I'm a bassplayer of simple needs/taste, as my sigged chain indicates. I could perfectly get by without the fdeck, BSW, Stereo Chorus 60B and LS2, but then that would be like eating vanilla ice cream for the rest of my life.
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I'm a bassplayer of simple needs/taste, as my sigged chain indicates. I could perfectly get by without the fdeck, BSW, Stereo Chorus 60B and LS2, but then that would be like eating vanilla ice cream for the rest of my life.
I have three which at various times in my life I loved for very specific reasons. I never use any of them anymore but I still keep them for nostalgia's sake. I do have some good memories of using them.
• MXR Dynacomp - a compressor
• MXR Phase 100 - a phaser
• Mutron III - an envelope follower
Like I say. I really enjoyed using them at one point in my musical life but I no longer do. ( I get too much of a high now off of my current clean signal ) But if I'm ever required to play Snake Oil by Tony Williams ( which isn't often ) I WILL break out the Mutron!
And I do indeed occasionally miss the "creamy" quality of the old Phase 100. I have this sneaking suspicion that Anthony Jackson once owned one.
Oh yeah, I lent a bass player friend an old Acoustic amp an it got stolen on one his gigs so he gave me his ancient Boss ME-88 multi-effector as a courtesy for that. Sadly it no longer works but I really liked the bass synth on that thing! You could get the Herbie Hancock Chameleon bass synth sound dead perfect with that!
• MXR Dynacomp - a compressor
• MXR Phase 100 - a phaser
• Mutron III - an envelope follower
Like I say. I really enjoyed using them at one point in my musical life but I no longer do. ( I get too much of a high now off of my current clean signal ) But if I'm ever required to play Snake Oil by Tony Williams ( which isn't often ) I WILL break out the Mutron!
And I do indeed occasionally miss the "creamy" quality of the old Phase 100. I have this sneaking suspicion that Anthony Jackson once owned one.Oh yeah, I lent a bass player friend an old Acoustic amp an it got stolen on one his gigs so he gave me his ancient Boss ME-88 multi-effector as a courtesy for that. Sadly it no longer works but I really liked the bass synth on that thing! You could get the Herbie Hancock Chameleon bass synth sound dead perfect with that!
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I used to have several pedals - downsized to a Zoom B3 - check it out as an option
My pedals consist of tuner, compressor, VT Bass DI, and believe it or not a Boss FDR-1 for grit.
A tuner is the only one we NEED, however I enjoy getting stone and making noise.
Tuner > overdrive > octave > chorus > tremolo > volume > delay > DI > amp
I still want a flange, phase, synth, more dirt, other delays, etc. Basically, I want all the pedals I don't have. Certainly don't need them, though.
Tuner > overdrive > octave > chorus > tremolo > volume > delay > DI > amp
I still want a flange, phase, synth, more dirt, other delays, etc. Basically, I want all the pedals I don't have. Certainly don't need them, though.
I have a lto of pedals but a few I think are universally useful are:
EHX Small Clones. It tracks really well with bass and i lush without being too lush.
EHX Bad Stone. This is the six stage version. While less popular than the small Stone, I like it better. Really great phaser.
Envelope filter. A lot of debate on these but I personally think the DOD FX25 is the only way to go if you're into EF's.
Wah. Again a lto of debate. A lot like the 105Q. I personally like the Tel Ray Morley PWB. Try a bunch and see what you like. Another mention is the Ibanez Screaming Demon.
Distortion. Lots of debate here but I personally feel that fuzz is the best distortion for bass and for that a Deluxe Bass Big Muff is king. Lots of options and a noise gate.
EHX Englsih Muff'n is great as a clean boost or OD. Works even better if it feeds into a tube amp.
EHX Small Clones. It tracks really well with bass and i lush without being too lush.
EHX Bad Stone. This is the six stage version. While less popular than the small Stone, I like it better. Really great phaser.
Envelope filter. A lot of debate on these but I personally think the DOD FX25 is the only way to go if you're into EF's.
Wah. Again a lto of debate. A lot like the 105Q. I personally like the Tel Ray Morley PWB. Try a bunch and see what you like. Another mention is the Ibanez Screaming Demon.
Distortion. Lots of debate here but I personally feel that fuzz is the best distortion for bass and for that a Deluxe Bass Big Muff is king. Lots of options and a noise gate.
EHX Englsih Muff'n is great as a clean boost or OD. Works even better if it feeds into a tube amp.
Doner Designs
Steve Doner
- Jun 2, 2012
- 5,784
- 6,819
- Disclosures
- Doner Designs is an alias for Steve Doner
For me it's DI, Compressor and EQ, all of which I consider pedals but not effects. I have two of each.
For effects, I have one each for octave, chorus and distortion and am currently not sure if I need those. Am building an amp/cab war chest and debating if I want to keep those three.
For effects, I have one each for octave, chorus and distortion and am currently not sure if I need those. Am building an amp/cab war chest and debating if I want to keep those three.
1) A good compressor/limiter
2) Multiband equalizer
3) Depends on the genre you're playing
I use a Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner, MXR Bass Distortion, MXR Bass Fuzz Deluxe, MXR Bass Envelope Filter, MXR Chorus Deluxe and an Ampeg SCR-DI. I'm playing a lot clean right now at live gigs, because that's what the front man wants, and it's his music. But I do like the tonal options that I have. The Chorus and Envelope Filter are just fun to have. The SCR-DI is used for overdrive. The preamp on my head is superb (Ampeg SVT 7 PRO), but I would use the Preamp on the Scrambler, if I was forced to use a backline amp, because I want that Ampeg sound; so I don't use the Preamp section of the SCR-DI, when playing through my amp. I want to get one more pedal to complete the picture; an MXR Bass Octave Deluxe. The MXR's are small, and Boss makes a great Chromatic Tuner Pedal (MXR doesn't make one). The Ampeg SCR-DI; well, that's an Ampeg! I don't have a Compression pedal, because I feel that the onboard compressor on my 7 PRO is adequate at 12:00.
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I think pedals are great toys and a nice diversion, sometimes they open up new avenues for creative thought. But I don't use pedals onstage. I like the tone and dynamic control I get best when I just go straight to the amp. For me, that clean tone overshadows anything a pedal can do. But back at home, all bets are off. I goof around with lots of stuff.
By your account, in your hands they are toys. In the hands of some great bassists they are amazing tools that gave birth to some inspiring recordings and live performances. I guess there is a point in there somewhere.
Yeah, the point is this is how I use them, not how I think everyone should use them. other guys get some really great stuff out of pedals live. I used to rock an octave with a chorus, other times an envelope follower into a compressor into something else into something else (forgot)... Every once in a blue moon I'll drag out either a Zoom multi-pedal or a Tech 21 BoostChorus. Depends on my mood. But every time I do, I like the tone better with nothing in the signal path. But that's me. YMMV.
Some guys are so touchy about this stuff. Rock on, pedal users, have fun!
Definitely a tuner. Might want some distortion but honestly the pedal I couldn't gig without is my dunlop crybaby bass wah. Love that thing
lars knudson
Commercial User
- Aug 21, 2016
- 9
- 5
- Disclosures
- Kubicki, Roscoe, Tobias (MTD), Valvetrain, D'Addario,
Other than a tuner, there are no pedals "every bass player should own". Decide for yourself what you want to use, none are 'required' to have a great career as a professional bassist.
