Pedal help/suggestions?

madbassplaya · #1 04-05-2009, 02:47 PM

Well, I've had some pedals previously, but always used them sparingly and never placed them on a pedal board so I never liked setting them up. I sold them all and am happy with my tone, but I would like to get some effects to start playing around with and using in my different bands. I play worship at church, I play in a rock band, and a "Christian" rock band as well right now.

I don't want this pedal board to get out of hand so i'm thinking to limiting the board to 5 or 6 pedals. I was thinking of getting the following:

Tuner (Pitchblack or TU2)
Volume Pedal
Bass Wah (Dunlop)
Fuzz/Distortion (MXR El Grande/Boss ODB3)
Chorus (Boss)

Those are the basics and I am open to suggestions. Are these pretty practical? I think most are except the bass wah. Does anyone use a bass wah much?

Also, what would be the best way to power these pedals? Last time I just used my tuner and ran a daisy chain. Is that a good way to go about it?

Thanks for the help.

rcubed · #2 04-05-2009, 02:55 PM

I'd hold off on a volume pedal for that setup. Also check out the Bass Big Muff for fuzz.

jetofuj · #3 04-05-2009, 02:56 PM

Tuner: Pitchblack or Turbo-Tuner. You can also use these as a mute switch.

madbassplaya · #4 04-05-2009, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcubed

I'd hold off on a volume pedal for that setup. Also check out the Bass Big Muff for fuzz.

Ok. Why's that? Is it not that useful?

Thanks

Mudfuzz · #5 04-05-2009, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madbassplaya

Well, I've had some pedals previously, but always used them sparingly and never placed them on a pedal board so I never liked setting them up. I sold them all and am happy with my tone, but I would like to get some effects to start playing around with and using in my different bands. I play worship at church, I play in a rock band, and a "Christian" rock band as well right now.

I don't want this pedal board to get out of hand so i'm thinking to limiting the board to 5 or 6 pedals. I was thinking of getting the following:

Tuner (Pitchblack or TU2)
Volume Pedal
Bass Wah (Dunlop)
Fuzz/Distortion (MXR El Grande/Boss ODB3)
Chorus (Boss)

Those are the basics and I am open to suggestions. Are these pretty practical? I think most are except the bass wah. Does anyone use a bass wah much?.

I use a bass wah, lately I've been choosing it over using filters because the Dunlop can get very close to a envelope filter in sound and be used as a wah.

I agree with rcubed about the EHX Bass Big Muff over the El Grande and the volume pedal, other then feedback swells I've never had a use for one.

Chorus, Boss isn't my favorite sound but if you like it go for it, I like very few choruses to be truthful.

madbassplaya · #6 04-05-2009, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudfuzz

I use a bass wah, lately I've been choosing it over using filters because the Dunlop can get very close to a envelope filter in sound and be used as a wah.

I agree with rcubed about the EHX Bass Big Muff over the El Grande and the volume pedal, other then feedback swells I've never had a use for one.

Chorus, Boss isn't my favorite sound but if you like it go for it, I like very few choruses to be truthful.

Thanks.

Why go with the bigmuff? What would it do better?

Also, What chorus would be better than the boss?

Mudfuzz · #7 04-05-2009, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madbassplaya

Thanks.

Why go with the bigmuff? What would it do better?

Tthe El Grande is petty much based on a EHX Bigmuff, which is a pedal that really shouldn't need a bass boost the, BM design has tons of bass if built right. What a BM lacks is MIDS and the Bass BM has a clean blend [in a way] so you don't lose punch.

Quote:

Originally Posted by madbassplaya

Also, What chorus would be better than the boss?

Not better just different flavors, I like Guyatone, Maxon/Ibanez, MXR and EHX choruses better than Boss.

jetofuj · #8 04-05-2009, 03:37 PM

There is several dozen of great fuzzes. It is rather impossible for us to find you "the one". Muff is kind of a industrial standard, it's versatile and cheap.

kyral210 · #9 04-05-2009, 03:49 PM

Quote:

and a "Christian" rock band

I don't think it should matter, your tone is your tone.

I own a TU-10 and I LOVE IT! It is solid, accurate, affordable and very reliable live. I jump around like a mad man, stomp on it with New Rock's and it just takes everything and says thank you. Get it!

Volume pedal. If you need one, get one, but you can get a cheap one and be 100% fine as its pretty much just a foot activated version of the pot in your bass. The electronics is so basic that you can get by happily on a £14 job.

Bass wah, never used one, so no comment

Fuzz. I own an EHX Big Muff USA reissue, and a Boss ODB-3. It all depends on the tone your looking for. Personally, I find the ODB-3 VERY versatile and musical. The 'blend' knob is fantastic and the whole pedal allows you to get everything from 'musical fuzz' to nu metal distortion to slight blues overdrive and everything in between. The Big Muff however, I find very difficult to use, both live and for recording. The sound is very fuzzy and close notes can be hard to define. The bass big muff is meant to be a 'not so good' version of the Big Muff. As I said, I have the muff, and I chose the ODB-3 for my fuzz every time! I love it!!!!

Chorus. I don't really use it either, so no comment.

I hope this has helped

Kevin Wilson · #10 04-05-2009, 05:37 PM

Envelope filters are quite nice on the bass also!!

Crystalman85 · #11 04-05-2009, 05:38 PM

I can recommend you some chorus pedals if you like. I can recommend you the digitech xbc bass multi-chorus pedal(which I own by the way and I really dig the sound). other chorus pedals I would recommend is the electro-harmonics clone theory(this pedal sounds amazing on bass. check out myticboo's soundclick website. he has sound samples of that pedal on bass), the ibanez cf-7 chorus/flanger pedal(this pedal does work on bass believe it or not), and the danelectro fab chorus(this pedal can give you lush chorus sounds and it costs 15 dollars. now that one mighty sweet deal).

rcubed · #12 04-05-2009, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyral210

The bass big muff is meant to be a 'not so good' version of the Big Muff.

I think that's a bad way to think of the BBM. A lot of folks around love it, especially the dry mode. For bass, you'll want to stay away from the NYC version and stick with the Black or Green Muff versions (or better yet, get a Muff clone that improves the low end even more so).