1st Pedal To Get

[direwolf333]

Hx stomp.

 

[micguy]

Tuner

A tuner with a buffer (I use the TC polytunes) is absolutely the first thing you need, and probably the first thing in the chain. After that, let your muse guide you. My small board (what I use 90 plus percent of the time) has a very mild overdrive (if you hear me play, you won't think I'm using an overdrive), an eq, a low pass filter (cabinet emulator of sorts), and a simple DI. I don't sound like a guy who uses lots of effects on bass - I just sound a little bit better than a guy without a pedalboard. Your results may vary.

The power supply is also critical - the best way to save money on a power supply is to buy a good one the first time. If you cheap out, well,.....you will eventually buy a good one, so do it the first time.

 

[jumblemind]

I would recommend starting with the pedal that's built into your amp: the overdrive. It's quite nice on the new bassman heads. Else I would suggest an overdrive pedal that is "tube like" for the old school sound. There are a billion of these, but on the budget end:
- EHX Hot Tubes or Hot Wax
- EHX Operation Overlord nano
- TC Spark
OR
For a little more, the SolidGoldFX Beta

My first pedal was a Boss bass chorus, mostly because I was in your situation and that's what the music store guy suggested. It was fine and fun to stomp and get a different sound but not that useful for me.

As for multi-effects, I'm a huge fan of them BUT personally wouldn't want one as a first pedal because there is a steep learning curve that is largely dependent on already being familiar with standard pedals.

 

[remcult]

Something simple and fun. I got a Zoom B3 in college and had it for years before I decided to actually come to grips with it (which didn't take much work, but it wasn't the same as getting something with a few knobs and that's it), so even though it had decent examples in it of a lot of effects, I wouldn't necessarily recommend it for a very first introduction to pedals.

So maybe an overdrive? You can use it to thicken your sound for blues and rock, and they're fun for when it's just you jamming at home. It doesn't need to be boutique. For instance, a lot of people love the Spark Booster Mini


(demo by @DosiYanarchy )

 

[clayworx]

The Bassman has a distortion channel and a footswitch to change between channels. I'd get a chorus or flanger or wah pedal.

 

[Hevy T]

Zoom b3n

 

[lowendrachel]

Multi effects or compressor.

 

[hrodbert696]

Did they give any indication as to how the octaver is set ?

Splits his signal, part clean, part through a MicroPOG with the dry at zero, the sub-down dimed out and the octave-up around 4 or 5. Honestly, would not in a million years be my idea for great tone, but that's how he does it.

 

[Wfrance3]

I honestly am pretty satisfied with my tone and have been for a while now. I subscribe to the tuner with buffer recommended in post #22, and the TC Booster pedal recommended in #24. I play direct, so also use an MXR M81 to get my signal to the board, but it's set flat and honestly could be a Radial JDI or something similar. You can get a light OD out of that TC Booster, and tweak the tone a little with the bass and treble. That's all I really need. Since I don't play with an amp, that booster gets me access to amp-ish tweaking...

 

[foolforthecity]

REDDI? LOL, reminds me of a verse from George Thorogood’s song “20 Dollar Gig”:

I got a forty dollar gig
Yeah it's a forty dollar gig
I got a forty dollar gig
I'll buy a fifty dollar rig
I'll drive a fifty dollar rig
To my forty dollar gig

 

[wishforbass]

Ok which pedal should a Bass player buy first? I know there are hundreds to chose from.
Type of music would be Easy rock say ZZ Top. I know ZZ Top isn't all that easy. Just an example. Also blues and some country.
Or what was first pedal you bought and why....Thanks...

Well It is matter of need for sure ,recommend multis because they cover wide range and can easy this for you .

If you wanna go cheap
_ Zoom B3N
_Boss M50B
_ZOOM ms60b


If you wanna go mid price

Helix Stomp (super powerful multi and It has a super high quality sound )


If you wanna go expensive


Kamper profiler stage (It is much more than a pedal and have a lot of things in it but in expensive side around 1700$)

Fractal FX8 Mark

 

[Ryan L.]

Something like the Fender Downtown Express. Gives you a very decent compressor, overdrive, and EQ, with DI out and different routing options, without breaking the bank.

 

[Eddie LeBlanc]

Tuner .... absolutely the 1st thing

And then a good Compressor
(this is the one I have, great tube compressor - but discontinued by Markbass after years of production, maybe a used one is out there)

 

[Ric5]

1st Pedal To Get

Bass EQ pedal

Bass EQ Pedals | 6 Best Equalizer Pedals for Bass Guitar (Review 2019)

 

[mikeswals]

Nothing. Seriously, if you have to ask, then you need nothing.

If you were an effects guy, then you know what whacky sounds you need.

 

[TheReceder]

IMO a good multi. ZOOM MS60B. Great opportunity to get an idea how different effects can change the sound of a bass. Fairly easy to tweak the factory sounds.

 

[Against Will]

No offense to anyone who may feel differently, but I would not recommend a compressor for a new bass player. I think it is more helpful to develop your technique first and learn to control your dynamics through touch rather than relying on a pedal to do it.

Agreed +100.

Also, compressors are super boring pedals.

Multi-effects pedal are a good option to introduce you to a lot of effects and learn how they work with bass. The distortion/overdrive on MFX pedals isn't usually that great (though I haven't tried all of them, the new Boss distortion MFX sounded like it had a couple good tones), but modulation and time-based effects are usually pretty solid.

The most fun effects pedals are delays.

 

[matty1039]

I'm down with the multi FX gang. I think they are a great place to start and see what you like and then build up some individual pedals once you have an idea of what you like. Do you like chorus of phaser or flanger? Or is it a vibe that will get you the sound you are looking for? A multi FX can at least let you try them all out and see.

I like Zoom. I have a B1-ON which is great for practicing, it has a looper and drum tracks/metronome. I liked it so much that I got an MS-60B to gig with, so I use that and some individual pedals that the MS-60 helped to inform the decision upon adding. YouTube and TalkBass can help with the learning curve.

Tuners and compressors are practical, but most multi fx have those too. So you can see if they are something you would want to use. (I assume you already have some means of tuning.)

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Ok which pedal should a Bass player buy first? I know there are hundreds to chose from.
Type of music would be Easy rock say ZZ Top. I know ZZ Top isn't all that easy. Just an example. Also blues and some country.
Or what was first pedal you bought and why....Thanks...

What kinds of bass tones do the gigs you’re playing require? This is how I’ve always determined what pedals to use. That being said, the vast majority of gigs I do don’t require much more than a nice warm fat bass tone and once in a while some grit/distortion.

 

[Bassmike62]

Splits his signal, part clean, part through a MicroPOG with the dry at zero, the sub-down dimed out and the octave-up around 4 or 5. Honestly, would not in a million years be my idea for great tone, but that's how he does it.

Very interesting, thx.
I saw them live in MTL a couple of years ago and remember thinking Dusty's tone was borderline dub .