Is there an effect pedal that defines "your" sound?

[jazznrick]

I've been finding myself to have my Spaceman Nebula as an always on pedal. It's a great overdrive/ light fuzz and the lighter octave up makes for a unique sound.

 

[Alien8]

No.
My sound has nothing to do with what effect pedals I use.
Even the specific bass has quite little to do with it.

Oh I hAvE To hEaR mOre AbOuT tHiS. Do YoU uSe a KaZOo, Or DoWn tUnE aNd PlAy tHe PiCkuP wItH a HaMmEr?

 

[cnltb]

Oh I hAvE To hEaR mOre AbOuT tHiS. Do YoU uSe a KaZOo, Or DoWn tUnE aNd PlAy tHe PiCkuP wItH a HaMmEr?

U tRolL MucH?

 

[Alien8]

U tRolL MucH?

No, I like to hear the truth, not some cryptic narcissistic comments. Tell us your secret.

 

[eriky4003]

Brent,
I'd say the Tech 21 VT Bass DI gets the sound I want. My passive basses get the SVT setting and my active bass I've gone with their Compression setting (Lo, Mid, Hi at around 1:00). What I really liked about this pedal was it's a quick eq fix between my Rick and my 5string bass. The eqing req'd to the amp to make both sound great was pretty radical. I'd say also the MXR M87 Compressor but it's so transparent it doesn't add any flavour to 'my sound'.

 

[SirMjac28]

Every setup I have includes this pedal.

 

[Turlu]

Darkglass vintage microtubes, most always on. The best out there for my personal taste. Adds just the amount of grit to the tone, superb!

 

[rashrader]

My Compressor Du Jour definitely helps define my tone.... Currently, that would be the Darkglass Hyper Luminal.

 

[BrentSimons]

For me, that's the best thing about effects. I don't want one signature sound. I love many varieties in sound, effects facilitate variety.

Tuner.

90+% o0f the time, all I have going is a bit of EQ.

Only time will tell...

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... but, until then... I really like this...

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Since shredding the preamp from the board, my sound is pretty much defined by picking a Jazz Bass (sometimes fingerplaying) and amplifying it through Traynor gear, most of the effects being looped and all are sporadically used.

The one effect that is always on is the VT Bass for a bit of added grit, so if there's one pedal interacting with the way I play, that's the one.

i have a small very small pedal board (5 pedals) and i rarely bother taking it to a gig...i use one or two efx in a few sections of a few tunes --- when i take it. so i'm in the "seasoning" group even though i often play things 'plain'.

no "signature tone" here.

It depends. For me as a player, there's no one pedal that defines my sound.

In one of my bands however, the sound I've crafted using my pedal board is integral to the overall experience (mainly because I'm making a guitar player obsolete with it).

So, a resounding maybe. Definitely not one pedal, but if you want to go so far, a combination of some.

There will, however, be some pedals you will always find on my board. But that's a different question altogether.

My rig is a Zoom B-2 into a power amp, so the Zoom is my entire front end. It's set-and-forget (other than small adjustments on a few EQ bands and volume settings). It provides a tuner, light compression, an almost-clean Marshall Superbass emulation, noise reduction and 6-band graphic EQ.

Yep, I depend on it to provide all the gain structure/tone shaping. Probably not what Zoom had in mind but it meets my needs quite well.

Because it stays set one way, it lives on top of my power amp...so technically it's no longer a pedal...I think.

Overdrive and fuzz
I love sunn beta bass preamp clone.
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My sound is more a result of my hands, bass and setup - the meat. Effects are the spice and fire, colors, pan and sauce or gravy.

Yup. The Rusty Box. It's basically my only pedal and the only tone shaper on my board. For recording it goes direct into my interface and when playing through an amp it's going right into the power amp. I've always done preamp pedal into a power amp and have accumulated a few preamps (modded VT Bass and B7KU), but nothing comes close to the greatness of the RB.

Still married/shackled to my Sansamp PBDDI...it's the most natural sounding tube emulation circuit this side of a small fortune and bullet proof. I'd like to try other options, but can't really justify.

Midnight Amplification Holy Mountain...

for the last year, i can't get enough of my darkglass vintage. blend @ 12 o'clock / era @ full "90's" / level @ 12 o'clock / drive @ 12 o'clock (or to taste). on 90% of the time.

