Anyone else use a wide array of always on pedals/effects for their basic "clean" tone?

[rashrader]

I used to run a compressor full time, but I’ve kinda stepped away from that these days. I did just order a Boss IR-200 so I can go ampless for practice and home recording. So, I guess that will be an always on pedal.

 

[el murdoque]

Is four pedals a wide array?
I do preamp, comp, reverb and filter as my always on basic tone.

 

[Corigan]

mxr m87 comp
tc electronics sentry noise gate
Boughton high-pass filter
sansamp paradriver

These are my always on pedals.

 

[FronTowardEnemy]

I run a Lehle D Loop > Boss Waza TU-3 > Dark Glass Hyper Luminal > Sushi Box Underground Accelerator > Radial Stage Bug > Broughton HPF as my always on “clean” sound.

Cool thing is I can bypass everything using the Lehle.

 

[labeledbass]

I keep a empress bass comp, broughton paraEQ, Solarian, Studio Boost and Monocomp, always on, no noise unless I'm using a bass w/o humbuckers. I can through high and low pass filters on if I need to but that's more or less dependent on the room

 

[74hc]

My clean, everyday tone is light weight, simple and easy. I just bring my bass and the wireless unit and plug into my assigned jack for the PA system. The only other stuff I bring is my TCE clip-on tuner, my strap, and my book of sheet music for that gig.

 

[nonohmic]

To each his own, but this all seems like a ton of work when finger placement has so much variation to sound.

(I did just replace all my pedals with a new amp and plan to plug straight in, so I may be bias)

 

[srbbass]

When I record directly into Logic Pro I run a Cali76 Bass compressor -> Radial Bassbone -> computer interface. Usually playing a Fender Jazz V deluxe in passive mode

 

[40Hz]

I’ll usually have some sort of “character” type box (mainly a preamp) as part of my clean tone.

Right now I alternate among the following:

• DiCosimo 360+
  
• Broughton Alex-1
• Barber Linden Compact
• Lovepedal Amp 11
• Lounsberry Rupert
• One Control Crimson Red
• One Control Silver Peg
• Sushi Box Slampegg Bee
• Ampeg SCR/DI
• Alembic F1-X (not a pedal but included for completeness)

I’m also currently in the process of assembling a LAB series L5 and IVP preamp clone.

If I’m going into a regular head or a combo amp I almost always have the Dry Bell Unit 67 (i.e. boost/EQ/compressor all-in-one utility tool) between me and the amp. It’s basically my entire pedalboard/fly rig in a single box. And about all else I’d really need for a gig (remember gigging?) other than that is a stage tuner (Sonic Research ST-300) and a DI (Countryman Type 85).

 

[MotorCityMinion]

I use quite a wide array of always on pedals/effects to achieve my basic "clean" tone. I guess partially because it is an "amp-less" setup, so I have to mimic what an amp and cab does as well. So it got me curious and thinking, do anyone else use a wide range of different always on pedals/effects to obtain their basic "clean" tone? I personally use no less than 10 always on pedals/effects (counting the ART tube preamp last in my signal chain among them).

IMO, we have conflicting statements in the first paragraph. Anything other than a tuner starts the process of dirtying / altering things up. A Compressor and HPF fall into utilitarian which usually go unnoticed.

 

[mexicanyella]

...I’m also currently in the process of assembling a LAB series L5 and IVP preamp...

I have an actual IVP preamp somewhere in the basement, something left by a former bandmate years ago. I should dig it out and try playing bass through it.

I’m a one-sound guy with bass, so whatever I plug into ends up being “always on,” in either of the following scenarios:

1) Zoom B2, using its compression, Marshall Super Bass model set clean and bright, noise reduction, post-amp-model graphic EQ...either DI or into a power amp and cab

2) Behringer V-amp Pro, using its compression and Roland JC120 amp model, and noise reduction, into power amp and cab (cleaner and less barky than the Zoom approach, lows hit a little harder)

3) Ibanez CP-5 compressor into Joyo British Sound, set clean and bright with upper mid emphasis via the character knob. DI/recording...a quick grab and go solution. Haven’t tried it for live playing.

