Pedal board... or not? That is the Question.

[Jebberz]

On my pedalboard, I have two pedals to shape my tone (I let my amp flat, so if I switch amp or go direct, I can get the tone I love, still pretty neutral) - Compressor and VT-Bass DI.

Other effects I use is spice to enhance the songs (and to please myself), but I can do without if needed. I've seen many playes using effect tastefully, but I've also seen some players using so much effects that their sound was buried in the mix live. The key is using it sparingly and to know when to use it.

 

[lermgalieu]

I usually use one for rock. It is pretty small, just a tuner, compression, and two dirt pedals.

 

[Fuzzbass]

I’ve been playing bass for about 25 years. Rock, R&B, Jazz, funk, reggae, fusion...

I usually play going from bass straight into amp, no effects. Once in a while, I’ll use a MuTron III or octave pedal, but that’s about it. Looking through the pages of Talkbass, and more importantly, seeing other players on gigs, it appears I’m in the minority. Is it true most players use some sort of effects board?

It seems Bass players’ pedal boards often are as large and diverse as guitarists...

What say you, Talkbass?

I usually use at least one pedal, up to three maximum: usually overdrive/distortion, occasionally a compressor. That doesn't include my power supply (Voodoo Labs ISO-5). Yes, I often stack overdrives -- up to three at once. I use no other FX, mostly because I don't have the need, and I'm lazy.

Couldn't answer your poll because I still don't have a board! A pedalboard would save setup/teardown time, but the issue for me is that I constantly change the pedals I gig with. I have a few go-to combinations, but I like to try new ones.

But if you ask "FX or not?", then obviously I say FX. Love my clean tones, but I love my overdriven tones better. I play a variety of musical styles in a variety of bands, but always like to use at least a little overdrive regardless.

 

[BioDriver]

I use pedals sometimes. But my board is minimal. Then again, many of us have small pedal boards. Check out the thread: Show me your compact pedalboard setup

Naw, fam, if you can't control a NASA shuttle off your pedalboard you're not trying hard enough.

 

[mrcbass]

I have a love/hate relationship with pedals. Yes I have them, but truly don't utilize them a lot. But it seems I'm always exploring something new trying to attain certain tones. My newest is a looper pedal to allow me to "play" multiple lines at once to help fill in spectrum behind KB solos.

My primary focus is jazz/latin and mostly run straight through, but currently have an EHX pedal that I use as a quick volume boost for solos, two octave pedals (one tuned up an octave <pog> to create a "guitar doubling" feel and one tuned down an octave <Octabass> for a bluesy/distortion feel), a chorus type pedal (for tone expansion), my Ditto Jam looper (awesome unit!) and a kill switch (for bass swaps).

Pedals that are currently in reserve: Flanger, Envelope (fun pedal but BL hates it!), Compressor (is probably coming back into service soon), a Morley Wah/Volume and a MXR 10 band EQ. I also have a multi-effects box that is pretty handy and versatile, but the stomp pedals are just too close together for mid song use.

Since I do little stomping, I'm considering going back to basics and going without the pedals altogether. But honestly, I go back and forth with this all the time some. Some of it has to do with band direction (changes in personnel create different sonic needs) or my style of focus at the time.

If I was playing in a full cover band, I'd probably be going sans pedals unless there was some specific need. Trios require more versatility IMO, but a 4 or 5 piece band has less room for extreme variation in bass tone as a rule (and you don't really notice subtle tone changes anyway with that much competition for sonic space).

 

[hardtop]

For the music you play, if you have decent pickups in a well setup bass, and a decent amp, I would say a tuner is the only pedal you need. You can change your tone between genres simply by adjusting the EQ on the amp, or ou tone control on your bass, or even repositioning your plucking hand. Maybe a compressor for some stuff? But other than that, they're nothing wrong with using the amp and bass to shape your sound.

 

[MDBass]

I’ve been playing bass for about 25 years. Rock, R&B, Jazz, funk, reggae, fusion...

