Amp and PU settings when creating effects

[Pastafarian]

A search yielded nothing useful, so I hope someone can help...

I'm about to sit down with my BP200 (I know, a bit amateurish) to try and create some useful effects - nothing fancy, more to get my head around simple things like compression, and how I can make some subtle but interesting changes to my tone. I bought the BP200 mainly for songs that require specific effects, but want to expand its use a bit.

My question is around how I should set up my pickups and amp for this:

First, with the amp, I'd guess that my best bet is to set everything to flat (i.e. leave it as neutral as possible) - is that sensible?

Second, pick-ups - not so sure on this one. I've got an Ibanez with 3 knobs (P, J, tone). Should I set all on full? Or create separate effects for each pickup? Or is that a woefully dumb idea?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[bongomania]

Non-issue. There is no way any one pickup or amp setting is "right" or "wrong" for use with effects. Whatever options you have, try them. They are all good for something.

If you're using amp modeling in the fx box, then it makes sense to bypass the preamp in your amp, by plugging into the "fx loop return" AKA "line in" AKA "power amp in" jack instead of into the normal instrument input jack. That way the amp modeling is not competing with the tone of the preamp.

[Pastafarian]

Thanks bongomania. The bass amp I use at home is a tiny 10W practice one with no pre-amp, so there's nothing to bypass (unless I've got the wrong end of the stick). Thanks all the same.

To expand on my first message - one of the reasons for asking is that I once created a Muse-esque distorted bass tone that sounded quite nice with the J solo'ed, but really awful with just the P pickup - made me think that effects tones are highly sensitive to how the bass and amp are set. But from what you said, sounds like it's best to just dive in.

Thanks again.

[bongomania]

FWIW all combo amps contain a preamp, it's the input stage, with any input level and EQ/tone controls. But such a little amp probably doesn't have any way to bypass that preamp stage anyway.

You're right that certain tones will work better or worse with different pickup and amp settings, but it will be totally different from one desired tone or effect to another.

[Jared Lash]

There are a small number of effects (analog octavers and some synths) that I find get better tracking when panned to the bridge pickup but it's a minor difference.

In general you should get whatever tone you want (including PU and amp settings) and then find effect sounds that work well WITH that tone.

The truth is that beyond having different tastes, one of the biggest reasons why people have a difference of opinion regarding the effects they like is that everything sounds different based on your bass, rig, EQ settings and playing style. Start with the sound you want and augment from there.

[Pastafarian]

Originally Posted by Jared Lash

Start with the sound you want and augment from there.

That's v. good advice - thanks - easy to forget that an effect is just that, instead of a tone in itself. (Sort of.)