Putting together a small board...

[Wamba]

...and I'm looking for recommendations.

I have a big board that does double duty for me, both guitar and bass. I'm now in the process of putting together a dedicated board for my bass rig.

tuner - needs to work well with a 5 string (TU-3 on the big board, doesn't like the low B very much)

compressor - wanting a dedicated bass compressor

envelope filter - I currently have a Baseballs clone but open to ideas

octave - I have a micro POG on my big board, so maybe the Nano POG or OC-3?

fuzz - sovtek big muff clone on my big board, open to ideas



Thanks in advance for the suggestions.

 

[Johno Dunn]

Here's what I have, comp is a Broughton Monocle, Filter is a Mooer Sweeper (also a Bassballs clone) and a Mooer Tender Octaver. For Fuzz there are many to choose from. I have a Fairfield Circuitry always-on Barbershop on the way.

J!

 

[LiquidMidnight]

For the fuzz, I'd recommend giving the SFX Micro Fuzz a shot. It's everything that's great about a Muff, but with a mid-boost option to stay present in the mix. Plus it's in a 1590A box. As far as envelope filters go, I like the Baseballs, but it's a very specifically voiced effect (e.g., the quacky sound). If you dig that of envelope filter sound, you could maybe pick up one of EHX's Nano series Bassballs. You can find used ones on the cheap.

I'd suggest making sure one pedal has a quality buffer, so you don't have to worry about capacitance from your cable or any true bypass pedals.

 

[Wamba]

Ok, so when I said "small" board I was not referring to needing micro pedals. I was referring to number of pedals. Meaning, only four or five pedals. I'm also hoping to keep the cost under $200 per pedal.

Thanks.

 

[Johno Dunn]

Micro pedals tend to be cheaper.

 

[Dogbertday]

As far as B friendly tuners go, i've found korg products handle low notes best in general. Their pocket tunes have good mics and the pitchblack on my board is fast and accurate with anything i throw at it.

If you are keeping costs down and dont need the mute function i've also heard great things about the polytune clipon, saves space and $$$. My experience is that tuners that have trouble with a low B work well if you tune the 12th fret harmonic instead.

Afraid im not much help on the others, but im interested in a micro POG myself.

 

[Wamba]

As far as B friendly tuners go, i've found korg products handle low notes best in general. Their pocket tunes have good mics and the pitchblack on my board is fast and accurate with anything i throw at it.

If you are keeping costs down and dont need the mute function i've also heard great things about the polytune clipon, saves space and $$$. My experience is that tuners that have trouble with a low B work well if you tune the 12th fret harmonic instead.

Afraid im not much help on the others, but im interested in a micro POG myself.

The Micro POG is awesome!

 

[Jonny_Orange]

Tc electronic polytune mini is a great tuner and handles a low b perfectly

 

[Wamba]

Any thoughts on the MXR Bass Compressor?

 

[jondiener]

tuner - needs to work well with a 5 string (TU-3 on the big board, doesn't like the low B very much)

compressor - wanting a dedicated bass compressor

envelope filter - I currently have a Baseballs clone but open to ideas

octave - I have a micro POG on my big board, so maybe the Nano POG or OC-3?

fuzz - sovtek big muff clone on my big board, open to ideas

My recommendations (based on my limited pedal experiences):
- Tuner - Polytune2 (mini or regular)
- Compressor - Keeley Bassist (or if funds are not an issue, Cali76 Compact Bass)
- Envelope Filter - I've only used the MXR Bass Envelope Filter and it's not bad, but probably better choices out there (maybe 3-Leaf Wonderlove or Proton?)
- Octave - I had a POG2 and got tired of the digital 'organ-ey' sound. Switched to an Aguilar Octamizer and I love it. Only has a sub octave, but way more musical sounding and lots of tonal and blending options
- Fuzz - after going through a Bass Big Muff, and VMT and something else, I have settled on the Creation Audio Labs Grizzly Bass. OD control, dist. control, level, lo-pass control and a mid-scoop control - go from a slight Portaflex breakup to full-on fuzz. Plus, it has the coolest backlit panel graphic.

BTW, between the Octamizer, the Grizzly Bass, and the MXR Envelope Filter, I was able to cook up a pretty convincing Edgar Winter "Frankenstein" synth bass sound with my Sadowsky!

My 02¢.

 

[mmbongo]

Tuner - TC Polytune for sure. Faster and handles low B better than anything else.
Compressor - depends on what you want. I look for sustain and punch, so Pigtronix Philosphers bass for me. Blend is a major plus.
Envelope - had them all and Aguilar Filter Twin was my favorite. Pigtronix Envelope Phaser for something different..more spacey.
Octave - Nano POG. Strayed for a while, but got tired of trying to get an analog octave to track right.
Fuzz - JHS Muffuletta. What's better than a Muff? Six Muffs!

The Creation Labs Grizzly was mentioned. Yes, you should get that too. Best overdrive/distortion out there.

 

[Deleted member 165050]

Any thoughts on the MXR Bass Compressor?

It's fine, as long as you don't mind changing the sound of your bass. It isn't transparent (every MXR pedal I've tried has been a tone-sucker).

Try an Empress Effects or an FEA Labs if you can find one, or a T-Rex Squeezer.

ficelles

 

[sundaybender]

It's fine, as long as you don't mind changing the sound of your bass. It isn't transparent (every MXR pedal I've tried has been a tone-sucker).