Is "mute" technically an effect?

If yes then yep....that defines my sound

Broughton Audio stuffView attachment 3391842

Nice! Brings back great tone memories...Where is this available, if at all?!!

I suppose what I do would technically fall into the "seasoning" category, but I have two pedals that really define my overall sounds in my own writing (though at the church where I play I almost always go clean). For "clean" sounds, I lean really heavily on a Boss CE-5 for some added ambiance and texture. For when things get heavier, I use a Darkglass Alpha-Omicron distortion pedal. I also tend to use my Crybaby Bass Wah after the distortion when I want things to get really hairy, but even though I use it a good bit I'd say it's definitely "seasoning." That being said, my amp defines my sound even more than those two pedals do. The punchy sound I'm able to get from my Peavey 400 bass head is the absolute core of my sound, and the effects are another (important) layer on top of it.

View attachment 3391874 I love the Ampeg SCR-DI. It stays on all the time and makes a profound contribution to my particular sound.

My only always on pedal is my Compressore. Compression setting is pretty low but gain setting is pretty high.

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Two really, phat phuk B and bass soul food. Well, a micro chorus and a cat tail as well. My whole pedal board is my final answer

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If only one... The Noble.

Not that it's always on, as I do different things as well as straight in, but I like me some compressor dirt. And it needn't be a particular compressor, as most can get dirty if yer not afraid. I go between Toadworks, BBE, BYOC, DOD, Pigtronix, that cheap little Kokko ...

I have racked Meek but want the floor pedal, and I want a Compressore.

I do play through an all tube svt (vintage), and "vintage only"basses. My favorite pedal right now is the behringher vd1 (big muff clone).


That and a bass wah, of course , lol!

I never don't use Night Owl Industries' Edison tube preamp.
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I don't always use the Dunwich Cthulhu fuzz, but I sure have fun when I do \m/

Bass Mid Control｜E.W.S.

The bass mid control will probably never come off my board. i love it very much.

OD->Chorus->Comp are always on. EQ is basically a boost, Metal grinds.

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I started using SansAmp pedals 15 years ago (from GT-2 to Bass Driver to VT Bass to Bass FlyRig) which pretty much defined my sound.
Them I happened to try the EHX Bass Soul Food and used that as an "always on" for a while.
About six months ago I bought the One Control Sonic Silver Peg and that tiny box replaced all of the above! I still think I'm going for the same sound, just using different tools to achieve it.

As a general rule, whenever I plug into something Ampeg or SansAmp, what gets out is near to what I like to hear.

This is the one for my favourite sound. Big, a bit squashy and sustains when you feel like it. I add other stuff from time to time but that is just icing on the cake.

And "grit" off. Don't like this particular grit.

This bad boy right here provides my sound
View attachment 3392045

On my main board SansAmp BDDI or Hartke Bass Attack 2 are always on. Empress compressor or FEA DB-CL always on. On my small board MXR Bass Preamp, Pigtronix Philosopher Bass Comp, EHX Bass Soul Food are always on.

I have many other pedals that are frequently on as spice.

I did in the past, but since getting a very nice Ken Smith, I've decided that my tone is my hands through a Smith into a Aguilar. I still use a lot of effects though

+1 on this set up.
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Interesting question.

In my case, I never had the need of effects, although I'm using some of them lately in a few occasions.

Depends on genre IMO.
Just about anything prior to say, like early '90's, generally no for "tone" definition.
However, typically after say, mid-late '90's more "modern" genres require an even "tighter" tone with medium to full body resonance.
I can get a very tight and punchy tone with just amp/cab config (GK), and Stingray 4hh's, but there's a little teeny tiny button labeled "Color" on my MXR Bass Distortion w/DI that is indescribable...and the distortion is RARELY engaged...
When using a pick, and say playing HC/Post-HC/alt Rock, the little teeny tiny "color" button makes the notes crisp w/o clank, med-full without hollowness/mud and just ...well... POW!
I mean, I can get REALLY close to "that tone" with amp/cab/bass, but that little teeny tiny button depressed just sends it to the next level.
I do not use/engage that pedal/button when playing finger/slap, just doesn't "sound" right.
As far as other FX, just typical as needed per song/genre; flange/chorus, delay, envelope filter and a pinch of compression. Nothing special.
All routed via input (upfront) not FX loop.

