I installed all my pedals this weekend. Pretty happy with the Empress so far. I honestly can't figure out what to do with the obd3 or the octaver. The rest I use.
Pleased the way it turned out.
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Worship Bass Pedalboards
- Thread starter Cshanks5
- Start date
I installed all my pedals this weekend. Pretty happy with the Empress so far. I honestly can't figure out what to do with the obd3 or the octaver. The rest I use.
Pleased the way it turned out.
The only reason I have it is I got it on a trade. I may sell it or trade it off.
I don't particularly like it.
Very nice board, simple and effective.
Did u try putting it after the octave in the chain ? Might change your opinion about it... Or not, pedals are such a personal taste. You're probably getting better from MXR's distortion anyway.
What type of music do you play ?
Thanks! It was an easy build.
I will try and move it around on the board to see what it sounds like in other places.
To be honest I don't use anything except the tuner, compressor and the MXR DI. I don't even use the distortion on the DI because I don't like it's sound.
I only play in church, worship music.
I never played worship music, so I have little else to suggest than a good envelope filter for funkier stuff, if it would add to the performance. I'd keep the octave though, especially if you get the filter. Other than that, I'll let other more knowladgeable compadres chime in.
Do many on here use the Alpha Omega Ultra for their pre-amp and overdrive at church?
None of it is very difficult. Most songs don't have more than 4 or 5 chords. Most are pretty easy to play.
We seem to modulate a lot.
Clapping and accapella abounds. At least at our fellowship. Lol.
I do want an envelope filter. I will get it eventually.
jacoby75
Supporting Member
- Mar 11, 2010
- 5,661
- 10,716
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Mike Lull Custom Guitars, DR Strings
I use minimal effects in worship, so take my opinion for what it's worth. But if you have an octaver, I'd say keep it. Always better to have it but not need it than the other way around. Granted, I think we can convince ourselves on this thread that we neeeed a lot of things we don't really neeeeeed. But most effects are just the icing on the cake (the "cake" in this analogy being a good, solid core bass tone). There was a post a long while back from a fella who uses an octaver to build in choruses (chori?), or add power to a particular point in a song, or to compensate for not having a 5-string. Personally, I have a TC sub 'n up, primarily because I wanted the "up" octave. It can make for a pretty cool effect if you run it before a light overdrive or distortion. It makes it sound like you've got a guitar doubling what you're doing. Or it can come in handy for running before a distortion and/or chorus or other modulation effect for creating synth-like tones. Which I admit I have yet to do in an actual live worship setting. But it's fun to mess with when I'm jamming on my own. And using the up with the sub 1 octave can add some real power to what you're playing. I have yet to find a use for the sub 2 octave with bass. It's just down into those lower registers that only whales can hear at that point.I never played worship music, so I have little else to suggest than a good envelope filter for funkier stuff, if it would add to the performance. I'd keep the octave though, especially if you get the filter. Other than that, I'll let other more knowladgeable compadres chime in.
And this is the reason that the HxStomp is so valuable. Its the size of 2-2.5 standard pedals and can almost replicate anything needed (including amp/cab sims, IRs, and can operate as a DI as well), especially for a worship scenario.
I don't usually use an envelope filter in worship, but I do own and LOVE my 3 Leaf Proton (the 4-knob version is the one I own and speak for). It's less extreme than my MXR and others I've tried. Very expensive (edit: EXPRESSIVE not expensive!). I particularly like the reverse sweep. Cross between Bootsy and Jerry Garcia.
I like to keep it simple, especially live and most especially in worship settings. For example the MXR has some good settings but it takes some tweaking, and I don't want the possibility of doing something wild and distracting by accident. The Proton is super user friendly and has a great tone (much more musical IMHO)
I like to keep it simple, especially live and most especially in worship settings. For example the MXR has some good settings but it takes some tweaking, and I don't want the possibility of doing something wild and distracting by accident. The Proton is super user friendly and has a great tone (much more musical IMHO)
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I've owned an OBD3 since the 90s. I don't currently use it much but it's nice, especially the blend function.
One of its secret weapons is to turn the drive off, and crank the bass and kill the treble EQ. Instant bass boost EQ. Can be used in conjunction with octave pedals (drive after the octave so it doesn't interfere with tracking).
It's my main preamp. Absolutely love it. Sound techs love it. It's incredible. I'll post a pic later of how I run it.
It's super harsh. There's a mod you can get to it that makes it a ton better..
Overdrive is fantastic in a worship setting but I haven't been able to get the odb3 to be the one to fit well either.
Lowe's and Home Depot have a variety of plastic bins. I place my homemade board in first, cover it with a towel then toss all my cables on top. I toss that and my cab on a hand truck so I'm in and out in one trip.
jacoby75
Supporting Member
- Mar 11, 2010
- 5,661
- 10,716
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Mike Lull Custom Guitars, DR Strings
I bought an old hard suitcase through craigslist and used that for a while. Or there is something like this:
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Well, I'm a third of the way through the thread and still reading, but I though I'd throw this up...
Bass —> Spectracomp —> Beta —> PQ-3B —> tuner —> DI —> house. Thru to amp if needed. Powered by a OneSpot and on a 1/8" thick wood board.
My main gig goes just through the house with monitors, doesn't really want much beyond a warm full signal. Really have no need for modulation or anything.
The comp is always on, just low enough to even out the peaks and not much else. Beta is generally on if I'm playing a P or J style, where the PQ-3B is used when I'm playing my L-1000/L-2000/Gibson EB. I got in the habit of leaving the tuner last on the chain when I played guitar and occasionally would pull a pedal out of the chain mid-set due to noise or battery-only issues or stuff like that.
Periodically I will guest at another church where I use a combo amp at stage volume in addition to going through the house. I can get away with turning up the gain on the Beta there.
I am thinking about moving the PQ-3B out for something else with an integrated DI. Anything from a M-81 to a VT Deluxe to a BK7. No reason other than to change it up and maybe cut the footprint down a little (on a new board). Just musing on it at this point, as I really have no complaints with the PQ-3B.
Bass —> Spectracomp —> Beta —> PQ-3B —> tuner —> DI —> house. Thru to amp if needed. Powered by a OneSpot and on a 1/8" thick wood board.
My main gig goes just through the house with monitors, doesn't really want much beyond a warm full signal. Really have no need for modulation or anything.
The comp is always on, just low enough to even out the peaks and not much else. Beta is generally on if I'm playing a P or J style, where the PQ-3B is used when I'm playing my L-1000/L-2000/Gibson EB. I got in the habit of leaving the tuner last on the chain when I played guitar and occasionally would pull a pedal out of the chain mid-set due to noise or battery-only issues or stuff like that.
Periodically I will guest at another church where I use a combo amp at stage volume in addition to going through the house. I can get away with turning up the gain on the Beta there.
I am thinking about moving the PQ-3B out for something else with an integrated DI. Anything from a M-81 to a VT Deluxe to a BK7. No reason other than to change it up and maybe cut the footprint down a little (on a new board). Just musing on it at this point, as I really have no complaints with the PQ-3B.
