Necessity? None.
Nice to Have? Depends on what you want to sound like.
Nice to Have? Depends on what you want to sound like.
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What pedals do I need?
- Thread starter ciaran_hughes
- Start date
1. Tuner. Nothing worse than an out of tune Bass Player (except for an out of tune guitarist)...
2. Compressor. Nothing worse than a bass player with blown/damaged, farting speakers or getting lost in the mix...
3. Octave. Nothing worse than the "chunk" from the guitarist's Marshall/Mesa 412 or (worse) the keyboardist's left hand...
YMMV
2. Compressor. Nothing worse than a bass player with blown/damaged, farting speakers or getting lost in the mix...
3. Octave. Nothing worse than the "chunk" from the guitarist's Marshall/Mesa 412 or (worse) the keyboardist's left hand...
YMMV
+1 to this I got a Helix and promptly sold every pedal I had except 2. I kept my Future Impact because it is such a powerful and unique item and integrates very well into the Helix, and I kept my Peterson Stomp Classic Tuner for bench use at home setting intonations and practicing.
I typically use always on compression but I would not consider it something every bassist has to have. It helps me sit in the mix better but I gigged for 23 of my 25 years using nothing but a stomp box tuner.
I saw someone list a reverb pedal as a must have above. My experience is opposite. I have never ever put any kind of reverb on the bass live or in the studio playing everything from hardcore metal to bluegrass and country. Maybe if I was doing some kind of sonic experimental project, but I just can't see how it would help the bass in most settings.
Depends on the song. I like to have a variety of different sounding preamp/OD's to choose from. Or perhaps a song doesnt need anything other than clean bass tone.
I'm very intrigued by both the LT or the Stomp, but I gotta admit I'm a little overwhelmed by how to use the Stomp versus the price of the LT. But then again I never owned a multi long enough to become proficient at one either. And yes, I think reverb sounds like crap on bass for most situations and I wouldn't recommend that as someone's first effects to get. If anything delay works better for bass
To the OP, the only thing you "need" is a tuner and they also make those Snark clip on ones so you might not "need" any pedals if you go that route. As far as my pedal board, I have it setup for "variety" type cover gig in this order: tuner, OC2, Source Audio Aftershock bass drive(overdrive, fuzz and synth), (need another envelope filter: either fx25 or SA Manta), SA Orbital Modualtor(chorus and phaser), and Empress compressor.
If I'm playing rock or metal I can just use my amp by itself (it has a dirty channel) or preamp pedal if there's a back line with a quick changeover. In either of those scenarios I can tune up before the set(assuming it's a multiple act billing) and the set will be about 30-45 minutes. Any typical 3 set cover band scenario and I'll at least want a tuner that also mutes my signal.
If I don't go the helix route I might get another Darkglass VMT preamp for gigs where I can't use my amp(DG MT900). But yeah, if you have an amp with an XLR you don't need much else and in some bigger cities you don't even *need* an amp as most clubs will have a backline. I see my board as a luxury: I have more than I need, but it's nice having and not needing rather than the other way around.
Last edited:
- Apr 20, 2009
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- Endorsements: your name could be here, Mr. Sadowsky!
Tuners and DIs were the gateway drug to pedalboards for me. Then I added a compressor and some mild overdrive. Then chorus. Then some things for fun, like an envelope filter, octave, and synth stuff. I have different needs for different bands, some I don't use a pedalboard at all, except maybe for a tuner and wireless.
A tuner is good to have, as well as a compressor (assuming the amp doesn't already have one). Beyond that, chorus and delay are useful, though I don't know if they're quite essential. For heavy genres like metal you'll probably want a distortion or a fuzz box.
D
Deleted member 165050
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Pick a sound or tone, if you will, that makes you happy. If you can adjust things on your current rig that gets you there, then go with the less is more approach and just get a quality tuner pedal and be done. If you have tone deficits that a pedal or two could help, research and get what you need.
One thing you might try is to get a Zoom MS60b multi effects model pedal. It has a bunch of digital effects models and a good tuner to boot. For $100 (less used) it might just be the way to go. If you find a sound you like, just about all of the zoom models have real world pedal equivalents. You can find lots of postings here from people who just didn’t dig the digital model and had to upgrade to the “real” pedal. That’s fine, if it comes to that.
