BOSS BB-1X Bass Driver?

[Azari]

I’ve used this pedal at gigs & frequently have gotten compliments saying my bass sound is great. At home it tends to sound like crap. Lol. What is the deal with the BB-1X? I never see it discussed online. How many of y’all own one? I keep considering selling mine but I can’t bring myself to as there’s some strange charm ir mystique about that pedal. Idk whether I love it or hate it but it remains in my collection.

I never liked it as an overdrive. What I did was put it after a SansAmp bass driver and used the LINE OUT and it acted as a cool post compression preamp into FRFR speakers… the “cab sim” inside is very mild so it doesnt interfere with the SansAmp’s tone it just enhances it. That’s how I recommend using the pedal. Put it at the end of your chain and go straight to the PA from the TRS line out. It has a way of adding something cool to the sound of other preamps. I used to use a BDDI into a boss bass EQ into a klon clone low gain and then into a BB-1X and into FRFR speakers…. The sound was amazing..

 

[kbakerde]

I had one several years ago. Stacked it with the CAL Grizzly. I thought it sounded excellent, but it was a bit redundant with the Grizzly. So I sold the BB1X, and kept the Grizzly. But I’d still count it as a very good OD/Preamp pedal.

 

[Nuage420]

I use it in my multifx and if I ran a conventional board I'd likely place it on there as well.

 

[aprod]

I use it as a boost pedal.

 

[brianrost]

This is a digital pedal isn’t it? I believe all the MDP pedals are.

 

[bigtone23]

I have one and really like it. Got it when it came out about 10 years ago. I'll never get rid of it. It does it's thing and does it well.
It's been on a specific bass board, used for a lower-gain grit tone with my 77 and 78 Peavey Century 200 heads set clean. These amps have a super cool, gnarly, and switchable distortion circuit, but the circuit sounds best cranked up to 10, which is too much for some things. The BB1X is awesome for getting a lighter grit, like a pushed vintage amp. When combined with the amp's distortion circuit, it's a killer medium to medium- high gain buzz.

I set the BB1X with the gain at noon, the bass and treble at 11 o'clock, evel at 1 o'clock and blend at 3 o'clock. I have used the out direct to the PA, too. It's a nice 'plan B' when gigging, if the Peavey head were to give out (which is rather unlikely ).

I used to use an ADA MB1 in the early to mid 90s, had channels set for various amounts of grit. When that was sold in the mid 90s, I used a BOSS ODB3 to grit up my Eden head. The ODB3 is better for more extreme dirt settings, and remains on a board for that use. The BB1X is best with more subtle grits.

 

[eeyorebass]

This is a digital pedal isn’t it? I believe all the MDP pedals are.

Yes, MDP stands for Multi-dimensional Processing. Boss' fancy name for their DSP engine. X Series Pedals: MDP Technology Explained

 

[Azari]

Overall while the BB-1X doesnt really fit on my current board I am thinking of making second pedalboard that uses it. I want to put a Master Effects Super Forty preamp before it and use the LINE OUT on the BB-1X. I consider the BB-1X to be underrated.

 

[PhatBottomBass1]

I've decided to get the BB-1X after listening to it and checking a couple of threads.

I looked at a thread here on TB that had a fair amount of signal diagnostics plotted out. I noticed that consistently there is a HPF roll-off at about 40-50Hz present in all knob settings analyzed. Not surprising considering the technology in the MDP.

I also have the BC-1X. I plan to run the compressor into the preamp and send the 1/4" output to the SA C4 and additional processing then end at the SA EQ2 channel #1. I will run the BB-1X balanced output, with a TS Cable, to the EQ2 channel #2.

The SA C4 & EQ2 will be midi controlled (and couple others, too) and will run into the two channels of an ACB50 combo. I'll put the clean (BB-1X balanced) signal into the classic channel and the processed (C4) signals into the flat modern channel. MIX TO TASTE...

 

[pabassbeat]

Boss BB-1X, what a pedal! I own two (as one is not enough jajaja). I use it at the end of the chain, mostly as a preamp that emulates a clean amp that is a little crancked, using the balanced line out for the PA, and the output for my monitor. It's an always on pedal. One of the things that I love about this pedal is that helps A LOT to cut the bass trough the mix on a band with 2 guitars and keyboards.

 

[Mr_BK]

I have both the BB-1X and the BC-1X and did not use them fopr quite some time as I favoured more exotic stuff. Maybe I should revisit those two. Maybe I am wiser now and the can shine again and get used ...

 

[pabassbeat]

I have both the BB-1X and the BC-1X and did not use them fopr quite some time as I favoured more exotic stuff. Maybe I should revisit those two. Maybe I am wiser now and the can shine again and get used ...

Yes, for sure give it another chance. Think of it as a preamp with a light drive....as it was not intended to be a heavy overdrive. Boss already has the ODB3 for that, and the BB1X is not a replacement for the ODB3.

 

[projectapollo]

I have both the BB-1X and the BC-1X and did not use them fopr quite some time as I favoured more exotic stuff. Maybe I should revisit those two. Maybe I am wiser now and the can shine again and get used ...

Any updates?

