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Pedals for Punk Bass Sound?

i love when everyone wants to drag out more information. pop? hardcore? emo? new wave? this band? that band? distortion? apples? oranges? no matter what the equation, the answer is almost always... "yeah i'd say a p bass should do the trick"
 
Always gig with my SVT-II into a Marshall 810.

Things before the signal can change.

Sometimes use a BDDI, tho not always, never use it with a Stingray.
Play a HH Stingray (rarely just the bridge setting)
or an Aria Jazz bass
or an Aria PJ
or an Ibanez ATK
or an Ibanez BTB (tho, not so much these days, just doesn't have the zing for me, tho, the funny looks you get when playing a 6 string in a punk band!)
Use either a pick or fingers, whatever you feel works best.

EQ on the amp to taste, I'll sometimes have a little bit of mid boost, often just flat.
 
Hmm, well, at the risk of sounding like a boring old fart: In my Punk days of the late 70s/early 80s using an effect on a bass was a no-no. I used and would suggest that all you need is: Fender P-Bass, powerful bass head, 2-15" cab. And crank it.
 
It's more to do with how you play than any effect or bass you use.

I think the common theme of punk bass is that it does not consider itself as secondary to the guitars. It's always forward in some way, there's not a 'backing' or 'laid-back' mentality to it.

At the same time it shuns displays of virtuosity or muso-ness.

For me, playing original punk similar to The Stranglers or the Sex Pistols, Damned or the Clash, I'd say flatwounds on any 4 string bass, with Sansamp BDDI or Behringer clone, Drive close to maximum, playing firmly with a pick through a reasonable amp will do you fine.
 
Good punk bass should be part clanky, part cranky, a little chunky and always rude.

Using a distorter of some sort (overdrive, fuzz or actual distortion) that cuts some of the low end at a fairly conservative setting can help with the overdriven, ripped speaker sound.
 
Danelectro, play with a pick ~ Fat Mike can't be wrong.

Fat Mike admits he plays a dano just due to it weighing nothing. He has a bad back.

Also, I'm kinda tired of hearing the "cop the right 'tude, and it's whatever, mannnnn" response to this. It is to a certain extent, but bands that play SOLELY WITH ATTITUDE tend to sound like crap. TOTAL EAR BLASTING CRAP.

So, my suggestion to you is the Tronographic Rusty Box, because my ideal tone for punk (and the one I actually use) just happens to be the same tone as Shellac, except with WAAAAY more mids.

http://tronographic.com/