Keep it simple???

[Russell L]

Do I detect a trend here in these responses? It seems "tube amp guys" are more inclined to keep it simple and SS guys are more apt to add "flavoring"?

Not me. I'm all SS, but don't use any effects at all.

 

[ubermiguel]

+1. I play both. With guitar I use every effect in the book. With bass my fingers are my effects.

+1 to your +1.

I also play both and have spent years collecting guitar pedals to find the sounds I want. Tremolo on a bass? Never! On a semi-hollowbody into a vintage tube amp? Heaven.

 

[R Baer]

Just bass and amp for me as well, although I do find a pedal useful for coping a decent synth bass sound on some tunes.

 

[Downunderwonder]

I have a lot of fun with effects in my "jazz" trio. Tube amp, SS amp, or direct, depending on what I had for lunch.

You either dig effects or you don't. Nobody can tell me envelope filter on EUB isn't damn cool. I have the sonic space to do it so I do.

 

[KillerTuxedo]

I have a Hartke 2000 and a 4x10. I'm gonna add a 15 to it soon, but that's it. All the other stuff you can find in pedals, and it's much cheaper.

 

[slap5string]

I have a lot of fun with effects in my "jazz" trio. Tube amp, SS amp, or direct, depending on what I had for lunch.

You either dig effects or you don't. Nobody can tell me envelope filter on EUB isn't damn cool. I have the sonic space to do it so I do.

Dont get me wrong - adding "effects" to color a song or used in context of a piece is not what this thread was meant to be about. I was wondering who runs preamps, compressors, pedals, etc as a way to define their overall sound.

 

[Joe Louvar]

Bass to SS amp.

I have effects, but rarely use them.

 

[Downunderwonder]

Dont get me wrong - adding "effects" to color a song or used in context of a piece is not what this thread was meant to be about. I was wondering who runs preamps, compressors, pedals, etc as a way to define their overall sound.

All of the above, and sometimes straight into the board with sansamp, which is a pedal too, I also use fingers, do I win the internet?

The answer to the original question is "Yes sometimes, other times no". Does it matter?

Obviously we all use different gear, at different gigs all over the world. We quiz each other in forums for amps, fx, live sound, strings, basses, technique, you name it. Your question is redundant.

Do what you do, if a knob needs to be twiddled, twiddle it, buy another knobset, change finger attack, blame the gremlins, buy a new amp or cab or start another thread, "What pedal/string/bass/technique do I need to change gremlins into gnomes?"

 

[Joe Louvar]

I was wondering who runs preamps, compressors, pedals, etc as a way to define their overall sound.

That’s what I thought. Like I posted above, I keep it simple - but my guess is it’s probably about 70/30 with 30% being simple.

EDIT: PS - this might make a fun Poll?

 

[slap5string]

All of the above, and sometimes straight into the board with sansamp, which is a pedal too, I also use fingers, do I win the internet?

The answer to the original question is "Yes sometimes, other times no". Does it matter?

Obviously we all use different gear, at different gigs all over the world. We quiz each other in forums for amps, fx, live sound, strings, basses, technique, you name it. Your question is redundant.

Do what you do, if a knob needs to be twiddled, twiddle it, buy another knobset, change finger attack, blame the gremlins, buy a new amp or cab or start another thread, "What pedal/string/bass/technique do I need to change gremlins into gnomes?"

Thread was meant only to strike up a dialogue (thats what forums are for . Take it to mean whatever you will, however redundant you feel the question is, its all good! Nice to hear others opinions is all

 

[Marty Forrer]

My fingers are my effects. Used a fuzz box (homemade) in 1965-66, haven't used anything since. Tube, ss, makes no difference to me.

 

[kingsx925]

I just don't get the pedal thing for bass... A bass should sound like a bass right?!

 

[Nev375]

I've been in the keep it simple camp for about a decade, but I'm starting to get back into effects again. Either way is great, just depends on what you are doing.

 

[Nev375]

I just don't get the pedal thing for bass... A bass should sound like a bass right?!

A bass should sound like whatever you want it to sound like. As long as the low end is covered and it enhances the other instruments and the overall sound.

 

[slap5string]

I just don't get the pedal thing for bass... A bass should sound like a bass right?!

I couldn't help but notice KingsX in your name and Mr Pinnick as an influence - one of my favorite bands! Doug's tone is heavily processed and really what this thread is about. How many TB'ers rely on effects to shape their personal tone as opposed to stomping a pedal from time to time

 

[Downunderwonder]

Put up a poll,
None
Occasional,
Always on,
Both,
Both or None depending on gig.

 

[Oobly]

I used to be in the "use effects to get a great sound" camp, but lately I'm in a "keep it simple" camp.

I have an Ibanez SR506 which can give nice tone for solo faffing around or for metal... and I just couldn't get a good rock tone.

So I went back to listening to a bunch of bands / albums and made note of the tracks I liked the bass sound on.. Almost all of them turned out to be a P-bass with a clean or slightly overdriven tone. So that's my current tonal goal. Can get it with a P-bass pickup and my current preamp / power amp setup. Nothing else needed..... Except maybe a highpass filter.... and a subtle compressor.... perhaps an EQ pedal.... eek!

So it all depends, pedals / effects are useful, but are often not NEEDED. I tend to go through phases, simplifying to get the basic tone, then filling it out / tweaking it with effects.

 

[D.M.N.]

Generally, it's P-bass-->Sunn 2000s-->Cab. I do have a Fuzzface and Bass Crybaby, but I don't usually use them. If I do run effects, I try to keep it simple, as in no multi-effects digital-bank pedals.

 

[morewattsplease]

I'm usually bass>amp>cab. I love natural tone and the articulation of fingers on string.
Part of me just can't afford the effects that I want right now. The other part has finally realized that I should leave effects alone until I am more of a master of the natural bass.
I'll probably get a compressor, and I'm looking into source audio's BEF, but besides those and distortion, and rarely at that, I think I'm gonna stick to dry signal paths.

 

[JimmyM]

I use tube amps and I love effects on bass. I go in spells, though. I stripped down to just overdrive for a while, and just recently re-added envelope filter and octaver. And then, sometimes I'll just show up with bass, amp, DI and cables. But I'm tied to having at least one pedal since I double on upright, so I might as well have a few more too, right?

But one thing I never do is run any tone shaping device for clean sounds unless I'm using a rented amp I don't like, which rarely happens anymore, thank God!

Also, I would like to thank those of you who use bass/amp and love to hang out in the effects forum to tell people they're dumb for using effects. That's not the least bit annoying.