EWS BMC (Bass Mid Control) Pedal

[Volume4]

This showed up a couple of days ago

http://ews-us.com/item_bassmid.php

I don't know why but I got a bug to try one of these.

So far I really like it. I'm not sure what if any advantages it has over an actual full EQ pedal.....but for me, I didn't have room on the board for a Boss GEB-7 or MXR, I wanted true bypass and the only free output on my ISO-5 was the 18V output. Not cheap but it was reasonable. Very well made pedal by the way.

I don't know what else to say, it does what it says it does and very well. Does a very nice job of brightening up my Ric just a tad without losing the Ric vibe/sound.....it is a very subtle pedal. It can boost with an internal trim but I'm leaving it at the factory unity gain setting as I don't need anymore boost going on in my setup.

I think its going to stay.

Anybody else using one? I'd love to hear some tips and thoughts.

[KimGT99]

I just ordered mine yesterday. Read a couple of reviews. I really need to go for the mids with my actual bass (Ibanez soundgear) to cut through the mix in some special songparts, fill ins and so...
Hope it comes soon

[Punanius]

I just got one, but as I turn up the level control past 12 o'clock there is an increasingly loud hiss. Defective?

[Bassist30]

How is it with active basses?

[KimGT99]

@ Punanius:
Will check for the hiss next rehearsal. My knobs are working very, very heavy.... Things changed anyway as a got another bass now which doesn't need additional boost.
It works with active basses, but the effect will come out better with a passive bass since you don't have much to set up beneath a blend or balance.

[rust_preacher]

I tried one at a store with a Jazz Bass and bought it. It really seemed to add "balls" to the sound. I am also going to try it out with my Telecaster basses - not to boost the volume, (heavens, no!), but when necessary, to shape the tone to add the mids that this type of basses seem to lack for a more modern sound. this way I should be able to use both my P and my T basses interchangeably. Does this make sense? I can only try this out in about 10 days as I am out on a business trip (for my day job)...

[Punanius]

I've had mine for a while now. My "hiss" problems come and go depending on the gear I'm using.

Rust_Preacher: I think the pedal would ease and simplify switching between P and T basses using the same effect and/or amp settings. It could be a perfect fix for a problem that, doubtless, many of us confront from time to time (two basses; one rig; no stage tech guy).

No specific tips, per-say, but it does what it claims: adding a mid-eq control to a bass with only onboard hi and low controls, like my Spector. As such, I line the pedal up first, directly after the bass, before the rest of my effects chain, my thinking being that I'm using it to color the initial onboard pre-amp--essentially making it part of the onboard pre-amp sound; thus it makes sense to place it as close to the bass as possible. Then I order my effects after the BMC as I would normally.

This works well for me because it gives me basic hi-mid-low-eq control over the initial bass' sound, which, I find, makes post-effect equalization a lot easier. That being said, unless you really run it hot, it's fairly subtle and I imagine there are a large number of people who would try it and think "mmmehhh, so what?" To that, I can only say I used to think the same thing about my compressor, but I can't imagine playing without one now. But that's just me. The pedal's not for everyone, though it can work like a sonic-Ginsu to slice through any density of treble guitar noise, something we all like at time, I think. There, moreover, are other ways to achieve comparable results (e.g. using a standard bass eq pedal in place of the BMC and only adjusting two or three mid-freq. sliders; working with the sound guy to get better overall bass sound structure in the house sound; etc.). For me, however, this has made dialing in the sound I want from my bass and whatever amp I'm using a markedly easier process.

It works great on my passive Yamaha BB-X, too, by the way.

[caeman]

Ya know, when all you want is a mids control, there ya go. Especially in such a tiny package.

[JAUQO III-X]

I've been using this pedal for a while. It does exactly what it says it does. And it will work wonders on a passive bass when you feel the need for that extra growl or to simply cut through the mix.

Here's a few video demo's.

Michael Rhodes with E.W.S. BMC part6 - YouTube

EWS BMC Bass Midrange Control Demo and Review - Rock N Roll Vintage - YouTube

RICK HOLLANDER with E.W.S. BMC - YouTube











EWS endorser

[crapusername]

I couldn't add anything to what punanius said

A great way to give a boost to cut through/ make up for something lacking in an instrument

[Dazonbass]

Dig mine... and no hiss problems from my side. I like the small foot print and it is just what I need for different styles.

I dropped it the second day I had it and it bent the stacked pots a little. Luckly a small tap in the over direction corrected any stiffness that occured.

Vlad5 pointed out that they work even better at 18V but that is going to have to wait till I get a better power supply, because I am trying to reduce my wall warts.

[Dazonbass]

After writing the above I went and practised, only to find a little noise coming through my headphones. Turns out it was my BMC

However, the BMC was in a onespot daisey chain so I was not panicing about it. Found an unused 18V adapter and plugged that in. The noise was completely gone. maybe it was also the extra headroom from the 18V as well. Thanks Vlad5 for that suggestion.

