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What Pedals should I Get

May 29, 2014
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I'm Currently using the boss me-50 pedal for all my stuff effectwise. I've been looking to move to separate pedals instead of the multi. I was wondering what are some good combo drive/boost drive/compression pedals that are good. Even unique in a way. Also any delays? (Yes, I tend to use delay when our guitarist isn't there to do leads). I tend to lean towards the indie side of things too, but love to play anything really
 
It's just a compressor, but the MXR M87 Bass Compressor is the best compressor I've ever used. (I've only used 2 plus the ones in the ME50B).

It's ten LEDs let you know how much compression is on and the 5 knobs offer a wide array of options,from soft comp to hard limiting.
 
MXR Carbon Copy is quite good for a delay. There are a ton of good OD and comp pedals...I'm not real up on what's good for comps, but I've always come back to the Tech 21 VT for overdrive. Certainly not the only one out there, but I really like what it does. I had a short spell where I wasn't digging it, then I pulled it out after a while and totally remembered why I dig it.
 
Some things the Zoom multis do really well. things like delay, chorus and verb they are great. The dirt, EQ, compressors and octaves aren't so great. Some are "Ok", but not in the "great" zone. So my advice is to shift your multi to the end of your chain and use if for what it's good for. Then pop a nice analogue EQ and a good compressor in your chain at the beginning and then a cool octaver followed by a good Overdrive and then a Bass fuzz. So 4 pedals and your zoomster on the end.
The MXR pedals are always a good bet. Small, easy to power and generally very good. they are available from just about every where so there's never any supply issues.
These would be my recommendations:
MXR Bass pre-amp : as good as it gets
EBS Multi Comp : a 2 knob compressor which is great and a no brainer
MXR Bass Octave Deluxe : there's a lot of choice out there, but this one I like a lot
Joyo American Dream : my goto overdrive...it's amazing and cheap as chips
MXR El Grande fuzz or Way huge Swollen Pickle: both are great units and sound amazing.
Then I'd pop your Zoom MS 50b on the end of the chain with Delay, verbs and chorus patches dialled in.
 
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I am less of a fan of MXR than others here. I think they made the best phaser circuit ever, one of the best distortion circuits and a great comp (for guitar). The rest is a little meh.

So to your question:

Comp: either the Diamond, the markbass or if you want to get really fancy a FEA labs OPTI-Fet
Dirt: Darkglass VMT, Fairfield Barbershop, or if you want to get really fancy a Pete Cornish BD-1
Delay: no question the Moog MF-delay or if you want to get really fancy a Moog MF-104
 
I only kept two pedals: Ebs octaver and a dunlop Wha 105Q. Great combination. I tried several octavers, Boss, MXR. My fave is the EBS one: The octave sound really mixes perfectly with the dry one, and a very good tracking.
And for the wha, i dig the dunlop. Even if i've had to buy a true bypass wha system from G-lab to avoid a light tone sucking from it.
These two pedals work very well together.
 
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The Xotic RC Bass Booster is a really great clean boost and the BBE Boosta Grande is good too (and a lot cheaper). As for overdrive/distortion, there are pretty much too many to list, but a great place to start would be the Sansamp BDDI - great "tube" overdrive sounds and you can use it as a DI for recording/playing live/and as a preamp for a separate power amp. For compression I would go and check out the comp reviews at ovnilab.com - a fellow TB'er runs that site and has reviewed damn near every comp on the market. I've been going without a comp lately, but I miss it, so I'm getting a Markbass Compressore. It's one of the only pedal comps that uses a tube to do the actual compression instead of using a tube for post comp gain. As far as delay goes, I like digital delay for bass more than analog - I think analog delay on bass can sound dark and muddy. I really like my TC Nova Repeater - it has several delay modes and a separate switch for tap tempo. If you're gonna use delay on bass, I would definitely get something with tap tempo, so you're delays can stay on rhythm. I hope this helps - good luck.
 
...but I've always come back to the Tech 21 VT for overdrive. Certainly not the only one out there, but I really like what it does. I had a short spell where I wasn't digging it, then I pulled it out after a while and totally remembered why I dig it.

Yeah +1 on the T21 VT either as a pedal or rack mount.

And I'm going to take this opportunity to thank Jimmy as well. Before I got a TB membership, I lurked the boards for awhile, at the time I was putting together a new rig, and I read a lot of Jimmy's posts. So just gonna take this opportunity to say thanks Jimmy! I'd +1 all your posts, but I gotta pay the bills to pay the GAS!
 
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Yeah +1 on the T21 VT either as a pedal or rack mount.

And I'm going to take this opportunity to thank Jimmy as well. Before I got a TB membership, I lurked the boards for awhile, at the time I was putting together a new rig, and I read a lot of Jimmy's posts. So just gonna take this opportunity to say thanks Jimmy! I'd +1 all your posts, but I gotta pay the bills to pay the GAS!
Very nice of you to say, bro. Thank you very much!
 
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