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Best Effect Pedal to Buy

L

linden

Nov 26, 2007
8
0
Boston
#1
I've never used an effects pedal before but I'm interested in getting one and experimenting. If I was to get only one pedal and didn't want to spend a fortune (<$150) does anyone have recommendations?

I've got a Fender Jazz bass with a Gallien Kruger head/ Aguilar cab. I play everything from blues to classic rock and groove based jams (this is where some wah could be awesome) in my band.

I'm not real tech savvy so something simple to operate would be great.


Thanks
 
#2
i just got myself a sansamp vt(135 shipped ground in theperfectbass with the discount code for tbers), to get that grit and fullness, usually the effects in a bass player sleeve is a fuzz/dist, and a compressor, others fav are a envelope filter, chorus, synth etc..
 
#4
Simple? The [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] - it's got your name on it!

linden_eq_smaller.jpg



But if you don't even know what effects you want/need, get yourself a multi fx so you can figure that out. The Zoom B2 has a lot under the hood, is dirt cheap and sounds great.
 
#6
For 99 bucks you can get the Zoom B2.
It's got everything so you can get experience with all sorts of effects. Kind of weird to operate the first few days, but once you get the hang of it.... it really fun and easy.

It's got delay, wah, auto-wah, flanger, phaser, tremolo, vibrato, fuzz, distortion, synths, amp modeling, octave and a couple of other weird ones.

For the cash, ya can't beat it.
 
#16
Actually, that could be played both ways, Jordan.

I started with a multi-effect, and it's not a bad way to start with effects. The quality won't be the same as with the analog/individual counterparts necessarily, but it will introduce you to signal chains, tweaking, and just seeing if you like playing with effects in general.

However, if you were with a band looking for a very, very targeted sound, the one pedal is a good avenue. IMO, and IME. :)
 
#17
FreaqyFrequency said:
Actually, that could be played both ways, Jordan.

I started with a multi-effect, and it's not a bad way to start with effects. The quality won't be the same as with the analog/individual counterparts necessarily, but it will introduce you to signal chains, tweaking, and just seeing if you like playing with effects in general.

However, if you were with a band looking for a very, very targeted sound, the one pedal is a good avenue. IMO, and IME. :)
Click to expand...

Touché.

This post ^, is the word. Go by it.
 
#19
The beauty of the B2 is that it has pretty good sounds, and it is small enough to build around it if you decide you want to start adding singles. I had an ME-50B (which I used quite effectively for 3 years) but when I started to add to the arsenal and playing more funky stuff the Boss was just to big to keep around while adding all my other stuff. Now I have a G2.1u to fill in my non-HOG/BMS/Muff'n needs and it works a treat.

I endorse cheap multis as a first effect unless you KNOW what you want. Fortunately cheap multis are passable now where they were pretty bad when I got my Zoom 607 in the stone age.
​
 
#20
Jordasch said:
But back on track, dont get a multi effect.. get one good pedal. IMO.
Click to expand...
Agreed, some people who get multi effects processors become convinced that it's the best pedal in the world because it has all the different effects they can think of in it, and they never get anything else (if you know you won't do this I guess it couldn't hurt I guess but in my experience once people get individual pedals they stop using their multi-effects processor). The difference in quality and versatility though between a few good pedals and a multi-effects processor is vast in my opinion.

If I were you, I would start out with

...something really fun to mess around with (octavers and filters are the most fun in my opinion. I don't know of many octavers in your price range, but maybe the new mxr one, I tried it out once and it was pretty cool. Filter wise, a wah like the dunlop 105q, around $110, or the bassballs, around $80, fit your price range and are awesome)

...or something that you will be extremely useful in your style of music (maybe compression or eq, since those are useful for almost all styles. For me it would be a fuzz or filter though for sure).
 

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