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Critique my effects choices

A

AdamMeinerding

Sep 9, 2010
62
1
Michigan
#1
I'm going to be working towards a effects pedal board soon. I've gone through several multi-effects units and have sold them all, unsatisfied. My main purpose for effects is for beefing of sound in live application (play in trio cover bands) and have fun jamming.

Volume pedal: I'm just going to buy the Boss FV-300L. Only reason I want this pedal is for the tuner out and just hands free volume control.
Tuner: Boss TU-2. I heard this is pretty standard.
Octave: MXR m288 bass octave deluxe
Distortion: Electro-Harmonix Bass Big Muff PI. After reading a lot of reviews and watching a lot demos I like this one a lot. I'm open to lots of fuzz/od/distortion suggestions.
Envelope Filter: MXR M82. This one is for fun mostly.
Chorus: Boss CEB-3, or I've also heard good things about the T-Rex Sweeper.
Delay: Still looking around at things..
Compression: Still looking around at things..
Other: BBE Sonic Stomp (too many guys swear by this to not at least try it) Tech 21 VT Bass Character Pedal (heard too many good things not to try it)

In lieu of a power supply or board I think I'm just gonna make a plywood board with velcro and put a power strip on it.

If you love or hate any of these pedals tell me why! If you have some suggestions go ahead!
 
#2
AdamMeinerding said:
Other: BBE Sonic Stomp (too many guys swear by this to not at least try it)
Click to expand...

as a previous owner of the Sonic Stomp, i can honestly say that i didn't need it and that it was a worthless investment. again, this is me talking, and it sounds like you've already decided to try it out. you can get one used for under $50. with my tube amp, it generated too much hiss to be useable. now i tried all different settings and found the most desired selection was not to have the pedal in my chain at all.

but good luck with the design and building process of your pedalboard! it can be extremely fun and $$, so just be careful.
 
#3
If you have more money to spend on a Fuzz, I bet a lot of people would recommend stepping up from the BBM to something else. Check out the Wren&Cuff Pickle Pie B for example.

The CEB-3 is a good chorus if you want that 80's digital chorus sound.

Buy the Boss TU-2 used. You'll save like $50.

And I agree with the previous statement about the Sonic Stomp. I sold mine nearly as fast as I bought it.
 
#4
this is what i would pick if i had to choose

Volume pedal: ernie ball volume pedal (it has also tuner out and also i love how big it is x'D)
Tuner: i have Korg DTR-2000 (rack tuner)
Octave: MXR 288 bass octave deluxe
Distortion: Electro-Harmonix Bass Big Muff PI or Tech21 VT Bass
Envelope Filter: can't say i'm not a big fan
Chorus: i'm also searching for the one and havnt found it yet :(
Delay: MXR carbon copy
Compression: EBS MultiComp
Other: EHX bass micro synth
 
#5
whatever you do, don't make the mistake i made and add a whole bunch of effects all at once. i think it's best to add them one at a time and get used to what you have already before adding more. however, many people in the effects forum think the opposite ;)
 
#6
AdamMeinerding said:
Volume pedal: I'm just going to buy the Boss FV-300L. Only reason I want this pedal is for the tuner out and just hands free volume control.
Tuner: Boss TU-2. I heard this is pretty standard.
Octave: MXR m288 bass octave deluxe
Distortion: Electro-Harmonix Bass Big Muff PI. After reading a lot of reviews and watching a lot demos I like this one a lot. I'm open to lots of fuzz/od/distortion suggestions.
Envelope Filter: MXR M82. This one is for fun mostly.
Chorus: Boss CEB-3, or I've also heard good things about the T-Rex Sweeper.
Delay: Still looking around at things..
Compression: Still looking around at things..
Other: BBE Sonic Stomp (too many guys swear by this to not at least try it) Tech 21 VT Bass Character Pedal (heard too many good things not to try it)
Click to expand...

I was never too pleased with the TU-2. I'd suggest the Korg Pitchblack, although either will serve you just fine. Like the other guy said, buy used and you'll save a lot of money (this applies to all the pedals).

I owned the M288 for a while and wasn't too happy with its tracking capabilities. I switched to the Boss OC3 and have been happy ever since. Plus, it can act as a distortion box.

The BBM Pi is a pretty solid intro-level fuzz. That said, it's a bit 'friendly' sounding to my tastes. I wouldn't suggest the VT pedal as a distortion box, however, it's a wonderful SVT emulator and can be used for some great 'grindy' tones.

The M82 is a solid filter. I love mine :)

I found the CEB-3 to be too subtle of a chorus. I love my CE-5, but some people think it sounds too metallic. For the kind of music I do, however, it's great.