I usually play going from bass straight into amp, no effects. Once in a while, I’ll use a MuTron III or octave pedal, but that’s about it. Looking through the pages of Talkbass, and more importantly, seeing other players on gigs, it appears I’m in the minority. Is it true most players use some sort of effects board?

It seems Bass players’ pedal boards often are as large and diverse as guitarists...

What say you, Talkbass?

The main reason I always use a pedalboard now is fly dates: regeardless of what hemisphere I’m playing in or what rig I’m playing through, I know my bass sounds exactly like it’s supposed to out front.

 

[SactoBass]

Totally depends on the music you play.

^^^THIS!

For example, if I'm playing Eagles or James Taylor music, then no, I don't use effects. I just go straight from bass to amp.

But if I'm playing YES music, I use the effects that Chris Squire used in his recordings because I try to match his sound as closely as possible.

 

[Admiral Akbar]

I can understand the tuner, the compressor, the HPF, and of course the pre-amp/DI.

I am fascinated by the size of many bassists’ pedal boards these days, containing multiple overdrives, fuzz, chorus, flange, Reverb, pitch shifter, and other pedals I wouldn’t dream of.

It makes me feel “left out” of the hip scene when I just plug my bass in direct to amp. Even for tuner, I use a clip on or iPhone app.

 

[JohnnyBottom]

Tuner -> Compressor -> Omnicabsim
This little board, always on, just sits on my amp...A Quilter or Magellan 800 if I need some OD.

 

[JimmyM]

You are asking this in the effects forum? LOL! We'll put me down in the category of always using effects. At the very least I have an Overdrive. Sometimes that's it, too. But I'll bring whatever effects I think I need.

 

[Fumble Fingers]

Down to bare minimum:

Shure G1 Wireless
Tuner
EBS BassIQ
Keeley Bassist Compressor
MXR 10 Band Equalizer (mostly to scoop mids for slap)
Ampeg SCR-DI

The only pedal (aside from the tuner) I feel I really need is the compressor.

 

[symbolic_acts]

the only thing thats always on is the compressor and polytune (i keep it on the tuner out of my volume pedal so i can keep it always on and just go heel on the volume pedal to tune quietly, + its kewl to have flashing lights on your board)
Everything else is kicked on and off

 

[Rojd]

Sometimes I use pedals, sometimes I don't. I have a green Gator XL board with 15 pedals that I use depending on what strikes my fancy at the moment. The one I always use is my EHX Bass Preacher compressor.

 

[bassbrad]

I will always use a pedal board or some sort for convenience for gigs. Studio work I tend to keep things loose using what I need for the tracks at hand usually a preamp or two, a DI and a Zoom B3 or MS60B, maybe a overdrive if a specific tone is needed.

 

[Swampish]

I just mentioned on another thread that having my Zoom B3 helps deal with the inconsistency of the various backlines you can run into at live shows. I use mostly amp emulations and will occasionally monkey around with some chorus/distortion/compression. Mostly, I use my onboard bass controls for tone as I find it a pain to play around with amp settings during a show, especially, again, if it's part of a backline that you're not familiar with.

 

[Kmonk]

I have been playing for 40 years. During that time I have played rock, blues, jazz, country, funk and disco. I have never used any type of pedals or effects.

 

[Bassique]

As others have mentioned, it depends about the music you're playing as some styles require more effects. Personally I only need few, couldnt imagine having more than 5 pedals on my pedalboard.

On the other hand, even without any pedals you still have alot of options. Playing style/position, switching pickups, bass eq, amp eq.

 

[LYNCHMAN]

I USE NO EFFECTS....ONLY A COMPRESSOR AND AN EQ...

 

[br1qbat]

Tuner [boss]>Phaser [90s ehx small stone]>Fuzz [ehx Bass Big Muff Deluxe]>Overdrive [my always on Way Huge Pork Loin]>Amp