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Essential Bass Effects Pedals

W

Woofenstein

Jun 9, 2000
530
9
Missouri, USA
#1
I haven't ever owned any bass effects pedals, and I'd like to start to build up collection. I'm not looking for over the top effects - just a few chioce pedals to improve tone and add a bit of versatility. What would you say are the 4 most essential bass pedals? I'm thinking of a nice compressor (Punch Factory?), a fuzz pedal (Big Muff Pi?), and maybe a nice chorus? Can't really think of anything else...

Or maybe a better idea would be to get a bass POD or some other effects unit? Suggestions and comments welcome!
 
#2
Hmmmm...such a big choice out there and really depends on what you play as to what you want/need.
I myself like to play a bit of everything, but mainly rock. On my pedalboard i've got:
Q-tron, MXR Microamp, crybaby bass wah, big muff, small clone (chorus) and a EBS multidrive.
So far in my band i have used it all except the q-tron, but that ain't there for my band...more for fun!!

I reckon a good overdrive or fuzz, chorus, envelope filter and you will be set. maybe an octave pedal....
 
#3
It really depends on individual preferences and what type of music your bands into. I got an EBS IQ (envelope filter) recently and it works wonders for funk. Wouldn't be without it now. A good compressor is a good start though, I've heard good things about the Punch Factory, I use the EBS Multicomp myself. Distortion can be loads of fun, but it just depends on whether you will use these effects. No point handing over a wad of cash for a pedal you only use for half an hour then get bored of and have no use for.
 
#4
I'm using a Zoom B2 Multi effect. I think i's pretty good especially for about $100. People will debate till the end of time the merits and shortcomings digital effects and multis vs single analog pedals. If I were to use separate pedals they would be, comp, OD, filter, and maybe delay. Chorus is a very popular choice as is fuzz.
 
#5
Swift713 said:
I'm using a Zoom B2 Multi effect. I think i's pretty good especially for about $100. People will debate till the end of time the merits and shortcomings digital effects and multis vs single analog pedals. If I were to use separate pedals they would be, comp, OD, filter, and maybe delay. Chorus is a very popular choice as is fuzz.
Click to expand...

yeah I have a zoom B2 as well,...
its good cos has lots of stuff to play around with but the only things ive found useful to actually use in turning on alot are distortion, over drive, a few of the cabinet simulators and some other stuff,...
thinking I either need to generate my own list and edit each effect so its more useable or just go the hard way and get alot of stomp boxes... I think the stomp box pedal board is alot more playable especially if you are playing a song that requires effects turned on and off etc,...
I actually do like alot of the sounds in the B2 its just that for a gig im not entirely sure it would be usable unless you just wanted to use say clean + chorus + distortion or something or you spent alot of time editing all of the patches :)
 
#6
If i had to purchase or keep 4 pedals, i would get/keep:

-Some form of pre amp
-Distortion
-Fuzz
-Wah

Other stuff you may want could include(depending on what you play):
Tuner, Compressor, Flanger, Octave,Trem,Chorus,Whammy, Delay, Reverb, Looper, Signal Booster, Synth, Phaser, Filter, Noisegate, and Vibrato.

Let the GAS begin!
 
#7
Essential is very selective for people, for me it would be the following:

EQ = GEB-7
OD/Dist = DOD 250 or MXR Dist+
Chorus = CEB-3 or CE-5
Other = Delay or DS-1

Last one is hard to choose all depends on what music I'd be playing. Also I don't think I've had less than four pedals in a chain for years. :hmm:
 
#8
If I had to choose 4 pedals, here are the ones I would have:

Compression - Demeter Compulator or EBS Multicomp
Overdrive/Distortion - EBS Valvedrive
Chorus - Analog Man Clone Chorus w/deep switch
Flanger - Boss BF-2

Of course these are all subjective, and they are just my choices. I have them all on my board now. You really need to go and try out a bunch of stuff and see what you like. You might really hate something I mention, and love something that you thought you wouldn't.
 
#9
Myself I'm not a big distortion guy but I thought the drives in the MB-50 I auditioned recently where pretty usable and I could see myself using them.

