Don't like effects pedals

[TerribleTim68]

So this is a weird one for me, and honestly I almost passed on even commenting because I kinda feel like once it gets to this point the OP isn't really looking at this any more. But whatever....

I started playing bass back in the late 80s, my high school years, local bands, whatnot. honestly I couldn't afford effects pedals back then, so my "tone" was literally my bass straight into whatever PA the house had and use my 100watt Fender combo for stage monitoring. that was "me". I grew to "hear" that as "my tone", no effects, just a bass run through some speakers and the EQ set flat. Over the years I've really grown to love the sound of certain effects and these days I run quite a bit more than I ever thought I would and my EQ favors the low-mid range. So now I'm running a small touch of reverb, chorus and delay. It's an odd thing considering that "back in the day" I didn't like the sound of high-end bass and effects, yet now that's where I find myself leaning. That being said, I still hate the sound of distortion on a bass.

Anyways, tastes change, players change. If you don't like effects then you don't like effects. Don't use 'em. Who cares? It's your tone, shape it the way you want it to sound. Nobody said you needed to sound like me. And if they do, they are wrong.

 

[FilterFunk]

As the saying goes, "If it don't fit, don't force it." Is someone pressuring you to use pedals? Or for whatever reason, do you really want to like effects pedals? I don't understand the reason for the thread.

 

[obimark]

I've owned a dozen pedals, turns out I mostly like my bass sound without them. To each their own.

 

[Pings Bass]

the simpler your signal chain, the less that can go wrong on the job

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I don't like Ireland, so we're even.

 

[devnulljp]

I am 67 years old. I have a Mesa Walkabout Scout, a P bass and a Japanese Marcus Miller Jazz Bass. The trouble is I don't like any effects pedals. Please Help. Is my life always going to be like this?

Fair enough, you don't like em, don't use em. Easy.
(I don't like okra. I don't eat okra. Problem solved)

 

[Afc70]

I have a Mesa Walkabout Scout, a P bass

Running a P bass into a Mesa is a thing of beauty! Enjoy that beautiful P bass tone, I run my Lull P5 straight into a Mesa Mpulse 600 & the tone is amazing !

 

[Seashore]

I don't like them either. Extra cables, extra power, annoying to set up, finicky to get the sound exactly right, unwieldy to lug around, easily stolen at shows if you're not careful, repair is a hassle, and guys on the internet love to argue about them. If it wasn't for how great they sound I'd ditch 'em in a heartbeat.

 

[SunByrne]

It depends on what music moves you! Do you like ... the O'Jays For The Love Of Money? grab a Phase 90 and see how you like it.

Just started learning this song. Sounds just plain wrong without a phaser on. (Phase 90 is the standard.)

Play any Clash? You need distortion. (I like the DOD Boneshaker for this, but it's not like there aren't a million good choices here.)

Play any Joy Division/New Order? You need a chorus. (EHX Bass Clone gets the job done.)

Play any Tool? You need a delay. (Boss DD-3 FTW)

And so on and so forth.

Now, obviously, "need" here is pretty subjective. But to my ears, some songs just don't sound right without them. Plus, it's super fun to experiment. Someday I'll buy a C4 and it'll melt my brain in the best possible way.

But if that's not your cup of tea, no worries. Much cheaper that way.

 

[Pdaddy1978]

Back in the late Jurassic period ( the 70s) when I was struggling with Gibson basses and the mudbucker pickup, I did use a EQ pedal to get a little definition in my tone.
Once I finally got my Pbass and my Ampeg, I put it away, and for the next 30 years of gigging, rehearsing, and practicing, it was just bass+cord+amp.
Once I started playing larger venue's, a DI box to split my signal between my amp and the PA. Between the Fender and the Ampeg, I just liked my tone as is. No offense to all the pedal board guys and gals. I've just never been a stomp box guy.
Now on guitar.... I use an overdrive and reverb ...but on bass?....nada
Old school baby

 

[Discount Bassy]

Easy fix: don't use them.

 

[Bboopbennie]

I was much like you until I went to YouTube and listen to some of the pedals. The kids stuff ( ray guns and monster- mashers ) are out, but a bit of chorus and verb can add to your playing. Compressors can be love
or hate, but many here like them. Depends on what type of music you play? A Dirt pedal by Darkglass is a must
for heavy rockers. Two places I go for info: Talk- bass n you tube! Never thought I would have a pedal board, but, its a TC electronic tuner / verb / VT Bass/ Pitch fork. That's All Folks !!

 

[Discount Bassy]

You could start with a stomp box that has only a button, input and output. Ideally the input and output would be a true bypass bridge. The button doesn't need to be connected to anything. Just click it once in a while to see how it goes. If you like it, try adding an effect.

 

[red_rhino]

I'm 65. Never was much into pedals; never found ones that I thought were useful. Picked up a Smoothie compressor a few years ago and finally figured out how to use compression correctly and it was a huge win for my sound. Recently picked up another compressor (LA-1A) and love it too! Now I'm looking adding an HPF, maybe a boost, and other things. I can feel the rabbit hole falling away underneath me.

The point is: Never say never. Adding compression was the best single thing I've ever done for my sound. Not all effects need to be big, flashy, or obvious. It's worth it to experiment, even if you ultimately change nothing.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I am 67 years old. I have a Mesa Walkabout Scout, a P bass and a Japanese Marcus Miller Jazz Bass. The trouble is I don't like any effects pedals. Please Help. Is my life always going to be like this?

Pretty much. They're a pain in the butt, and standard tone is well more than efficient for pretty much everthing.

 

[Kukulkan61]

I played 40+ years no pedals, I just recently started experimenting with pedals, this is my board and all I really care to have...

 

[singlemalt]

You wouldn’t want to develop an addiction this late in life. Carry on.

I always carry my Smootie comp and the MXR M-80 di +. If your rig fails you, the di can save your butt.

If you want to explore on the cheap, grab a Zoom B3n. It’s a Swiss Army knife for bass. Plus you get a useable looper, drum machine, and great headphone sound. Usb to your computer for interface and audio. It’s an all in one practice station. Plus a boatload of fx to experiment with. A fun little unit.

For sure, bass, cord, amp has always been solid.

 

[Aidenn7]

if you got the itch and money to burn.. here's a board that'll kill most gigs..

Peterson HD tuner > Sandford and sunny blue fuzz > Fea labs optifet comp > damnation audio Mbd-2 > Free the tone bass blaster > modulation (boss OC-2 providence bass chorus, mxr phase 95-for pinkfloyd sounds, DOD fx25 for dub, or Boss bf-2 for 80's sounds.) top is off with a Broughton Audio Highpass Filter. and a omni cab deluxe..

 

[logdrum]

I am 67 years old. I have a Mesa Walkabout Scout, a P bass and a Japanese Marcus Miller Jazz Bass. The trouble is I don't like any effects pedals. Please Help. Is my life always going to be like this?

Pics or you're really 27 rattling the effects forum.

Note there is a bypass switch on most pedals and a massive 4 foot pedal board turned off can still sound like you even with all the fancy lights blinking.

As I get older - I am creating more noise with synths and eurorack modules, whether analog, digital or modeled. I quite like the soundscapes I create which are way out there IMO. Many times not pleasant - controlled or sometimes uncontrolled chaos and noise.

 

[TNCreature]

I feel like this thread is a way to bash using effects without bashing using effects.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't see the point otherwise.