Worship Bass Pedalboards

[tedsalt]

What arrangement of Jesus Freak did you do? The lounge version?

Could have been . It's more of an acoustic arrangement done by our music director, altho they managed to sneak some electric in there also ...

 

[dmc79]

So after getting a Nano board, One Spot & daisy chain not long ago I'm finding that it's probably still more than I actually need. My board is TU-3 - EBS Multidrive - Boss CE-5 Chorus - MXR M81 straight to the desk through XLR. I'm finding it somewhat pointless having the chorus as it's barely noticeable, and the CE-5 is not subtle from what I've read, I can just barely tell when it's on.

I'm thinking of getting a Pedaltrain 3 pedal booster and only going with tuner & preamp and then really focusing on getting a great drive to go inbetween. Our guitar player has the delay / reverb / chorus etc modulation stuff covered so I feel that keeping it basic is what is needed. Bearing in mind I won't be stacking, what would be a great pedal to have as a stand alone drive to just add some grit as needed? Remember I'm ampless, straight to the desk, does that make a lot of difference in choosing an overdrive pedal? (We get our sound via JBL powered speakers & a sub). I'm not crazy about cab sim / baked in sound type stuff so ruling out Sansamp etc, just want a pretty much transparent drive ideally with a blend. Perhaps something that can be used as a simple clean boost too. Just trialling the EBS Multidrive now but it has no blend and seems to darken things up a little too much for me. Any thoughts? These are the drives I seem to always have GAS for :

Way Huge Pork Loin
Darkglass VMT
Xotic BB Preamp
Boss BB-1X
TC Spark

I've tried the EHX Bass Soul Food but perhaps didn't give it enough of a chance, also the TC Mojo Mojo but it wasn't really what I was after. Also the Boss ODB-3 which I've had twice and definitely will NOT buy again!

Thanks for your input

 

[jacoby75]

So after getting a Nano board, One Spot & daisy chain not long ago I'm finding that it's probably still more than I actually need. My board is TU-3 - EBS Multidrive - Boss CE-5 Chorus - MXR M81 straight to the desk through XLR. I'm finding it somewhat pointless having the chorus as it's barely noticeable, and the CE-5 is not subtle from what I've read, I can just barely tell when it's on.

I'm thinking of getting a Pedaltrain 3 pedal booster and only going with tuner & preamp and then really focusing on getting a great drive to go inbetween. Our guitar player has the delay / reverb / chorus etc modulation stuff covered so I feel that keeping it basic is what is needed. Bearing in mind I won't be stacking, what would be a great pedal to have as a stand alone drive to just add some grit as needed? Remember I'm ampless, straight to the desk, does that make a lot of difference in choosing an overdrive pedal? (We get our sound via JBL powered speakers & a sub). I'm not crazy about cab sim / baked in sound type stuff so ruling out Sansamp etc, just want a pretty much transparent drive ideally with a blend. Perhaps something that can be used as a simple clean boost too. Just trialling the EBS Multidrive now but it has no blend and seems to darken things up a little too much for me. Any thoughts? These are the drives I seem to always have GAS for :

Way Huge Pork Loin
Darkglass VMT
Xotic BB Preamp
Boss BB-1X
TC Spark

I've tried the EHX Bass Soul Food but perhaps didn't give it enough of a chance, also the TC Mojo Mojo but it wasn't really what I was after. Also the Boss ODB-3 which I've had twice and definitely will NOT buy again!

Thanks for your input

The longstanding issue I've had with my direct-to-board pedalboard with overdrives is the drives sounding harsh, fizzy, or buzzy. You definitely, definitely want something with a clean blend like the VMT, which I have and like. Or plan on getting a Boss LS-2 or some other blender to blend in some clean channel with your drive. You'll also want something like a Tech 21 VT Bass with a speaker sim, or Digitech Cab DryVR (both of which I have and use) or some other speaker sim pedal to make the drive sound more realistic. A lot of it boils down to personal preference.

