Less tweaking for me, please....

NickyBass · #1 06-04-2008, 06:39 AM

I'm coming to you guys for help. I've seen pedals come and go for 15 years. I just never found the right pedals for me. I've tried all the EBS, a ton of EHX, some Moog, Boss-you know-the normal pedal catalog. I'm looking for something that will give me a raw funk tone that I will be using in a smooth jazz project. I really couldn't get into the BassBalls pedal. I tried the BassIQ, but it was too polite for what I'm looking for. The Dr Q isn't me. The Moog pedals are great, but there is too much tweaking involved for my tweakely challenged mind.

Basically, I'm looking for a few simple, straight forward effects that sound great out of the box. I'd like a few filters. Maybe two or even three for different textures. A smooth overdrive. A Phasor. And a Chorus.

I think the phrase 'one trick pony' would be a good way to describe what I want. Just plug and play and smile.

dannybuoy · #2 06-04-2008, 06:45 AM

Boomstick Bottom Feeder and DOD FX25. Both great filters, both sound very different, both have only 2 knobs to fiddle with! Maxon AF-9 also very funky, but more complicated than the other 2. For me that's a plus, but I see you want to keep it simple.

I, on the other hand want the filter with the most switches and knobs available, a Robot Factory Meatwad!

edpal · #3 06-04-2008, 06:48 AM

Try the Zoom B2.1u - the manuel is lacking, but the 40 pre-sets have got to have some things you will really like, plus you can set 40 of your own. I wish they would have spent the time on a short DVD video with someone punching their way thru the settings - I have it down pat now, but not everyone has the same patience level. With 96khz sampling, the phaser,chorus and delay are divine. You get into the tape loop section and you have up to 5 seconds of delay - you blast out a lick of 20-30 notes, stop and then listen to the echo. Pretty good bass synth. And the auto wah - push the pedal to change the room mix, step back and play. Slap both foot buttons and it goes to tuner, press pedal back and the tuning is muted. Press either foot button and you are back where you were. Huge LED display - Ray Charles coulda read this thing. You don't want a one-trick pony, you want a jack-of-all-trades.

dannybuoy · #4 06-04-2008, 07:00 AM

While I have a Zoom B2 and agree it's very good, the factory presets aren't all useable and it needs a lot of tweaking, fiddling around programming/copying presets etc. and would probably drive the OP nuts!

emjazz · #5 06-04-2008, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickyBass

Basically, I'm looking for a few simple, straight forward effects that sound great out of the box. I'd like a few filters. Maybe two or even three for different textures. A smooth overdrive. A Phasor. And a Chorus.

I think the phrase 'one trick pony' would be a good way to describe what I want. Just plug and play and smile.

Hey Nicky! You're over on this end now huh? Look out...it turns into a new obsession.

I've been checking out effects for the past year or so...and I'm a picky dude. You should look into these for sure:

Filter:
Go to a Guitar Center and try the MXR Bass Auto Q. I love MXR pedals. They're built like tanks and sound great. This one's no exception. You can get many great sounds out of it, and I believe the manual gives you some good starting places for settings.

If that doesn't do it for you than look for a Maxon AF9. It wasn't my personal cup of tea but it sure is funky.

Overdrive:
If you want on the cheap than find a used (they always pop up here used..I just sold mine) Digitech Humphrey modded Bad Monkey...referred to as the Badder Bass Monkey. It's a little boxy sounding but in a live setting it's really not too noticable. Sounds great though.

The overdrive pedal that I just moved on to is the Analogman modded Ibanez TS9DX Turbo Tubescreamer...and it kills. Amazing little box.

If you want something in the middle price wise, and I hear is tops for tone, check into the Barber LTD SR (special recipe). I have yet to try it but I've been told by some trustworthy effects nerds that this one is a really special (pun intended) overdrive pedal. I plan on checking it out soon.

Chorus:
Again, MXR. The MXR Stereo Chorus is fabulous. It's the one that Richard Bona uses and for good reason. If I used Chorus than this is the one that I'd own, period. You can spend more money to get the Analogman Chorus but, for a gigging musician, the MXR is the way to go.

Phaser I can't help you with. Cool effect that I've not used myself. There seems to be quite a few to choose from though. Do a search for Phaser and I'm sure you'll find some ideas.

Good luck my friend! Hope you and the fam are doing really well!

kaputsport · #6 06-04-2008, 07:56 AM

Mutron III original...

/thread

Edit: Smooth Jazz??? Fretless bass, compressor and a tube preamp... Add a Mutron, Chorus and maybe a DOD FX25, and you are gold...

NickyBass · #7 06-04-2008, 08:00 AM

Thanks for the info guys. I have alot to look into now. I think that the DOD FX25 and the Maxom AF9 might be good for me. I've always liked the MXR effects too. Maybe I'll check out the filter and chorus. I have the AnalogMan Chorus and it KILLS, but I may end up selling it to pick up something less expensive. Man, in one hour since posting, I'm already GASing for a ton of new gear.

