Finally a pedalboard!

basskababble · #1 08-08-2008, 10:38 PM

I finally am building a pedal board. Before I do I want to be pretty set on what pedals are keepers and what I should add to the board. So here goes:

I like to try to keep pedals to around $50 give or take. I do shoot all this into an alesis nanocompressor. I'm not sure exactly where to set the comp.

I also really want to find that "pretty" sound of a bass kind of flowing through itself with low attack and the sound of a stringed instrument. I was looking to chori for that but it wasn't what I was looking for. Phaser maybe? I don't need any more space 80's retro.

TrevorOfDoom · #2 08-08-2008, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basskababble

looks good!

basskababble · #3 08-08-2008, 10:41 PM

Thanks. Any ideas on what will give me that "pretty" sound i'm going for?

TrevorOfDoom · #4 08-08-2008, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basskababble

Thanks. Any ideas on what will give me that "pretty" sound i'm going for?

sorry, i was being sarcastic. your box is just a photobucket message saying the image was either moved or deleted. nothing there.
but as for the "pretty" tone... uh... what? maybe just trying your bass straight to the amp?
do you want this "pretty" tone to be your base tone?

basskababble · #5 08-08-2008, 10:56 PM

It's fixed. Just refresh. The picture is a comp of the pedals I currently own and the order they're in.

That "pretty" effect i'm going for isn't straight up bass, and it's not tone, it's an effect I have in mind, more like a sound.

I can only describe it as a string section of an orchestra. Low attack, long sustain, with a big swell and a consistent note from the bass. I thought a chorus would do something like that, but the digitech multi-voice only makes it sound like space porn to me. I don't need anything uber funky either.

I'm picturing the part of Radiohead's Paranoid Android where the voices come in at around 3:30 in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szdWPWnnNls

I know that isn't bass, but some kind of effect that would give me multiple voices and sustain enough to keep the note up would be cool.

I've heard the Verbzilla do this on guitar. Has anyone tried it on bass? I know the holy grail is supposed to sound really bad on bass. Any other reverbs?

TrevorOfDoom · #6 08-09-2008, 12:30 AM

i see it now. looks funky.
and if that order works for you, awesome!
though if you want, start switching some pedals around. see what happens.

and for the "pretty" tone, maybe try a Slow Gear clone. it's a volume swell effect. put your chorus after it, see what happens. not sure, to be honest, but it never hurts to try.

p.s. Boss Bassman? really? thoughts? comments? review?

chicago_mike · #7 08-09-2008, 12:32 AM

I would put the octaver before the steel leather and have the flanger last. But thats me. Everything looks good though.

basskababble · #8 08-09-2008, 07:36 AM

Technically the octaver is before the steel leather. meaning I can turn the octaver on and the steel leather on and have the steel effect the octaver. Would it make a diference if they're right next to each other?

I'll try moving the flanger to last. I'm more torn as to where to put that delay. I don't like delaying into distortion. The flanger sounds great with the octaver. They're buddies. I'm inclined to keep the flanger there because the octaver effect with the sub off gets a little grit that responds wonderfully to the flanger. I use them as one effect and can switch from that to clean or to synth wah.

The FMB-1 is great for guitar. It kind of gives me a little bass cut on bass, so i'm disapointed there, but it does give me just the right fuzz without sounding anything like a blowtorch and while still acting out a lot less than the muff. It can boost a clean signal really nicely as well. I think a lot of players would enjoy it if they're looking for less overdrive but enough to notice.

I recomend the steel leather to anyone. It isn't noticeable with a blended signal, but it responds WONDERFULLY to overdrive and/or distortion. It really lifts your D and G strings without squashing your E and A. And it makes the Muff sound so angry!

basskababble · #9 08-09-2008, 07:57 AM

I checked out the SG-1 and I like the idea but don't know about spending that much money learning to solder. I've got the volume pedal on there. What i did find was the snarling dog erogenous moan reverse tape simulator. Sounds like it could be cool for what i'm trying to do...

wdinc01 · #10 08-09-2008, 08:11 AM

The reverse tape simulator might also be good. I haven't tried nor even heard of one, though.

If you know someone who's good at soldering, you could ask them to build that Slow Gear clone. It shouldn't be too hard. Or even if you ordered one from BYOC, it comes with a practice soldering board, so you can figure out how to do it yourself. And if you decide that you're no good at it, you can send the Slow Gear (excuse me, Lazy Sprocket) back for a refund.

Your other options are a volume pedal or riding the volume on your bass guitar.

As for your pedal board, my brother was standing behind me when I looked at it and he commented that "It looks like it's from the 70s." So uh...take that as you will.

basskababble · #11 08-09-2008, 08:16 AM

I'm not sure how to take that

. Are there more modern pedals I should check out? The Ibanez looks like it's from the 70's. It very well could be from the 80's at least. It's paint is pealing and it sounds awesome. It used to do this crazy great swell noise when all the nobs were turns up. My uncle gave it to me and i know his gear is at least 20 years old.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm still looking to sound like the string section of an orchestra.

wdinc01 · #12 08-09-2008, 08:22 AM

Oh no, don't worry about upgrading to modern pedals. I actually went through and pointed out when each pedal was made, roughly. Your board just has a classic look to it, I guess.

That said, you should make your pedal board look like it's the truck of a fifty's car.

basskababble · #13 08-09-2008, 07:54 PM

I took some of the above advice and made a little aquisition. I haven't tried the phaser yet, but i'm sure it'll help with that pretty sound.

I'm planning to split the signal from the synth so that the AB can pick between a completely clean signal and the mix from these effects pedals. I'm looking at the distortion, volume, steel leather and bassman as "sound" pedals. If i ever have the need for a sansamp that's where it'll go. I'm really waiting for the Aguilar to come out.

Question: Does a chain like this really mess up my signal?

basskababble · #14 08-09-2008, 08:02 PM

I took some of the above advice and made a little aquisition. I haven't tried the phaser yet, but i'm sure it'll help with that pretty sound.

I'm planning to split the signal from the synth so that the AB can pick between a completely clean signal and the mix from these effects pedals. I'm looking at the distortion, volume, steel leather and bassman as "sound" pedals. If i ever have the need for a sansamp that's where it'll go. I'm really waiting for the Aguilar to come out.

Question: Does a chain like this really mess up my signal?

As for the pedalboard, i'm custom building one. I wasn't thinking 50's car. I did buy a $1 little carpet that's exactly the size I want for my board. 70's influence is a cool idea. I might stain the wood a nice dark color to contrast that light colored carpet.

B.C. · #15 08-09-2008, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basskababble

I took some of the above advice and made a little aquisition. I haven't tried the phaser yet, but i'm sure it'll help with that pretty sound.

I'm planning to split the signal from the synth so that the AB can pick between a completely clean signal and the mix from these effects pedals. I'm looking at the distortion, volume, steel leather and bassman as "sound" pedals. If i ever have the need for a sansamp that's where it'll go. I'm really waiting for the Aguilar to come out.

Question: Does a chain like this really mess up my signal?

The only thing I would try is to put your modulation after your big muff and distortions. IMHO trying to distort a modulated signal to me sounds a bit off, but modulating a distored signal sounds a lot better.

Give it a shot and if you like the other way better, go for it.