[Punanius]

Originally Posted by Dazonbass

After writing the above I went and practised, only to find a little noise coming through my headphones. Turns out it was my BMC

However, the BMC was in a onespot daisey chain so I was not panicing about it. Found an unused 18V adapter and plugged that in. The noise was completely gone. maybe it was also the extra headroom from the 18V as well. Thanks Vlad5 for that suggestion.

The same fix worked for me, Dazonbass! Thanks!

[artitrol]

I had one. Yes there was a little "hiss" or "humm" noise when it used some adapters( when we used the classic 2 adapter it maybe "humm", if it "hiss" maybe you used a switcher adapter) , but if it used a battery or some classic 2 adapter( as Sadowsky preamp DI 's original adapter). I think it's depend on the amp freq of the adapter. Same problem happend on Sadowsky preamp DI when we let the preamp on.

The BMC is very usefull on my Atelier Z Jazzbass, yes, add the cut-though and fat tone in my gig. It's has another use for some basses have 3 band eq preamp like my MTD 535. You can put the BMC after a compressor if you used to shape the single pass compressor, and you can use it to do some boost on 400hz when you cut the 800hz on MTD's bartolini pre, or cut the 3khz when you boost the 500hz will get some fretless jazzbass tone...

A very intersting and usefull toy.

[4StringsEnough]

Originally Posted by rust_preacher

It really seemed to add "balls" to the sound.

+1. This is a pedal every bassist should own, regardless of whether they think they need an EQ pedal or not! So easy to use. So many different sounds in it. So much an integral part of 'your' sound once you get it. Oh, and so cute too... :-)

[My name is Mudd]

Has anyone A/B'd this against a Submarine? I realize that they aren't exactly the same design, but I use my Sub in the same way as the Preacher mentioned up there..."to add balls to the sound".

[Dazonbass]

Originally Posted by My name is Mudd

Has anyone A/B'd this against a Submarine? I realize that they aren't exactly the same design, but I use my Sub in the same way as the Preacher mentioned up there..."to add balls to the sound".

I use my submarine and BMC at the same time; both are usually always on. I think the submarine adds a distinct colour to your sound but is pretty fixed due to the mixed crossover nature of its circuitry.

The BMC doesn't have as a distinct colour but is more flexible due to it being a parametric eq. It gives me more punch by adding a little in the lowmids but at a more focused group of frequencies than the submarine can achieve.

Therefore I think they work well together, but have always wondered if I could have got the same results with a submarine designer. However, from what I have red the designer adds noise when its boost circuitry is active, something I have got around with by isolating the power to the BMC.

Hope that helps

[lsabina]

Has anyone adjusted the internal trimmer? I like to keep things simple-with the internal trimmer completely boosted, would this have enough juice to drive a power amp, with an input sensitivity of 1.0V? I'd go P-bass>BMC>power amp>cab. Possible?

[Vlad5]

Originally Posted by Dazonbass

After writing the above I went and practised, only to find a little noise coming through my headphones. Turns out it was my BMC

However, the BMC was in a onespot daisey chain so I was not panicing about it. Found an unused 18V adapter and plugged that in. The noise was completely gone. maybe it was also the extra headroom from the 18V as well. Thanks Vlad5 for that suggestion.

You're most welcome! I use mine after all my dirt boxes, so the extra headroom helps keep thinks articulate, at least to my ears.

Originally Posted by My name is Mudd

Has anyone A/B'd this against a Submarine? I realize that they aren't exactly the same design, but I use my Sub in the same way as the Preacher mentioned up there..."to add balls to the sound".

See below, as he is saying what I'm thinking...

Originally Posted by Dazonbass

I use my submarine and BMC at the same time; both are usually always on. I think the submarine adds a distinct colour to your sound but is pretty fixed due to the mixed crossover nature of its circuitry.

The BMC doesn't have as a distinct colour but is more flexible due to it being a parametric eq. It gives me more punch by adding a little in the lowmids but at a more focused group of frequencies than the submarine can achieve.

Therefore I think they work well together, but have always wondered if I could have got the same results with a submarine designer. However, from what I have red the designer adds noise when its boost circuitry is active, something I have got around with by isolating the power to the BMC.

Hope that helps

Same here. I use mine at the end of my dirty loop, and the Submarine at the end of everything. The BMC made terrible noises in my PowerAll daisy chain. EWS sent me a new one (v.2), same deal. So I finally just got the Dunlop 18v adapter (recommended in the manual) and it sound amazingly clean. Its an essential tool that is as versatile as any eq pedal I can imagine. And it fits very well with my active bass. Especially since I one have bass/treble controls onboard.

[Dazonbass]

wondered when you would chime in