Ah, yes, Andy, this is already a new obsession. Well, it's alot cheaper than searching through the bass classifieds.

The family is doing great. My son is sleeping about 8 hours at night now. Which is about 7 1/2 hours longer than when he was teething.

emjazz · #8 06-04-2008, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickyBass

The family is doing great. My son is sleeping about 8 hours at night now. Which is about 7 1/2 hours longer than when he was teething.

Ooh...ouch.

NickyBass · #9 06-04-2008, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaputsport

Mutron III original...

/thread

Edit: Smooth Jazz??? Fretless bass, compressor and a tube preamp... Add a Mutron, Chorus and maybe a DOD FX25, and you are gold...

I was thinking about an original Mutron. I'm not sure if a casual effects user such as myself should make that kind of financial commitment though. I keep hearing raves about the FX25. That might be a good place to start.

emjazz · #10 06-04-2008, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickyBass

I was thinking about an original Mutron. I'm not sure if a casual effects user such as myself should make that kind of financial commitment though. I keep hearing raves about the FX25. That might be a good place to start.

There's a guy trying to trad his FX25 in the classifieds. Maybe you can get him to sell it.

kaputsport · #11 06-04-2008, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickyBass

I was thinking about an original Mutron. I'm not sure if a casual effects user such as myself should make that kind of financial commitment though. I keep hearing raves about the FX25. That might be a good place to start.

I was the same way... New born son (10 months now) and casual effects user...

I have bought an Akai Deep Impact, and a ZVEX Woolly Mammoth in the past 6 months and keep buying basses, cabs, amps, etc.

I make it a priority, and sacrifice other things.

Realize this though... If you don't like it... You can always resell it for the amount you paid or more...

NickyBass · #12 06-04-2008, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaputsport

I If you don't like it... You can always resell it for the amount you paid or more...

That's a good point.

Also, I keep hearing about the Akai. Is that a 'must-have' pedal?

NickyBass · #13 06-04-2008, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emjazz

There's a guy trying to trad his FX25 in the classifieds. Maybe you can get him to sell it.

Thanks for the tip. I looked it up and the seller is in Germany. Would have been a good score though. I'll keep an eye out here and on eBay. They seem to pop up now and again.

fuNKmaster83 · #14 06-04-2008, 11:17 AM

i recommend you try and find a ibanez UE303B and your life will be easy...

but other wise... for simple filter i like DOD 440 or any clone of it... but you will need some drive in front... DOD250 or a clone does a nice job of driving the filter and giving you an edge if desired...
for phasing any one knob box will do...

i don't know how didn't you find any pedals in the last 15 years... i have found hundreds that work and again hundreds that don't...

emjazz · #15 06-04-2008, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickyBass

That's a good point.

Also, I keep hearing about the Akai. Is that a 'must-have' pedal?

Nicky, I personaly don't think it's worth the coin that people are asking for it at all. It has a few really cool sounds and the rest are meh. Chunk Systems is coming out with a synth like pedal soon that hopefully will crush the Akai as far as useability goes.

dannybuoy · #16 06-04-2008, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuNKmaster83

for simple filter i like DOD 440 or any clone of it... but you will need some drive in front...

The Boomstick Bottom Feeder I mentioned is a DOD 440 clone modified for bass and triggers fine without the need for extra drive in front. I plan on doing clips soon...

Joe Gress · #17 06-04-2008, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emjazz

Nicky, I personaly don't think it's worth the coin that people are asking for it at all. It has a few really cool sounds and the rest are meh. Chunk Systems is coming out with a synth like pedal soon that hopefully will crush the Akai as far as useability goes.

Yeah, It will only have two stomp switches and one knob I think. But of course then you can change all the parameters.

Happynoj · #18 06-04-2008, 01:09 PM

If you haven't already, definitely check out the EHX Q-Tron (the Micro version is the most simple, and sounds awesome). The 440 and clones are too subtle for me. The Emma Discombobulator is a popular one as well.

NickyBass · #19 06-04-2008, 07:31 PM

Funkmaster, it isn't so much that I haven't found anything that I like. It's just that I haven't found anything that I couldn't live without. I loved the BassIQ, and the Moog filter pedal, but I'm starting the search again, for a new project, and I want to do it right this time. This will be the first time that I will actually be 'playing' these pedals, as opposed to spicing things up-even though it wasn't always necissary.

The Boomstick and the Chunk synth sound promising. I had the emma pedal, but I'd prefer something real 'raw.' Maybe the Q-tron would be worth trying out.

How about vintage pedals? Is anyone using older pedals with any success?

Joe Gress · #20 06-04-2008, 09:57 PM

My Qtron+ is awesome! Instantly funky and the option to go up or down is very nifty. Once you set the gain right where you want it, your pretty much set with everything else.