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Who runs Bass -> Cable -> Amp ... no effects?

IME, intermittently or not al all. I've heard many wireless units inject their own snap, crackle or pop--or someone else's radio transmission--into the signal chain.

Bluesy Soul :cool:


Good wireless units don't have those problems - X2, original X-wire, Sennheiser e172, and Shure SLX14 are all good units that don't incur the problems you listed... When it comes to wireless, going cheap is worse than using a cable, IMO...



- georgestrings
 
Over the many years I've been playing, I've tried distortions, choruses, auto-wahs, compressor-limiters, etc, etc...

Other than for the "protective" properties of compression-limiting, I decided long, long ago that in a live setting, it really can't be "appreciated". Not by me, and certainly not by your average, everyday audience member.

In the studio, well that's another matter...
 
Can't remember if I answered this...I sort of used to do that, although I used a wireless most of the time. But a couple years ago I added a compressor, and I just got a VT pedal, so that got me way interested in other effects so I just bought a Zoom B2.
 
I went bass---> for quite a few years, until I realized that the sound I was looking for and hearing on other recordings involved something more.

Once I realized I was hearing compression/chorus/OD....it was all over. I'm probably not what I consider an 'effects junkie,' I find a small amount really does go a long way. That said, I personally would find it very difficult to go back to using nothing at all.
 
I used to go pedal-less and loved it until I got a TC Electronic Chorus pedal. It's made me realize that with pedals you often get what you pay for, so I've explored a little more. Not all good pedals are expensive, but I haven't found one cheaper than the TC unit that I think sounds half as good. At this time I usually use only it and the effect is turned down so much you can't tell it's even on but you can hear when it's turned off.

That is where I am coming from too...being subtle with effects generally works best, IMHO.
 
Most of my life it has been Bass> Cable> Amp but lately I have added an EHX Small Clone when I play my Fretless, it's really a neat effect but I prefer using no effects at all when playing Fretted.

George
 
I found this thread looking for something else and felt like commenting on this:

Maybe bass guitarists rely on FX, but bassists go straight wire with gain.

You heard it here first, the following are bass guitarists and not bassists (whatever the hell that actually means): Bootsy Collins, Chris Squire, Larry Graham, Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Phil Lynott, Victor Wooten, Juan Alderete, Tony Levin, Pino Palladino, Flea, Roger Waters, Les Claypool, Anthony Jackson, Justin Chancellor, Tim Commerford, Jared Followill, Geezer Butler, etc.

It doesn't bother me if other bassists don't like or have no use for effects in their music. But I can't help but laugh when people attempt to discern what "real bassists" or "real musicians" do or don't do. It's the same mentality I see in a lot of ERB threads.

Also, the tone sucking aspect of it is funny to me as well. As a failsafe I used to run a custom splitter so that I could bypass my pedalboard and go straight to my amp if there was an issue with my effects. So I've A/B'd the tone. If there was a difference, my bandmates and I couldn't tell and I guarantee that at gig volumes nobody would notice.

So, if I've got virtually the same tone as without effects but a lot more sonic tools to utilize when I do use them I can't see the downside. After all, even with a pedalboard as large as mine, other than my compressor, I'd say the rest of them are off 2/3rds of the time.

And with all the traditional practice time that I put in, it is fun to be able to plug in my pedalboard and make sounds like [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] with my bass. Again, if the tools you need for the music you want to make are a P-Bass straight into and Ampeg, then cool. But I need a much larger palette for what I want to do.
 
A bit of an update here. In post #51 of this thread I stated that I rarely use a pedal. Maybe twice a year I pull out my Fulltone Bass-Drive. Even that has changed. My Bass-Drive and my old Boss Flanger from the early 1980's are now stowed away in their original boxes. When I get around to it they will be put up for sale somewhere. The sound of a minimal signal chain is addicting, and I confess to being hopelessly hooked. So there! :p:)

M. M.
 
You heard it here first, the following are bass guitarists and not bassists (whatever the hell that actually means): Bootsy Collins, Chris Squire, Larry Graham, Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Phil Lynott, Victor Wooten, Juan Alderete, Tony Levin, Pino Palladino, Flea, Roger Waters, Les Claypool, Anthony Jackson, Justin Chancellor, Tim Commerford, Jared Followill, Geezer Butler, etc.

It doesn't bother me if other bassists don't like or have no use for effects in their music. But I can't help but laugh when people attempt to discern what "real bassists" or "real musicians" do or don't do. It's the same mentality I see in a lot of ERB threads.
Yeah, I know, random posters on the internet can be irritating. But who cares? Just do what you think you need to do and don't worry about others. Me, I'm enjoying the heck out of effects! I'm even working them into the Bowzer show, where you'd think only clean sounds would be the order of the day. One of the great things about Bowzer not letting me turn up loud is that I can get away with pretty much anything else ;)
 
Laklands-->wireless or Moster bass cable-->compressor-->splitter: 1)clean signal to Carvin B800 w/ Berg NV215, 2) effected signal (dist, Micro-POG, etc) to 2nd Carvin B800 w/ Dr Bass 2460D.

I have a tuner running out of the tuner-out on my splitter so it's not in the chain.

I NEVER used any pedals 'til last year (19 years of playing) because of the drawbacks. Now, almost every pedal I own is true bypass and superior quality (compared to my early days). I just got my 2 rig setup going (today actually) after pondering it for years. It's the best compromise when it comes to the "pedals/no pedals" dilema. Now, I can run the wackiest sounding effects and still have a rig pushing the fundamental unaffected notes, it's pure sonic bliss!

Also, unless you're recording, who cares if your tone is slightly compromised by some pedals? In a live performance, noone will hear a little hiss or the subtle difference a wireless unit makes (?I can't hear a difference?). In the end, it's whatever floats your boat. I've seen some snobbery from the "no pedal" crowd. That stuff's silly, play how you want. :)
 
I keep telling myself that NEXT PRACTICE, I'm going no-effects, but I just can't seem to do it. I'm a compression junkie - I can't help myself. And once the compressor's in-line, well, you know, I need some distortion for a lot of our covers... And distortion sounds so good with a touch of chorus.... And man, when that octave pedal kicks on... And I NEED the EQ pedal just for a brief tone pop during my solos...

...Maybe NEXT practice...
 
Used to use chorus, flange etc back in the weird old days but I learned that unless you buy top-quality, expensive units the tone will kind of suck, so, meh.
Nowadays I run a DBX compressor most of the time, at, like, 3:1, just to fatten it up a little. Rarely I'll bust out an octaver for some Stevie Wonder style funk. I might try a cry-baby someday, always thought that would be cool for funky slap solos.
But i generally feel that I have plenty enough to do without also worrying about which pedal to press, but hey, use what you like, as long as it doesn't get you fired!
 

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