MUSE distorsion: digitech synth wah

san_339 · #1 09-30-2009, 03:18 AM

Hi.

I've earned some money and I'm gonna buy two pedals for my bass, in order to get the MUSE bassist tone.

I've been thinking in the Electro Harmonix Big Muff (obviosly) and the DigitechXBW bass synth wah. Are they a correct choice? Will I be able to get the MUSE tone, or something near, with this 2 pedals?

I'm playing a Hartke 3500 with a 4.5 XL Harte aluminium cone cab.

I know there are other threats about this issue, but muy question is clear and simple.

Thaks a lot.

kaputsport · #2 09-30-2009, 04:38 AM

Well, kinda...

Here is a list of all the pedals Chris Wolstenholme uses (Ass of the November issue of Bass Player)

3: Big Muff Pi's
2: Human Gear animatos
1: HBE Hematoma
1: Prunes and custard
1: Line 6 FM4
1: Akai Deep Impact
1: EHX Micro Qtron
1: ZVEX Wooly Mammoth
2: EHX Octave Multiplexer
1: Digitech Bass Synth Wah

He stated his normal tone is the following...

Bass>effects chain>Split 3 ways to 3 amps...

Amp 1> 1x15 Mills Bass cab (Clean)
Amp 2> 4x10 Mills Bass Cab (Big Muff)
Amp 3> 4x10 Mills Bass Cab (Animato)

You will get 1/6 of the way there. You would do better with a clean blend along side the muff, but that is me. The Bass Synth Wah is really not a used pedal by him much that I can tell. Some use setting 4 with the first three knobs turned to 0 for a synthy fuzz tone ( a la' hysteria) but I think it sounds nothing like it. His tones are very complex and ver hard to dupe. You need a lot of money invested to sound like him. On top of that, your amp is not a Marshall DBS amp, so your pre will color the sound too much to be 100%...

Too many variables...

Go with the Muff and the BSW, but don't expect miricles.

Happynoj · #3 09-30-2009, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by san_339

Hi.

I've earned some money and I'm gonna buy two pedals for my bass, in order to get the MUSE bassist tone.

I've been thinking in the Electro Harmonix Big Muff (obviosly) and the DigitechXBW bass synth wah. Are they a correct choice? Will I be able to get the MUSE tone, or something near, with this 2 pedals?

I'm playing a Hartke 3500 with a 4.5 XL Harte aluminium cone cab.

I know there are other threats about this issue, but muy question is clear and simple.

Thaks a lot.

If you want to use both of those pedals, you will need to use a parallel blender or something. If you run them into each other it will just come out as a muddy distorted mess. In my opinion.

bigchiefbc · #4 09-30-2009, 06:53 AM

In my opinion, the BSW will not get you there. It really doesn't sound like the Deep Impact at all. I think the Boss SYB-5/Behringer BSY-600 is much closer, sound-wise. And as a bonus, it has separate knobs for wet and dry level, so its a built-in clean blend. That would be my recommendation.

Some people complain about the tracking of the SYB, but if you use a clean blend, it will cover up most of the tracking issues you may run into anyways.

san_339 · #5 09-30-2009, 08:10 AM

Thanks for the info, guys.

Then, I won't buy the digitech sinth wah... but I think that the big muff is a really good buy, in order to use a sweet distorsion as a normal tone for my songs.

Any other recomendation?

bassman1185 · #6 09-30-2009, 08:26 AM

I just picked up a Devi Ever Cherry Pop, and if you can find one of those, I would definitely recommend it over the BBM. It has a much wider range of sounds than the BBM, and it can sound a lot more synth-like.

As for the synth, the BSW is a cool little pedal, but it is REALLY hard to get usable sounds out of it. I have one You might be better off looking for one of the old-style Electro-Harmonix Bass Micro Synths instead. If you look hard, you can find them for fairly cheap, and it will give you a lot more tweakability.

TheWoodShed · #7 09-30-2009, 08:56 AM

A Crowther Audio Prunes and Custard will get you close. It isn't perfect, but it is a good one pedal solution.

I am also receiving a new pedal made by a new manufacturer called Taking Flight Pedals, called The Goose, that I am thinking will be the best solution. It has 6 different distortions, an adjustable octave level, wet/dry mix and modulation.

kaputsport · #8 09-30-2009, 09:03 AM

Chris uses a Crowther Prunes and Custard now, along with a Hematoma, Animato, Muff and Wooly Mammoth.... As listed above.

Konquest · #9 09-30-2009, 09:20 AM

Oddly enough I bought the digitech synth wah and the russian big muff pi last weekend so we could adequately cover "hysteria". IMHO close enough is OK...who the hell has the cash and the time to amass an exact replica of Wolstenholme's rig? I used the 3rd preset for a "drippy" synth tone, then cranked fuzz over the top of it and it sounded OK. Just because you buy someone's gear, there are so many variables (the most important being the fingers!) that you aren't ever going to cop an exact tone match, no matter how hard you try. That said, I do plan on eventually scoring an EH bass micro synth.

kaputsport · #10 09-30-2009, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Konquest

who the hell has the cash and the time to amass an exact replica of Wolstenholme's rig?

I am 3/4 there... I have his OoS rig...

Honestly, it kinda happened that way. It is not that I am all about making his rig mine, but I want to be the one to crack the "Hysteria" Pandoras box, to say it can be done, and here is how. Other than that, I use totally different settings for my music and what not.

Half of my Deep Impact is Wolstenholme tones, half mine, totally different. And I use mine more.

Sure, close is good enough, but I wanna nail it, even if it is a triple tracked song, and I cannot do it live.... I still wanna nail it.

Happynoj · #11 09-30-2009, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaputsport

I am 3/4 there... I have his OoS rig...

Honestly, it kinda happened that way. It is not that I am all about making his rig mine, but I want to be the one to crack the "Hysteria" Pandoras box, to say it can be done, and here is how. Other than that, I use totally different settings for my music and what not.

Half of my Deep Impact is Wolstenholme tones, half mine, totally different. And I use mine more.

Sure, close is good enough, but I wanna nail it, even if it is a triple tracked song, and I cannot do it live.... I still wanna nail it.

I think it was reamped.

kaputsport · #12 09-30-2009, 10:09 AM

Yea, that is what we are doing. Surprisingly, the DI can take a straight audio signal... Not just that of a bass.

TheWoodShed · #13 09-30-2009, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaputsport

Chris uses a Crowther Prunes and Custard now, along with a Hematoma, Animato, Muff and Wooly Mammoth.... As listed above.

Yes, I know.

All I was saying is that singley, the P&C does a decent imitation of the classic "Hysteria" tone by itself.