Victor Wooten's Pedal Board

[EdwardofHuncote]

Third plug on The Music Lesson. Great abstract on music philosophy, from a super-nice guy.

FWIW, when I worked at Nashville Custom Case, I built the road case his current pedalboard of the time traveled in. That was in the late-1990's... at the height of the Flecktones gig I guess. Believe I can see a 2" shock-mount rack case from NCC in the background of that picture above.

 

[Spectre Gunner]

Victor is not really hung up on gear. Except maybe for basses themselves, he likes having nice instruments. At his camp the last day he let us all check out his basses, even the career girl Fodera Ying-Yang. Pretty dang cool. During the camp he'd plug into any amp that was left and he wasn't too fussy about EQ and such either, he'd mostly fix it on his bass.

The big silver pedal looks like a very cool custom Rodenberg, judging from the style and bass clef graphics on it. I'd love to know more about that pedal! Other than that, lots of pitch-shifting, I suppose the H9's could provide delay/reverb/filter tones as well.

I read somewhere or maybe it was a video that Mr Rodenberg (German handmade) custom made a pedal for Victor and maybe that's the one he is using now. Marcus Miller and Stanley Clark also use Rodenberg pedals. Here is a good link from Premier Audio doing a rig rundown on Vic's bass and pedals and he talks about a new Rodenberg he is testing out on tour. I think this was made a couple years ago.

Rig Rundown - Victor Wooten & Regi Wooten

 

[Thumb n Fingers]

He is such a natural and intuitive player. Sometimes I find recording artists to be disappointing in person. This event was exactly the opposite, and there is no way I can imagine a recording capturing the magic he created.

I felt the same about Marcus Miller when I saw him about 18 months ago. 2nd row, center stage seats in a venue really close to the stage. But I was blown away by how effortlessly he was able to go what he does in recordings... then dial it up to 11.

Another that blew me away was (same venue, same seats, 2 years ago) was seeing Larry Carlton play with his son, Travis, on bass. Travis is a beast! I hadn't heard much or seen him before, but he is an incredible player/performer and I was really impressed.

It's nice to see guys live and know they are "for real."

 

[madbass6]

Anybody care for a look? I saw his show last night, and a friend was bolder than I was snapped these pics and sent them to me. Seeing as I have them, I figured you all might be interested in having a look.

Ohhhh... I knew it!!!
it's not his playing that makes VW amazing its his pedals
Basses pictured are "ok" too!

of course just kidding! lol.
Hey Nice pics!
Thanks for sharing!!very cool!

Victor Wooten's Pedal Board 1

• Pumpkin
• Feb 28, 2017
• effects

Victor Wooten's Pedal Board 2

• Pumpkin
• Feb 28, 2017
• effects

Victor Wooten's Pedal Board 3

• Pumpkin
• Feb 28, 2017
• effects

 

[Nephilymbass]

A Boss TU-3? The followers of True Bypass are screaming in terror!

Interesting how many different octave and pitch shifting things he's got there. Wonder how he uses them all.

A lot of guys use several different pitch pedals for one specific sound each. Mxr bass octave deluxe for octave down, pog for octave up, oc-2 for a synths dirty octave, whammy or boss pitch shifter/harmonists for pitch bends. Janek Gwizdala likes the oc-2 but also has been known to use the mxr and one of his more well known wild effected sounds uses a boss pitch shifter. I can't blame them. Pitch effects are some of the noticeable effects on bass.

 

[AngelCrusher]

Yep - I use an Oc-2 and run into a Micro Pog for the same reason. Sometimes I run both at the same time. It sounds cool with some OD at the end of it.

 

[Aidenn7]

I've seen him twice. and I love the show. if you use effects like pitch shifting. it helps to have preset effects for songs. and mark your setting.But victor can make any amp or effect sound great.

 

[scuzzy]

seen him twice as well. Once with JD Blair as a duo and the other with his full band, halfway through the full band show, several of his brothers swapped in and they did funk tunes the rest of the night. each was around 3-4 hours long, no openers, and LOUD. totally blown away by his showmanship and creativity. JD was hilarious as well. Skinny Jeans, huge baggy NFL jersey, pointy toe cowbow boots, and clanky spurs. He came out stomping a rhythm, then kicked off the drumming.

i have two of his albums, and don't care for them much, but his live shows are very fun. start to finish.

