Newbie needs 3 Essential Pedals for Rock

[Amor Fati]

I have an old multi-effects pedal but I'm looking to switch to boxes. I like hard rock (think Tool, Muse) and want to buy 3 pedals preferably around $100 each. I will likely hit Guitar Center, Sam Ash or Manny's in nyc today. Any advice?

[RFord04]

Hmmm. I'd say go for a fuzz (Swollen Pickles are awesome, but they sound like crap in the store because you have to adjust some internal trim pots. I got mine from GC for $100 with a price match on an ebay store.)

A VT Bass pedal nails the classic SVT sounds, so keep one of those in mind, though they're a little more expensive than you are looking at $150.

If you like Muse, you might want to consider an octave pedal, or an Envelope Filter. Octave, fuzz, and envelope are always a fun combination to mess with.

[tony_clifton]

I'd say tuner + clean blend + overdrive.

I already have a tuner and might just as well end up with a BDDI for the latter.

Some prefer chorusses but those things might bury you in the mix imo...

[ga_edwards]

Erm... which 3 effects are you after? If you don't know which 3 you need, do you really need 3?

[chump stain]

None, use the money for a back up bass.

Seriously though a Sansamp RBI, VT Bass, or Bass Driver DI is all you need.

My pedals collect dust, but my Sansamp RBI is the heart and soul of my tone.

If I had to choose 3, I would say an Octave, Compression, and a Sansamp VT.

[Kromwarp]

Hartke VXL Bass Attack - $90
T-Rex Bass Sweeper Chorus - $100
Boss TR-2 Tremolo - $85

[RickenBoogie]

First 3- tuner, compressor, and some sort of overdrive.
Next 3- filter, fuzz, and octave.
Final 3- modulation, (chorus, phase), delay, and either more drive or another filter.

9-12 pedals can cover almost anything, just work on 3 at a time.

[My name is Mudd]

Tuner, VT Bass, and a chorus.

[xed]

#1 VT Bass - if you can afford to drop $250 then get the deluxe; otherwise don't bother and just buy a used VT Bass. Lots of folks selling their VT Bass because they just picked up their deluxe. This pedal may also can cover your need to dirty up your sound so you don't "have" to get a fuzz immediately if you grab a VT Bass. (2 birds, 1 stone)

#2 mxr carbon copy delay. buy new or used. These come up used pretty often. Analog delay sweetness with a pretty blue light plus modulation on the delay repeats if you so desire.

#3 an old boss bf-2 (black knob mij if you can find it) You know you're going to sit around and play 46 & 2 right? Yeah I know that's about the only thing you'll use it on but it's too cool not to have so you might as well pick this up.

[ThudThudThud]

It'd be easier if we knew what bass, and backline you have.

The SansAmp people above are right on the money.
I use a (Mk1) BDDI plus a Tri-AC and that gives me close to the tone you're looking for if I want it.

These things tend to hold their value pretty good, so I wonder if you can get both for $300. The Programmable BDDI might be all you need. Go try one in a store - with the Manual (the settings can be tricky) and see if it works for you.

Of course, if you're trying to get the sound without a WAL pickup/pre-amp (and I assure you I don't have them) you're going to fall a little short, but you'll be close enough for gov't work.

[Jake of Bass]

Tool/Muse -- overdrive/fuzz, flanger/chorus, whammy/synth.

[isher1992]

Originally Posted by xed

#3 an old boss bf-2 (black knob mij if you can find it) You know you're going to sit around and play 46 & 2 right? Yeah I know that's about the only thing you'll use it on but it's too cool not to have so you might as well pick this up.

Walbassplayer uses a DOD Bass Flanger, he claims it's a little thicker. It's probably cheaper than the Boss one, so it's worth looking into.

[Oh!Carson]

1. Tuner (Peterson, Korg, Boss)
2. Preamp/DI (Sansamp, VT Bass, Tonehammer)
3. Overdrive/Fuzz (Agro, Big Muff)

All of that other stuff will just complicate your sound and you'll end up relying on them to sound good. Remember, your a bass player... not a guitarist.

[EskimoBassist]

Tuner, Pre/DI, Overdrive or Compressor

[isher1992]

This is the part where I'd say "Instead of trying to sound like other people, why not find your own tone?" But I'm too tired cause it's not the afternoon yet.

For playing straight-up, dry, modern rock, I'd say all you need is a good overdrive/distortion (Boss DS-1, Ibanez Smash Box, Ibanez PD-7 are all 3 good examples.), A good wah pedal, like a Weeping Demon (I got one used from Guitar Center for 80 bucks) or an early CryBaby bass wah (Based off the GCB-95, or you could mod an existing GCB-95 for better mids, they're out there.), and if you can spend the extra cash, I'd say get the 3-channel programmable SansAmp. If not, a good, similar preamp for 80 dollars new is the Hartke VXL Bass Attack.

[Unrepresented]

Originally Posted by carsonseelinger

1. Tuner (Peterson, Korg, Boss)
2. Preamp/DI (Sansamp, VT Bass, Tonehammer)
3. Overdrive/Fuzz (Agro, Big Muff)

All of that other stuff will just complicate your sound and you'll end up relying on them to sound good. Remember, your a bass player... not a guitarist.

But the people he cites as influences use effects heavily in shaping their tone. If that's the path he wishes to take, your advice does him a disservice.

I'd keep it simple:

1) dirt (fuzz, overdrive)
2) modulation (chorus/flange/phase)
3) octave/synth

[jmattbassplaya]

VT Bass. Really, that's all you should need for a while. Had I gotten that first it would of saved me a lot of money in the distortion and fuzz department because it gets gritty enough for me without getting lost in the mix. My muffs always got lost and, quite frankly, only sounded ok.

I also would not suggest getting a delay, phaser, or flanger until you decide that you absolutely need one after trying them out. Had I taken that advice I would of saved myself a few hundred bucks.

Likewise, tuners and compressors aren't worth getting until you decide you absolutely need them. As much as I love my Korg Pitchblack my bass will honestly stay in tune an entire night of playing without getting off even the slightest amount. $80 is a lot to pay just to use something once a night (although it also works a mute switch which isn't bad).

I say an octave and an envelope filter will be the ticket, along with the VT.

[isher1992]

This is entirely subjective...but like I said, sleepy and not thinking clearly....so I realized my post was rather skewed as well.

Maybe a decent set up would be:

1) Tech 21 SansAmp PBDDI
2) Line 6 DM4 or Tech 21 Double Drive or Tech 21 Tri-AC
3) DigiTech Bass Synth Wah

all 3 of the pedals mentioned in 2 are modellers of other existing preamps and distortions, but they have programmable memories, so if you find a sound you want, you can add it to the memory and call it up later, so it's very versatile. Plus you can get them all used for about 120 if you look carefully, and the Synth Wah you could find for like 50.

[Jake of Bass]

All the suggestions for a tuner... don't know about you guys but I don't really consider them an effect. Important? Absolutely. Not an effect though.

[Deluge Of Sound]

What's the rest of your rig?

No point in getting nice pedals if you're not going to be able to hear them properly.