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Getting my first pedal...

First ever pedal purchase should be:

  • Get the Zoom B3

    Votes: 68 24.6%

  • Anything but the Zoom B3

    Votes: 11 4.0%

  • Save your money, pedals are for noobs

    Votes: 35 12.7%

  • Get a higher quality single pedal (like a compressor etc.)

    Votes: 86 31.2%

  • Get a few, cheaper single pedals

    Votes: 28 10.1%

  • Use the 'search' function for gods' sake

    Votes: 48 17.4%
  • Total voters
    276
#21
There's not many things the B3 isn't better at, IMO, other than price on the used market. The B3 has much better amp sims and EQ options, it can do three FX at the same time (M5 can only do one....M9 is a better comparison), I preferred the tuner on the B3, (hated the tuner on the M5). The M5 has a much better footprint as it's half the B3's size, though.

To be honest, I didn't get much into the FX. I was looking really just for something that could do an octave up pitch shift (kinda saw everything else a lagniappe). Neither one sounded all that great doing that and I found an individual stomp box that could. Now I'm looking at them and I could get a much cheaper tuner......and not really miss anything else on it (I have everything else covered on my board). I never really dove that much into any of the modulations or delays.

The B3 is built for bass, though. Line 6 tends to make things with only guitars in mind.
 
#22
MSUsousaphone said:
There's not many things the B3 isn't better at, IMO, other than price on the used market. The B3 has much better amp sims and EQ options, it can do three FX at the same time (M5 can only do one....M9 is a better comparison), I preferred the tuner on the B3, (hated the tuner on the M5). The M5 has a much better footprint as it's half the B3's size, though.

To be honest, I didn't get much into the FX. I was looking really just for something that could do an octave up pitch shift (kinda saw everything else a lagniappe). Neither one sounded all that great doing that and I found an individual stomp box that could. Now I'm looking at them and I could get a much cheaper tuner......and not really miss anything else on it (I have everything else covered on my board). I never really dove that much into any of the modulations or delays.

The B3 is built for bass, though. Line 6 tends to make things with only guitars in mind.
Click to expand...

Honestly, I was afraid of an answer like that. I looked on the M5, M9 and B3 for some time now, but more and more moved away from all of them, simply because you can only use one effect at the same time (M5) or have to pay way more than I right now want (M9) plus both Line6 are guitar/bass made. The B3 is available for a good price, but I don't need a tuner or amp simulation, just looking for certain effects. Just wanted to add some pitch shifting as you, and widen my range of effects and chains a bit and heard god stuuf about the M series octaver and chorus/flanger/delay things but, ... I think I'll continue going with single pedals.

Big thanks for your quick answer :)
 
#23
I usually hate it when people say this, but use the search function and then start a post with specific questions. This topic has been covered ad nauseum. It's always good to allow people who haven't had a chance to contribute have a say, but the search engine is your friend.
 
#24
HolmeBass said:
I would get a single pedal, but probably something more fun than a compressor. I'd get either an overdrive, to help with crunchy rock tones, or an envelope filter, for funky stuff, depending on what most of the covers you play are.
Click to expand...

This ^

I love my compressor, don't get me wrong. But a fun first adventure into pedal-land it isn't. Get an overdrive or an envelope filter. You'll have endless fun with those. And they can be pretty useful, again, depending on your style of music. OD is usable for darned near anything. MXR makes good quality single pedals for these. I'm using Source Audio's Pro units, but that's what you do when you really know what you want.

I have bad feelings about inexpensive multi-effect pedals. Like little combo amps. They're guaranteed to make you unhappy in the end. Or so it seems to me.
 
#27
First pedal should always be a tuner! My second pedal was a Full Drive, then an EHX Micro POG, than a Akai E2 delay, then a Boss CS compressor. EHX are great inventive, intuitive pedals, reasonably priced, and sound great. I always stress not to buy like six pedals right off the rip. Buy one, learn how it works and little tricks and master that, then move on. Nothing is worse than a guy who steps on a phaser or something for no purpose. Every pedal should be used for something, even if it is just to giving something a weird element. Know you pedals!
 
#28
vincenzomauer88 said:
First pedal should always be a tuner!
Click to expand...

I kind of agree with that. Although I think it's ok to get a tuner at the same time as your OD pedal. :)

I think if you've decided to do pedals rather than rack mounted stuff, get a powered board. Then put your tuner and compressor on it in addition to your overdrive/distortion and whatever crazy stuff you want. For me, it's primarily envelope filter.

You can start out with just an OD. But by the time you get a second pedal--even a tuner--get a board and power it. A pedal train and a one-spot, maybe. Then you can put everything else on it that you need, never worry about batteries, etc.
 
#29
If you are going into the PA: MXR M-80 Bass DI +. You get: a great DI and preamp, which can be powered by the PA's phantom power. (No batteries going dead). A somewhat usable dirt side, which can be used clean for a volume boost.

Basically, you can have your bypass sound, the preamp effect, the color pre-sculpted setting, which is very cool, and what ever you choose to do with the dirt side.

I never leave home without it, sometimes it's all I bring with my bass, and just run into the PA.

The Zoom multi? I'm still trying to figure mine out after several years, it's a big fancy paper weight. See my Zoom B9.1 ut thread!

