicings, a hi/lo gain switch and two band EQ, and of course gain and volume knobs. Then there’s a switch that lets you flip the order when both drives are active. That is, when you run a single cable in and out. You also have a separate output for the right side and a separate input for the left side. I did not try that, though.
The EQ is quite powerful and it’s active with boost and cut – a little goes a long way here!
It is a guitar pedal with zero demo videos on youtube, but I heard people claim that Wampler builds pedals so well, they all work on bass, too. Well, the main issue on a drive pedal is stealing low end. None of that is going on here. Be careful with the bass knob, you can easily overpower the low end and send the tone bus straight to mud city!
The other issue is that the drive can be uneven because the clipping bits are overwhelmed with the low end, and none of that is happening here, either.

It’s perfectly well suited for bass and you should give it a try, seriously!

I went for a tone similar to the one I use on the Xotic BB Preamp and after setting the knobs to the estimated locations, I was already close.
What I got was a lively tone with a luxurious range of touch sensitivity, a very sparkly top end and a big range.
The lows don’t fart out and they stay clean as much as the rest does. I could imagine having one half always on as a rock tone – with a mild setting that only adds a little grit when you dig in – very pleasant variations of that kind of drive were easy to be found. With a bit more gain, you get to the point I like, where playing softly is perfectly clean, but normal playing already has hairs sprouting and digging in will make it sing.
I tried around with the second stage, and experimented with a darker, grittier tone there, which I managed to get in the neighborhood, but I have not found the house yet. However, combined those two tones really came together, especially after I flipped the switch and reversed the order. The darker side gives the signal a fatness that is bordering on obesity while at the same time the bright side retains its polished marble texture.

All in all, this is a versatile double drive with a lot of control over each side and a flip switch to reverse the order.