The NUX 59 Bass Guy is a Nux distortion pedal. Close alternatives include the Electronic Audio Experiments Greathammer Bass Driver and the Ashdown Pro FX Retro Drive. It pairs well with the Marshall Super Bass and the Peavey MAX 100.
NUX 59 Bass Guy
Nux · pedal
The NUX 59 Bass Guy is a Fender Bassman-inspired overdrive pedal from NUX Effects, delivering the warm, harmonically rich overdrive character of the legendary 1959 Fender Bassman amplifier circuit in a compact enclosure at an accessible price. The 59 Bassman circuit is one of the most influential overdrive platforms in guitar history.
What stands out
“Build quality is adequate for the NUX price tier”
— from the community notes
“The NUX 59 Bass Guy is a Fender Bassman-inspired overdrive pedal from NUX Effects, delivering the warm, harmonically rich overdrive character of the legendary 1959 Fender Bassman amplifier circuit in a compact enclosure at an accessible pri…”
— from the listing
“Warm saturation and dynamic response suit blues and classic rock applications”
— from the reviews
“The 59 Bass Guy delivers Fender Bassman-inspired warm overdrive in NUX's compact format at an accessible price”
— from the reviews
“Blues and rock players who want Bassman-style warmth in a compact, affordable format find it a practical option”
— from the community notes
- rich
- overdrive
- warmth
- classic rock
- harmonically rich
- rock
- platform
- dynamic response
Genres the NUX 59 Bass Guy is commonly used in
- Blues
- Rock
- Classic Rock
- Blues Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the NUX 59 Bass Guy
Marshall Super Bass
Marshall
22% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)
Marshall Super Bass's bright balances out the warm tone
Comes later in the signal chain
Peavey MAX 100
Peavey
20% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)
Where this leans warm, Peavey MAX 100 answers back bright
Comes later in the signal chain
Laney Richter
Laney
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Laney Richter leans bright right where the warm tone needs it
Mesa Boogie Subway D-350
Mesa Boogie
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Run Mesa Boogie Subway D-350 after it and the warm edge settles into something more bright
PRS DG
PRS
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
PRS DG's bright balances out the warm tone
Vox AC30CH Custom 30W Head
Vox
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Run Vox AC30CH Custom 30W Head after it and the warm edge settles into something more bright
Vox MV50 Brian May
Vox
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Run Vox MV50 Brian May after it and the warm edge settles into something more bright
Ampeg 50th Anniversary SVT Head
Ampeg
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Ampeg 50th Anniversary SVT Head's bright balances out the warm tone
Pedals that stack with the NUX 59 Bass Guy
Friedman Sir-Compre
Friedman
23% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)
What Friedman Sir-Compre brings here leans toward compressed — that's worth building a pairing around
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Catalinbread Formula 55
Catalinbread
22% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)
Run Catalinbread Formula 55 after it and the warm edge settles into something more bright
Comes earlier in the signal chain
EarthQuaker Devices Chelsea
EarthQuaker Devices
19% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)
EarthQuaker Devices Chelsea leans bright right where the warm tone needs it
IdiotBox Effects End of Line
Idiotbox Effects
15% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
IdiotBox Effects End of Line's bright voice goes after NUX 59 Bass Guy in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with NUX 59 Bass Guy's own warm character
Comes later in the signal chain
Chase Bliss Automatone CXM 1978
Chase Bliss Audio
10% 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 Chase Bliss Automatone CXM 1978 after NUX 59 Bass Guy in the signal chain, clear of NUX 59 Bass Guy's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Alexander Pedals History Lesson Vol. 2
Alexander Pedals
9% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep Alexander Pedals History Lesson Vol. 2 after NUX 59 Bass Guy in the signal chain, clear of NUX 59 Bass Guy's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Catalinbread Gailieo Red Treble Booster
Catalinbread
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Where this leans warm, Catalinbread Gailieo Red Treble Booster answers back bright
Dunlop MXR M282 Dyna Comp Bass
Dunlop
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Dunlop MXR M282 Dyna Comp Bass leans this dynamic tone toward compressed, which it doesn't make on its own
Alternatives
Electronic Audio Experiments Greathammer Bass Driver
Electronic Audio Experiments
55% similarityShared character: warm, overdrive
Ashdown Pro FX Retro Drive
Ashdown
53% similarityShared character: overdrive
Xotic Bass BB Preamp V1.5
Xotic
51% similarityShared character: warm, overdrive
Mad Professor MP-Aod
Mad Professor
47% similarityShared character: warm, overdrive
One Control Hooker's Green Bass Machine
One Control
45% similarityShared character: warm, overdrive
Catalinbread SFT
Catalinbread
42% similarityShared character: warm, classic rock, overdrive
Ashdown Pro-FX Pro Drive
Ashdown
42% similarityShared character: warm, overdrive
See all alternatives to the NUX 59 Bass Guy (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the NUX 59 Bass Guy?+
The closest matches in character are the Electronic Audio Experiments Greathammer Bass Driver, the Ashdown Pro FX Retro Drive, the Xotic Bass BB Preamp V1.5.
What pairs well with the NUX 59 Bass Guy?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Marshall Super Bass, Peavey MAX 100, Laney Richter — Marshall Super Bass's bright balances out the warm tone.