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

[Kevan Campbell]

I voted Yes and Some, just because here’s the oddball situation where I can’t take either of my pedalboards for whatever reason. However, I’ve slowly built up my gear so that I have the following options for any gig:

1. Bergantino B Amp head only (class D with onboard tuner, compressor and overdrive). Most minimal setup I have available.

2. Fly Board with Noble DI, tuner, compressor and overdrive. Still small but I just really like the Noble and my overdrive, so I built a fly board around them.

3. Main board with (same) Noble DI, tuner, overdrive, compressor, synth, envelope filter, freeze and boost. It’s basically the effects that I’m paid not to use and the few that I am.

4. My amps, 99% of the time I take my afformentioned Bergantino B Amp with Bergantino HDN212 (on rare occasion my Aguilar or Ampeg tube rigs come out).

I’m able to pair any of these numbers together for whatever the gig calls for, but having all of my external pedals on pedalboards really helps me keep any tones or effects I need neatly and safely close by. I definitely get some grief from guitarists and soundmen about my pedalboards but after the show they’ve nothing but great things to say about my tone and playing (mainly because I know when NOT to use effects).

 

[adivin]

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.

That’s the point of Velcro

 

[JimmyM]

I voted no I go straight in. I like my tube amps with just a bass and cable. Plus I am in a Foo tribute band so there’s that.

Ya, just like Nate:

 

[Drucifer]

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 results will be skewed because of selection bias, i.e. you're posting inn the Effects forum, so most folks reading this are predisposed towards effects. That being said, pedal tuners were my gateway drug to pedal boards, along with volume pedals/mute switches and compressors.

 

[Timmy-Watts]

I put "sometimes." But I have only occasionally used an actual board. Anymore, I have a compressor always on, and an HPF always on (that one is velcroed to the top of my amp head). No board. When I double on synth, I have a tiny A/B box, but other than that, it is just a pedal on the floor and a little box on the amp. I suspect that when I get the Berg B/Amp, my only pedal board will be the A/B and the little bluetooth selector. The HPF and compressor will be in the head.

 

[Al Krow]

Pedals are fun, making your bass sounds out of the norm is an adventure all in itself. The key is moderation.

For me - that sums it up perfectly. Pedals can be a LOT of fun and, particularly for original material, can add a lot of creative inspiration from the soundscapes they help you create.

I spent my first few years gigging just bass --> combo, the end! Had just a few pedals lying around hardly getting used.

Then about 18 months ago (I guess having a bit more head-space with both my bands successfully up and running) I got my first pedal board set up and I've been on a 'pretty intense' pedal quest over the past 18 months - must have bought / sold around 40 pedals or related items (PSUs, boards etc) in that period, just under half of which I've held on to; but I've learned loads along the way and recently put together a "final" board (haha - for now anyway!) that I'm really loving:

Signal chain as follows:
Smoothound (can be attached to the side if being used with the board, otherwise input straight into) ->
Octaver [Valeton OC-10] -> Synth [FI] -> Modulation, EQ & HPF [Zoom B3n] -> Drive/Fuzz [SA Aftershock] -> Digital Filter [SA Manta] -> Gated Fuzz [Mastotron] -> Analogue Filter [MXR BEF] -> Limiter [Keeley Bassist]
-> output / amp

Underneath board:
MXR IsoBrick; SA Neurohub; Behringer DI400P (passive DI pedal).

 

[Fuzzbass]

That’s the point of Velcro

Yeah, but I don't want to go there. That is, don't want to set up two dozen pedals with Velcro when I'm not even sure if I want to use a board. We'll see.

 

[Fight4Bottom]

I'm of two minds on the pedalboard thing. One mind would like to just plug into a nice amp, dial in a tone and play, play, play. If I was in an originals band, that's probably what I would do.

The other, cover band mind recognizes that covering a wide range of rock bands requires the sonic flexibility that pedals provide. Plus...it's just plain fun!

Please forgive all the foot candy. I clearly have a problem!

 

[Nunovsky]

I LOOOOOVE pedals. Granted, with a band I mostly just use compression, a couple dirt pedals and maybe some octave here and there, but I like having chorus, flange and envelope filter pedals on hand just in case I find the right opportunity to use them. Really though, a lot of my interest in pedals is purely for fun, if I'm playing a song that isn't really appropriate for effects I have no problem just sticking with a dry tone. I can't help but grin a little when I get an opportunity to kick a pedal on, though.

This, basically...

 

[gt96g]

Here is what I have found. I have an assortment of pedals and during my live shows I can honestly say I hardly ever use anything other than a tuner, compressor, and preamp pedal. I have a few dirt pedals but the music I play rarely calls for that and if it does, it's usually a subtle amount.

Lately I found myself using a single ms60b pedal to cover most of my needs, I don't usually change effects mid song so the patch cycling on there works just fine for me. My biggest need when it comes to effects is controlling changes in dynamics when switch from finger to pick to (rarely) slap style. The ms60b is ideal for this. I can set up three different patches for each and just cycle though as needed. It's also nice to have the amp model for when I'm using backline gear. Very helpful when using backlines. It also has a built-in tuner which is by all accounts reasonably accurate.

And, since its firmware update a few months back, it's gotten even better. Its very useful if you want access to effects with a minimal foot print and cost.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

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’m a hold out still trying to find all the possibility’s of 4 strings two volume knows and a tone control. You’d think after 50 some years I’d run out of ideas.....

 

[Keith Brown]

I have a load of unused pedals sitting in a box. Synthesiser, Big Muff, Chorus, Overdrive. Never quite got to grips with them but manage to get a great mix of sound using the guitar and amp controls. Still use a Boss TU2 tuner which is essential.