I want a good crunchy bass pedal, not a screaming guitar pedal... help?

MoonUnit · #1 12-17-2008, 11:58 PM

I bought the little big muff pi a while back, which is a cool pedal with some interesting uses. But it's quite obviously a guitar players pedal more so than a bassist (in my mind). Unless the tone is turned way up it sounds kinda muffled and sucks out the bottom end, and when its way up it kinda sounds more like a guitar than a bass anyway...

So that was cool, but I want something that gives a nice solid synthy/gated sound (but still with a overdriven bass kind of tone) that can feel a lot more bass and I can get funky with without it getting all screaming messy metal guitar on me. The bass in this justice track is a great barometer:
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=nSJ4WintrrY

Can anyone make some pedal suggestions?

whoatherechunk · #2 12-18-2008, 12:15 AM

well.....i'd start off with a super gated fuzz in conjunction with a synth pedal or filter. then again.....they use synths so you will only get so close. for squishy/crunchy bass synth sounds look up the bass muse threads.

rodl2005 · #3 12-18-2008, 12:31 AM

apart from that bass sound being a keyboard/synth bass.......... Yeah getting THAT sound outta a bass gtr aint EZ. & other's who know their bass synths will know more'n me. A good OD pedal 4 bass is the BAdder Monkey-Humphrey Audio, of Tech 21's SA BDDI, Fulltone BAss drive.....

fivestringgecko · #4 12-18-2008, 12:43 AM

This thread might be of some interest:
Help me spend my pedal money!

The original poster is asking about fuzz and overdrive pedals and I *just* posted clips of the Keeley Sparkle Drive (post no. 28). It's not quite as synthy as the sound in that youtube link, but it's definitely a good start... it can go from quite subtle to really crunchy.

Just a thought.

5sg.

crimson_basser · #5 12-18-2008, 02:07 AM

tech 21 sansamp bass XXL

extremly crunchy, dirty, raunchy sounding
no loss of low end, no loss of volume, there is a little bit of a hum of feedback when you arent playing, but it depends on your gain settings, etc etc
i love it, i own one myself and its very dirty and crunchy sounding

something else i like is the EHX bass big muff, really good low end fuzz
milky, yet gritty a very nice mix if you ask me (another pedal i have)

thats just what i can suggest from what ive tried

perogato02 · #6 12-18-2008, 02:23 AM

http://www.bigjohnmusic.com/effect.html

Well, I am very interested in these effects ... maybe also of interest for you?

dancehallclasher · #7 12-18-2008, 03:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoonUnit

I bought the little big muff pi a while back, which is a cool pedal with some interesting uses. But it's quite obviously a guitar players pedal more so than a bassist (in my mind). Unless the tone is turned way up it sounds kinda muffled and sucks out the bottom end, and when its way up it kinda sounds more like a guitar than a bass anyway...

This is why you need a pedal with separate bass and treble controls. A single tone knob works great for a lot of guitar pedals but just won't cut it for bass IME.

Mark Olson · #8 12-18-2008, 03:31 AM

**pringlw** · #9 12-18-2008, 03:54 AM

Or, for that crunchy bass sound you could just buy a Rick

rratajski · #10 12-18-2008, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pringlw

Or, for that crunchy bass sound you could just buy a Rick

Truuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuth.

Also, IMHO, you picked the 'wrong' muff.
There are other muff versions out there that retain the bass and cut through the mix.
If you haven't already, check out bassfuzz.com and watch grygrx's vids and check out his reviews.

Nick Kay · #11 12-18-2008, 06:52 AM

That bass synth doesn't sound crunchy at all to me - quite smooth, actually. A synth pedal like the EHX Bass Micro Synth or a gated fuzz would get you a lot closer than traditional dirt pedals.

nickbear · #12 12-18-2008, 03:00 PM

i get my crunchy sounds by running my ric into an ibanez turbo tubescreamer on turbo setting with the tone cranked... a cheaper way which works well is to run a jazz bass into a digitech bad monkey! not too much drive but it gives a really good crunch and retains low end.

MoonUnit · #13 12-19-2008, 12:48 AM

Firstly thanks for tall the helpful replies thus far

I realize I'd call it "crunchy" but your terminology may differ, hopefully the youtube links and such are better describing what I'm after.

well.....i'd start off with a super gated fuzz in conjunction with a synth pedal or filter.

I'm starting to think this kind of thinking is the way to go, to the point;

http://www.bigjohnmusic.com/effect.html

Well, I am very interested in these effects ... maybe also of interest for you?

The Big John Hairy Balls (why do they have these terrible names... sigh) is the closest to what I'm after thus far. Sample here:
http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=lG7YJU...eature=channel
(Bass in the 2nd half)

Seems like its gate control is part of what's making that work. Can anyone suggest other fuzz pedals that have that kind of use? So I can get a feel for whats available.

Oh and people are quick to assume that the justice track uses a synth to achieve that sound, I'm guessing only because its a electro flavored track. I'd consider it more likely that this is an actual bass guitar that was recorded clean and messed around with in software using various VST plugins. They certainly do use bass guitars in their songs. See D.A.N.C.E., Phantom etc.

tomhanzo · #14 12-19-2008, 03:34 AM

Boss Power Driver is my solution to this. I was looking for the same thing, because of the same band lol.

I like the Power Driver way better than any pedal i've used (all though that isnt a lot)

I wish i could make clips, but i dont have the means.

MoonUnit · #15 12-20-2008, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomhanzo

Boss Power Driver is my solution to this. I was looking for the same thing, because of the same band lol.

I like the Power Driver way better than any pedal i've used (all though that isnt a lot)

I wish i could make clips, but i dont have the means.

Really? I'd really need to hear some sound clips... does anyone know where to find them?

But looking at the thing it just appears to be an overdrive pedal...

whoatherechunk · #16 12-20-2008, 03:25 PM

tentacle love super fuzz

http://bassfuzz.com/for-sale-bassfuzzcom-gear/

infinitetoast · #17 12-20-2008, 03:48 PM

Dod FX-76 Punkifier. An overdrive/fuzz pedal with a blend knob, sounds great with bass.

excane · #18 12-20-2008, 07:19 PM

Prescription Electronics Depth Charge. My favorite fuzz, period.

tomhanzo · #19 12-20-2008, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoonUnit

Really? I'd really need to hear some sound clips... does anyone know where to find them?

But looking at the thing it just appears to be an overdrive pedal...

it sounds like 5 tube screamers chained together. it is really cool. I am trying to get clips up, but im having trouble with getting my friend to record me.

Mark Olson · #20 12-21-2008, 12:34 AM

To me the sound is clearly a synth, and the playing is clearly idiomatic of a keyboard, not a bass guitar. If you want that tone you'll need an appropriate synth, and they do make synths for bass, but I doubt you'll find one that will track those precise figures on a bass guitar and get you that tone, I've owned some good synths too. But I can guarantee you that an overdrive or fuzz effect alone is not enough to cop that exact tone. It seems the use of the term "crunchy" has mislead a lot of people into thinking an average "crunchy" bass, overdrive, or fuzz will do when the actual tone I'm hearing from the clip is clearly much more "synthy" than your typical definition of crunch, like a Marshall crunch channel. Big difference.