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How many Bassists use no pedals?

Do you use bass pedals?

  • Yes:

    Votes: 443 47.3%

  • No:

    Votes: 494 52.7%
  • Total voters
    937
#84
Fynn said:
You can use whatever you want, but saying stuff like "using pedals is cheating", are just poor excuses by people who can't be bothered to learn what frequency to boost when their bass sounds thin and rather end up selling that bass and buying another, even though the bass itself is amazing...
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It's the same reason why a lot of people don't go turbocharging/modding/customize a car. Time is money.

Better get a bass that makes what you want or messing up with pedals like "hit or miss"?

In the end, it's the same premise for both situations: They exist to serve me, not the opposite.

But let's not get too hot into that, because I really enjoy spending some time making experiments with my basses, like strings, pickups, preamps and so it goes. But that's me...
 
#85
As I always say, that depends on the gig. I have effects that I call "utility effects" that improve my overall tone and are always on. These are: filter/EQ, and compressor.

I also have effects that get turned on and off for real effect. I use them or not depending on the project. Some bands require me to sound synthy, overdriven, etc., and some not.
 
#88
pedals are extra work for me (finding usable sounds, dialing in/balancing). maybe i take the small pedalboard, maybe i don't. depends. they don't make/break what i do, but i think about using them if i want to try and generate an extra 'thrill'. i like 'em sometimes, but i don't need 'em.

i voted "yes," against my better judgment! :laugh:
 
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#89
When surveyed I answered No, but I do and I don’t. My sound is a fine balancing act between me (via fingers), the instrument as whole unit, and the amp. If all that in anyway isn’t functioning to produce a good fairly decent sound, no amount of tape is gonna put it together. Even in a metal setting I can achieve a fairly passable crunch tone without even using the gain knob or a stomp box. I’m really a snobby purist too… I really love the sound of a good bass and a good amp. Good strings too they make a difference. When I do use a pedal it’s typically just to rev up that already existing sound that I love, and even then I it’s only a little. I use a Tech 21 Sansamp and it’s quite literally an amp in a box. Lately I’m barely using an amp, just a DI.
 
#90
I'm a no pedal guy... except when I'm a yes - which is pretty rare.

My most used pedals are an envelope filter (very subtle vowel sounds - not so much quack) and a phase 90.
A little drive now and again, some chorus sometimes, and maybe an octave (but I don't really find much use for the octave).

If I get to a gig and my pedalboard doesn't work - no problem. Right in the amp for me.
 
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#91
Aussie Player said:
I noticed when reading the amp setting thread that not many contributors mentioned pedals in the response which is interesting, as that is part of many signal chains when settings are discussed.

I recognize I am a dinosaur and can't comprehend the why of any pedals at all and have reported having younger players asking about my tones because they can't see any pedals on stage, but I am not sure the frequency question has been asked before.

It would also not surprise me to see pedals are age related meaning people who grew up in the 80's on wards? I saw my first pedal (apart from Wah pedals) in the 70's. it was a Boss Phase 90, (Guitarist pedal - Think Keep Yourself Alive/Queen) the orange one, but never saw any bass pedals until much later.
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I don’t use any pedals on stage. I do for recordings when required. But as a rule, I get my sound with my bass and volume/treble/bass knobs in my amp. I am a dinosaur. 56 years playing bass. :bassist:
 
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#92
Yes & no. I don't use any pedals in my classic rock band, pretty much the same tone for every song, and I just roll the tone knob up and down as the tunes call for it. In my soul/funk band I use an octaver, an envelope filter, a compressor, and occasionally fuzz, but probably around 95% of the time it's all pedals off.
 
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#93
hennessybass said:
I'm a no pedal guy... except when I'm a yes - which is pretty rare.

My most used pedals are an envelope filter (very subtle vowel sounds - not so much quack) and a phase 90.
A little drive now and again, some chorus sometimes, and maybe an octave (but I don't really find much use for the octave).

If I get to a gig and my pedalboard doesn't work - no problem. Right in the amp for me.
Click to expand...
This is how I feel… I can take em or leave em, but man they’re fun.
 
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#94
Alessandro Cruz said:
It's the same reason why a lot of people don't go turbocharging/modding/customize a car. Time is money.

Better get a bass that makes what you want or messing up with pedals like "hit or miss"?

In the end, it's the same premise for both situations: They exist to serve me, not the opposite.

But let's not get too hot into that, because I really enjoy spending some time making experiments with my basses, like strings, pickups, preamps and so it goes. But that's me...
Click to expand...
Thought alot about what you commented and honestly I'm just confused. Time is money is a weird thing to say to a bunch of people who are spending hours each week on a forum, reading anecdotes of other people, to then either vigorously disagree, or act like there has never been a truer thing said.

I think it's way easier to go and buy a bunch of pedals to play around with, than it is to buy a new bass whenever you feel like it's not quite giving you the desired tone. How are the pedals not serving you? Because you feel like it's too complicated and you'll be a slave to them? I don't quite understand what you were trying to tell me with that.
 
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#98
Not no more.
70/80s used stomp boxes - comp/noise gate, flange, dist, chorus.
But ditched 'em all eventually for stage.
Still have 'em, still plug 'em in once in a while for grins.

Was at a gig a couple of years ago and the guitar wanted a little distortion on my GK solid state, so I obliged with some Rat® action.
 

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