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must have effects

#22
I've got a Line6 BassPOD XT Pro that I am quite fond of. It's got TONS of effects, of which all parameters are adjustable. Wah, volume pedal, tuner, metronome strobe, not to mention the various head and cab simulations. It's pretty badass.

Jam on, brother! :bassist:
 
#26
alec said:
You don't hear much bitching about MXR, particularly their bass innovations series.
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I haven't tried many MXR effects. Infact, only the carbon copy. what about yourself?? I hear the envelope filter is great.

i love me some boutique peds, own a few, but I find Boss pretty F'n reliable. Yes some of their pedals are ****, but the ones I have, do the job, do it well, and do it for an excellent price.
 
#27
G3Mitch said:
what makers would everyone say has staying power??
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I wouldn't put too much weight on that, I was just trying to give an approximation of the average TB pedalboard to give the OP a starting point. Pretty much anything that has been around for a while and still gets use has staying power. You don't hear about ones that don't, because, well, they don't. The thing with boutiques is, IMO, they tend to be specialized (and expensive), so you get a few people that swear by them and a bunch that don't use them. So, if you're judging by popularity, the boutiques get an unfair shake, because their market share is not correlated with their quality.

As far as big brands go, the Korg Pitchblack gets the job done and is indestructible. Boss has a good rep for being cheap, sounding pretty good and being durable. EHX is kind of quirky, a lot of good stuff but some clams as well, and they're often not for everybody. Tech 21 is pure genius. Digitech doesn't have a great rep. MXR is generally solid.

I use an EHX Bass Big Muff, and honestly, I'd recommend going elsewhere as far as fuzz goes. I just don't have the money at the moment.

As always, FIIY.
 
#28
Zoa said:
I wouldn't put too much weight on that, I was just trying to give an approximation of the average TB pedalboard to give you a starting point. Pretty much anything that has been around for a while and still gets use has staying power. You don't hear about ones that don't, because, well, they don't. The thing with boutiques is, FIIY, they tend to be specialized (and expensive), so you get a few people that swear by them and a bunch that don't use them. So, if you're judging by popularity, the boutiques get an unfair, because their market share is not commiserate with their quality.

As far as big brands go, the Korg Pitchblack gets the job done and is indestructible. Boss has a good rep for being cheap, sounding pretty good and being durable. EHX is kind of quirky, a lot of good stuff but some clams as well, and they're often not for everybody. Tech 21 is pure genius. Digitech doesn't have a great rep. MXR is generally solid.

I use an EHX Bass Big Muff, and honestly, I'd recommend going elsewhere as far as fuzz goes. I just don't have the money at the moment.

As always, FIIY.
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Oh man, for sure, it wasn't a dig or anything. I thought it was a good point.

Im a big Sansamp fan, i have a VT Bass, that im completely happy with, but tomorrow im trying out a BDDI, just cuz.

And to be fair, Im struggling alot with fuzz. Had a BBM like yourself, and went Swollen Pickle...hmmm. Then went Woolly Mammoth.... hmmm cool but pretty specific, i'll hold onto it for studio purposes, but live, no. I WANT a Grey Stache, but thinking of getting a cheap NYC muff, which sounds pretty damn good with a VT on.

As for boutique builders, I've used 2, Fuzzrocious, awesome experience, delivered a pedal that I love and will always use. The other is a local here in NZ, and he can build a wide variety of pedals from Zvex, Caitlenbread, EHX. I might enquire about a Russian Muff clone.
 
#29
How about an octave pedal and while your at it a fuzz too. A lot of big name brands have something for you there. If you want something for more funk or slap add a compressor and an envelope filter to your board as well.
 
#30
G3Mitch said:
Oh man, for sure, it wasn't a dig or anything. I thought it was a good point.

Im a big Sansamp fan, i have a VT Bass, that im completely happy with, but tomorrow im trying out a BDDI, just cuz.

And to be fair, Im struggling alot with fuzz. Had a BBM like yourself, and went Swollen Pickle...hmmm. Then went Woolly Mammoth.... hmmm cool but pretty specific, i'll hold onto it for studio purposes, but live, no. I WANT a Grey Stache, but thinking of getting a cheap NYC muff, which sounds pretty damn good with a VT on.