No.
'My' sound has nothing to do with what effect pedals I use.
I only use one, when I feel a piece benefits from it.
My default is to go straight.
Even the specific bass has quite little to do with it.

Radial Tonebone Bassbone....doesn't define but enhances!!

I use always on Klon knock off, Keeley bass comp, and Broughton Hpf. This isn't so much tone defining as a transparent utility set up. It let's me get a big round tone until I dig in, then I get some punch and grit. It's a good imitation of how a big tube amp reacts, but it let's me run lighter stuff and send FOH a more controlled signal. While I have the ability to play light touch with a steady volume, I usually don't, so these pedals keep things from getting too out of control.

Well... I don't actually use pedals. So I can't really vote.

Not really. I have really small selection of effect pedals that i use rarely to spice up things. MXR Bass Fuzz and Aguilar twin filter when i go for funk. They work well together. When i have the money gonna get a MXR Octave Deluxe and a compressor pedal as final pieces on the board.

My "always on" pedals are the MXR Bass Compressor and MXR Bass Chorus Deluxe. Not necessarily to "define" my tone as they are to "enhance" my bass to amp (Mesa D800+) tone.

My "on most of the time" pedal is the Morely Fuzz/Wah (Cliff Burton). The rest are on/off depending on the song and when the mood strikes.

VT Bass is always on.

EBS valve drive for a bit of grit

Over the last few years, a few pedals seem to always make it onto my gig boards - the Cali CB comp, Bugcaster/Au-Drive tube boost and my sfx custom D][plomat preamp have really come to define my sound.

More recently, it's been the Cali, Broughton Locust Star and Broughton Messenger.

It used to be (20 years ago) the Marshall DRP-1 (technically a guitar preamp, of course) to give a nice bit of overdrive to the sound. Sounded much better than a Boss ODB-3 to me.

This just stays on ... adds a faint tube-like compression and grit.


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A Darkglass B7K or Ultra, with a Warwick Corvette $$ or a Std. I have tried quite a lot of other things, but I keep coming back to this.

View attachment 3392155

It changes all the time. I don't think I've ever played a show leaving a single pedal on for the whole set.....until last night. The Rusty Box is what I've been looking for. That is my jam! I've been living under a rock until I recently bought one.

A mesa boogie subway di into a carvin hd3000 power amp with an ever changing, always on overdrive (currently an ehx nano battalion, awesome pedal) has been my sound for several years and two bands now.

No I don't have a signature sound nor a signature effect.

My EQ change all the Time.

My "signature" sound relies primarily on my amp - some tube warmth/drive in the preamp, a bit of subtle EQ and a dual band compressor. I use a touch of flange in some sections of some songs.

If I don't have my amp available, then I'd either need a multi-fx unit to emulate it (which I have, which is a Line 6 Bass Pod XT Live) or... just plug into whatever's there and play and hope for the best.

These aren't really effects though. Although I suppose distortion is an effect of sorts, the Ampeg DI is more of a preamp.

Not one specific pedal really, but distortion in general, yeah. I almost always have some kind of dirt going on unless I'm playing a song where that sound isn't appropriate.

I've been finding myself to have my Spaceman Nebula as an always on pedal. It's a great overdrive/ light fuzz and the lighter octave up makes for a unique sound.

Oh I hAvE To hEaR mOre AbOuT tHiS. Do YoU uSe a KaZOo, Or DoWn tUnE aNd PlAy tHe PiCkuP wItH a HaMmEr?

No, I like to hear the truth, not some cryptic narcissistic comments. Tell us your secret.

Brent,
I'd say the Tech 21 VT Bass DI gets the sound I want. My passive basses get the SVT setting and my active bass I've gone with their Compression setting (Lo, Mid, Hi at around 1:00). What I really liked about this pedal was it's a quick eq fix between my Rick and my 5string bass. The eqing req'd to the amp to make both sound great was pretty radical. I'd say also the MXR M87 Compressor but it's so transparent it doesn't add any flavour to 'my sound'.

Every setup I have includes this pedal.

Darkglass vintage microtubes, most always on. The best out there for my personal taste. Adds just the amount of grit to the tone, superb!

My Compressor Du Jour definitely helps define my tone.... Currently, that would be the Darkglass Hyper Luminal.