Try an Empress Effects or an FEA Labs if you can find one, or a T-Rex Squeezer.

ficelles

...aaaand because it's the internet, I have exactly the opposite experience with the MXR bass compressor. Completely transparent, uncolored compression. I love it and chose it for that reason. Many other compressors have a "sound" that you either dig, or don't.

I chose the MXR because it offers much more granular control over the compression, and can tame peaks without coloring my tone.

I was surprised, in fact. Many MXR pedals haven't been my cup of tea, but this one lives on my board.

Also - I'll throw in a vote for the Mr Black Fwonk Beta for the envelope filter (SO round, and not quacky), and octamizer for octaver - both also on my board.

 

[S W T]

It's fine, as long as you don't mind changing the sound of your bass. It isn't transparent (every MXR pedal I've tried has been a tone-sucker).

Try an Empress Effects or an FEA Labs if you can find one, or a T-Rex Squeezer.

ficelles

100% disagree. My mxr is completely transparent.

 

[Muyy]

100% disagree. My mxr is completely transparent.

Also have this comp and can chime in that it seems to be at least 99% transparent but I also run it always on with the lowest ratio. My votes would be poly tune or pitch black, mxr compressor or similar, you're doom or grizzly, octavbre or octamizer, mxr envelope is good but Wonderlove is better to my ears. This is all also assuming money is not much of a concern.

 

[Bassist4Eris]

envelope filter - I currently have a Baseballs clone but open to ideas

I use the EHX Enigma Q-Balls, which is like a hybrid of the Bassballs and Q-Tron. It's much more versatile than the Bassballs, and I'm quite happy with it. I think I've had it five years or so.

Any thoughts on the MXR Bass Compressor?

I also find this to be a transparent comp, and a very good one at that.

 

[gregmon79]

...and I'm looking for recommendations.

I have a big board that does double duty for me, both guitar and bass. I'm now in the process of putting together a dedicated board for my bass rig.

tuner - needs to work well with a 5 string (TU-3 on the big board, doesn't like the low B very much)

compressor - wanting a dedicated bass compressor

envelope filter - I currently have a Baseballs clone but open to ideas

octave - I have a micro POG on my big board, so maybe the Nano POG or OC-3?

fuzz - sovtek big muff clone on my big board, open to ideas



Thanks in advance for the suggestions.

I have a TC polytune mini noir that works great for low tuning. Or you could go with a strobe turbo tuner mini by sonic research. That looks yummy and is supposed to be one of the best tuners on the market.

I'm not much of a comp guy. But I've heard nothing but good things about the empress. If money is no object, look into origin effects. They make some of the best pedals tuners ever supposedly.

Mr black fwonkbeta. Done

The pog is great. Any one of them. Now if octaves are trickier. Depends on what you're after. The OC2 and POG are the big boys on the block most times. Very popular. But they are totally different beasts. I have and use both because they are so different. That's just me. If I could only choose one? I wouldn't haha. I'd go OC2 and mini POG.

And the muff....mmmmmmm....love the muff. The ones I've had the most luck with the abominable hail Satan (green Russian ver) and the stomp under foot civil unrest. Both do the best in the mix of all muffs I've tried. I could go on because there's a TON of muff variants out there. You could also look into the EAND by big game. Great muff, great price.

 

[blindrabbit]

...and I'm looking for recommendations.

I have a big board that does double duty for me, both guitar and bass. I'm now in the process of putting together a dedicated board for my bass rig.

tuner - needs to work well with a 5 string (TU-3 on the big board, doesn't like the low B very much)

compressor - wanting a dedicated bass compressor

envelope filter - I currently have a Baseballs clone but open to ideas

octave - I have a micro POG on my big board, so maybe the Nano POG or OC-3?

fuzz - sovtek big muff clone on my big board, open to ideas

Thanks in advance for the suggestions.

It may help to know a little more about your style of music and tonal preferences, otherwise you'll just get people's own favourites, and up to $200 gives a lot of latitude to work with! That said, here's my picks:

Tuner - Polytune/Polytune Mini handles a B just fine

Comp - Broughton Monocle or Diamond BCP-1 for nice warm fat tone and ease of use

Filter - I don't know much about these personally, but a lot of people seem to love the SA Manta

Octave - MXR BOD or Aguilar Octamizer have excellent tone and tracking, but if you prefer the perfect digital tracking, stick with the POG family

Fuzz - SGFX Imperial is a ridiculously articulate and fat sounding muff, it'll blow you away and fit in your price range

 

[cdlynch]

Electro-Harmonix Bass Micro Synth does envelope filter, octave, and "sorta fuzz" as well with the square wave voice. I use mine for octave a lot, and like the sound MUCH better than digital pitch shifters. Also, no tracking lag like the POG stuff. Of course you wouldn't get foot control of each attribute which might a deal breaker, but if you haven't tried one, you might be into it.

 

[swafran]

+1 for the Empress as a comp. I got it because ovnilabs.com said it was like the MXR, but better, sweeter sounding and had better control. I was not disappointed.

Fuzz: I have a bass big muff pi and it's good enough for me, the dry switch is essential (blends in your dry signal at unity level, then your level knob controls volume of wet signal added on to that. Not like a real blend knob, but good enough and you keep your low end). I know there are more advanced (and more expensive) versions of it though like the muffulator someone mentioned.

Envelope filter: MXR M82 is next on my list: