Splitting signal then merging for a single output

There are several Blend pedals available including:

• Boss LS-2 Line Selector
• Xotic X-Blender
• One Control Mosquite Blender
• Radial Mix Blender
• Carl Martin Paraloop
  
• Barge Concepts DVB-2 Dual Blender
• MBS Parallel Universe Blender
• Wounded Paw Effects Loop Blender V3
• ZCat Blender Looper

I use a Bass Paralooper (made by Talkbass member moosapotamus)

• paralooper

Some Bass Preamp pedals have a loop with a blend control also.

 

I use and recommend the Mosquite. Make sure whatever you get has a phase invert switch, as some pedals can flip the polarity of the soundwave so that it cancels out with the dry signal making things go really quiet or just sound a bit odd (and a surprisingly high number of pedals do this). If you have a long chain of effects that you want to constantly blend with your dry signal then also bear the following in mind:

• If just one of your pedals in the loop inverts phase and it's one that you like to stomp on and off (like a boost), then you will be kinda screwed unless you remove it from the loop entirely and place it before or after it.

• Blending digital pedals isn't a good idea unless they are time-based effects with an analog dry-through (like Strymon and TC pedals). Digital pedals delay your signal by a few milliseconds, so blending that with a non-delayed signal results in comb-filtering effects like a flanger stuck at a fixed point of it's sweep.

 

I used to do what you are suggesting. I bought a Barge blender. Does exactly what you're trying to accomplish without as much futzing around.

 

DSM Noisemaker just recently released a blend pedal with an FX loop and built-in pre and post gain (+ a phase switch !) so you might want to have a look at it :
dsm-noisemaker

If I get this correctly, you'd only need that one single pedal, which is always good news

 

The blender is an effects loop with a knob to control how much effect is going into your clean signal. So I go:

Bass > wireless > tuner > blender > compressor > DI. The essentials. "Clean" path.
In the loop: overdrive > chorus > delay.

I run the dial at about 2:00, with noon being 50/50 clean to effects and switch off effects as needed.

I always leave the switch (for the loop) on.

So I have a switchable effects loop with clean signal always underneath.

Useful when your dirt pedal has a HPF and cuts out the lows.