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We got the EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls Bass Odyssey in front of a real bassist in our studio, so instead of just reading you the spec sheet, we'd rather show you. This is EarthQuaker's first bass DI pedal, and it's a big one. Have a look, then we'll walk through what stood out.
That's Danny, a friend of the shop and the bassist of DC emo band Cuni, sitting down with Matt from our marketing team to plug in and actually play the thing. Between the two of them they demystify the control panel and let you hear where it goes, which is really the point of a pedal like this.
Because make no mistake, the Scrolls is a jet plane control panel. EarthQuaker built it in collaboration with renowned bassist Kentaro Nakao, and it gives you precise control over nearly every conceivable aspect of your tone. That can look intimidating at first glance, but once Danny starts turning knobs it makes sense fast.
The two party tricks are what set it apart from nearly every other bass DI out there: sweepable variable EQ, and a drive bandwidth knob. The variable EQ lets you move where the tone shaping happens rather than living on fixed bands, and the drive bandwidth control lets you decide how much of the signal the overdrive actually grabs. Together they're the reason one bassist can get a clean, hi-fi direct tone and another can get genuine grit out of the same box.
The routing is where the flexibility really shows. You get a cab-simulated XLR out for going straight to the board, a cab-less 1/4" out for running into an amp, a 1/4" passthrough, and a post-drive effects loop for dropping modulation or reverb in after the dirt. And it's all analog, top to bottom. Whether you're a direct-to-desk player, an amp person, or someone running both on a fly date, the Scrolls fits the setup instead of asking you to build the setup around it.
This is a genuinely impressive first swing at a bass DI, and it's a lot more fun to hear than to describe. Watch Danny and Matt put it through its paces above, then come try one for yourself in Wheaton or pick one up at ChuckLevins.com.