I use the Boss DD-5 delay. While it will give you a wide range of delay types, I still haven't quit figured out how to use it properly (I bought it used, fyi). All I will say is that if you're like me and like things to be precise, go for a digital delay because analogue will drive you nuts (in a bad way).

Let me know if you find a good compression pedal! I need one, too :p

I'd go for the VT. This thing can make your tone go from good to great. And this is coming from a guy who traditionally doesn't care for the Ampeg tone.
 
#7
JimmyM said:
whatever you do, don't make the mistake i made and add a whole bunch of effects all at once. i think it's best to add them one at a time and get used to what you have already before adding more. however, many people in the effects forum think the opposite ;)
Click to expand...

And yeah, +1 to this lol.

I bought the bulk of my pedals at one time over a year ago, and I'm only finally getting the hang of most of them.
 
#9
AdamMeinerding said:
I'm going to be working towards a effects pedal board soon. I've gone through several multi-effects units and have sold them all, unsatisfied. My main purpose for effects is for beefing of sound in live application (play in trio cover bands) and have fun jamming.

Volume pedal: I'm just going to buy the Boss FV-300L. Only reason I want this pedal is for the tuner out and just hands free volume control. I don't like the footprint of the Boss volume pedals. The dimension of the Ernie Ball Volume Pedal Juniors are a little more PB friendly. I wouldn't worry too much about tuner out: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Tuner: Boss TU-2. I heard this is pretty standard. It's a fine choice. Holy grail would be something like the Sonic Research Turbo Tuner,...but those are $200. The TU-2 is a means to an end,...some folks like the Korg Pitchblack better.

Octave: MXR m288 bass octave deluxe While I've never played one judging from vids and reviews it's perfectly good Octaver. I like the Boss OC-2 myself

Distortion: Electro-Harmonix Bass Big Muff PI. After reading a lot of reviews and watching a lot demos I like this one a lot. I'm open to lots of fuzz/od/distortion suggestions. The Bass Big Muff Pi has a lot of disdain in fuzz addict circles. I've never played one myself, but the common gripe is something about the blend not really being a blend and the the BBM was really just sort of flavor of the month. FWIW there are better choices for Muff on bass. If price is not an issue check out any one of the Muff Clones from Fuzzrocious,...or the Earthbound Audio Supercollider, or the Blackout Effectors Musket. Also consider different flavors of fuzz and all their variants. Fuzz Face,...Woolly Mammoth,...etc.

Envelope Filter: MXR M82. This one is for fun mostly. 3leaf Audio Groove Regulator (now in it's 2nd version) is great filter and now has a dry blend like the MXR (a nice feature). Footprint is bigger than the MXR. I also like the Source Audio BEF. Lots of tones to be had on that one.

Chorus: Boss CEB-3, or I've also heard good things about the T-Rex Sweeper. I'm not a chorus guy so I can't comment. If I was going to get into using a chorus,...I'd probably start out with the Boss. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES GET AN EHX NANO CLONE. THOSE THINGS ARE HORRIBLE

Delay: Still looking around at things..Lots of choices there. Digital? Analog? I want the EHX Memory Boy or the Stereo Memory Man with Harzai (SMMH).

Compression: Still looking around at things..Go here for a valuable resource: http://www.ovnilab.com/ I use the FEALABS OptiFET and it's great sounding and very functional comp.


Other: BBE Sonic Stomp (too many guys swear by this to not at least try it) I had one,...ditched it,...not worth the pedalboard space. Maybe get one of the rackmount versions instead

Tech 21 VT Bass Character Pedal (heard too many good things not to try it)I'm a detractor to tube emulation and will just leave it at that.

In lieu of a power supply or board I think I'm just gonna make a plywood board with velcro and put a power strip on it. Barring any esoteric power requirements,....just get a Visual Sound 1 Spot with plans to upgrade to a better powersupply with isolated outputs.

If you love or hate any of these pedals tell me why! If you have some suggestions go ahead!
Click to expand...

My answers are bolded.
 
#10
"Trio cover bands" can cover a lot of ground. It can be hard to nail down recommendations without knowing more about your style.

That said, I'd replace the MXR Octave with a POG2, the EHX fuzz with something that has a little more character (love my fuzzhugger Great Wall), and ditch the BBE.
 
#11
Volume pedal: Ernie Ball VP jr
Tuner: Boss TU-2 or a pitchblack
Octave: MXR bod or aguilar octamizer
Distortion: The BBM is a good place to start, I find EVERYONE is different when if comes to these, just gotta see what you like
Envelope Filter: Not too keen on these...
Chorus: T-Rex Sweeper or Hardwire CR7
Delay: Personally, I like digital delays for bass
Compression: ovnilab.com
Other: I'd stay away from the BBE Sonic Stomp as well, you'll get close to the same effect by messing around with an EQ more.
 
