Next EXH Pedal Conundrum

[jufros]

I have pretty complicated rack setup that consists of: Sansamp RBI, DBX 166A, Rane ME30b, Aphex C2 w/ Big Bottom, Behringer Tuner, and a QSC Power amp.

My pedal board is pretty small and currently consists of (in order): Micro POG, USA Big Muff, ODB-3, and GEB-7. I don't use the GEB-7 as a main eq but rather as a 120/400 hz boost with the Muff or as a treble killer (leaves me able to keep aggressive settings on the RBI but mellow my tone out when necessary).

I'm debating between replacing the Big Muff with a Bass Muff, or picking up a USA or nano BassBalls (really dig this effect but have heard that it doesn't work well with active basses?). I have less than 100 to spend and am having a hard time tracking down either one at a used price. I would otherwise acquire both pedals.

How much richer/versatile is the Bass Muff?

I play some really funky finger style passages with my band and would love to try chaining the POG with the BassBalls.

I'm leaning towards the BassBalls so that I can have a funkier pedal and diversify my board, but if the Bass Muff is worth the switch and my EMGs and Super Ferrites will render the BassBalls useless, I'm all ears.

[moles]

AFAIK, the Bassballs isn't really a replacement for an overdrive pedal. It's really about the envelope filter - you can turn off the fuzz effect and still have the wah sound, but not the other way around. Someone correct me if I'm wrong there.

[fightthepower]

He's looking to possibly replace his Big Muff with a Big Bass Muff--- or keep the Big Muff and get a Bassballs-- but not replace his muff with the bassballs.

Bassballs will funk things up, but I don't have an answer about the active electronics.

[jufros]

I could also probably pick up a Micro Q-Tron for the price of the Bassballs and have a slightly more versatile pedal but I'm not sure how it's notorious volume spikes would react with my RBI's drive circuit. Would the 166A in the effects loop handle this with some strategic peak limiting?

[JimmyM]

You can set the Bassballs to not be all peaky, you know?

[ScottB.]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

You can set the Bassballs to not be all peaky, you know?

Is it adjustable on the inside?

[JimmyM]

It's adjustable on the outside

[ScottB.]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

It's adjustable on the outside

oh, see when i tired it I found it too subtle at lower settings and too peaky at higher settings, I thought there could be a way of evening it out.

[JimmyM]

Hmmm, just watched bassfuzz.com's demo of it, and apparently there are trimpots you can adjust inside to adjust the filters. But I'm going to have to take back what I said about it...I must have been thinking more about the Dr. Q than the Bassballs. Bassballs seems to specialize in peaky Not hearing much out of it that isn't peaky. Well, they say when you get old the memory's first to go

[gribuski]

Originally Posted by jufros

How much richer/versatile is the Bass Muff?

I just switched from a regular Muff to a Bass, and MUCH prefer the bass version. There's an option that will let you run your dry signal mixed with the fuzz, or you can run it old-school. Check out some clips on Youtube.

I had the same problem w/ the low-end cutting out, even with the tone knob at 8:00, and bad been activating the EQ on my head when I used the fuzz. The way I see it, if you're using the EQ pedal just for the fuzz, you can drop it by switching to the bass Big Muff and make more room.

My $0.02.

[RCCollins]

the BBM is WAY more versatile than a standard big muff. get it.

[jufros]

Already done. Sold some guitar gear and am selling some more stuff to pay for a Sparkle Drive. The sound clips are just too legitimate sounding and I have major GAS at the moment.