Boss ME80 Multieffects good for Bass?

[Grayum]

Hi,

I'm looking at playing a bass instrument and I'm wondering if my ME80 multi-effects pedal will work for Bass instruments.

If it's not ideal, what is a suggested similar product that is tuned for use with a bass instrument.

Not looking into going crazy but it's nice to add a bit of effects to mirror song's feel.

Thanks

 

[Sunset Shalom]

I own the ME-50 and some stuff works on bass and other stuff doesn't. They have an ME-50B but I have never tried it.

Honestly I only like some of the ME-50's stuff anyways and most of what I use works fine on bass.

Are there any places you can try one out?

 

[Grayum]

Not really easily and I already own the ME80 so I can always try after buying a Bass if it works or not. Main thing is ensuring I won't break the effects board by putting a bass signal through it (you might laugh but I was told I'd need a bass amp as my small guitar amp could blow if I pumped too much bass into it).

 

[Sunset Shalom]

Not really easily and I already own the ME80 so I can always try after buying a Bass if it works or not. Main thing is ensuring I won't break the effects board by putting a bass signal through it (you might laugh but I was told I'd need a bass amp as my small guitar amp could blow if I pumped too much bass into it).

Ah sorry I am baked

Speakers are the main thing to consider with guitar vs bass I believe. Guitar speakers aren't made to reproduce the ultra low end frequencies of bass.

You can use them for lower volumes but anything too loud and bassy risks blowing them out, that is why bass and guitar cabs are different.

As far as I am aware pedals are made for any instrument signal, so as long as it is a signal meant to go into an amp it should be fine through most pedals.

So you should be fine. Playing guitar through a bass pedal into a guitar amp however could be bad if it boosts the low end enough.

Do the ME-80's have a headphone jack? I played bass through my ME-50 using headphones a few times and it was good for some stuff.

 

[Grayum]

ME-80 does have a headphone jack and you can also connect it directly to a computer.

When I'm recording Sax I run it through the ME80 just to add a bit so it doesn't sound like I'm playing it in a small room; sometimes when I'm in the mood I fool around with it a bit.

 

[ShadowDancer]

I'll take a shot at this. I am a pro bass player, and play 4,5 and 6 string basses, fretted and fretless, plus my current fav, a beautiful 5-string fretted acoustic bass guitar tuned EADGC. I had an ME-70 for a few years and just got an ME-80. When I am driving a band I am playing probably 99% clean (NO-FX). The 1%, usually chorus or other occasional special effects. But I do a lot of solo playing, meaning just me, no band. Solo bass, playing down in the meat and potatoes range, can get really boring to the average ear, so I like to play a lot of stuff higher up the neck. I use a looper (had a Gibson Echoplex and a Jam Man Stereo, now a Boss RC-300) and love to lay down beautiful arpeggios chord progressions, stack counterpoint harmonies and melodies on top of this, and solo over the top. So, to your question. For what I do, the Boss ME-80 is amazing. Out of the box you have to wipe out all of the presets stored in the 36 User areas, and build your own patches from scratch. Stay away from the Amp simulators entirely as well as most of the OD/DS effects (unless you crave some old school fuzz). I usually go for very clean, light accents, simple chorus, flange, phase, sometimes delay. Stay away from Reverb too. Useless on bass. I have played most of the multi-FX processors on the market and watched them evolve over the years. The ME-80 is the best, easiest, cleanest one (for what I do anyway) I have ever played with. Nice work Boss, you nailed it. BTW, I've never ever liked any of the Multi-FX processors made exclusively for bass and I've tried so hard to like them. I wanted to, but they just don't get it. That's just my $.02 anyhow. YMMV. -Evan

 

[Ludatripp]

I'll take a shot at this. I am a pro bass player, and play 4,5 and 6 string basses, fretted and fretless, plus my current fav, a beautiful 5-string fretted acoustic bass guitar tuned EADGC. I had an ME-70 for a few years and just got an ME-80. When I am driving a band I am playing probably 99% clean (NO-FX). The 1%, usually chorus or other occasional special effects. But I do a lot of solo playing, meaning just me, no band. Solo bass, playing down in the meat and potatoes range, can get really boring to the average ear, so I like to play a lot of stuff higher up the neck. I use a looper (had a Gibson Echoplex and a Jam Man Stereo, now a Boss RC-300) and love to lay down beautiful arpeggios chord progressions, stack counterpoint harmonies and melodies on top of this, and solo over the top. So, to your question. For what I do, the Boss ME-80 is amazing. Out of the box you have to wipe out all of the presets stored in the 36 User areas, and build your own patches from scratch. Stay away from the Amp simulators entirely as well as most of the OD/DS effects (unless you crave some old school fuzz). I usually go for very clean, light accents, simple chorus, flange, phase, sometimes delay. Stay away from Reverb too. Useless on bass. I have played most of the multi-FX processors on the market and watched them evolve over the years. The ME-80 is the best, easiest, cleanest one (for what I do anyway) I have ever played with. Nice work Boss, you nailed it. BTW, I've never ever liked any of the Multi-FX processors made exclusively for bass and I've tried so hard to like them. I wanted to, but they just don't get it. That's just my $.02 anyhow. YMMV. -Evan

Hi Evan. I have one of these ME-80's too. Do you have any tips on the EQ settings in the preamp section you can share? Do you know if this can be modded to allow for more low end frequencies, or is this even necessary for this unit? I know some guitar pedals need to be adjusted to allow for them to sound better for bass. If there are any other tips you can share for using the ME-80 on bass then I would love to know since I am new to bass. Thanks!

 

[Gibson Victory]

Boss ME 50B is the one to have. Long proven track record here.