New: Zoom B3n Multi-Effects

[Oly Spart]

I was playing around with the B3n last night and made a nice patch for my Am. Std. Jazz, but something unexpected happened. So I have 3 basses in my usual rotation. The Jazz, Am. Std. precision with flats, and a Sire M2. I spent a couple hours messing with this patch, then plugged in the other 2 basses. The Precision sounded decent, but the Sire M2 was absolute crap. Passive mode, active mode, tweaked all the knobs on the Sire. Nothing was working. I went to bed thinking this bass is junk. Then I woke up and had a revelation. It wasn't the Sire, it was the patch. As you can see below(hopefully the image shows up), I cranked the hell out of the high mids, which I think sounds great on the Jazz with both pickup volumes maxed. But I remembered that the Sire was kind of mid heavy already. So I need to make another patch just for it with the mid level down. It's been a while since I played with multi-effect units, and there is so much you can do that it really does pay to spend time with it and each bass you have to really get the most out of it. There is no cab emulation because I'm going into the front input on the Rumble 500c set flat. The first effect slot is open because I had the looper in it and played the first couple of bars of Black Diamond by Kiss looping while I tweaked. I wasn't trying to nail that tone, just trying to find MY tone. I tried the EQ before and after the Ampeg and settled on after for now. The Chorus is just for that little something extra, a little color if I feel like it. The BlueB is for a little grit, season to taste. If you have the B3n, give this a try and let me know what you think. Again, use a Jazz bass.

View attachment 3097426

Strings too may play an important role in the bass sound. Which strings are on each bass?

 

[todd0864]

Strings too may play an important role in the bass sound. Which strings are on each bass?

The sire has the newest strings, rounds. Older rounds on the Jazz, chromes on the Precision. Don't remember the brand of rounds, but they are different. I guess I'll find out how much the rounds come into play when I change them on the Jazz. I was shooting for a bit of clank. I haven't had time to dive into a patch just for the Sire yet, but I will this week. And I should probably look into adding sound clips to my post too.

 

[BBassBassington]

I have found that passive basses and active basses that don't have overly aggressive pickups and preamps like Ibanez sound really good with the B3n while others that are aggressive like my Gibson EB, Stingray and active Shur Jazz sound at their best if left without the B3n, unless you just want a little modulation effect. So your M2 probably has enough power and fineness to stand on its own. From the demos I have heard it sounds super, and I want one badly

I don't think my active basses are too aggressive, and I won't be buying a B3n for a while but I was wondering if you could elaborate on how active basses and the B3n don't get along.

I've seen a lot to suggest the B3n would be great for what I want (which is at least a delay, reverb, looper, tuner, and tremelo rolled into one, but seeing that it'll do a big muff and Darkglass pedals I was totally sold), and the info in this thread has been super helpful in that. This bit here worries me though.

 

[Hevy T]

I don't think my active basses are too aggressive, and I won't be buying a B3n for a while but I was wondering if you could elaborate on how active basses and the B3n don't get along.

I've seen a lot to suggest the B3n would be great for what I want (which is at least a delay, reverb, looper, tuner, and tremelo rolled into one, but seeing that it'll do a big muff and Darkglass pedals I was totally sold), and the info in this thread has been super helpful in that. This bit here worries me though.

It's not that they don't get along. I just find my active jazz and stingray just sound better without anything coloring their tone, their preamps do a real good job on their own. It's just a personal preference thing actually. However my Ibanez actives just love the b3n and the Ibys I find to be a bit more polite and rounded than the other two. Its like a hot blonde or a hot brunette, there is no right or wrong just different features

 

[BBassBassington]

It's not that they don't get along. I just find my active jazz and stingray just sound better without anything coloring their tone, their preamps do a real good job on their own. It's just a personal preference thing actually. However my Ibanez actives just love the b3n and the Ibys I find to be a bit more polite and rounded than the other two. Its like a hot blonde or a hot brunette, there is no right or wrong just different features

Thanks! I'm glad there's no conflict. I've got a delay and looper that I really like but can't use either because my active basses cause crackling even if they're off. I was worried it'd be something like that.

I don't plan on doing a lot of tone shaping with it, that's what the Rumble is for and it does it well. I'll be using my SA Orbital Mod, TC Spectracomp, MXR m82, and TC Sub n Up still too. So for the most part I'm just looking for a good OD or 3, a Fuzz or 2; and then delay, reverb, and tremelo.

 

[Hevy T]

Thanks! I'm glad there's no conflict. I've got a delay and looper that I really like but can't use either because my active basses cause crackling even if they're off. I was worried it'd be something like that.

I don't plan on doing a lot of tone shaping with it, that's what the Rumble is for and it does it well. I'll be using my SA Orbital Mod, TC Spectracomp, MXR m82, and TC Sub n Up still too. So for the most part I'm just looking for a good OD or 3, a Fuzz or 2; and then delay, reverb, and tremelo.

Lately I use mine for compressor and if I want some chorus or flanger. My tone shaping I do with my Mesa Subway DI

 

[Oly Spart]

I don't think my active basses are too aggressive, and I won't be buying a B3n for a while but I was wondering if you could elaborate on how active basses and the B3n don't get along.

I've seen a lot to suggest the B3n would be great for what I want (which is at least a delay, reverb, looper, tuner, and tremelo rolled into one, but seeing that it'll do a big muff and Darkglass pedals I was totally sold), and the info in this thread has been super helpful in that. This bit here worries me though.

I use it with active basses, and there was no problem at all, even with the basses volume cranked up. I'm doing a lot of tone shaping and there was no problem.

