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Use the search mate. Some threads for you:
Getting the right envelope filter! (3leaf, IE etc...)
Envelope Filters
Envelopes
Cheers,
Kalle
Getting the right envelope filter! (3leaf, IE etc...)
Envelope Filters
Envelopes
Cheers,
Kalle
Or listen to me. There is only one. Mu-Tron III. Search over.
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Envelope Filters are a personal and expensive journey. I *think* the Wonderlove Deluxe has ended my search, but ya never know. Good luck!
Snob.
It is all about finding the one that meets several factors, which one plays best with your bass, amp and playing style and gets the sound in your head. Envelope pedals more than any other effect have a lot of the learning to play factor to develop the right touch. I suggest starting with something simple before diving into the more complex choices out there. Maybe even trying a multi effect that has several on offer
Totally normal.
I once was new to envelopes. I tried, loved, liked and used many (for years). I spent much money at the same time. I even continued buying and trying after I bought my Mu-Tron III. I got a chance to hear a Wonderlove, tried a Proton, MXR, EHX and many I've forgotten about too. Believe me when I say as far as sounding the best especially with a band nothing compares (except for a few of the true clones being made today) not as many tonal options as some of the newer ones out but the tones you do get out of it are the ones everybody hears in their head and it does them soooooooooo good. Just trying to save you a lot of time looking for one.
There are many people that love the others and there are many people that have never had the opportunity to sit in the drivers seat of the "Original" too.
It's a lot like a Hammond. Even with how good today's sims and what not capture the sound, it still isn't anything close to actually playing a real one.
I have no problem at admitting that I'm an envelope filter snob.
Mu-Tron III or I'll do without.
If you want to experiment with an envelope filter, buy used from TB classified. Half of my board was purchased used and I have gone through a few pedals that didn't work for me.
My favorite is the MXR M82 BEF, which is one of the more modestly- priced units out there
My favorite is the MXR M82 BEF, which is one of the more modestly- priced units out there
That looks like a solution, not a problem!
I've played a bunch of vintage Mu-tron IIIs, and I will own one or maybe build a clone some day. An old AF9 is as close as my budget will allow for now!
Don't try a Mu-Tron then.
Essentially, most envelope filters are a tone shaping filter triggered by input signal, usually the greater the signal the more the filter "opens," but they all work a little different, can be triggered by external devices or controlled by expression pedals, or some have auto-wah features, which open and close the filter to a set tempo. They are so many, good and bad, they all have their own sound characteristics and different features, some are quite complicated, like the WMD Super Fatman, to the incredibly simple, like the Subdecay Proteus. I think the next one I want is the Fwonkbeta, simple to use and sounds really cool. I would check out as many YouTube videos as you can, here's a few that started me on an expensive path 
(4:40 into the vid)
Once you start adding octave and fuzz, then it gets REALLY fun!!!
(4:40 into the vid)
Once you start adding octave and fuzz, then it gets REALLY fun!!!
When you have it dialed in for the room and its opening up and sounding good they can be a lot of fun, but it can be frustrating to find the right settings. Your volume and how hard you hit the strings drastically change the sound. I've had a great envelope sound at sound check and then when I went for it at that key moment in the song it would sound totally different than what I wanted because I may have changed something else.
They're a tricky effect. Basically its a filter who's sweep is controlled by the attack and decay of your playing.
Listen to a bunch of demos and then decide what you think. I bought one on a whim a few years back from a bandmate and it was fun but I didn't end up ever using it live. There are cheap ones out there that you can find to try, I think if I was buying one to mess with id start with an EHX qtron
Listen to a bunch of demos and then decide what you think. I bought one on a whim a few years back from a bandmate and it was fun but I didn't end up ever using it live. There are cheap ones out there that you can find to try, I think if I was buying one to mess with id start with an EHX qtron
There's a DOD envelope filter in the classifieds here. No affiliation. $50 is usually not a bad place to start.
I've got a MXR Bass Envelope Filter and a EHX Bassballs which I did the trim pot mod to. Both sound great and both live on my board. I keep the Bassballs in fuzz mode which sounds pretty synthy and the MXR stays clean.
Boss Ft-2. Can find for about $90 bucks on Ebay. Here some clips here. Boss – FT-2 Dynamic Filter REVIEW | bass-pedals.com