 

[NoiseNinja]

IMO, we have conflicting statements in the first paragraph. Anything other than a tuner starts the process of dirtying / altering things up. A Compressor and HPF fall into utilitarian which usually go unnoticed.

So what is your theory then on why exactly I use citation signs around "clean"?

And "my" refers to what is my basic clean tone, because it is what in practice functions as my basic clean tone in the context of the specific setup I happen to use, as explained in my OP.

Also everything but dirt added is still very much clean tone.

I am afraid we have conflicting views on how to interpret the semantics of the basic English language.

If you absolutely have to be pedantic at least make sure you are also actually absolutely right before going through with it.

 

[soundsupport1]

I suspect, looking at your signal chain, that the reason you have so many 'always-on' pedals is because you're not using a dedicated bass preamp/di box, almost all of which consolidate your always-on effects into one unit.
Your signal flow goes Bass>Comp>Octave up>low-gain OD>Reverb>Comp>Amp-in-a-box>Comp>Preamp>amp.

Let's look at some other units on the market:
Ampeg Scrambler DI: EQ, OD, Amp-in-a-box.
Eden WTDI: EQ, mid scoop, Comp, OD (integrated into the gain control), Amp-in-a-box.
Aguilar Tone Hammer: EQ, OD, Amp-in-a-box.
Gallien-Krueger Plex: EQ, OD, Comp, Amp-in-a-box.
EBS Microbass 3: EQ, Comp, OD, Amp-in-a-box.
MXR M80: EQ and Distortion.

In other words, the only always-on effects you need to have separately are the TC Sub'n'Up and the Zoom Reverb. All the others could easily be replaced with a single unit, from a variety of different manufacturers.
I would suggest consolidating your board somewhat.
It will drastically reduce noise, improve signal, and give you more room on your board for other effects to experiment with.
For comparison, here's my board:

The top row is always-on, and consists of a tuner, a switcher between my two basses, a tube preamp, and an Eden WTDI which gives me EQ, OD, and compression if I want it.
The bottom row is then free for effects. (The JHS compressor is used as a slap preset, ergo not always on). I haven't gone through your board, but it looks like I have about half the effects you do on a board a quarter the size.

Something to think about. I'm not necessarily saying that my way is better than yours (if what you're doing works for you, then more power to you), but that number of pedals of (trying not to be sniffy) variable build quality is going to degrade the quality of your sound and introduce electrical noise.

Hope I've been helpful.


Peace, SoundSupport

 

[stigbeve]

I'm more curious about why you play a bass tuned up. Does it just work better with the band your in?

 

[Zbysek]

Yes.

• Compressor (EBS)
• Broughton HPF-DI
• Light overdrive
• Broughton RFE

 

[Smith357]

To me clean means a bass, a cable, and an amp.

 

[40Hz]

I have an actual IVP preamp somewhere in the basement, something left by a former bandmate years ago. I should dig it out and try playing bass through it.

Lucky man ! Let me know if you ever decide to sell it.

IMO they work quite well with bass. The one I tried liked my JB just fine. The combination of the semi parametric EQ coupled with its Baxandall EQ stage makes it work for most instruments. The one I got to play with was owned by a keyboard player who also played sax. IIRC Bob Weir was big on them until Alembic did up their superb F1X and SF2 units for the Dead.

 

[HazeGray]

For me, always on will be a homemade buffer pedal on both input and output, Broughton HPF, FEA Labs DB-CL compressor, Crazy Tube Circuits Locomotive overdrive to put me at that edge of breakup.

 

[TOOL460002]

Have had a DBX160a always last and always on for nearly 20yrs to the day (original lost in a fire, so here is #2):

EDIT: Oh, if you count buffers, then three: One into the board, one in the parallel looper, and one out of the board (all custom Robot Factory). That just makes stuff clean and quiet.

 

[sm49341]

I use quite a wide array of always on pedals/effects to achieve my basic "clean" tone.

I guess partially because it is an "amp-less" setup, so I have to mimic what an amp and cab does as well.

So it got me curious and thinking, do anyone else use a wide range of different always on pedals/effects to obtain their basic "clean" tone?


I personally use no less than 10 always on pedals/effects (counting the ART tube preamp last in my signal chain among them).

