First attempt at a pedalboard

[Aidenn7]

comp.. fuzz.. di.. will solve alot of problems

 

[Soberglitch]

I put the VT last in the chain and the Big Muff first and I definitely like that order better so far.

What are the differences between putting the compressor first or the fuzz first? I’d be interested in really understanding the science behind it all. Especially if I start adding more pedals.

 

[Matty Koff]

I put the VT last in the chain and the Big Muff first and I definitely like that order better so far.

What are the differences between putting the compressor first or the fuzz first? I’d be interested in really understanding the science behind it all. Especially if I start adding more pedals.

Putting the compressor first compresses your dry bass signal only.. and can be used to even out your dynamics before going into another pedal. Putting it after other effects you're also compressing the effects, which fuzz/distortion typically is already somewhat compressed.. which isn't always a bad thing to layer compression.

As another stated. Be prepared for a different experience when you move into a band setting. What sounds good in the bedroom might not be so good with guitars and drums and/or other instruments. Kind of like what sounds good for recording won't necessarily sound the best live and vice versa. I used to have a Big Muff Pi Bass Deluxe and you can easily set it up to rob you of your low end and at times I might as well have been playing clean even though when nobody else was playing it'd be fuzzy as heck. But it can also sound really cool with synth and wah and various effects.

I have the Source Audio Aftershock these days and it emulates the Big Muff pretty well, and pretty much any kind of distortion you can think of honestly with features designed for bass guitar. But to be ho

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

I'd do the exact opposite of what you did in reverse order.

 

[Greg75]

I put the VT last in the chain and the Big Muff first and I definitely like that order better so far.

What are the differences between putting the compressor first or the fuzz first? I’d be interested in really understanding the science behind it all. Especially if I start adding more pedals.

It's really managing what signal is being subjected to what effect and getting to what order sounds best or is most useful to you in your application. Sometimes that's about keeping the bottom or top ends, or working in a particular mix or setting, or managing noise, etc. Your preferences and priorities are all that matter. For me, in the case of the Big Muff, I have always found that I have been able to get a much fatter and more useable, enjoyable sound for bass when putting it (or just about any fuzz) before the first or only compressor. Usually, I would do the same with a wah or whammy, while putting anything else after the compressor. Again, it's good to try different combinations to see what you like.

 

[Evilheim]

Been playing with the VT and Smoothie for a little while and have been very impressed. Just added the Big Muff today. I couldn’t imagine playing without the VT now.

Looking for suggestions if I’m doing anything wrong or if I’m missing something here.

I know I’d like to get some different patch cables and manage those a little better. My daisy chain is taped up below to try to clean up all those cords.

View attachment 4230277

Nice first attempt, good pedal choices so far! Also I readed the other the comments about the pedal order and there's a couple of things I want to point out based on my experience. Of course there's an "efficient" order to connect the pedals and you can find it everywhere, even on multieffects units where you use to have as a default, for example, first, the pre-gain stuff, that affect dinamics such as noise gates, wah/filters, compressors and harmony/pitch related. Then the gain stuff, that produce "tone", such as preamps, boosters, overdrives, distortions, fuzz. Then the post-gain pedals that modify the tone, also known as modulation, such as chorus, flanger and phaser. and finally the time stuff, where you can find first the repeat-based section such as delay and loopers, and the ambience-based secction, such as reverbs.

It is a good thing to know that basis for, basically do what you want later, for example, if you connect first a fuzz and then, the delay, the delay is repeating the signal of the fuzz way more clean than if you're doing the opposite, where you are "dirtying" every repeat of the delay, and that is completely valid if it's what you're looking for! In other words, understranding what pedals do to each others in a specific order, so you can get what you want or need more consciously.

Other thing, fuzz pedals (like the Muff, and even other gain pedals) as mentioned by other members use to compress the signal as well, but due to the electronical components they have (different type of transistors in gain stages), depending of where you put then, when activated, can somehow interact and change a bit the sound of the other pedals connected after and before, even the amp! and even more, the sound of the bass you have plugged in. try 2 diffent basses into a muff, specially if one of the basses is pasive, and the other is active.

 

[jdh3000]

I have found having a DI on my board very useful, so I second the suggestions to try moving the VT to last in the chain.

Another vote to place the DI on the end. I have the Tech 21 Q Strip last on mine I much prefer a Di directly from my board.

 

[GreyBeard]

If it sounds good, it is good. (Duke Ellington)

 

[Kukulkan61]

Here's my sweet and simple board, nothing else wanted or needed..

 

[SLO Surfer]

I’m here to also say; try changing up the pedal order. I run the VT, or any other DI, at the very end of my pedal chain so I can utilize the xlr output to run signal straight to the PA.

 

[707GK]

Comp > Dirt > Preamp/DI is always my preferred method.