As for boutique builders, I've used 2, Fuzzrocious, awesome experience, delivered a pedal that I love and will always use. The other is a local here in NZ, and he can build a wide variety of pedals from Zvex, Caitlenbread, EHX. I might enquire about a Russian Muff clone.
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I kind of got you and the OP mixed up a bit there. I'd consider the VT Bass models as a perfect example of staying power. They hit the market from a not-too-well-known company, caused a huge frenzy, and years later haven't gone away. People are still raving about them.

I run PB>>BBM>>VT Bass>>Micro Q-tron>>Boss LMB-3.

Yeah, I really need a new fuzz pedal. Can't quite justify it now, though. Three months to graduation. . .
 
#31
sounds like a legit set up, especially if your a student.

I'll say DONT go to Swollen Pickle if you like the VT, they just DONT mix. I have tried and tried, but im not taking the VT off soooo.... SP is lucky to be on there.

But did you notice I've said im considering going back to a basic Big Muff+VT? Im more of a distortion or overdrive kinda guy, but i do like abit of fuzz to break some balls. Grey Stache wud be my first choice, something Wren and Cuff would be cool. But of course here in NZ a big muff is the cheapest option. NOT the BBM tho.
 
#32
I don't think anyone can tell you what pedals are a 'must-have'. Put aside a few hundred and start buying used pedals, try them out for a while, sell them again if you don't find a use for them, the only money you'll lose is the postage.
 
#34
the bass big muff is garbage... get the regular nyc big muff over the bass big muff... or one of these if you can track them down.
6779187268_0ac2ca7514.jpg

IMAG0644 by spaz21387, on Flickr
 
#36
I'd say get a good OD/Dist/Fuzz that fits your style well, then find a good delay. Delay is something that I find translates well across multiple musical styles. Same with grit.

As far as good brands that I see sticking around for a while, I'd say:

Fuzzrocious, Iron Ether, MXR, and ProCo for grit.
Line 6, MXR, Boss, Eventide, and Strymon for delay.
 
#37
I don't concur.. I find delay to be the least useful effect on bass. Bass is all about the groove, punch and low end first of all. I'd recommended an od or fuzz pedal. And maybe a wah, or an envelope filter, or a phaser. They do not affect the rhytm.
Delay is cool for ambient parts, nevertheless, but it's an option not for all bassists.
 
#39
If it helps I am just making my first foray into Bass efx pedals and based on the TB recent poll http://www.decadence.fi/talkbasspedals/ I am going to get:

Boss CEB-3
MXR M288 Bass Octave Deluxe
MXR M82 Bass Envelope Filter

I'm only not going for the Boss OC-2 because some people have complained about tracking, I already have an EHX big muff (Russian), a TU-2 and an opto-stomp from my guitar pedalboard, and I'm not getting a Tech21 VT Bass because I picked up a Hartke Bass Attack very cheaply which seems to do roughly the same thing even if it is somewhat less popular.

I suppose a wah would be another option however I can't imagine how I would fit that into any of the music I play!
 
#40
cdseverance said:
Hello. I have been playing bass most all of my life.....but am gonna try the advice thing this time around. What are the "must have" effects for bass guitar?
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Ahem.

I suggest you experiment freely and have fun with the process. Try them all. Don't be afraid of any particular modulation or drive. Try it for yourself. Ignore the name on the pedal and listen with your ears. Sometimes, a cheapy pedal that looks like its been stored in a dog house gives you fantastic tone. Don't shy away from beautiful pedals, sometimes they sound as fantastic as they look.

Don't be afraid to sell/trade off a pedal you just picked up because it turned out to be the wrong pedal for you. That is how the game is played. Accept it and smile.

You will eventually reach happiness, a place where you have tried and found the effects that you like and work and you will be happy for having walked the journey.

That said, try to look at pedals that give you lotsa options. One of the things that causes a pedal to be flipped more quickly is when it doesn't sound right, and you have few options to fiddle with the tone. A distortion pedal like the FEA Dual Band Distortion has tons of knobs. Pedals like that gives you more options and a lower chance of flipping it quickly. The more knobs the more money is usually costs, but if you are worried about the long-term cost of this journey, going to the top of the food chain first might actually save you money.

Please consider supporting the "boutique" makers when possible. I have purchased quite a few pedals from the people that make them by hand. The service is awesome, the communication, their friendliness to make you happy and the feeling that you've helped a small business continues, along with the art and science of hand-made pedals.
 

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