Request for effects chain advice...

[Cutter8]

I have recently put together a small pedal board and would like any advice/suggestions you may have to offer about the sequence of these particcular effects. If you would arrange this effects chain differently, I would like to hear how and why.

It would be great to avoid unnecessary comments such as “use the search function”, “you just need to try different arrangements and see how they work”, “nobody can tell you what will sound good to you” or “there is no best or right way, it’s just personal preference.” I understand those points, which is why I’m asking what you would do, and not expecting you tell me what I should do. So, here are a couple of points that might help in that regard:

1. Using effects is very new to me (as is playing bass).
2. I have searched TB and read extensively about these effect pedals, and effect chain order in general, but there is nothing posted about this specific group of pedals, there is so much conflicting information about effects sequencing in general that it has become a bit overwhelming.
3. I have played around with the order of these specific pedals a lot, and can identify a lot of changes in the sound I get when they are placed in different order, but there are so many variables that I haven’t figured out what works best for me overall.
4. I don’t know much about electronics in general, so often I don’t really understand why the sound changes the way it does when I change pedal order.

The idea here is that I will learn a lot from hearing your subjective thoughts and preferences.

The pedals I have, listed in their current order, are:

• Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-200
• Ampeg SCR-DI
• Mojo Hand 443 Analogue Filter
• Amptweaker Bass Tight Drive (with blend mod)
• Zeibeck Submarine with Ultrabass
• Mark Bass Compressore

I don’t know if it matters for purposes of this thread, but I’m playing through a Genzler Magellan 800 running into a GreenBoy Bassic 15 (with the Eminence KappaLite 3015) and a fEARful 12/6 (with the Eminence 3012LF, AlphaLite 6a and CBG crossover).

EDIT: I don’t need to keep the compressor at the end of the chain for purposes of using the DI because I can use the Magellan’s XLR balanced direct output (can be switched between mic and line level, and pre or post EQ).

Lastly, here’s a couple of pics, because we all like pics better than no pics, right?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

 

[scottfeldstein]

I would do this:

• Tuner
• Compressor
• Filter
• Drive
• DI

I don't know what the submarine is, so I don't know about that one.

 

[cataract]

It would be great to avoid unnecessary comments such as “use the search function”, “you just need to try different arrangements and see how they work”, “nobody can tell you what will sound good to you” or “there is no best or right way, it’s just personal preference.”

It’s kind of ridiculous to not look at what info has already been shared in the probable thousands of threads on this subject.

That’s kind of what makes this site so great- even if you’re not directly involved in the conversations, the knowledge within is there for all to share and utilize, if needed or wanted.

ANYHOW- I generally run tuner->various levels of dirt->a series of selectable always on preamp pedals.

Not really into modulation at this time but I may buy a delay of some sort when I get into bi-amping (my new bass will have two inputs!)

 

[Cutter8]

It seems logical to have this in the Effects forum, but I may Please let me know if there is any place it would be better to post this tread.

I would do this:

• Tuner
• Compressor
• Filter
• Drive
• DI

I don't know what the submarine is, so I don't know about that one.

Thanks.

 

[scottfeldstein]

It seems logical to have this in the Effects forum, but I may Please let me know if there is any place it would be better to post this tread.

Of course it's logical to post it in the effects forum. It's just fine. Countless other discussions just like it have been had here.

What I want to know is where you came up with all this gear...some of it pretty boutique...if you're new to playing bass? Who died and left you their gear?

 

[Cutter8]

It’s kind of ridiculous to not look at what info has already been shared in the probable thousands of threads on this subject.

That’s kind of what makes this site so great- even if you’re not directly involved in the conversations, the knowledge within is there for all to share and utilize, if needed or wanted.

ANYHOW- I generally run tuner->various levels of dirt->a series of selectable always on preamp pedals.

Not really into modulation at this time but I may buy a delay of some sort when I get into bi-amping (my new bass will have two inputs!)

I’m guessing you either only skimmed my post, or you stopped reading part way through when you got triggered and decided to tell me I’m ridiculous, or you read it and just didn’t understand a lot of it. In any case, thanks for sharing your thoughts.

 

[scottfeldstein]

Also, it would set my mind at ease if you were to stack those cabs differently. Put the 15 on the bottom, stack the 12/6 on top of it vertically with the 6 on top.

 

[Cutter8]

Of course it's logical to post it in the effects forum. It's just fine. Countless other discussions just like it have been had here.

What I want to know is where you came up with all this gear...some of it pretty boutique...if you're new to playing bass? Who died and left you their gear?