I use a VMT into a Tech 21 VT Bass, into the CabDryVR (because I like the speaker sim better than that of the VT Bass), into the direct box - with other pedals inbetween - but the drive tone sounds great. I also recently discovered an Aguilar Agro pedal, which when you turn the presence knob down it acts much like a speaker sim and makes the drive sound more organic through the other cab sims. I also like the aguilar a lot because it sounds as if it has a blend built in, or perhaps the drive only effects the higher frequencies, because I'm still hearing my clean tone underneath. At least I think I am.

Your results may vary, and I'm sure you'll get plenty of feedback regarding drives to use. Just search for "best overdrive for light grit" or something like that in the forums and you'll get 1,000+ options.

 

[Rayjay]

So re-post of the board for reference. Anyone know anything about buffers? Sometimes I feel like I'm playing through an amp thats set on low gain, below the "sweet spot." We don't use amps, we have a silent stage and IEMs of course. I'm told this is what a buffering issue sounds like? Most of my pedals, expect the tuner and the octave and Meatbox, are always on. I think all my current pedals are true bypass but not sure if they are have a buffered bypass or what that even means per se. Thoughts? I am a total idiot on the subject so feel free to mansplain.

 

[SteveC]

You've got a lot of nice stuff there. I have to think you shouldn't have many issues.

I pulled my tuner, Rolls IEM box and JDI off my big board and put them on my Nano+ waiting for Daves OmniCabSim pedal to see if I can get a more "using an amp" sound in my IEM sand FOH sound.

Regardless of that result I may ditch all my pedals (save the tuner) for a while. I did't use anything today at church or last night for my cover band gig and I think my bass sounded a good as I've heard.

 

[Rayjay]

Very curious about the cab sim. @ExaltBass Dave

 

[TrevorR]

So re-post of the board for reference. Anyone know anything about buffers? Sometimes I feel like I'm playing through an amp thats set on low gain, below the "sweet spot." We don't use amps, we have a silent stage and IEMs of course. I'm told this is what a buffering issue sounds like? Most of my pedals, expect the tuner and the octave and Meatbox, are always on. I think all my current pedals are true bypass but not sure if they are have a buffered bypass or what that even means per se. Thoughts? I am a total idiot on the subject so feel free to mansplain.
View attachment 2912048

How do you attach to the PA? Do you use the balanced XLR out from the Noble? Is this issue in all situations or just a few?

As my amateur understanding has it, buffering problems are usually related to very long high impedance cable runs where treble is progressively lost. So if you have a really long cable between your bass and pedals or amp you can have these problems. And by long I mean dozens of metres, not your standard 6m instrument cable. So, if you're running a standard jack cable to the desk then maybe. If it's the Noble XLR out feeding the desk or you go straight into another DI box it will be a low impedance signal on the long cable run so buffering problems are unlikely.

A few other thoughts... I don't know the Noble but the output level looks quite low. Would increasing it a bit liven up your sound? Is your sound too thin? Another side effects of the "input gain on an amp too low" description... how much bass is the Noble rolling off? Is the always on Microtubes set to unity gain? That is, are the level and drive balanced so that it outputs the same level when on and off? Maybe it's sending too low a signal to the Noble? How does turning the Microtubes off/removing it affect your problem (not the bass tone but the feeling of liveness)? Maybe one of your other pedals is just a tone sucker whether on or off (try taking each one out of the signal chain one at a time). Maybe get a small loop pedal and stick the sometimes on pedals in that to reduce what's between your tuner out and Meatbox in... what's the input level at the desk? Are they giving enough gain into the signal? If it's an IEM issue what are the tone settings on the IEM signal chain? Maybe you would enjoy a speaker sim DI better than the Noble... do you feel the same issue is present going from bass to bog standard DI to desk? Perhaps try borrow a Sansamp VTDI or something...

Lots of more likely options to explore before wondering about buffer problems. If you don't find a solution elsewhere... You could always borrow a Boss tuner and swap that with the other tuner. Boss pedals always used to be buffered and so that would be an easy check on the buffering issue.

Hope a bit of random troubleshooting helps...

