I’m not a big ‘FX’ guy, I have a couple I use on certain things. Other than that
they just degrade your signal.
they just degrade your signal.
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Don't like effects pedals
- Thread starter Peter S
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Sounds like a blessing not a problem. That a whole area of GAS you don't have to worry about.
If you just want to play how you play, effects aren't going to enhance much as you've developed your style based on your amp tones, IMO.
Effects change the way I play to enhance what the new tone does. I play a totally different way with a slow filter vs a fast filter vs a delay vs a chorus vs an octave. They each call for a different touch and style combined with whatever song you're playing.
So, if you want to branch out and just experiment with tones and styles, just start with an effect or 27 and let go. Otherwise, keep playing the way you've been playing and be way the hell good at that. Either way is cool.
Effects change the way I play to enhance what the new tone does. I play a totally different way with a slow filter vs a fast filter vs a delay vs a chorus vs an octave. They each call for a different touch and style combined with whatever song you're playing.
So, if you want to branch out and just experiment with tones and styles, just start with an effect or 27 and let go. Otherwise, keep playing the way you've been playing and be way the hell good at that. Either way is cool.
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Is that a rhetorical question? Can you explain why not liking effects pedals is a problem for you? What is the outcome you want, to suddenly start liking (some) pedals? Thread is four pages long now with no further clarification from you that I can see.
Had pedals because I believe I needed them. Sold them. Twenty years pass And now I do need them. Just a few essentials tuner, DI/overdrive/preamp, auto wah, chorus and HPF.
I got ya beat on this one:
I don't like macaroni 'n cheese. A lot of people find this upsetting and respond with "...well, you've never had it like I make it!". Sorry, keep it off my plate and out of my house.
Riis
I'm 53 and never even considered using pedals on bass until about 5 years ago.
I got a zoom ms60 to have a preamp for a lifeless sounding amp.
Gradually I started finding other presets that helped mold my sound more to my liking. Now I have a board full, but mostly utility pedals; eq, tube preamp, compression.
If I can recommend anything at all it's a parametric eq, liks the EMPRESS ParaEqif your amp doesn't have one...that and a tuner.
If you're happy with your sound, a tuner may be the ticket. I'm one of the few bass players in my area who uses pedals.
I got a zoom ms60 to have a preamp for a lifeless sounding amp.
Gradually I started finding other presets that helped mold my sound more to my liking. Now I have a board full, but mostly utility pedals; eq, tube preamp, compression.
If I can recommend anything at all it's a parametric eq, liks the EMPRESS ParaEqif your amp doesn't have one...that and a tuner.
If you're happy with your sound, a tuner may be the ticket. I'm one of the few bass players in my area who uses pedals.
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A guy walks into a bar, just to proclaim he doesn't like alcohol.
I'm 68 and soon to be 69 and I don't like pedals either. A testimony to our age, I guess.
Is your/our life always going to be like this?.............Most likely!
If you pick you bass in different ways to get different sounds and if you alter the eq on your amp, you are into effects, just not pedals. Every place you play (physically) is an effect too. I've been in marching bands and the only fun thing about it is hearing the effects every acoustic space has on the reflected sound as you are moving.
I'm 62. 80% of the gigs I play I don't even bring effects. I have a board, and a multiFX so if the gig calls for it I can bring it, I just usually don't. No BL has even taken me to task for it (granted, even playing covers, I don't play anything note for note).
Don't like FX, don't use FX.
Don't like FX, don't use FX.
Peter, I am a 64 yo "re-entry" bass player, having played only back in the 70s without pedals. I bought the Zoom B1-four as I was "pedal-curious" and needed a tuner. For $89 I am having the time of my life playing with all the pedal sounds and amp sounds one could ever imagine. Don't bother with all the onboard setting stuff, just use the easy peasy FREE software to make any adjustments. Even us graybeards can do it!Hey Peter - I'm 63, and here are my 3 pedals - 2 Zooms, one new, and a new Boss SY-1 synth. I really enjoy the Zooms for my practice, noodling needs - lots of cool, editable programs, drum machine and a looper with each. The B3 is a bit older - 9 years, but the B1-Four and Boss are brand new. I don't really care for a slew of chained effects at my age, so the multi's fit my needs. The Boss is a monster of a pedal, so many sounds, powerful, and sounds great through my Ampeg. I say go for it, you just might like it!!!View attachment 3913394
I think we have to differentiate a couple of things here - for me, I haven't played in a serious band in years, still working full time, so my bass time is at home, evening and weekends. I can sit in front of an amp with my bass plugged straight in - no problem. But when I discovered the Zoom multi-effects, it just opened up a whole new world of "fun and creativity." That's all - no more or no less. Same with the Boss-SY1 synth pedal - I love to crank that on - peel a little paint off the wall when my wife's out shopping, then the phones come on when she's home. Now if you're playing in a band, I can 100% see why many of you wouldn't use pedals - just straight up. If I got into playing live again, I might have a compression and an EQ pedal chained, that's all. Man, when I first started in the early 70's, I had an MXR 90 phase shifter - now that was the bomb back then!
There you go Bermuda - another B1-Four user. Yeah, it's all about having fun, experimenting, etc.!
I don't understand what the issue is, theres no rule that says you have to use pedals. If you like your tone without them...I guess I'm saying why fix something that isn't broken?
Thread teetering precariously on the edge of effects-bashing. Look, I went bass -> amp for 20+ years. I put in my time. And while those were an awesome 20 years, eventually I started getting pretty bored. Effects revived my joy of playing. It would be sad to be a bass player and never experience the feel of digging into a nice low-gain fuzz, or snapping a juicy envelope filter like a rubber band, or bouncing around with the space-tuba of a solo'd down octave. Not a life I'd want to live.
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