Would like an opinion of my effect chain.

[lpxerodin]

I've been using my setup here for about a year and I'm starting to wonder if there is a "better" way to chain my pedals. I'm wondering if anyone would do anything different. (And no, I'm not tossing any effects).

I have my Boss TU-2 tuner first. No brainer.

Next up I have my Boss LMB-3 Limiter set to keep any peaks under control for slap bass. This is right before a BOSS GEB-7 Bass Equalizer, also set for a nice slap EQ. I use these two pedals together. Never one without the other and ONLY for slap.

Following this is my Boss ODB-3 Bass Overdrive. I only use it sporadically for a power trio I play in, but it is set for a kind of blended gritty/fuzzy tone like the bass player from the Wombats. I use this pedal by itself (not in conjunction with anything).

After this pedal I have another Boss GEB-7 Bass Equalizer that I have EQed to simulate the sound of my bass amp. This pedal is NEVER used through my amp. I only use this when recording directly into a recording setup or if I am leaving my amp at home and playing only through the FOH. When this pedal is in use then it is always on and is, to me mentally, the equivalent of the tonal quality of turning on my amp and playing through it.

Last is a Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor. I use it in mute switch mode (with the suppressor always on). The settings are used very lightly to block any humming from the OverDrive pedal or for when I don't have the volume knobs on my Jazz bass turned all the way up.

Fairly simple, but again, would anyone run anything differently?

Disclaimer: I didn't always have only Boss pedals... so don't judge!

[Mattbass97]

To be honest I think you got it just right, that's how id run it if I had that set up

[Reace George]

It's a nice chain already. However, some people might prefer having a tuner last in chain.

Also, why do you put the limiter before the eq? If you put it behind it, I'd suppose you'd get the slap tone limited instead of a limited tone eqd. Don't know too much about limiters though, so it might just sound stupid.

[lpxerodin]

I'm using the limiter first as a means to control any accidental peaks from any of my own technique shortcomings. Then the EQ next so that the shelved sound is nicely shaped instead of the EQ peaks being limited. Two questions I have. Should I move the amp simulating EQ after the noise suppressor since the actual amp it is replacing is always after the suppressor? Also, would it be smarter to arrange the board Tuner>OverDrive>Noise Supressor>Limiter>Slap EQ>Amp Simulator EQ so that as little as my tone as possible would be affected by the suppressor since the only reason I am using it is pick up and overdrive pedal hum?

[BFunk]

comp->eq->dist. get rid of the other eq. it is just robbing your tone. I am not a fan of noise suppressors.

[lpxerodin]

I'm not going to get rid of the second EQ. A lot of people I've worked with have stated how impressed they are they when I go direct they don't have to EQ my track/channel. But I am interested in why you prefer no noise suppressor. Can you share your experience/reasoning for disliking them? I am definitely interested in any and all thoughts.

[bassman314]

If you always use the Limiter and first EQ togehter, you might consider getting a bypass looper for those.

You only have to hit one pedal to turn them on, and otherwise, they are completely out of your signal chain.

Something like this: http://loooper.com/1looopers.htm#1ltm

This would also get your tuner out of your signal chain, as well.

[lpxerodin]

So bass to tuner, tuner to looper, send to slap boxes return to loop, looper out to distortion and rest of chain?

[bassman314]

Originally Posted by lpxerodin

So bass to tuner, tuner to looper, send to slap boxes return to loop, looper out to distortion and rest of chain?

If you got one of the 1-channel loopers, then yes.

If you got the one with the Tuner Mute, you would plug your bass directly into the looper, then send your tuner out of the Tuner out (it wouldn't plug into anything else) and then the Limiter and EQ in the effects loop.

[lpxerodin]

That actually sounds pretty good. And I use a wireless to my pedal board and I keep my pedal board by my amp in live situations, so I don't have to worry about loosing cord length from not using a buffer pedal. Thanks for the input. Anyone else have any other thoughts?

[thefruitfarmer]

+1 for the looper suggestion.

It sounds like what you have works for you.

Have you noticed any tone suck with all those pedals? If you go straight in to the amp and then compare that sound to that after it has gone through all the pedals then do the pedals seem to be removing something good from the sound?

[lpxerodin]

If I have experienced any tone suck, it wasn't in a way that made the tone sound in a way I didn't already want it. My biggest reason for all the pedals is I play out in several bands. One is a funk and Motown geared live band. Another is a pop punk power trio. But I also do a bit of studio session work between my home studio and a couple other studios around town and I've tried to get my board to the most compact and total tonal range as possible under any circumstance so I can just plug the board in and go. I guess one thing I'm interested in is opinions on the placement of my amp simulator EQ in relation to the noise suppressor. I don't think I've really come across anyone that uses an EQ in that capacity and I'm wondering if I'm crazy. And also I'm curious to see the debate of the noise suppressor as a whole and where people think it should be and how it's placement will affect my tone. Can I get away with tossing it on the end, or should I keep it just on the bass and overdrive and don't let it affect the limiter and EQs? I am definitely going to test out the looper idea. I am curious to see how that plays out.