What ever you do, buy it used here off the classifieds. You'll save dough and not take a big hit when you send it back into endless swirling void of pedal lust.

Better yet, step back from this slippery slope, and save your dough for a decent amp. You won't always have a PA to plug into. Pedals are an endless suck. (except for the M-80, I've sold lots of boxes, but not the M-80)
 
#31
HAHA you guys are awesome :)

To clarify:
- I'm in a typical cover band that plays dance/bar music from all over the place.
- I'm in no position to get a REAL bass amp in case I don't have a P.A. :crying:
- I love the idea of some computer recording, looping and experimenting
- I read everything on these forums about the B3 but it was all from you guys who know a sh*tload more than me and who all use it as an addon, not a first pedal.

Thank you all for the help and input :)
 
#32
Check the classifieds for a used Boss multi effects (the model name escapes me, but its red and I own one, haha). Its a great pedal though. Has two direct outs, two 1/4 outs, a plethora of effects, ability to layer them, and a looper (although in 2 years I haven't figured out how to make the looper work). Great pedal, reliable, just hard to figure out.
 
#33
^Boss GT-10B =)

I was recently in your position and decided that a multi was a better option for figuring out what I liked. I ended up going the Boss route like tjnkoo, there's a sweet application written by Gumtown (I think) called Floorboard that lets you plug it into a computer and move the pedals around and adjust them with your mouse.

It's been a great learning experience for me, and it really paid off because I've found I'm not that fond of heavy-effects. So having a multi around is pretty much ideal for playing say, a Tool song, which requires some effects.

I've also learned I prefer analog dirt to digital, so I've been trying out various od/distortion/fuzz pedals. I've read on here that this is pretty normal though so don't judge the B3 too hard on those perhaps.

Good luck with your decision =)
 
#34
For a unit that is supposed to be bass specific, the B3 seems to have a whole bunch of stuff that's much more for guitarists - how many flangers/phasers does one need? That said, I suppose if you can find the tones that *you* want and you are happy with the overall quality, then go for it. Have you had a chance to actually try one out?
 
#35
Buy used, 200 bucks covers 3/4 mid-price used pedals that you can always sell if you dont find it useful. The Bay, several craigslists, TB.... it's easy to find a bunch of old DOD, semi-new Boss, and so on. However, start with a chorus, an overdrive or a fuzz, a filter, tuner only if is needed, (you have working ears beside your face), IMHO.

Have fun messing with.
 
#37
I have had a couple of multi-effect unit (a Zoom B3, Korg and digitech) up to now and I got rid of them all to go with single units and I prefer to uses single unit to have the sound I want...

But the zoom b3 is nice, sounds nice and is fun, I especially liked the autowah synthy sounds on it, that react to your attack(think Les Claypool)... It's also a good mean to try and explore the effect universe !!
 
#38
Here's a link to my B9.1 ut thread:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f36/zoom-b9-1ut-588144/

I've still got it, but it never goes out to play. If you skim the thread, you'll see all the things I like and a few things I didn't.

I looked over the B3. Good things that came back to the Zoom Bass multi this time around: A drum machine and more loop time. Cool things that went away: the volume/expression pedal, and lots of big knobs to twiddle.

The display seems to be expanded and improved.

The edit program is very cool.

Used, looks like if you jump on one in the classifieds, you could get it for less than $200. (either the B9.1 or the B3).

The Zoom is fun to use with your computer. garageband is easy. If you are a techy, knob twiddling, manual reader, you can do a lot of cool things with the Zoom and your computer's DAW. Garageband or whatever, my Zoom came with a version of Cubase.

I'm more of a "keep it simple guy", so I'll stand by the MXR M-80 bass di +, and the better amp advice. If an amp isn't a possibility, the DI/preamp is a good investment.

Trying to use the B9 live, you have to have your patches and levels dialed or it can be a wild ride. (which is why I liked the volume pedal...you don't have to bow to the machine to make adjustments) If you are going direct to the PA, your sound guy might not dig wild variations in bass tone and level.

But, for effects, if you buy it used, the B3 should be a place to start, with little downside.

Start with a preset patch you like, and use the editor program to deconstruct how it makes all the various things work together. Download the free editor program and have a look at everything spread out on your screen.
 
#39
I really like the B3. At first, I wasn't too interested in the whole digital multi-effect pedals, but then after reading(and hearing) a bunch of reviews on the B3, I picked one up here thinking I could just sell it again here if I didn't like it, and get my money back. I was thoroughly surprised when I got it; I love the fact that it really excels in the modulation department, and also has a tuner, drum machine, and looper, not to mention a DI out as well, in the pedal. Those were all the big pluses of the pedal, and it was more than enough for me to sell my analog modulation pedals because I couldn't tell a difference when I compared the emulations on the B3 to the real thing.

It's a real fun pedal, and if it's your first time buying a pedal, I'm sure you will be very well satisfied with the B3. I use my B3 for modulation effects only though, as I feel that their overdrive/distortion/fuzz effects are not quite as good than the real analog versions. The pedal works great with other analog pedals, so don't worry about adding a few more pedals to the B3 later on when you start up a pedalboard :).
 

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