 

[Mr_BK]

Not at all. I am not that quick!

 

[Mr_BK]

I finally revisited those two guys.

The BC-1X is a no-brainer. It just sounds good. Even without an attack control. With the release knob you can vary compression nicely and get an almost "optical" sounding plop-like note enveloppe. Everything else is KISS and just works, metering is great. The sound is ... not really colored ... it does a similar thing as my BECOS TWAIN Mk1, at least the way I use it. It evens out the frequency spectrum and thus highlights definition and mids/highs in a pleasant way. But it is there. This would be the main characteristic that will influence if I use this one on a board or a different comp. This "frequency leveling" which increases the basses presence overall. It demands room in a mix that way. For me, that is the defining trait of that comp. All the rest is just good and KISS. A very usable device. It will stay in my stable.

EDIT: as the magic of the BC-1X happens "under the hood" and I don't really know what is going on ... as the pedal basically does it just right for me ... it feels a bit like cheating and probably is. A shortcut to a multiband comp. With the BECOS I have to figure it out myself and that is not easy. More can go wrong, but I do have more control.

As for the BB-1X. It can indeed do a light drive quite well. Thanx to the blend knob you can cut the bass and just add the harmonics to your base sound. And that sounds good. It can also do aggression. But for me, the sound profle it has is too hairy. The drive has an inherent scoop while I am more a mid-focussed player. I do prefer the tonal color of the Fake Plastic Trees or the Morning Glory Clean or a light Germanium Boost. That is purely subjective though. The BB-1X is a very nice and usable pedal and can produce a nice harmonic enrichtment of a bass tone. But one must know that the boost circuit sound somewhat scooped.

Sorry for the delay. I am a bit short on the disposible time contingent these days.

 

[Krisfield]

I tried out the BB-1X and the BC-1X at the guitar store and they sounded great.

 

[Krakmann]

Boss BB-1X, what a pedal! I own two (as one is not enough jajaja). I use it at the end of the chain, mostly as a preamp that emulates a clean amp that is a little crancked, using the balanced line out for the PA, and the output for my monitor. It's an always on pedal. One of the things that I love about this pedal is that helps A LOT to cut the bass trough the mix on a band with 2 guitars and keyboards.

I just bought a BB1X. I use a HX Stomp only pedalboard (plus Canvas DI/LI), but missed the physical control of my old SansAmp. I really like being able to adjust the drive/blend without going into menus, and just wanted a light overdrive, with the possibility to get a bit dirtier. I just had my first gig with it and the bass really sounds better (in this case, drive to 1/4, blend at 1/2 aprox, always on). It sounds... quite warm, round, but also a bit crispier, more interesting.

 

[pabassbeat]

I finally revisited those two guys.

The BC-1X is a no-brainer. It just sounds good. Even without an attack control. With the release knob you can vary compression nicely and get an almost "optical" sounding plop-like note enveloppe. Everything else is KISS and just works, metering is great. The sound is ... not really colored ... it does a similar thing as my BECOS TWAIN Mk1, at least the way I use it. It evens out the frequency spectrum and thus highlights definition and mids/highs in a pleasant way. But it is there. This would be the main characteristic that will influence if I use this one on a board or a different comp. This "frequency leveling" which increases the basses presence overall. It demands room in a mix that way. For me, that is the defining trait of that comp. All the rest is just good and KISS. A very usable device. It will stay in my stable.

EDIT: as the magic of the BC-1X happens "under the hood" and I don't really know what is going on ... as the pedal basically does it just right for me ... it feels a bit like cheating and probably is. A shortcut to a multiband comp. With the BECOS I have to figure it out myself and that is not easy. More can go wrong, but I do have more control.

As for the BB-1X. It can indeed do a light drive quite well. Thanx to the blend knob you can cut the bass and just add the harmonics to your base sound. And that sounds good. It can also do aggression. But for me, the sound profle it has is too hairy. The drive has an inherent scoop while I am more a mid-focussed player. I do prefer the tonal color of the Fake Plastic Trees or the Morning Glory Clean or a light Germanium Boost. That is purely subjective though. The BB-1X is a very nice and usable pedal and can produce a nice harmonic enrichtment of a bass tone. But one must know that the boost circuit sound somewhat scooped.

Sorry for the delay. I am a bit short on the disposible time contingent these days.

View attachment 7511677

Yes, the distortion is very subtle. The line output also includes a cab simulator, which is useful when connecting directly to the mixer.

 

[pabassbeat]

I just bought a BB1X. I use a HX Stomp only pedalboard (plus Canvas DI/LI), but missed the physical control of my old SansAmp. I really like being able to adjust the drive/blend without going into menus, and just wanted a light overdrive, with the possibility to get a bit dirtier. I just had my first gig with it and the bass really sounds better (in this case, drive to 1/4, blend at 1/2 aprox, always on). It sounds... quite warm, round, but also a bit crispier, more interesting.

Yes, you perfectly described how this distortion pedal works to simply "sound better." A few weeks ago I had an MTV Unplugged Typo gig, and although I needed a clean sound, I used the pedal with all the drive knob turned off, and it helped me achieve a warm, full-bodied tone.