Yup, I’ve been a musician for decades, but I got my first bass on January 2nd of this year. Nobody left their gear as a bequest to me yet, but I’m willing to be a beneficiary if anyone wants to include me in their estate planning!

Over the past several months I have spent countless hours reading thousands of posts on TB to learn what I could, and I’ve been lucky to have gotten a load of great advice from other TB members (online and in person) about what gear to buy, and to have found terrific deals on gently used equipment. If I buy less than A-grade gear, I just wind up spending more later to upgrade, so I try to buy stuff I can stick with from the start.

 

[Cutter8]

Also, it would set my mind at ease if you were to stack those cabs differently. Put the 15 on the bottom, stack the 12/6 on top of it vertically with the 6 on top.

Thanks for the feedback. I haven’t had the Bassic 15 for very long. I’ve been trying the two cabs placed a lot of different ways. I would stack exactly as you said if I was playing out, but in my century old wood frame house, the 15 on the bottom was shaking the place too much!

 

[scottfeldstein]

I’ve been lucky to have gotten a load of great advice from other TB members (online and in person) about what gear to buy, and to have found terrific deals on gently used equipment. If I buy less than A-grade gear, I just wind up spending more later to upgrade, so I try to buy stuff I can stick with from the start.

Wise. Wiser than most. Wiser than me.

 

[Cutter8]

Wise. Wiser than most. Wiser than me.

“Thank you, thank you very much!”*


*when you read this, in your head it should sound like Elvis...

 

[Krisfield]

They use guitar, but also applies to bass using bass pedals.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Well, I know what I would put first and last (tuner > compressor, SCR-DI respectively) but that's about it. The other pedals are somewhat foreign to me.

BTW, love the Fernandes 5!

Riis

 

[HolmeBass]

• Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-200
• Amptweaker Bass Tight Drive (with blend mod)
  
• Zeibeck Submarine with Ultrabass
• Mojo Hand 443 Analogue Filter
• Mark Bass Compressore
• Ampeg SCR-DI

This order assumes you’re using the Ampeg as your DI and not the DI on your amp. If that is not the case you could put the Ampeg ahead of the filter, but you already have two dirt/tone boxes ahead of the filter and comp, one at the end is pretty flexible.

 

[BurtMacklinFBI]

I would go drive > envelope filter > compressor > tuner > submarine > Ampeg.

 

[bass40hz]

What I would do with your pedals...

• Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-200
• Ampeg SCR-DI
• Amptweaker Bass Tight Drive (with blend mod)
  
• Mark Bass Compressore
  
• Mojo Hand 443 Analogue Filter
• Zeibeck Submarine with Ultrabass

 

[Cutter8]

Well, I know what I would put first and last (tuner > compressor, SCR-DI respectively) but that's about it. The other pedals are somewhat foreign to me.

BTW, love the Fernandes 5!

Riis

Thanks. It is a recent acquisition from another TB member and I’ve really been enjoying it so far! I’ve also had a couple of early Fernandes 4-strings and I have been consistently impressed with the quality of their basses.

 

[Cutter8]

What I would do with your pedals...

• Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-200
• Ampeg SCR-DI
• Amptweaker Bass Tight Drive (with blend mod)
  
• Mark Bass Compressore
  
• Mojo Hand 443 Analogue Filter
• Zeibeck Submarine with Ultrabass

Thanks for the suggestion. I had not really considered putting the compressor in the middle of the chain. I’ll give it a try.

 

[bass40hz]

Thanks for the suggestion. I had not really considered putting the compressor in the middle of the chain. I’ll give it a try.

Well, I wouldn't put it before the ODs because you want the string dynamics to either cause the OD to be subtle or bloom or flat our scream, and stacvking or layering ODs is great IMHO, but I personally like my time based or mod effects to be pretty "flat", flangers, reverbs, delays, etc. so I put my compressor before them, if I dont, sometimes the signal is too hot and will distort, and not in a good way, while heading out of my flanger or DD for example....I know you didn't ask for my explanation why I would do what I suggested but I humbly offer it anyway...sometimes I find the "why" helps you understand the "what". Rock on.

 

[Cutter8]

I would go drive > envelope filter > compressor > tuner > submarine > Ampeg.

Thanks. The consensus so far seems to be putting the drive before the envelope filter. Why is that? I’ve been putting the filter first because I thought it needed a cleaner signal, but that is just based on the reading I’ve done, not an actual understanding of how they are interacting. I sure as hell wish I had learned more about this stuff when I was younger and still had room in my brain!