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New to this whole pedal buisness...

B

big_jimmy

Oct 29, 2010
2
0
#1
I've been playing bass for a while now and was thinking about getting a few stomp boxes (have tried multi effects and dont really like them) and was wondering about a couple of brands.

Im sorry if this has been asked but i couldnt see any posts about it. But are chord and behringer pedals any good? I know Boss are probably better but being a student i cant afford them atm, also, could you run an electric guitar trough them??

Thanks for any help:help:
 
#2
Hi Jim,
For me, a bass should sound like a bass. Not much to add. But that's easy to say owning some Fenders...
However, I just recently bought this MXR Octaver and to my surprise, this thing added value to the sound (if used with subtelty though). Pino P. in the old days... wow.
Another nice gimmick is a phaser, chorus or flanger (again, be subtel) to give a hunch of fretless-like sound (sorry you fretless players... I know I'm wrong! But still...)

Keep us informed about your findings!
 
#4
Boss is the standard in instrument effect pedals. There are plenty of pedals that are better and plenty worse. For the most part, Boss makes quality stuff that lasts forever. There will be someone who disagrees with this... but in a general sense this is true.

Electro-Harmonix is another fantastic brand. Tech 21 is also top notch. DOD makes decent stuff as well.

I suggest not looking at brand names and look at what types of effects that you want and which ones meet your tastes. My suggestion is:

Octave, Envelope Filter, and fuzz or distortion. Those are three pedals you can get quite a bit of fun out of. For what it is worth my pedal board has these pedals on it, in this order:

Bass---> Boss Tu-2 Tuner---> Boss OC-3 Octaver ---> Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi fuzz/distortion ---> EH BassBalls Envelope Filter ---> SansAmp BDDI ---> Boss LM-2B Limiter

I keep a Zoom B1 multi effects box around just in case I want something to experiment with... like a chorus or phaser.

Just my two cents.

Gregg
 
#5
Don't do it, effects are an addiction that will ruin your life,
too late for many of us but hopefully not for you! :hiding:
It all really depends on what you are looking for, Behringer effects are a poor copy of a sometimes cool pedal sometimes not, they are cheap but they have little or no trade or resale value, better to go with a more reputable brand. Boss is a more dependable brand, it's always easy to find them used for lower prices and pretty easy to resell or trade or mod. Ibanez, MXR, DOD, Digitech, Line 6, Electro Harmonix are the other major brands with good value.
Some pedals are good for both bass and guitar while others are more specific so there is no easy answer.
 
#6
Thanks!!!
so i should try to go for second hand of the better brands?

just another question, for use with an electric guitar, should i go with bass pedals, or run the bass through guitar pedals, or go seperately? it's just something i've wondered about, but bass is priority at the moment
 
#7
big_jimmy said:
Thanks!!!
so i should try to go for second hand of the better brands?

just another question, for use with an electric guitar, should i go with bass pedals, or run the bass through guitar pedals, or go seperately? it's just something i've wondered about, but bass is priority at the moment
Click to expand...

It really depends on the pedal. There are a millions exceptions, but, a chorus pedal works well both on guitar and bass. Delays, reverb, phaser, flanger and so... they can all do double duty as well.

I tend to run into a problem with fuzz, distortion, wah, and envelope filters... if they are not optimized for bass then they tend to suck the bottom end out. However, plenty of people use guitar fuzz on bass. Some folks like it.

I use my bass effects on guitar all the time. In fact, I use my bass effects on keyboards most. I love the sound the envelope filter and Big Muff make when using an organ type sound... or with synth. You can't damage anything. Experimentation is the fun of it. Look at reviews here on TB and of course dial up stuff on YouTube.
 
#8
I've had it go every which way -- guitar pedals that are no good on, bass pedals that make guitar sound like mud, and guitar or bass specific pedals that sounded good or great on both. Your best bet is to figure out what kind of effects you want, then narrow it down to price, feature set, etc and see what will work for you based on reviews. That said, nothing beats trying something out.

The debate of what guitar fuzzes sound good on bass typically comes down to what bass and amp you're using. Basically, if you're running a passive bass into a cranked tube amp, you will almost never lose lows no matter what vintage fuzz you use (you avoid impedance issues at the front end and you've got good compression + bass boost at the amp). I use an active bass and either a big solid state head, so I have to be picky.
 
#9
Digitech (not the Hardwire series, though) and Ibanez (Tone-lok series) make pedals that are relatively inexpensive when bought new (check out Invalid Link Removed).

EHX is also decently built and priced, which makes them an interesting option (I have a Bassballs, BBM, Memory Toy and Small Stone and use'em all).

As for Behringer, I don't own one myself. Through a recent thread, I read the consensus was that those pedals are good for bedroom practices, but not for gig or studio use.

Can't miss with Boss, either used or new.
 
#10
re: the chord stuff.
most of their products seem to be trying to muscle in on the post behringer pre boss stage buyers.
the casings are metal, and sounds available are mostly below average except.... the BOD 50 Bass overdrive. I have thousands worth of pedals, and quite a high proportion of which are ods and distortions. This pedal has some wicked sounds on board, and it sells around £30 new.
Give it a try if you can!
 
#11
as fas as behringer goes there stuff is ok. the pedals are unreliable, but there cheap. you get what you pay for really. most of their pedals sound alright and do the job that you buy them for, but as previously stated you probably shouldn't be relying soley on behringer products.

being a (uni?) student also, i've set my board up with a higher quality fuzz (ehx black big muff), a good quality synth/octaver (digitech BSW) and then the rest of my effects (echo, flanger, tremolo) are danelectro and behringer. the last 3 add goodness to my sound but aren't vital so if they break its not a big deal. when ive graduated and got some more cash (or just wait for christmas moneys :D) ill either add to my collection of upgrade the cheaper pedals i've got.

second hand pedals are a godsend. and if it turns out that you dont like the pedal you bought you can usually sell it on without a loss, thats a good way to experience different effects. again i would try and get your main pedal new (in my case it was the muff) and then 2nd hand the rest.
as far as bass/guitar specific pedals go, read reviews, ask friends with the pedals and go to your nearest music shop and try them with both bass and guitar. see how it sounds to your ears.
 

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