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SIMPLE AND SMALL "AMPLESS" RIG

Vasezgut

Vasezgut

Jul 16, 2024
10
34
#1
Hi everybody :) , a couple of months ago I made a pedalboard with a tuner, a MultiFX y already had (Boss GT1B), a tuner, and a DI Box I barely use, since I bring my amp (a Fender Rumble 500), all of this played with and Ibanre SR605-E (a really nive bass overall, can´t complain at all). I play mostly at church and some ocasional gigs in a music school where I take classes and with some friends.

However, I'm not really using any of the effects from Boss MULTIFX, and I´m thinking if would be a better solution to make a smaller board with the tuner, a compressor for dynamics (maybe I´ll buy a MXR Compressor), and the DI in case it comes handy, since the tuner is the most useful pedal I would be needing.

What do you think? Also, would that mini-rig work fine going to PA straight from the DI Box, using the bass preamp only (sometines the Fender amp takes too much space to be moving it all around). I'm attaching my current board + my idea of the miniboard.

Current board:

1783032529513.png


Idea for mini board:

1783032554647.png
 
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#2
What you propose will work fine as long as it gives you what YOU want. The decision is subjective and personal. The only other person who generally gets a say is the audio tech. So if you use the same audio tech consistently, have a conversation with him/her.

I don't generally like my bass compressed in my monitor mix; so I would prefer a preamp/DI to a compressor. A preamp provides tone controls at my finger tips, so I can dial in my sound rather than trying to talk the audio tech through it.

FYI, each channel strip on a mixing console only has one set of tone controls. Normally these should be prioritized to making the bass sound good in the front of house mix. The ideal adjust to make the bass sit in the house mix may be significantly different from what you want to hear in your monitor.

Monitor mixes are generally generated using Aux sends. Some boards allow the Auxes to be configured different ways. For monitor mixes, the Auxes should be set to pre fader. Setting the Auxes to pre fader allows the audio tech to balance the bass in the house mix without effecting your monitor mix.

Another possible option is pre VS post EQ. With post EQ, any tone changes the audio tech makes to dial in the bass for the house mix will be heard in your monitor mix. With pre EQ, the bass stays flat/unprocessed and is unaffected by changes to the channel EQ.

If you have a preamp/DI, probably best to set your Aux to pre EQ. Dial your sound in quickly before sound check and then try to lock it down for the show. Any changes you make during the show will affect every mix with bass in it. This includes volume changes. If the audio tech is running monitors, ideally you get the audio techs attention and they adjust your level in way that only affects your mix.
 
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#3
Vasezgut said:
Hi everybody :) , a couple of months ago I made a pedalboard with a tuner, a MultiFX y already had (Boss GT1B), a tuner, and a DI Box I barely use, since I bring my amp (a Fender Rumble 500), all of this played with and Ibanre SR605-E (a really nive bass overall, can´t complain at all). I play mostly at church and some ocasional gigs in a music school where I take classes and with some friends.

However, I'm not really using any of the effects from Boss MULTIFX, and I´m thinking if would be a better solution to make a smaller board with the tuner, a compressor for dynamics (maybe I´ll buy a MXR Compressor), and the DI in case it comes handy, since the tuner is the most useful pedal I would be needing.

What do you think? Also, would that mini-rig work fine going to PA straight from the DI Box, using the bass preamp only (sometines the Fender amp takes too much space to be moving it all around). I'm attaching my current board + my idea of the miniboard.

Current board:

View attachment 7528470

Idea for mini board:

View attachment 7528471
Click to expand...
If you want a different pedal there’s a ton that have a compressor and tuner. Question will be what sound you want. EBS microbass 3 has those. Gk plex has it too. Another one is the Trace Elliot transit preamp. I have a couple favorites that don’t have the tuner including the tc electronic spectra drive and electro harmonix bass battalion. Some of the sans amp fly rig setups have everything too. If you bring your own compressor and tuner the list gets huge of different options. If you found any amp sim settings you like on the boss I’d probably start with that brand. So many awesome choices that deliver a great bass rig sound in pedal di form. Pretty much everything I mentioned has a di port.
 