On my pedal board are a Boss chorus- I'm not absolutely thrilled with this pedal, but use chorus so rarely and it was cheap (used)

A DOD fx25 envelope filter. One of the warmest I have tried and fun to play with once you get used to it's sensitivity requirements. has anybody else turned up the sensitivity on this pedal and played your bass like a drum?

A Boss 7 band bass EQ. One of the most useful pedals I have ever purchased. I have used it mostly for a little gain and slight high end boost for slapping and soloing, but it has proved handy when using someone elses backline.
Lately since switching occassionally between 2 basses I use it to set up a different EQ curve for one of the basses thus eliminating the need for tweaking on the fly.

Morely A/B A+B switcher. Another great pedal, trouble free and quiet.

Next is not a pedal but a half rack 20 year old Alesis Mico Limiter put last in line before the amp. I love this compressor for it's sound, soft knee approach and flexibility. Only down size is it takes up huge real estate on the pedal board and I'm not crazy about adding a rack. Matter of fact my wireless rig also sits on the pedal board too for the same reason.

Never wanting kid myself, for me the pedal board thing has been a work in progress and never something I have been married to. It can stay home at a moments notice but I'm diggin it for the most part.

JKT :bassist:
 
#10
Four pedals?

Octave: Ashdown SubOctave Plus
OD: Ashdown Bass Drive Plus
Filter: I use the Ashdown or the Boss
Delay: Digitech PDS 20/20

That about covers it. My amp offers compression, but if it didn't I might sub that for the filter. But like everyone said, it depends what you're playing. If I played ambient instead of grindcore, the pedals would be different. Well, the middle two would be.
 
#15
From your post, I gather that you're looking for "more flavors" rather than "imporoved tone". Good technique, a good instrument, and a good amp will get you good tone. Effects are for...effect! If you're really just looking for a variety of sounds to try out and see what you like, looking into a multi-effects pedal might be a good way to start. If you just want to jump into the wonderous world of individual stomp boxes, there are more choices than you could possibly imagine, and EVERYONE has a different opinon about what "good" means.

Based on the effects you indicated interest in, here's my recommendations (I'll offer moderate and not-so-moderate priced options)...

Compressor: BBE Opto Stomp / Demeter Compulator
Fuzz: EHX Little Big Muff / Prescription Electronics Depth Charge
Chorus: EHX Clone Theory / Analogman Chorus (w/ "deep" option)

Happy hunting! :)
 
#16
For me the 4 most important are firstly the most used ones and mostly stay on all the time, depending on how long your set is and if you have do any down tuning then a Boss TU-2 is probably vital. For me the 4 pedals are as follows:

Boss TU-2
EHX White Finger Compression
DHA VT1 Tube OD (When it comes:hyper: )
EHX Small Clone Chorus

It was a toss up between my Chorus and my USA Big Muff which im using a lot more now I've moved it to before my compression in my chain.
 
#17
hallo said:
For me the 4 most important are firstly the most used ones and mostly stay on all the time, depending on how long your set is and if you have do any down tuning then a Boss TU-2 is probably vital. For me the 4 pedals are as follows:

Boss TU-2
EHX White Finger Compression
DHA VT1 Tube OD (When it comes:hyper: )
EHX Small Clone Chorus

It was a toss up between my Chorus and my USA Big Muff which im using a lot more now I've moved it to before my compression in my chain.
Click to expand...

Hi,

Testing your pedal tomorrow so not long to wait now.

Dave at DHA
 
#18
My most-often used four are:

compression - Boss CS-3 (the 'squishy' kind, not 'transparent')
overdrive - GK Diesel Dawg (great subharmonics on double-stops)
Chorus - Boss CEB-3 (this is a 'vibro' type, not a 'multi')
Octave - Boss OC-3 (in 'Poly' mode); octave dialed-back quite a bit

Joe
 
#19
Unknowndude, yes you must edit like mad with the B2. The hardest part is that my patches sound quite different with a band than when I'm playing alone and twiddling the knobs. I don't use the speaker simulation with my amp and I've narrowed down the models I use for OD to just a couple. I was jamming with friends at a party Saturday and none of my more subtle patches could even be heard. I've been tweaking it for about 9 months.
 

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