Worship Bass Pedalboards

[cfraz]

I've tried a lot of configurations and a lot of preamps and I keep coming back to the BDDI v2. Yes, it has that scoop at 750/800hz, Treble is at 3.2khz (basically high mids), Presence is at 4.5/5khz, and it's boost only. The fact that I can switch the bass to 80hz (to make room for the kick drum) and the mids to 1khz (to accentuate that scoop at 800hz with another little scoop to make room for guitars and vocals or other instruments) is a deciding factor for me. Plus the harmonic saturation and that roll off at 35hz and 6khz are again crucial, because I can make the bass mix ready. With all these features it is present on more platinum recordings than all other bass preamps combined. From Pino Palladino, Tony Levin and Mike Porcaro, to Rex Brown, Sam Rivers and Fieldy, this SansAmp has been present on recordings and live, it has dominated the bass world for 3 decades.

Many people also talk about compressors or preamps that they want transparency, but I realized something, transparency is the enemy of music. Transparency does not put bass in the mix, transparency does not cut frequencies that clash with other instruments.

Initially I was a fan of Empress, for example, which is not exactly transparent, but I returned to Cali76 which makes a roll off in the lows and highs, pushes and harmonically saturates the mids and through that it sounds in the mix. Many people associate transparency with studio tools and that's totally wrong, effects and studio tools are there for personality, not for transparency. Urei 1176, LA-2A, Distressor with Dist2 and Dist 3 (even and odd harmonics, i.e. tube and tape) are not transparent. Neither are Neve 5088 or 8068 consoles. Without even or odd harmonic distortions the sound has no life.

That's my opinion, that's why I'm not looking for transparency anymore, but for effects/pedals that put my bass in the mix without much effort on my part, in other words, effects that work for me in the mix, necessarily in the mix. What sounds great solo, usually doesn't work in the mix. The problem is people judge the BDDI (v1 and v2) as a preamp, when they should judge it as a 'mix-in-a-box'. There's a reason this pedal is on more platinum records than all other bass preamps combined.

Transparency is for Mastering, Character is for Tracking. The quest for a "transparent" preamp or compressor (like the Empress) often ignores how records are actually made. Studio icons like the 1176 (Cali76), LA-2A, or Neve consoles are famous specifically because they color the sound. They add harmonic saturation and "weight" that give an instrument life.

View attachment 7484547

How many pedals that cut lows and highs and scoop mids and add harmonic content do you need to use to get the tone you're looking for? It looks like use at least several all at the same time.

 

[wolffire99]

The Lightspeed arrived yesterday. Going to try to do a quick comparison video with the 385 and maybe the tone hammer.

 

[bignc]

The Lightspeed arrived yesterday. Going to try to do a quick comparison video with the 385 and maybe the tone hammer.

I "forewent" the Greer in favor of the 385 since I love the dual stage option. I would hate to find out that I was missing the most awesome thing ever but oh well. Lol

 

[rcmbass]

I "forewent" the Greer in favor of the 385 since I love the dual stage option. I would hate to find out that I was missing the most awesome thing ever but oh well. Lol

I received my 385 as well. I like it probably as much as you do. Have not used it live yet.

 

[rcmbass]

I did a compressor shootout here.

Post in thread 'Walrus Audio Highpoint Compressor'
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/walrus-audio-highpoint-compressor.1686087/page-3#post-29582722

 

[wolffire99]

I "forewent" the Greer in favor of the 385 since I love the dual stage option. I would hate to find out that I was missing the most awesome thing ever but oh well. Lol

I think you're good. Two very different pedals for sure. 385 is grittier and does low gain to fuzz. They would be great stacked.

 

[wolffire99]

First off, the Lightspeed is freaking amazing, but definitely more of an always on low gain drive. I don't really hear much breakup until I get passed noon and overall it still just sounds like my bass in the mix but with some compression and bite. I think the audience will not be able to hear "drive" with it. The 385 on the other hand is gritty and can be heard through the mix much more. Also the Lightspeed passed 2 o'clock on the drive has too much high frequency breakup for me and gets a bit static-y, like the DCX does, where as the 385 has more high mid breakup and sounds better as a higher gain drive, like the tone hammer. I hope all this rambling makes sense. Your ears are probably better than mine and I refer you the below demos.