Hi All
I want to thank you all for responding!
It's so interesting to me to see the differences in our tastes in tone? As well as a few similarities My only pedal at the moment is my GK Plex which I'm enjoying quite a bit. Very versatile and a big help when practicing for me. Does it define my tone? Hmmm...how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop? The world may never know.
Thank you!
Best wishes to all,
Brent

 

[Rev J]

My 3 always on pedals are a tc Spectracomp with Janek Gwizdalas "Chordal Compressor" toneprint, a Boss PQ3B Parametric EQ to cut out some of the noisier frequencies from the soloed bridge pickup jazz bass, and other noisier pedals, and a tc Corona Chorus with the "Hadrian Chorus" toneprint.

C/S,
Rev J

 

[mexicanyella]

My 3 always on pedals are a tc Spectracomp with Janek Gwizdalas "Chordal Compressor" toneprint, a Boss PQ3B Parametric EQ to cut out some of the noisier frequencies from the soloed bridge pickup jazz bass, and other noisier pedals, and a tc Corona Chorus with the "Hadrian Chorus" toneprint.

C/S,
Rev J

Can we take a moment to step away from the topic and view a photo of the Boss PQ3B? Seems like a drool-worthy tone-shaping device that never quite caught on.

 

[vlsndgrdn]

Nice! Brings back great tone memories...Where is this available, if at all?!!

Its not a production model it was handmade by a friend.

 

[foal30]

Can we take a moment to step away from the topic and view a photo of the Boss PQ3B? Seems like a drool-worthy tone-shaping device that never quite caught on.

Top left
I will take some proper photos tonight
It's a really cool pedal

 

[foal30]

Hyperbole obviously but I couldn't play without my Diamond Compressor

Lately I have found that the Filter with the Attack Goat is 'better' than just the Fuzz

 

[mexicanyella]

View attachment 3393014

Top left
I will take some proper photos tonight
It's a really cool pedal

Thanks...pretty bass by the way.

With the boutique pedal madness that has swept the music industry, weird pedal names have become the expected...but nonetheless I think "Attack Goat" is about the coolest pedal name I've seen. You can kind of sense a bong in the naming process, rather than a marketing department.

 

[foal30]

Thanks...pretty bass by the way.

With the boutique pedal madness that has swept the music industry, weird pedal names have become the expected...but nonetheless I think "Attack Goat" is about the coolest pedal name I've seen. You can kind of sense a bong in the naming process, rather than a marketing department.

Wounded Paw, IIRC they are a Canadian company and one of their guys was posting on here. He was a helpful guy

The Bass is a MTD Grendel. Possibly my best ever bang for bucks buy. One day I hope to try a 'proper'MTD.

 

[BurtMacklinFBI]

I may have to amend my earlier post. I just got my paws on an Abominable Electronics Hellmouth with HM2 mod (a maxxed out HM2 tone stack wired parallel with the pedal's normal tone circuit, with a blend knob) and this thing sounds REALLY good as an always-on tone shaper. I'm not saying I'm definitely going to use it that way, but I am also not not saying that. Seriously, the HM2 chainsaw blended with a more conventional tone is really something.

 

[AlexBassMP]

I play in a metal band with just a guitar player... My Sansamp Bass Driver Deluxe is always on with two presets stored : one for overdrive and one for the clean tone (just for one song, BTW). That distorted sound has become part of the band's sound.

In the tribute band I play I leave the compressor on and I started to add some eq for cutting through the mix because we have a loud drummer, two guitar players (one of them with an incredibly loud lead tone) and two singers...

 

[Nashrakh]

I may have to amend my earlier post. I just got my paws on an Abominable Electronics Hellmouth with HM2 mod (a maxxed out HM2 tone stack wired parallel with the pedal's normal tone circuit, with a blend knob) and this thing sounds REALLY good as an always-on tone shaper. I'm not saying I'm definitely going to use it that way, but I am also not not saying that. Seriously, the HM2 chainsaw blended with a more conventional tone is really something.

I'm really hurting for a HM2, the classic chainsaw sound is great on guitar, but I'm not sure I ever heard it on bass. The original's gotten pricey too, yeesh.

But I definitely agree, clean blended sounds are the bomb.

 

[Tommy V]