I know this goes against the core tenants of TB, but if I had taken that approach I would have a few thousand (no I’m not kidding)more in the bank...
One thing you might try is to get a Zoom MS60b multi effects model pedal. It has a bunch of digital effects models and a good tuner to boot. For $100 (less used) it might just be the way to go. If you find a sound you like, just about all of the zoom models have real world pedal equivalents. You can find lots of postings here from people who just didn’t dig the digital model and had to upgrade to the “real” pedal. That’s fine, if it comes to that.
I know this goes against the core tenants of TB, but if I had taken that approach I would have a few thousand (no I’m not kidding)more in the bank...
Tuner and DI.
Anything else will depend on what genre of music you play and what your personal creative goals are.
Anything else will depend on what genre of music you play and what your personal creative goals are.
DI = Direct Input. It's for a PA based amplification solution, which is getting more and more popular these days. It looks like a microphone plug as opposed to just a 1/4" TS instrument plug.
There are many out there, but just for example sake, google Radial JDI, MXR M81, Sansamp Bass Driver, Aguilar Tone Hammer. I'm not purposefully leaving any out, but am stopping here. There are lots and lots more. These are to give you a few that were literally off the top of my head in the spirit of a quick representative cross section of what's out there.
D
Deleted member 165050
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It's Direct Inject and having a DI box designed specifically for bass is great for going straight to the PA. Most amps have this facility though so if you're always going to use backline maybe not a necessity.
None are "necessary", some are more common than others.
FWIW, my order of preference as to how I use 'em is: compressor/limiter, OD, distortion and/or fuzz, then mebbe a chorus, some kind of pitch and/or envelope filter, flanger or phaser, then mebbe delay or reverb or trem/vibe, finally looper (as in loop the riff).
In pedal form but arguably more of a utility class, would be a DI, tuner, looper (as FX loop), buffer ...
EQ and pass-filters can be an effect or a utility, or both (I s'pose comp/imiters, also).
There's other overlap (both in "class", but also, a chorus can sometimes be a vibe and vice-versa, an OD can become a distortion or fuzz, etc), and there will definitely be disputes, so YMMV!
FWIW, my order of preference as to how I use 'em is: compressor/limiter, OD, distortion and/or fuzz, then mebbe a chorus, some kind of pitch and/or envelope filter, flanger or phaser, then mebbe delay or reverb or trem/vibe, finally looper (as in loop the riff).
In pedal form but arguably more of a utility class, would be a DI, tuner, looper (as FX loop), buffer ...
EQ and pass-filters can be an effect or a utility, or both (I s'pose comp/imiters, also).
There's other overlap (both in "class", but also, a chorus can sometimes be a vibe and vice-versa, an OD can become a distortion or fuzz, etc), and there will definitely be disputes, so YMMV!
It depends on what you want.
Remembering that bass can be a very "plug-and-play" instrument. If you take an electric guitar sound with no effects as example, it has limited uses, while a clean tone is wanted by many bass players.
People here are suggesting tuners and DI, observe that none of these pedals change tone, they are all about avoiding headaches than a necessity to sound good. Even compressors could fit into this "avoid headaches" situations.
That said, the basics of bass pedals are VERY basic and the sky is the limit on the complex side of pedals (google "Jon Stockman pedalboard" to see a complex pedalboard).
Remembering that bass can be a very "plug-and-play" instrument. If you take an electric guitar sound with no effects as example, it has limited uses, while a clean tone is wanted by many bass players.
People here are suggesting tuners and DI, observe that none of these pedals change tone, they are all about avoiding headaches than a necessity to sound good. Even compressors could fit into this "avoid headaches" situations.
That said, the basics of bass pedals are VERY basic and the sky is the limit on the complex side of pedals (google "Jon Stockman pedalboard" to see a complex pedalboard).
If I could go back in time to when I first started bass I would give myself a fuzz or overdrive.
If I were you, I’d get the new Electro-Harmonix Nano Battalion overdrive and the Electro Harmonix Bass Clone chorus. Add in a cheap tuner for 20 bucks and you have a great board for under $200.
If I were you, I’d get the new Electro-Harmonix Nano Battalion overdrive and the Electro Harmonix Bass Clone chorus. Add in a cheap tuner for 20 bucks and you have a great board for under $200.