 

[Worldeeeter]

handle/post?

I've only seen Victor's band once but it was a while ago. His brother(s?) were in the band and MC Divinity rapped/sang, then at the end she came out playing bass. I had no idea. I think Anthony Wellington came out at the end on the bass too. Good times.

Anthony is "1st bass" in VW's band. He's usually there, and he teaches at every one of Victor's camps. He lives in the DC area, so if that's where you saw them, Ant was probably on stage.

 

[KillerEddie]

He isn't near as much a pedal hoarder as Wimbish and most of what he uses is "wobbly" stuff. But they have a different approach and I respect both of them for it. They're my two favorite bass players and I can only dream of being able to do what they do. He also is one of the few along with Doug that use Whammy offals effectively . This all boils down to knowing what octaves are and how they work. Lots of people use POG and Whammy pedals but few really wrap their heads around them/ Vic and Doug do. So I disagree with those saying he should leave the pedals home I actually think he knows how to use them and doe interesting things with them. Very few people really do.

 

[HolmeBass]

I read or was a video somewhere that Mr Rodenberg (German handmade) custom made a pedal for Victor and maybe that's the one he is using now. Marcus Miller and Stanley Clark also use Rodenberg pedals. Here is a good link from Premier Audio doing a rig rundown on Vic's bass and pedals and he talks about a new Rodenberg he is testing out on tour. I think this was made a couple years ago.

Rig Rundown - Victor Wooten & Regi Wooten

Nice rundown. But the Rodenberg in the video was a four switch pedal, the one in the photo only 3. Looking at the bottom photo in OP's post I am positive it is a Rodenberg pedal, and instead of a Lee Rittenour model it is a Victor Wooten model! You can make his name out in red on the right. I have been digging my Rodenberg 808/909 pedal a lot. It's the kind of pedal I was sort of 'meh' about until I tried it live with the band and now I am using it more and more.

 

[bearfoot]

I have to confess, I'm generally not a big fan of music where when the song is over the melody isn't stuck in my head for days
.

I like progressive jazz, but am also on a similar wavelength melody-wise. It's the melodic and rhythmic themes of artists like Herbie Hancock that will be stuck in my head, although I also love the soloing and grooving.

But VW certainly does have melodic songwriting in his wheelhouse, even if that wasn't the emphasis of that show. I've heard him perform this one live, probably my favorite of his songs:

 

[Grumry]

Those mixed cabs in a horizontal configuration are likely to cause some heads explode around here...

15X410X15 OMG WHAT WAS HE THINKING?

 

[Al Kraft]

But VW certainly does have melodic songwriting in his wheelhouse, even if that wasn't the emphasis of that show.

An enthusiastic +1.

 

[Chrisk-K]

Wimbish's pedal board looks like a rocket control board at the NASA.

 

[joegrant413]

My son and I saw Wooten's trio last night. I'll see if he's got a photo of the pedal board. I know I saw two Eventide H9s, and certainly heard some tastey pitch-shifting and Space effects.

 

[joegrant413]

 

[joegrant413]

So here's a photo from my son. I spy two H9s, a POG, a Radial-something. Dunno about the rest.

I could have sworn I was also hearing a EHX B9 to get a Hammond organ sound, that I'd assume came after an H9 Pitchfactor setting.

Thx

 

[brandinstroy]

Actually he is using new technology that turns his bass into a midi keyboard. Each fret is wired up midi. he's able to pull out other instrument sounds in this 3 piece group that way all while still playing bass thru his direct sound. Crazy stuff.

 

[Veldar]

Actually he is using new technology that turns his bass into a midi keyboard. Each fret is wired up midi. he's able to pull out other instrument sounds in this 3 piece group that way all while still playing bass thru his direct sound. Crazy stuff.

Kinda off topic but when the the Fret Trax stuff dropping, there's no in depth info out on it and I don't want to have to pay $4000 doe one of the industrial radio basses.