 

[TrevorR]

PS one of reasons I like my VTDI and use it as my main DI is the fact that it has a nice speaker sim. For me it does subtly liven up the sound of the bass...

 

[kevk]

So re-post of the board for reference. Anyone know anything about buffers? Sometimes I feel like I'm playing through an amp thats set on low gain, below the "sweet spot." We don't use amps, we have a silent stage and IEMs of course. I'm told this is what a buffering issue sounds like? Most of my pedals, expect the tuner and the octave and Meatbox, are always on. I think all my current pedals are true bypass but not sure if they are have a buffered bypass or what that even means per se. Thoughts? I am a total idiot on the subject so feel free to mansplain.
View attachment 2912048

I've been researching this topic myself...here's an article I came across that's been helpful...

Invalid Link Removed

 

[ExaltBass]

So re-post of the board for reference. Anyone know anything about buffers? Sometimes I feel like I'm playing through an amp thats set on low gain, below the "sweet spot." We don't use amps, we have a silent stage and IEMs of course. I'm told this is what a buffering issue sounds like? Most of my pedals, expect the tuner and the octave and Meatbox, are always on. I think all my current pedals are true bypass but not sure if they are have a buffered bypass or what that even means per se. Thoughts? I am a total idiot on the subject so feel free to mansplain.
View attachment 2912048

You've got a lot of nice stuff there. I have to think you shouldn't have many issues.

How do you attach to the PA? Do you use the balanced XLR out from the Noble? Is this issue in all situations or just a few?

As my amateur understanding has it, buffering problems are usually related to very long high impedance cable runs where treble is progressively lost. So if you have a really long cable between your bass and pedals or amp you can have these problems. And by long I mean dozens of metres, not your standard 6m instrument cable. So, if you're running a standard jack cable to the desk then maybe. If it's the Noble XLR out feeding the desk or you go straight into another DI box it will be a low impedance signal on the long cable run so buffering problems are unlikely.

A few other thoughts... I don't know the Noble but the output level looks quite low. Would increasing it a bit liven up your sound? Is your sound too thin? Another side effects of the "input gain on an amp too low" description... how much bass is the Noble rolling off? Is the always on Microtubes set to unity gain? That is, are the level and drive balanced so that it outputs the same level when on and off? Maybe it's sending too low a signal to the Noble? How does turning the Microtubes off/removing it affect your problem (not the bass tone but the feeling of liveness)? Maybe one of your other pedals is just a tone sucker whether on or off (try taking each one out of the signal chain one at a time). Maybe get a small loop pedal and stick the sometimes on pedals in that to reduce what's between your tuner out and Meatbox in... what's the input level at the desk? Are they giving enough gain into the signal? If it's an IEM issue what are the tone settings on the IEM signal chain? Maybe you would enjoy a speaker sim DI better than the Noble... do you feel the same issue is present going from bass to bog standard DI to desk? Perhaps try borrow a Sansamp VTDI or something...

Lots of more likely options to explore before wondering about buffer problems. If you don't find a solution elsewhere... You could always borrow a Boss tuner and swap that with the other tuner. Boss pedals always used to be buffered and so that would be an easy check on the buffering issue.

Hope a bit of random troubleshooting helps...

@TrevorR, The Output control is for unbalanced output, and @Rayjay goes direct to FOH through a balanced (XLR) output. He has EBS patch cables on the pedalboard, and I made his others, so no problem there. To me it 'sounds' like perhaps the gain structure isn't set properly on the main FOH mixer, IEM mixer (or the Cali?).

 

[ExaltBass]

Very curious about the cab sim. @ExaltBass Dave

(Of course) there is a thread: NPD DSM Noisemaker OmniCabSim

PM/text/call me with specific questions.

 

[jacoby75]

PS one of reasons I like my VTDI and use it as my main DI is the fact that it has a nice speaker sim. For me it does subtly liven up the sound of the bass...