So excluding all other effects/pedals that will only be engaged once in a while that makes my always on basic "clean" tone signal chain look like this :

My "amp-less" setup in written form (only including always on effects) :

4 string 28,6" scale Ibanez GSRM20 neck + GSRM20B body Mikro Bass (equipped with an EMG Geezer Butler P pickup, wired directly to the output jack socket, and strung with gauge .090 - .072 - .054 - .040 D'Addario XL nickle plated roundwound hex steel core strings, tuned in F# standard tuning, 2 half steps above regular 4 string bass E standard tuning) ->>

TC Electronic SpectraComp (always on 3 band parallel compression, adding extra punch, snap and bite, but without really affecting my playing dynamics) ->> TC Electronic Sub'N'Up Mini (always on digital polyphonic octaver, used as an 1 octave up effect mixed with clean bass signal, giving an effect similar to that of an 8 string "octave" bass, with pairs of respectively bass and octave strings) ->> Boss LS-2 [A+B Mix <-> Bypass] (always on parallel effect loops mixer/switch) ={ [Loop A Send] ->> Joyo Orange Juice (always on low gain overdrive, really primarily used to enhance harmonic content, [Tone] set at about 11 o'clock, [Voice] set to boost a wide curve around a 800Hz center frequency about +3dB pre gain stage, always mixed with clean {bass+octave up} signal from parallel effects [Loop B]) ->> [Loop A Return] ->||<- [Loop B Send] ->> (empty effects loop for clean {bass+octave up} signal blend with Orange Juice in effects [Loop A]) ->> [Loop B Return] ([Loop A] + [Loop B] mixed at an about 50/50 ratio) }=>> Artec SE-EQ8 (always on 8 band graphic equalizer, settings as follows: [Freq=100Hz LoShlv Boost=+1dB ; Freq=170Hz Q=wide Boost=+1dB ; Freq=280Hz Q=narrow Boost=+3dB ; Freq=500Hz Q=narrow Boost=+2dB ; Freq=800Hz Q=narrow Boost=+1dB ; Freq=1.4kHzHz Q=narrow Boost=+2dB ; Freq=2.3kHz Q=wide Boost=+3dB ; Freq=5kHz HiShlv +/- 0dB]) ->> Zoom G1Xon (Always on subtle plate reverb, and additionally used for 4 other reverb patches) ->> Zoom MS-70CDR (Always on "160 Comp" (emulating a DBX 160A compressor), set to a quite subtle compression -> always on 2 x 2 band parametric EQ : [Freq=63Hz Q=4 Boost=+1dB ; Freq=250Hz Q=4 Boost=+1dB ; Freq=400Hz Q=4 Boost=+1dB ; Freq=1kHz Q=4 Boost=+1dB[/I]] -> always on faux, EQ based, cab sim, consisting of a 2 band parametric EQ set as follows: [Freq=12kHz Q=1 Cut=-18dB ; [I]Freq=20kHz Q=0.5 Cut=-20dB], and additionally used for a lush Church reverb that can be switched on/off) ->> Joyo American Sound (always on clean preamp (gain set to ever so slightly break up when digging in the hardest), a Tech 21 Blonde clone, analog emulation of a Fender type amp, with a wide curve around the center frequency of 400Hz boosted about +3dB, and an about +3dB pre gain stage boost to a wide curve around the center frequency of 800Hz)

->> EHX Black Finger (always on tube driven optical compressor, used primarily as a tube preamp stage, set so that the compression basically never kicks in) ->> ART Tube MP Project Series (tube preamp, with HPF fixed @ 40Hz)

->> [Effects Return] (poweramp input) of Peavey Solo Special 112 (160W, solid state guitar combo, with the build in 4 Ohm 12" speaker unit disconnected and instead hooked up to a The Box PA 502 PA speaker) ->> The Box PA 502 (full range PA speaker with 1x 15" woofer/mids driver + 1.7" high frequency tweeter horn)


View attachment 4421485
(The Valeton Aquaflow Vintage Chorus has since been swapped out for a TC Electronic Shaker Mini, loaded with a customized chorus patch. The white goo is hot glue, use to fix the settings on some of the pedals)

Can you post a recording of your clean sound? Curious as to what this sounds like. I do use an always on comp. pretty boring for this thread!