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#4
I think for you the GK Plex would be the answer. I currently use a DG pedal that can stand alone and has a chorus available. Between this and the PLEX the Bluetooth AUX of the DG was probably the biggest deciding factor. The PLEX was SOOOO good and has all the tones you could ever need.
 
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#7
Pretty happy with my current situation. Mesa Subway+ preamp II > Boss GX+10. The GX-10 handles my compression, tuner and has more effects than I would probably ever want, or use. Lots of versitility and the voicing on that mesa pre is as smooth as Tennessee whiskey and as sweet as strawberry wine. IYKYK
 

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    IMG_20260511_173526918_AE.jpg
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#8
I’m not getting it. Seems like the Boss GT1b should handle it all by itself. Does it not have a DI out?

FWIW, I’ll always take my MXR M80 bass di + and a Smoothie compressor. I use one of those planet waves mini headstock tuners. The MXR has lots of tone and eq options, and sub par dirt side that can be set up as a clean boost. Two pedal boxes, I don’t really need a board for that, I still have the boxes to keep them safe in the gig bag. MXR runs on phantom power or battery, or 9 power supply.

I had a rack at one point with a tuner, pre, comp, and GK 1001, and cool as it was, it was way too much.

The $10 mini tuner does fine. A comp and the MXR pre/di is enough to get me from bass to PA. I’ve also used just a Zoom B3, the older unit had a di out.
 
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#11
The multiFX is basically it's own board, so I'd probably do the same - a small board for the 'essentials' and set the multiFX next to it when needed.
In fact, if I add anything else to my board I'll have to move my B3 off. Since it's last in line it would go on the floor - I'm not going any bigger for my board
 
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#13
Another vote for the MS-60B+. Really powerful combo when paired with a preamp with XLR output. And the price is unbeatable for a multifx, I also own the GT-1B and actually like all the sounds in the MS-60 better. Besides you can stack up to 6 effects without being restricted to a single effect per category as in the GT-1B
 

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#14
Vasezgut said:
Hi everybody :) , a couple of months ago I made a pedalboard with a tuner, a MultiFX y already had (Boss GT1B), a tuner, and a DI Box I barely use, since I bring my amp (a Fender Rumble 500), all of this played with and Ibanre SR605-E (a really nive bass overall, can´t complain at all). I play mostly at church and some ocasional gigs in a music school where I take classes and with some friends.

However, I'm not really using any of the effects from Boss MULTIFX, and I´m thinking if would be a better solution to make a smaller board with the tuner, a compressor for dynamics (maybe I´ll buy a MXR Compressor), and the DI in case it comes handy, since the tuner is the most useful pedal I would be needing.

What do you think? Also, would that mini-rig work fine going to PA straight from the DI Box, using the bass preamp only (sometines the Fender amp takes too much space to be moving it all around). I'm attaching my current board + my idea of the miniboard.

Current board:

View attachment 7528470

Idea for mini board:

View attachment 7528471
Click to expand...
@Vasezgut, what are the little three-dot stickers on your pedals for?
 
#18
Vasezgut said:
Hi everybody :) , a couple of months ago I made a pedalboard with a tuner, a MultiFX y already had (Boss GT1B), a tuner, and a DI Box I barely use, since I bring my amp (a Fender Rumble 500), all of this played with and Ibanre SR605-E (a really nive bass overall, can´t complain at all). I play mostly at church and some ocasional gigs in a music school where I take classes and with some friends.

However, I'm not really using any of the effects from Boss MULTIFX, and I´m thinking if would be a better solution to make a smaller board with the tuner, a compressor for dynamics (maybe I´ll buy a MXR Compressor), and the DI in case it comes handy, since the tuner is the most useful pedal I would be needing.

What do you think? Also, would that mini-rig work fine going to PA straight from the DI Box, using the bass preamp only (sometines the Fender amp takes too much space to be moving it all around). I'm attaching my current board + my idea of the miniboard.

Current board:

View attachment 7528470

Idea for mini board:

View attachment 7528471
Click to expand...
I don't understand the Altoids Box. That would be my simple set up. Tuner, Compressor, into maybe a Tech 21 BDDI.
 

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