Effects Chain Suggestions

[GreggBummer]

Hello,

A conversation from another thread left me wondering about how I have my effects chain set up. A new addition of a Synth/Wah pedal has me looking a switching some things around. I am getting an "OK" sound out of the way I have things set up... but I am sort of a newbie to effects and I am open to suggestions.

Here is what I have:

Bass (passive) -->Boss Tu-2 Chromatic Tuner --> Boss OC-3 Super Octave --> Tech 21 VT Bass --> Digitech X-Series Synth Wah Bass Envelope Filter --> Electro-Harmonix Bass Big Muff Pi --> EH Nano Bassballs Twin Dynamic Filters --> Boss LM-2B Bass Limiter --> SansAmp Bass Driver Programmable DI --> Amp/PA

My specific questions are:

Do I have too many effects before the amp?

I am using single Visual Sound 1 Spot wall wort (1700ma) to power all the pedals, is that enough?

I only have a limiter at the end of my chain. I feel like I SHOULD have a compressor near the front... but I don't want mess with the dynamics of the filter/synth. What do you think?

Will I ever stop GASSING for effects?

To be perfectly honest: In my band, I hardly ever use effects. I use a little octaver on The Beatles "Come Together" cover that we do... but even that is very subtle. I just use my VT and SANSAMP. However.... I love to play with this stuff for my "at home" projects.

Your suggestions are welcome. Thank you in advance.

Regards,
Gregg

[tomhanzo]

Nice little collection man.

I say the limiter is good there. It can control the Bassballs from hurting your amp, plus like you said the envelope needs that raw sound.

I'd put the synth/wah before the VT. It isn't better persay, but I just like that dub/envelope sound into overdrive.

Have you tried switching the Big Muff and Bassballs around. They sound cool that way too, but its a preference thing.

As far as your board size goes, just take the pedals you use and put them on a small board. Leave all the rest of the pedals on a board at home with spaces to put those small board pedals back in.

Just experiment and have fun . You never know what you'll get if you mix things up differently.

[kenstee]

Originally Posted by tomhanzo

I'd put the synth/wah before the VT. It isn't better persay, but I just like that dub/envelope sound into overdrive.

+1 on this. Wah pedals and Phasers cut or notch or frequency that is swept electronically so I put them very early in the chain.

[GreggBummer]

Originally Posted by tomhanzo

I'd put the synth/wah before the VT. It isn't better persay, but I just like that dub/envelope sound into overdrive.

Have you tried switching the Big Muff and Bassballs around. They sound cool that way too, but its a preference thing.

I put the synth/wah before the VT. I really like the synthy/wah sound overdriven. It give it character that I like. Thanks for the suggestion.

I actually pulled the Big Muff from my board. For now anyway. It never really did what I wanted it to do... and I have no real use for it.

Building a second board is probably the best idea. Of the seven pedals on the board now, I don't "need" two of them (bassballs and synth wah). However, I enjoy terrorizing my guitar players with them. So, for now, they stay.

I'm thinking that the only thing I lack now is a decent compressor. And a chorus. And a delay. And a phaser... oh boy...

[TOOL460002]

weird... i like my od before filters. i seem to be in the minority as far as that goes. i personally would take the muff-bassballs out and insert them before the vt, so: vt-muff-bassballs-bsw. my policy is anything dirty before filters, but i dont own those exact pedals, so maybe thats not the best way. i tend to try several configurations before actually cutting any wiring, though.

[GreggBummer]

Originally Posted by TOOL460002

weird... i like my od before filters. i seem to be in the minority as far as that goes. i personally would take the muff-bassballs out and insert them before the vt, so: vt-muff-bassballs-bsw. my policy is anything dirty before filters, but i dont own those exact pedals, so maybe thats not the best way. i tend to try several configurations before actually cutting any wiring, though.

At one point I had the Muff before the BDDI. The Muff was set up with a moderate amount of dirt and the BDDI was set to a "fat tube" like setting. It sounded HUGE. Lots of fun for jamming to old Metallica and Maiden in my office.

Now, the Synth/Wah sort takes its place. I am shooting for a funky/synthy kind of sound. Sort of trying to cop a funky Jamiroquoi, Bamboo, or Galactic kind of a vibe. I'm still tweaking.

Did I just mention Iron Maiden and Jamiroqoui in the same post?