#12
Well, you've more or less got the current standards (MXR octave and filter, BBM, etc). Seems fine, there are better and worse for every category but it's mostly up to your tastes.

I agree with JimmyM -- it's a bad idea to get your whole board at once, you're way better off figuring out the nuances of each device individually. Taking that a little further, it's sorta dumb to not try things out before you buy them unless you're looking at pedals the local stores don't have.
 
#14
Hector_G said:
Listen to some sound clips of the Dr. Scientist Cosmic Chorus. It's really nice. Let's see what you think. It's on their website. It'll cost a lot more than the Boss, but might be worth it.
Click to expand...

+1 on this. The Cosmichorus is one of the most bizarre and beautiful chorus pedals I've ever owned. It costs a lot and is somewhat hard to find, but is truly an awesome effect.

A really nice alternative to a single chorus box that does a lot is the new Earthquaker Devices Sea Machine chorus. It does everything from classic chorus to warbling-underwater-mutated vibe.
 
#15
I would also recommend checking out the MXR Bass DI+ It's my grab-and-go swiss army knife when I can't bring my board. It has a 3 band EQ and separate overdrive/distortion WITH a blend and a noise gate. It's a pretty handy box that covers a lot of ground.
 
#16
JimmyM said:
whatever you do, don't make the mistake i made and add a whole bunch of effects all at once. i think it's best to add them one at a time and get used to what you have already before adding more. however, many people in the effects forum think the opposite ;)
Click to expand...

Definitely. I'm starting with just the MXR Envelope filter and then I'm going to buy the volume tuner and pedal. Then I'm just gonna buy stuff as I go. Probably after those I'll go for the octave pedal.
 
#17
All excellent choices. I use an Ernie Ball VP Jr. for the same reasons you mentioned and love it. The Boss TU-2 is great although they make a TU-3 now. Haven't used it though. I've had my TU-2 for YEARS and countless shows LOVE IT. I bought a Peterson Strobostomp and it's in a box somewhere.....I HATE that tuner. The Big Muff is my favorite bass OD. Very usable sound. The Boss CEB-3 is the perfect bass chorus.. I like the Boss delay but that's just me. The only song I ever used delay on was "Black Velvet" I have an EBS Multi Comp and an APHEX Punch Factory. Personally I like the Punch Factory alot more. Keeley makes a great compressor and I know alot of guys who love the T Rex Squeezer. Never tried it though. Joe Meek also makes a great compressor pedal. As far as the BBE pedal goes. I've tried it and the Aphex Bass Xciter. To me they make the bass sound to processed but that's just my thought. Good luck. Improving your tone is a constant search.
 
#18
AdamMeinerding said:
I'm going to be working towards a effects pedal board soon. I've gone through several multi-effects units and have sold them all, unsatisfied. My main purpose for effects is for beefing of sound in live application (play in trio cover bands) and have fun jamming.

Volume pedal: I'm just going to buy the Boss FV-300L. Only reason I want this pedal is for the tuner out and just hands free volume control. No comment
Tuner: Boss TU-2. I heard this is pretty standard.A lot of people prefer the Korg Pitchblack. Better accuracy and true bypass
Octave: MXR m288 bass octave deluxe I know nothing about octavers
Distortion: Electro-Harmonix Bass Big Muff PI. After reading a lot of reviews and watching a lot demos I like this one a lot. I'm open to lots of fuzz/od/distortion suggestions. Solid basic level fuzz. Not super aggressive. A lot of fuzzophiles don't like it very much.
Envelope Filter: MXR M82. This one is for fun mostly. NOt qualified to comment
Chorus: Boss CEB-3, or I've also heard good things about the T-Rex Sweeper. The boss is good, a little subtle though.
Delay: Still looking around at things..
Compression: Still looking around at things.. If you're looking at cheap compressors, you can't beat the BBE Opto Stomp. Otherwise www.ovnilab.com
Other: BBE Sonic Stomp (too many guys swear by this to not at least try it) Tech 21 VT Bass Character Pedal (heard too many good things not to try it)
meh. EQing>Sonic Stomp. VT BASS FTW. get it.

In lieu of a power supply or board I think I'm just gonna make a plywood board with velcro and put a power strip on it.

ehhh. . .get a power supply and put that on your plywood board. It'll be a lot easier.
Click to expand...
If you love or hate any of these pedals tell me why! If you have some suggestions go ahead!
Click to expand...

My $0.02
 

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