 

[BBassBassington]

I use it with active basses, and there was no problem at all, even with the basses volume cranked up. I'm doing a lot of tone shaping and there was no problem.

Nice. I'm pretty sold on getting one. Just wish I didn't have to wait so long! Lol

 

[todd0864]

Nice. I'm pretty sold on getting one. Just wish I didn't have to wait so long! Lol

It’s really cool. I like the DI Plus preamp and the SWR amp now. The more I play with it the more I like it. And the Comps come in many flavors which is nice.

 

[BBassBassington]

It’s really cool. I like the DI Plus preamp and the SWR amp now. The more I play with it the more I like it. And the Comps come in many flavors which is nice.

I had an MS60-B before, and I did find that to be one of the cooler multi-fx boxes I'd used but was way too limited in foot operation. The B3n seems to rectify that really well, I've already been thinking up some patches.

I've actually become really curious about it's envelope filters. I never found one I liked on the MS60-B. Are they any better on the B3n?

I've seen lots of good things said about the compressors the B3n has but I love my Spectracomp so I don't see me using any of those unless it's specifically to tame a certain patch.

 

[todd0864]

I had an MS60-B before, and I did find that to be one of the cooler multi-fx boxes I'd used but was way too limited in foot operation. The B3n seems to rectify that really well, I've already been thinking up some patches.

I've actually become really curious about it's envelope filters. I never found one I liked on the MS60-B. Are they any better on the B3n?

I've seen lots of good things said about the compressors the B3n has but I love my Spectracomp so I don't see me using any of those unless it's specifically to tame a certain patch.

I don’t have much experience with envelope filters. Sorry.

 

[Johno Dunn]

I had an MS60-B before, and I did find that to be one of the cooler multi-fx boxes I'd used but was way too limited in foot operation. The B3n seems to rectify that really well, I've already been thinking up some patches.

I've actually become really curious about it's envelope filters. I never found one I liked on the MS60-B. Are they any better on the B3n?

I've seen lots of good things said about the compressors the B3n has but I love my Spectracomp so I don't see me using any of those unless it's specifically to tame a certain patch.

I use the Tron, and love it. It’s all about how you compress and EQ it.

 

[BBassBassington]

I don’t have much experience with envelope filters. Sorry.

It's all good.

I use the Tron, and love it. It’s all about how you compress and EQ it.

That was the one I'd always try on the MS60-B, and it'd get close but never quite be what I want. How do you compress and EQ yours? If I could get a decent filter set up on it it'd save me another $200 CAD as I haven't ordered an MXR M82 yet.

 

[Johno Dunn]

It's all good.



That was the one I'd always try on the MS60-B, and it'd get close but never quite be what I want. How do you compress and EQ yours? If I could get a decent filter set up on it it'd save me another $200 CAD as I haven't ordered an MXR M82 yet.

Well, I’ve owned a lot of filters, and I get both a great finger style and slap filter tone using the Tron. All my amp and cab sims are running on my MS60B, plus I add four bands of para EQ and noise reduction. On the B3n l run all my FX, set up in patches. For the Tron I use a Diamond comp sim into the Tron, followed by the Markbass sim and the HPF and the LPF.

 

[BBassBassington]

Well, I’ve owned a lot of filters, and I get both a great finger style and slap filter tone using the Tron. All my amp and cab sims are running on my MS60B, plus I add four bands of para EQ and noise reduction. On the B3n l run all my FX, seat up in patches. For the Tron I use a Diamond comp sim into the Tron, followed by the Markbass sim and the HPF and the LPF.

Thank you for the detailed reply. I've got a lot to look into with envelope filters it seems.

 

[dannybuoy]

I had an MS60-B before, and I did find that to be one of the cooler multi-fx boxes I'd used but was way too limited in foot operation. The B3n seems to rectify that really well, I've already been thinking up some patches.

I've actually become really curious about it's envelope filters. I never found one I liked on the MS60-B. Are they any better on the B3n?

I've seen lots of good things said about the compressors the B3n has but I love my Spectracomp so I don't see me using any of those unless it's specifically to tame a certain patch.

I think the filters are very similar to the previous generation. This is all from memory though as I haven't had a chance to A/B them. The Z-Tron is very good indeed on both!

In my admittedly limited time fiddling around with it, I would say that the amps, distortions and octaver are a noticeable step up, a lot of the other effects are very similar to what came before. There is the addition of a 'bass phaser' though on the B3n, not sure if that also was backported to the older models but it seems to be based on the Small Stone.

 

[The Rage]

If someone is interested these are some settings for "Charlie Big Potato" intro

 

[The Rage]

And this one for Twisted (apologize for the bad quality)

With my rig it works great, but changing amp and basses gives really different results...

 

[BrentSimons]

I still haven;t downloaded the new editor. It looks great! How do you guys like it?
Best wishes,
Brent

 

[BBassBassington]

I think the filters are very similar to the previous generation. This is all from memory though as I haven't had a chance to A/B them. The Z-Tron is very good indeed on both!

In my admittedly limited time fiddling around with it, I would say that the amps, distortions and octaver are a noticeable step up, a lot of the other effects are very similar to what came before. There is the addition of a 'bass phaser' though on the B3n, not sure if that also was backported to the older models but it seems to be based on the Small Stone.

Ah thank you. I was never able to get a tone I liked with the z-tron. But I've also not liked any Q-tron demos I've heard either so I probably just don't like the Q-tron. Looks like I'll be going for an M82 after all.

I'm glad the distortions have had a jump in quality. They were pretty good on the MS60-B, it had a better sounding ODB3 then the actual ODB3 I used to own.