Some fuzz/od need a very slight volume boost to cut properly. A compressor after dirt tends to make things muddy, IME. Too much squash.

 

[Soberglitch]

Putting the compressor first compresses your dry bass signal only.. and can be used to even out your dynamics before going into another pedal. Putting it after other effects you're also compressing the effects, which fuzz/distortion typically is already somewhat compressed.. which isn't always a bad thing to layer compression.

As another stated. Be prepared for a different experience when you move into a band setting. What sounds good in the bedroom might not be so good with guitars and drums and/or other instruments. Kind of like what sounds good for recording won't necessarily sound the best live and vice versa. I used to have a Big Muff Pi Bass Deluxe and you can easily set it up to rob you of your low end and at times I might as well have been playing clean even though when nobody else was playing it'd be fuzzy as heck. But it can also sound really cool with synth and wah and various effects.

I have the Source Audio Aftershock these days and it emulates the Big Muff pretty well, and pretty much any kind of distortion you can think of honestly with features designed for bass guitar. But to be ho

It's really managing what signal is being subjected to what effect and getting to what order sounds best or is most useful to you in your application. Sometimes that's about keeping the bottom or top ends, or working in a particular mix or setting, or managing noise, etc. Your preferences and priorities are all that matter. For me, in the case of the Big Muff, I have always found that I have been able to get a much fatter and more useable, enjoyable sound for bass when putting it (or just about any fuzz) before the first or only compressor. Usually, I would do the same with a wah or whammy, while putting anything else after the compressor. Again, it's good to try different combinations to see what you like.

Nice first attempt, good pedal choices so far! Also I readed the other the comments about the pedal order and there's a couple of things I want to point out based on my experience. Of course there's an "efficient" order to connect the pedals and you can find it everywhere, even on multieffects units where you use to have as a default, for example, first, the pre-gain stuff, that affect dinamics such as noise gates, wah/filters, compressors and harmony/pitch related. Then the gain stuff, that produce "tone", such as preamps, boosters, overdrives, distortions, fuzz. Then the post-gain pedals that modify the tone, also known as modulation, such as chorus, flanger and phaser. and finally the time stuff, where you can find first the repeat-based section such as delay and loopers, and the ambience-based secction, such as reverbs.

It is a good thing to know that basis for, basically do what you want later, for example, if you connect first a fuzz and then, the delay, the delay is repeating the signal of the fuzz way more clean than if you're doing the opposite, where you are "dirtying" every repeat of the delay, and that is completely valid if it's what you're looking for! In other words, understranding what pedals do to each others in a specific order, so you can get what you want or need more consciously.

Other thing, fuzz pedals (like the Muff, and even other gain pedals) as mentioned by other members use to compress the signal as well, but due to the electronical components they have (different type of transistors in gain stages), depending of where you put then, when activated, can somehow interact and change a bit the sound of the other pedals connected after and before, even the amp! and even more, the sound of the bass you have plugged in. try 2 diffent basses into a muff, specially if one of the basses is pasive, and the other is active.

Exactly the info I was looking for. Thanks guys.

I’ll just keep switching around the fuzz and compressor pedals with different basses and see what works best for me. I probably need to look into a bigger amp to handle all this signal boost. My combos are farting out fairly quickly now.

 

[4Mal]

Warwick/Rockboard also has good short flat cables. Got mine off Reverb.

As far as order, if it were me I would VT => Muff => Comp I would want to drive the comp with the maximum level. It is an experiment is what sounds best to you though so play on ;-)

As a mostly festival setting sound guy... we are using my DI not the pedal board one. One in a blue moon we'll use the one from your amp, if I know you and it and I don't have to dig through your rack... Pretty much if I see a Mesa Subway head we're using that. Andy designed a killer DI for those!

My Di is a known quantity to me and it is already cabled up with a through ready for your amp. It would be either a Radial or Countryman so no slouch DI. Not saying that your pedal board would be a problem but I have had some that were... Next band is up in 90 minutes so we line check and launch. Only real issues we fix are badly tuned drums... Soind check is first theee songs...

Note that if I have you for a three hour show with time for a sound check, I'll give your's a shot. I just don't typically do sound for those sorts of shows and when I do I'm usually there to provide the boom and the band has their own engineer so it's on him...

 

[MTN.bass72]

Seems like the general consensus is to throw the VT last in the chain. I’ll give that a shot when I get a chance.

Really diggin’ these pedals together so far. The Big Muff at noon with the drive on the VT cranked to 3 o’clock is definitely the gnarly distortion I was after.

Also try flip flopping the Smoothie and muff... me, I prefer comp before dirt...
Try it both ways, see which you prefer..

 

[Soberglitch]

I think I’m enjoying the Smoothie before the Big Muff. Seems like it’s easier to throw in the clean signal and make it less muddy without having to put the Big Muff on dry.