Desperate attempt to bring back Bass Whammy!

InHarmsWay · #1 09-20-2010, 10:51 PM

In a different fashion then Digitech.....

Since TC Electronics has become a HUGE name in the past few years thanks to popular artists and the internet, and has been pushing bass technology recently I decided to send them a message.

Alot of people are a big fan of the Digitech Bass Whammy. Sadly, it is no longer in production and there are no other decent replacements. I emailed TC Electronics a few long emails about my idea to bring back a whammy pedal for bass. All the same shifting and harmony options as the Digitech, but a better build, better tracking, and better bypass options!

A small chance, but hey you never know right?

*insertcoolname · #2 09-20-2010, 11:02 PM

They already make one, it's called the Pitchfactor

But in seriousness that would be sick. Something that works as well as the pitchfactor but is maybe half the price and much more simple.

Eric! · #3 09-20-2010, 11:18 PM

You should ask bongomania how awesome the support staff for TC is

sillyfabe · #4 09-20-2010, 11:21 PM

its also in a much better polyphonic version called the Boss PS-3 with exp pedal set to mode 11.

Grimoire · #5 09-21-2010, 02:28 AM

Pitchfactor + expression pedal does the job more than adequately. You get a lot more versatility than the original, not only as a whammy, but a hell of a lot more besides.

dug dog · #6 09-21-2010, 05:57 AM

5 bills for the pitchfactor... Nice machine, but a bit spendy.

Deluge Of Sound · #7 09-21-2010, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dug dog

5 bills for the pitchfactor... Nice machine, but a bit spendy.

But cheaper than a bass Whammy.

Thunderscreech · #8 09-21-2010, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deluge Of Sound

But cheaper than a bass Whammy.

Yeah. last one I saw on Ebay would've set me back 8 Benjamins. if I'm going to spend that kind of Money, might as well get a pitchfactor.

chrisisnotevil · #9 09-21-2010, 08:18 AM

Them there prices suggests the op has a point, and there's a gap in the market for an at least semi-affordable clone/replica/reissue/whatever. Tool fanbois with limited budget across the land would rejoice, jubilantly.

Deluge Of Sound · #10 09-21-2010, 08:23 AM

Right. Last time we had a thread like this (the bass whammy petition, IIRC), Jaquo chimed in to say that there weren't any plans on Digitech's end to reissue it.

Really, though, I've never had a problem with the Whammy IV...

Swimming Bird · #11 09-21-2010, 08:35 AM

I'm a huge pitchfactor fan, but if you want something cheaper, why not just use the midi in on the whammy iv? Or perhaps have it modded by molten voltage. Or wait for people to sell their pitchfactors used. Or see how the new boss ps-6 sounds.

Just as another plug for the pitchfactor, you can set two pitches to heel, two to toe, the mix between those, and clean blend. I never got the appeal of the Bass Whammy, but I do love my setting that is 50% wet, heel is -1 oct and - 5th, toe is unison and +1 oct.

kevteop · #12 09-21-2010, 08:50 AM

The treadle pitch shifting on the Line 6 M9/M13 is really useful too, better than a Whammy pedal.

jgroh · #13 09-21-2010, 08:59 AM

Here is an honest question...how much do you guys use the whammy or similar effect? Dont get me wrong I love effects, but Ive never had much use for the wilder stuff, it just never fit into music I was playing. Not to mention its $4/5/800...thats alot of money for something you only may use for a couple of songs...?

Chronicle · #14 09-21-2010, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sillyfabe

its also in a much better polyphonic version called the Boss PS-3 with exp pedal set to mode 11.

Not really... :s

Swimming Bird · #15 09-21-2010, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgroh

Here is an honest question...how much do you guys use the whammy or similar effect?

I use my pitchfactor on almost every song with my current band. I'll say, I use a whammy setting on 1/4-1/3 of everything I play. Absolutely worth the 5 bills plus external footswitch for preset controls, plus expression pedal.

skulletwhip · #16 09-21-2010, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgroh

Here is an honest question...how much do you guys use the whammy or similar effect? Dont get me wrong I love effects, but Ive never had much use for the wilder stuff, it just never fit into music I was playing. Not to mention its $4/5/800...thats alot of money for something you only may use for a couple of songs...?

I use the whammy a lot. Fun to do octave shifts, and use the down octave harmony for extra heaviness.

For the record, I use the Whammy 4. Not the bass whammy. It works just fine.

sillyfabe · #17 09-21-2010, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chronicle

Not really... :s

i know i know but hey i dont have 600-800 bucks laying around....it works for me! Also i've tried both a Bass Whammy, a regular whammy and even a modded whammy but stil enjoy the sound of my PS-3 with exp pedal better. oh the joys of subjectiveness and sounds!

kaputsport · #18 09-21-2010, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgroh

Here is an honest question...how much do you guys use the whammy or similar effect? Dont get me wrong I love effects, but Ive never had much use for the wilder stuff, it just never fit into music I was playing. Not to mention its $4/5/800...thats alot of money for something you only may use for a couple of songs...?

If I could afford one, I would probably use it. I have been getting into effects I never used before, and plan on continuing the trend...

I just got a Filter Factory and plan on a Mo-FX unit, and would love a Bass Whammy.

coldfoot_luke · #19 09-21-2010, 01:33 PM

Why not just use the red guitar version? I got mine off Craigslist for 100$. You can buy multiple guitar whammies for the price of a bass whammy or pitchfactor. Yea, there's very slight low end loss in the neutral position, but I use it for mostly octave down so it's not really noticeable, especially when I have another effect on after it. Check it out and save some dough.

**Bryan R. Tyler** · #20 09-21-2010, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coldfoot_luke

Why not just use the red guitar version? I got mine off Craigslist for 100$. You can buy multiple guitar whammies for the price of a bass whammy or pitchfactor. Yea, there's very slight low end loss in the neutral position, but I use it for mostly octave down so it's not really noticeable, especially when I have another effect on after it. Check it out and save some dough.

There are a couple settings available on the Bass Whammy that aren't available on the modern Whammy IV that a lot of people like- the two footswitches on the Bass Whammy are also pretty handy.

That being said, a Whammy IV with the Molten Voltage mod to get those missing intervals is a better use of money, and a used Pitchfactor an even better one than that. I've owned the Bass Whammy, the Whammy IV, Pitchfactor, and several multis that do the whammy thing. The Bass Whammy really isn't all that great. I'd wait for the PS-6 to come out and grab that if it has a decent sound. After that, a used Pitchfactor is the next best bet.

There's not much reason for Digitech to put a lot of money into putting out a new Bass Whammy because
1. it didn't do well to begin with
B. the people wanting it, while loud, are still relatively small in number, and
Porkchop. other products that already do what the Bass Whammy does and more are available in the market, so they'd be introducing a lame horse into the race.