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SYNTH PEDALS... WHERE ARE THEY?

Blu bro

Blu bro

Mar 1, 2012
1,043
1,535
Aus
#1
My question is why on the PYPB threads do i not see many if any synth pedals? I see a few Micro synths (EHX) but thats about it. Im talking myself into getting a markbass super synth but there must be reason people dont seem to hold onto these synth pedals. im guessing the Octavius and Deep impact arnt as common because well... they arn't as common. AND rather expensive. but even so i think i have only seen a few posts with either pedals over the years. If they are soooo good why do i not see them? or see them on one post but then taken off the same board on another post a month later?

If its because the tried and true formular (oct->fuzz->mod) is better. then i understand, but to me there are more synth bass sounds that a synth pedal can cop that a combination will not.

Thoughts much appreciated.
 
#2
I mostly use various octave-fuzz-filter-bitcrusher-phaser-pitchshifting combos, but I also have a Digitech Bass Synth Wah for a more standard creamy Reese-like lead synth sound and the formant setting and am getting an IE Subterranea to parallel blend with my fuzz at the beginning of the chain I mentioned.

I've owned the markbass and the microsynth and didn't really like either - the markbass being only sawtooth is its main limitation, and the microsynth is too annoying to adjust.
 
#3
Yeah i was thinking the Sub-T could also be a wise investment to further my synth sound search. Thanks for the input. I am coming to the conclusion that synth "tone" is very similar to "playability" of a bass. very much a personal preferance. One mans golden tone could be bland and boring for another. See i live in a very isolated city in the South West of Australia so i do not get to just try out pedals willy-nilly. All my pedals have been obtained from the internet and have to hope it will work with my equipment.
 
#5
The only synths worth having for guitarists are based on piezo pickups such as Godins, Roland GKs, or line 6 variax 700 series basses. I found the pedals had poor pitch detection. Try alternating a harmonic at the 5th fret and then a half step down fretted quickly. One of the reasons ill keep the variax is for the synth presets...they're great and you can use the tone knobs to set the low frequency oscillator speed and amount of resonance. Blend knob mixes a sawtooth or square wave.
 
#6
meh. screw having a whole setup just to have something that tracks okay.

to me either get something that does a very good job tracking like the SubTah, combine 3 or 4 good pedals to get a crunchy synth tone, or just get a real synth.

or go all the way and get an Industrial Radio Midi Bass.
 
#8
CHILDISHGAMBINO said:
I have a Zoom B3 and I mostly use it for synth sounds. The monosynth and Vsynth effects sound good and track pretty well. I know a lot people are ant-multi but the B3 is a really fun pedal for making weird sounds.
Click to expand...

I haven't tried the B3, but the MS-60B does a lot more than just weird sounds :) The amp and compressor sims are the best I've heard; the reverbs and delays sound great, and the BB and muff sims are pretty well spot on. At $100.00 the 60B is an absolute steal.
 
#12
I was holding out for a Source Audio synth pedal but ran out of time...
I dig your rap about living in a remote area...same problem here. I'm using the oct/fuzz/filter method right now, but I have a B3 on the way to me tomorrow and I hope to make something useful put of that. I have the BSY600 and it has some nice sounds but tracks like buttcrack.
The thing is that synth seems to be a major personal taste thing....it's a pretty broad palette...
 
#15
I think the best all in one is a pedal that goes unnoticed too much - the Pigtronix Mothership. That thing is a BEAST.

The Markbass has come stuff in it if you are happy to spend the time programming it, but it's not ideal.

Much prefer the 'modular' approach of Oct - Fuzz - Env. That said, as I only need a few core Synth sounds I'm currently using m Eventide Pitchfactor for them and the tones are to die for!
 
#16
pantherairsoft said:
I think the best all in one is a pedal that goes unnoticed too much - the Pigtronix Mothership. That thing is a BEAST.

The Markbass has come stuff in it if you are happy to spend the time programming it, but it's not ideal.

Much prefer the 'modular' approach of Oct - Fuzz - Env. That said, as I only need a few core Synth sounds I'm currently using m Eventide Pitchfactor for them and the tones are to die for!
Click to expand...

+1 the Mothership is the closest to an all in one synth tone I've found. Now SubT-oxide-xero is just Amazing!!!
 
#17
doubleohnodj said:
I mostly use various octave-fuzz-filter-bitcrusher-phaser-pitchshifting combos, but I also have a Digitech Bass Synth Wah for a more standard creamy Reese-like lead synth sound and the formant setting and am getting an IE Subterranea to parallel blend with my fuzz at the beginning of the chain I mentioned.

I've owned the markbass and the microsynth and didn't really like either - the markbass being only sawtooth is its main limitation, and the microsynth is too annoying to adjust.
Click to expand...

Which bitcrusher do you use?
 
#18
OP, do you play in a band? If so using the MarkBass Super Synth may be a pain in the butt. It is easy enough to program on the computer after experimenting a bit. I would go to band practice excited to unleash my new synth tones on the band, I would stomp on it and then promptly disappear in the mix. So at one point I was using an MXR 10 band EQ with it and that helped, for one main synth patch. A different synth patch may need a push in different frequencies to cut through. So I got tired of loving it at home and it being an issue with the band.

The Octavius Squeezer has a HORRIBLE UI. Period. Programming it is cryptic, not fun, and not intuitive.
 
#20
I would ask yourself, why synth bass...

I mean Yes I have a synth bass spot in my chain and I am seriously thinking of taking it out.

All the bass players that I listen to don't use a synth pedal.

And the funny thing is all those makers of synth pedals advertise it as "now you can do all those D'n'B gigs you couldn't do before.

But lets do poll. How many here because of the 1st Boss Synth pedal got those elusive gigs they couldn't have before?

At he end of the day yes Synth pedals are extremely "Fun".

But in all honestly... from a band perspective, is that synth sound the gig deal maker or breaker to get into a band? Probably not.
 

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