For me, the VTDI is perfect when I'm running a clean tone. I could get by with that and a tuner and call it good. Maybe a compressor. But the speaker sim wasn't cutting it for me with drive tones, which is why I got another speaker sim.

 

[tedsalt]

fyi - if anyone's interested, I'm putting my SolidgoldFX Beta DLX up for sale on tb. Trying to put together funds to replace my Markbass pedals for an all 9v board ...

It is in like new condition. I did use it at church this last week, and it sounds great. I may end up picking up another one someday, but for now, all 9v board is my goal ...

 

[TrevorR]

@TrevorR, The Output control is for unbalanced output, and @Rayjay goes direct to FOH through a balanced (XLR) output. He has EBS patch cables on the pedalboard, and I made his others, so no problem there. To me it 'sounds' like perhaps the gain structure isn't set properly on the main FOH mixer, IEM mixer (or the Cali?).

That sounds like a good call to me.

 

[TrevorR]

For me, the VTDI is perfect when I'm running a clean tone. I could get by with that and a tuner and call it good. Maybe a compressor. But the speaker sim wasn't cutting it for me with drive tones, which is why I got another speaker sim.

Yeah, my VTDI is exclusively in low gain B-15 mode. Don't really use much drive at all (and even then mostly v low gain OD to fatten up and synthify my Wah pedal a bit! So not an issue in my case.

 

[arca_tern]

fyi - if anyone's interested, I'm putting my SolidgoldFX Beta DLX up for sale on tb. Trying to put together funds to replace my Markbass pedals for an all 9v board ...

It is in like new condition. I did use it at church this last week, and it sounds great. I may end up picking up another one someday, but for now, all 9v board is my goal ...

Is the beta not 9v?

 

[tedsalt]

Is the beta not 9v?

The beta is 9v, but at this point it's expendable, although I do like it alot. Our sound guy liked it too.

At this point I'm keeping the VMT, hoping the beta will sell, then selling my 12v Markbass Compressore and probably picking up a Super Symmetry, which I have heard performs similarly to the Compressore, but on 9v.

I may be able to adjust the VMT drive, or "push" the VMT with a Baja Mos boost I have, to get an OD similar to the beta.

That's my thinking anyhow.

The Compressore has been one of my favorite always on pedals, except for the 12v issue.

 

[TrevorR]

Unity gain/level on pedals with gain and output controls. Just wondered whether this is something you guys bothered about. I've always been very particular about setting the output from the pedal to be (as far as it appears to the ear) to be equal whether or not the pedal is on or off. Or, where the pedal is being used as a level boost, to that precise level of boost.

I'm always amazed how many people I hear or play with where there output and perceived volume jumps all over the place as they switch in and out different pedals. Then they get all perplexed and tetchy that their monitor mix has changed and their instrument is now too loud or quiet. And to be fair, it's ususlly guitarists- two of our WT electric players are just like this.

Just wondered on your take on this.

 

[SteveC]

Unity gain/level on pedals with gain and output controls. Just wondered whether this is something you guys bothered about. I've always been very particular about setting the output from the pedal to be (as far as it appears to the ear) to be equal whether or not the pedal is on or off. Or, where the pedal is being used as a level boost, to that precise level of boost.

I'm always amazed how many people I hear or play with where there output and perceived volume jumps all over the place as they switch in and out different pedals. Then they get all perplexed and tetchy that their monitor mix has changed and their instrument is now too loud or quiet. And to be fair, it's ususlly guitarists- two of our WT electric players are just like this.

Just wondered on your take on this.

I want the ability to control the volume. My pedals (that I am about to dump) all have that ability. I don't know how you could work live without that ability. Volume/mix would be all over the place.

 

[Dan Knowlton]

probably picking up a Super Symmetry, which I have heard performs similarly to the Compressore, but on 9v.

I tried the Compressore (and Keeley, Trace, 3Leaf, Aguilar, Diamond, EBS and MXR Studio Comp) and the Super Symmetry was my favorite by FAR. The Origen Cali was nice too, but I was not looking for as "tubey" of a sound. I think you will be happier with the Darkglass.

Dan