Bass Whammy Petition!

[EADG mx]

Give this round to Spanky. A few weeks ago I was in the local Music-Go-Round and was entertained by this thirteen or fourteen year old kid dragging his dad around the store. He wanted to start a band and I guess his dad has money, so....

He wanted a blue guitar, he picked out a blue bass. I did point out that it was a bass guitar but he didn't seem to care. I'm not even sure he realized there was a difference.

He bought a smallish Marshall combo to go with it even though the sales guy tried to point out that it was a guitar amp to go with the bass guitar. He didn't care, he knew the Marshall name and wanted one.

And last but not least, he bought the English Muff'n because it had the cool British flag on it. Never plugged anything in, just bought the stuff.

 

[rational baze]

#779

 

[arstneio]

Forget digitech, why don't we ask Electro Harmonix to make a pedal using the same technology used in the HOG's pitch shift. You don't even have to calibrate it. Granted the HOG doesn't do a lot of intervals, but I'm sure EHX could do it.

Here is what it needs to do:

1. everything the bass whammy does
2. everything the regular whammy does
3. HANDLE LOW FREQUENCIES!!!!!! Like low B andeven lower!!
4. Volume pedal, since the hog does.
5. Midi
6. presets
7. Other bells & whistles
8. Use of expression pedal instead of a built in pedal/self contained unit. I like that if the pedal wears out, I can just replace it and not the whole unit.
9. Wah mode....PLUS combo wah and pitch option!! At the same time!

I'd like to see a combo pitch shift/volume pedal function! when you press the pedal forward, the volume and the pitch go up. And maybe also reverse that. When you press the pedal forward, the pitch goes up and the volume goes down. Could be interesting!!

That pedal would plow the music world away!

That's about 9 pedals in one. I think it would be somewhat gigantic. And expensive.

But I would totally buy it.

 

[metallist]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Digitech-Bass-W...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

If only I had $600USD.

Maybe one of you lucky bastards can buy it!

 

[idResponse]

SIGNED! I want it more than my testicles! and that is the TRUTH! i don't need my testicles anymore.

 

[Geddy Claypool]

#784 here. Man I want this to happen, whether it be Digitech or EHX, it's all good.

 

[SnakeAnthony]

It's been said a thousand times. This really doesn't seem like it's going to happen. But even after how happy I am with the Whammy IV, I really just wish I could hit that low E.

#785 here.

 

[OhThePeacock]

If this ever actually happens someday (which the chance are slim) I'll stick by my promise of buying one. I think I was like #120 when I signed it ha.

 

[rustynuts]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Digitech-Bass-W...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

If only I had $600USD.

Maybe one of you lucky bastards can buy it!

I'm always a little apprehensive about buying relatively high dollar items from newbie zero feedback sellers....

 

[NoobOnRoad]

I'm number 788!!

 

[Bass_masta16]

#798 I think

 

[q1014]

799

 

[katri]

800

 

[gm jack]

Already signed up with UG.

I'm surprised they haven't released it purely from a profit point of view.

 

[JAUQO III-X]

I'm surprised they haven't released it purely from a profit point of view.

There is no profit.

 

[gm jack]

There is no profit.

So Digitech make pedals for fun? All pedal manufacturers are in it to make money. How they approach it is different, but in they end, they want your money in their pocket. Some try to make them as cheaply as possible and to shift large numbers of small profit margin pedals. Boutique builders try to appeal the upper end of the market, and get a much larger profit per pedal for their expertise and care over each unit.

If Digitech reintroduced the pedal, hundreds of bassists would get them on the day of release. Over time, if they kept a small and steady supply of the pedals going out the stores, they would continue to make money on what would now be a Whammy chassis with a modified circuit.

 

[The Ethanator]

#802

 

[katri]

well, i see what jauqo means, although there is a load of people that would love one 1000 (ish) people on a petition may not be enough to get a pedal back into production

 

[Chris Ramlar]

most of bassists don't even use overdrive, they wouldn't buy a Whammy....

 

[bongomania]

Boutique builders ...get a much larger profit per pedal for their expertise and care over each unit.

Completely and totally false. Boutique builders make far less profit (in terms of total money received versus total cost of doing business) than any mass manufacturer.

If Digitech reintroduced the pedal, hundreds of bassists would get them on the day of release.

How do you know that? Do you imagine even half the signatures in this thread actually have the money to jump on such a product release, and intend to follow through? Even if you do imagine that, there's no way to know it in advance.

Over time, if they kept a small and steady supply of the pedals going out the stores, they would continue to make money on what would now be a Whammy chassis with a modified circuit.

"Over time"? A "small and steady supply"? These are not concepts used by large scale manufacturers. You're talking about a big cost outlay at the beginning, on the hope that they would eventually make up that loss over the long term, and that is counter to how large manufacturers work. What you're suggesting is valid for a small boutique builder, but there are only a couple of small builders capable of designing and implementing that degree of DSP processing and investment in a treadle chassis (not a trivial cost). It is also potentially valid for EHX, as has been mentioned here a few times, but it's up to them whether they want to risk infringing on Digitech's intellectual property.

And moreover, Digitech is a successful company, and their success has not been declining. Success requires careful planning and analysis. They are professionals at making this kind of decision. You are not.