Purist or effects junkie?

[RickenBoogie]

+1 Many pedals add lushness and rich tones, even with a great amp.

 

[mpm32]

Straight in to the amp for me.

I was in a punk band years ago. We were loud. People always complimented me on my tone. But the funny thing was their interaction with my guitarist.

They would come up to him and comment on his sound, they never heard such a great guitar tone. How do you get that tone they would ask.

So he brings them over to his set up and shows them. Takes the guitar cable and plugs his 1969 fender strat straight into his Marshall head. Then they would always start looking around the stage for an effects rack - this was the era of the super huge 12 rack guitar effects. And they wondered where their sound went.

 

[dannybuoy]

FWIW.. I think as soon as you put effects in your chain, you're taking away from the power of your own tone. Pedals to me are a good way to not be you. Bass doesn't need pedals anyway. Every time I start to think about my tone, I go pick up my bass and <mediocre amp> and try to make it better with my own hands.

There's definitely one bit of good advice in there, which is to always improve your technique instead of trying to cover up bad technique or equipment with pedals. I've fallen into the trap of trying out tube pres, compressors and xciters to improve my tone, when all I really needed was a better amp.

But then again sometime you need overdrive/distortion/fuzz/filter/delay etc for a certain sound. You cannot do this by technique alone. For this, pedals are a must.

It all depends on the type of music you make, there's no point arguing whether or not bassists should use pedals. For most types of music pedals aren't required. For others, having a huge board full of fuzz and filters is a necessity!

 

[FreaqyFrequency]

My main gig is a jazz band. Aside from a booster and a tuner, anything else is going to make my band leader .

However, in my slowly, slowly forming MUSE cover group, not having effects is like playing without strings.

 

[Jared Lash]

Effects I currently own:

Boss OC-2
OLC Chunky Cheese
Catalinbread Heliotrope
Moog Ring Mod
Moog Bass MuRF
Moog Low Pass Filter
Robot Factor LFO Mod Box (custom)
Chunk Systems 00Funk
Maxon AF-9
HAO Rust Ride
Barge VB-jr
Maxon PH-350
MuTron Phasor II
EHX Bass Micro Synth
Guyatone FL-3 Flanger
AKAI Headrush 2

And I'm all but convinced I'll have another Empress Tremolo before too long and have long been considering a VT Bass.

I'm an effects junkie.

But at the same time, there always has to be a recognition of what the music needs. My current originals band requires a lot of synthy textures so I get to go nuts with effects.

But I play in a RHCP tribute band where all I really need is a filter or two and a dirt box. My work with a local hip-hop collective requires just a bit more (octaver, BMS, fuzz) but my newest side project is just a guitarist friend and I as a duo. Just acoustic (or clean Tele with a touch of reverb) and clean fretless bass. I'm certainly not opposed to using effects for it, but it hasn't quite felt right (outside of a bit of looping) and plus I have a hard enough time singing and playing without pedals to worry about.

If effects are needed for your music or improve a song, then use them. If not then don't. Pretty simple IMO.

 

[Acquistapace]

I want to be an effects guy, especially if it'll help me in my new project in a duo with a loudass chaotic drummer. Going for the Jucifer/Dark Castle/Sunn thing, and frankly I'm having a hard time thickening the wall. My old guitar pedals simply don't do the tone justice, and with the rich harmonic mush I'm getting I'm wondering if I'd even notice an octaver at this point.

 

[Pedulla?]

Purist.

 

[Marill]

essentials pedals type.

a compressor, tuner, pre-amp, chorus and a graphic EQ

 

[iualum]

Any recommendations for a ring mod then? I'm eying the MF-102 or the Frantone Glacier.

...Co-Pilot (4-knob) Android...

http://www.copilotfx.com/theandroid.html

 

[funkmangriff]

nothing at all, bass-cable-amp head, let my fingers do the talking

when recording though, sometimes i like to add a touch of fuzz, or overdrive on grittier songs that i record, but then their aren't played live.

 

[seacouch]

I never use effects live. The music I play just doesn't call for it - the only real exception being when I'm playing with a large and/or loud band, and/or in a large venue, in which case I'll use compressor and EQ to help carve out my space in the mix. I must confess; I really don't like effects on bass. But in my home studio I play with effects on everything, and use them a lot for keys, guitar, drums, ambient crap, etc. I usually end up leaving the bass fairly dry, although I often blend dry bass with multiple effected tracks, but I try to keep it subtle. I just dig the sound of straight, uneffected electric (and acoustic) bass. It makes a great anchor for the rest of the mix.

 

[andvari7]

I'm a bit of an effects junkie, but the thing is, when I usually play, it's unplugged, because I have no band. So, that makes me a purist. But, I've heard people rant about how effects users are crappy musicians who only use pedals to hide their mistakes, and I want no part of that.

 

[unclekebm]

me - bass - cable - amp - audience

 

[capnsandwich]

I guess I'd consider myself to be a purist but I do use a compressor sometimes or a BBE Sonic Maximizer. I've also dabbled in octave pedals during solos but when it comes to playing straight bass lines I don't use effects.

 

[adrhouston]

I guess I'd consider myself to be a purist but I do use a compressor sometimes or a BBE Sonic Maximizer. I've also dabbled in octave pedals during solos but when it comes to playing straight bass lines I don't use effects.

ditto. 90% of the time i play with just a compressor and a BBE SM, but having the 'right tools' is crucial for UNSTOPPABLE MOMENTS OF DOOM.

 

[jambassist]

No effects for this boy.

 

[Mudfuzz]

I don't believe you. I think you are just in denial.