Never used effects on bass. Suggestions?

saustindavis · #1 03-05-2011, 03:37 PM

Hey there, not new to bass but new to effects. I've always just ran my bass straight into the amp, but after buying several pedals for my guitar I am interested in trying some out on my bass. The most common ones I've seen are Chorus, Compressor, and Distortion/Fuzz. I want to make sure that I don't lose any (or at least very little) bottom end. Any suggestions?

behndy · #2 03-05-2011, 03:51 PM

RUN. SAVE YOUR MONEYYYYYYY.

..... GAS will eat your soul and your bank account.

Joospocks · #3 03-05-2011, 03:57 PM

If you want Distortion/OD, pedals with a clean mix are a good idea for maintaining low end. The clean mix might not be necessary for fuzz, as many fuzz pedals have a lot of low end anyway. Basically just try stuff that you think might be interesting, and don't be afraid to try pedals that were intended for use with guitar.

behndy makes a good point, though.

BruceBass3901 · #4 03-05-2011, 03:58 PM

Well done Ben... You've scared off another potential buyer for all of the boutique goodies you want

alexa. · #5 03-05-2011, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saustindavis

Hey there, not new to bass but new to effects. I've always just ran my bass straight into the amp, but after buying several pedals for my guitar I am interested in trying some out on my bass. The most common ones I've seen are Chorus, Compressor, and Distortion/Fuzz. I want to make sure that I don't lose any (or at least very little) bottom end. Any suggestions?

Do some research about the bands you like and what effects do the bassists you like use. That will give you a pretty good idea what sound you wanna have and use.

Also, welcome to hell. Sweet sweet hell

My name is Mudd · #6 03-05-2011, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joospocks

If you want Distortion/OD, pedals with a clean mix are a good idea for maintaining low end.

Another option that will open up many more options is a blender...that way, almost any dirt can be used and still hang on to the bottom.

And brother behndy's right...kiss your spare change goodbye now, while you still can...

warwick.hoy · #7 03-05-2011, 04:16 PM

Hi,...

A quick check on your setup,...depending on what you want to do with FX (IE gig regularly),...I'd look into upgrading your rig or at the very least add either a 2nd single 15 or an additional 4x10 to pair up with your existing 15 before getting into FX,...especially if you plan to or are currently gigging.

I've been gigging Spokane for the better part of 6 years and I've been using FX liberally for about 3 years. My biggest gripe is the lack of PA support at the venues around town. All too often I see bassists trying to get away with a weak backline and as a result lack any low end even in a clean tone. The common easy fix is to push the mids but this contributes to a weak overall lowend lacking honk sound band mix that I here all to often, and relying on FOH support is hit or miss.

With effects the best results come from having an already killer and authoritative clean tone and being in control of your EQ and frankly ~100watts into a single 15 isn't enough for a powerful lowend; even for the smallest of venues.

If you are aren't gigging or are still building up to that point where you are ready to gig then I say go for it on the effects. Look into a decent multi-FX processor just to get a feel for what you can use and what you desire, but with the priority of beefing up your rig. Then move onto individual stomps.

Don't buy into bass specific effects,...while some will be designed with a bassist in mind (especially from the smaller booteek companies,...one of which I'll be starting up soon in the next few months),...usually it's just a marketing scheme from the bigger companies (Source Audio is a notable exception).

I think the Line 6 M9 is pretty cool for modulation (Chorus/Phaser) dynamics (Envelope Filters) and time (Delays) FX,...not so much on Comps/Disto/Fuzz. It's pricey though.

warwick.hoy · #8 03-05-2011, 04:21 PM

With individual stomps it's going to come down to research and what you are looking for. There are plenty of OD/Disto/Fuzzes out there that ooze lowend,...it's just a matter of determining what overall sound you are looking for (Fuzz,...distortion,...) then figuring out which ones do and do not loose lowend.

EDIT: and just a little caveat,...My band is purposely and obnoxiously too loud,...I still contend that a powerful rig with enough speakers to push a decent amount of air is still crucial to a good fundamental,...low end rich sound. It doesn't matter how much low end a pedal retains if it isn't there at volume to begin with.

behndy · #9 03-05-2011, 05:02 PM

lol. ALL THE EFX WILL BE MIIIIIINE!!!

WarWicker is right on both accounts. big rig that gives bigger sound than you need is AWESOME. i run about a 1000 watts into a pair of Aggy GS 112's and another 1000 into a GS212. never had to go even half way up. but i know i can carry any size venue except the freakishly huge stadium shiz that i'm not playing anyways. and that stuff, you could get away with a 15 watt combo.

also, the M9, that you can find for about $300 or a bit more gives a LOT of decent efx to play with, figure out what you like, then upgrade that effect if you wanna.

but it's dirt SUCKS. a good fuzz or a nice OD are gonna KILL anything the M9 puts out.

murbles.

warwick.hoy · #10 03-05-2011, 05:15 PM

I know there are guys that would scoff at pushing such heinous amounts of power,...but for low end to reproduce well it eats up gobs of power and I'd rather have headroom to spare to guarantee a quality of tone and have the versatility to run a wide array of cabs.

Granted I'm running a stereo poweramp that can run down to 2ohms per channel.

IMO YMMV etc etc

Bassmike62 · #11 03-05-2011, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saustindavis

Hey there, not new to bass but new to effects. I've always just ran my bass straight into the amp, but after buying several pedals for my guitar I am interested in trying some out on my bass. The most common ones I've seen are Chorus, Compressor, and Distortion/Fuzz. I want to make sure that I don't lose any (or at least very little) bottom end. Any suggestions?

If you're starting out in effects, buying into a used multi-effects unit could help you ultimately decide what you like and don't like. I started on an cheapo Zoom B1 (not recommending it), toyed around with it for about a year and figured out what I wanted for effects. Then I went totally zonkers for pedals, but that's another story...

Behndy's right. If you start down this path, you are damned forever.