The Death By Audio Basswar is a Death By Audio fuzz pedal. Close alternatives include the Fender Trapper and the MXR M182 El Grande Bass Fuzz. It pairs well with the Peavey MiniMAX and the Laney DBC410 Digbeth 4x10 Cabinet.
Death By Audio Basswar
Death By Audio · pedal
The Death By Audio BassWar is a bass-specific distortion pedal from the Brooklyn boutique manufacturer, delivering aggressive, high-gain distortion character specifically voiced for the bass guitar frequency range. Provides intense, harmonically saturated distortion with the low-end weight and definition appropriate for aggressive bass in heavy rock and metal contexts. Part of the Death By Audio Brooklyn boutique lineup of extreme and creative effects. Made in Brooklyn, New York by Death By Audio.
What stands out
“Provides intense, harmonically saturated distortion with the low-end weight and definition appropriate for aggressive bass in heavy rock and metal contexts”
— from the listing
“Used for heavy rock, metal, and aggressive bass applications where intense bass distortion with maintained definition is the goal”
— from the community notes
“The attack is punchy and the sustain even at high gain”
— from the reviews
“high-gain distortion character specifically voiced for the bass guitar frequency range”
— from the listing
“The aggressive, high-gain bass distortion character specifically voiced for the bass frequency range is the standout quality”
— from the community notes
- bass
- distortion
- high gain
- aggressive
- low end
- frequency
- heavy rock
- definition
Genres the Death By Audio Basswar is commonly used in
- Metal
- Rock
- Hard Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Djent
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Punk
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Death By Audio Basswar
Peavey MiniMAX
Peavey
20% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → tight)
Stack Peavey MiniMAX on top and a high gain tone tightens toward tight
Comes later in the signal chain
Laney DBC410 Digbeth 4x10 Cabinet
Laney
20% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → tight)
Stack Laney DBC410 Digbeth 4x10 Cabinet on top and a high gain tone tightens toward tight
Comes later in the signal chain
EBS Magni 502 2x10 bass combo
Ebs
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
EBS Magni 502 2x10 bass combo takes that high gain character and pushes it toward tight
Gallien-Krueger Legacy 410
Gallien Krueger
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Gallien-Krueger Legacy 410 takes that high gain character and pushes it toward tight
Gallien-Krueger Legacy 210 Bass Combo
Gallien Krueger
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Gallien-Krueger Legacy 210 Bass Combo pushes a high gain tone toward tight
Aguilar SL110 Fawn Limited
Aguilar
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Feed a high gain signal into Aguilar SL110 Fawn Limited and it comes out closer to tight
Gallien-Krueger MB210-II
Gallien Krueger
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Stack Gallien-Krueger MB210-II on top and a high gain tone tightens toward tight
Gallien-Krueger GK Legacy 2x10 Combo Bass Amp
Gallien Krueger
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Feed a high gain signal into Gallien-Krueger GK Legacy 2x10 Combo Bass Amp and it comes out closer to tight
Pedals that stack with the Death By Audio Basswar
Soldano SLO
Soldano
16% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → tight)
Soldano SLO pushes a high gain tone toward tight
Comes later in the signal chain
Mooer 008
Mooer
15% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → tight)
Feed a high gain signal into Mooer 008 and it comes out closer to tight
Comes later in the signal chain
MXR M83
MXR
13% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
MXR M83's modulated voice goes after Death By Audio Basswar in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with Death By Audio Basswar's own high gain character
Comes later in the signal chain
Origin Effects Cali76 V2 FET Compressor
Origin Effects
12% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
Origin Effects Cali76 V2 FET Compressor's own tight character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes earlier in the signal chain
TC Electronic Triple Flashback Delay
TC Electronic
11% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Put TC Electronic Triple Flashback Delay after Death By Audio Basswar in the signal chain, clear of Death By Audio Basswar's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Cusack Music Reverb SME
Cusack Music
11% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → ambient)
Keep Cusack Music Reverb SME after Death By Audio Basswar in the signal chain, clear of Death By Audio Basswar's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
EarthQuaker Devices Swiss Things
EarthQuaker Devices
EarthQuaker Devices Utility Series Buffer Preamp
EarthQuaker Devices
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
EarthQuaker Devices Utility Series Buffer Preamp pushes a high gain tone toward clean boost
Alternatives
Fender Trapper
Fender
55% similarityShared character: blend, hard rock, bass
MXR M182 El Grande Bass Fuzz
MXR
49% similarityShared character: bass, definition
Electro-Harmonix Bass Big Muff Pi
Electro-Harmonix
45% similarityShared character: blend, hard rock, definition
Fuzzrocious Pedals Baby Furnace
Fuzzrocious
42% similarityShared character: blend, definition, attack
See all alternatives to the Death By Audio Basswar (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Death By Audio Basswar?+
The closest matches in character are the Fender Trapper, the MXR M182 El Grande Bass Fuzz, the Electro-Harmonix Bass Big Muff Pi.
What pairs well with the Death By Audio Basswar?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Peavey MiniMAX, Laney DBC410 Digbeth 4x10 Cabinet, EBS Magni 502 2x10 bass combo — Stack Peavey MiniMAX on top and a high gain tone tightens toward tight.