Both demos have the bass with and without backing track. P Bass with the tone at 50%.

Here's the 385 mkii with drive at 10 o'clock, eq flat.



Here's the Lightspeed with drive at 1 o'clock and eq flat

 

[rcmbass]

First off, the Lightspeed is freaking amazing, but definitely more of an always on low gain drive. I don't really hear much breakup until I get passed noon and overall it still just sounds like my bass in the mix but with some compression and bite. I think the audience will not be able to hear "drive" with it. The 385 on the other hand is gritty and can be heard through the mix much more. Also the Lightspeed passed 2 o'clock on the drive has too much high frequency breakup for me and gets a bit static-y, like the DCX does, where as the 385 has more high mid breakup and sounds better as a higher gain drive, like the tone hammer. I hope all this rambling makes sense. Your ears are probably better than mine and I refer you the below demos.

Both demos have the bass with and without backing track. P Bass with the tone at 50%.

Here's the 385 mkii with drive at 10 o'clock, eq flat.



Here's the Lightspeed with drive at 1 o'clock and eq flat

Both sound great. Are you saying Lightspeed for the win?

 

[wolffire99]

Both sound great. Are you saying Lightspeed for the win?

For this specific song yes, it fits better. If I had done a big build song like The Blood then the 385 would be better for that. Also I can get a microsynth-y type of sound with the second stage of the 385 and a sub octave but can't with the Lightspeed. Who knows maybe I'll figure out how to get both on there. It's tough. So impressed with the Lightspeed though.

 

[hayabusa]

Both sound great! The Lightspeed sounds so smooth though. I ordered one last week after trying so many overdrives, but it will take a few weeks to get to me. I am excited to see how it stacks with my other dirt pedals.

 

[Rocksolid]

I recently picked up a clone of the EQD Life V2 Pedal from a local electronics boffin that was offloading pedals he'd built from circuits published online. Certainly feels/sounds like it would work well for that big worship lift.
Has anyone got it/using it? They were a very limited build, but very cool i think.

 

[bignc]

I think you're good. Two very different pedals for sure. 385 is grittier and does low gain to fuzz. They would be great stacked.

Nooooooooooo! Lol

My lb-100 with Chrome flats has tons of harmonics and width- so plenty full without a base layer of grit. Honestly, without tone zeroed, clean doesn't sound fully clean. So 2 gains are plenty. But I do like the 385 pushing the "tube" channel on my Laney Digbeth Pre . Haven't tried it with the Super 300 yet or into my Steddi go. Sounds great in my Bq-500/ Revsound 110 though…. And very nice into the clean side of my notadumble.

 

[wolffire99]

Both sound great! The Lightspeed sounds so smooth though. I ordered one last week after trying so many overdrives, but it will take a few weeks to get to me. I am excited to see how it stacks with my other dirt pedals.

It is smooth, exactly the right description.

 

[5stringwonder]

Crowd sourcing ideas. So i've had my Tonehammer for a long time (like 15 years maybe) and it's starting to get noisy. What's a good option for a replacement preamp/DI pedal that is similar.

 

[rcmbass]

For this specific song yes, it fits better. If I had done a big build song like The Blood then the 385 would be better for that. Also I can get a microsynth-y type of sound with the second stage of the 385 and a sub octave but can't with the Lightspeed. Who knows maybe I'll figure out how to get both on there. It's tough. So impressed with the Lightspeed though.

When you say second stage, the B pedal with more gain or with the fuzz engaged?

 

[projectapollo]

Served at student ministries today, always fun. A few pics attached:
- Keeping the load-in simple.
- Simple pedal board. Sound very good.
- Experimenting and learning compression instead of overdrive to help the bass cut through on driving sections.
- Played my Tim Marks bass, a Lakland Glaub.
- Got a new set of IEMs from Plunge, the more affordable Unity Dynamics. I like them better than my expensive molded IEMS?

 

[JoeDoe]

Served at student ministries today, always fun. A few pics attached:
- Keeping the load-in simple.
- Simple pedal board. Sound very good.
- Experimenting and learning compression. This Boss BC-1X is pretty cool.
- Played my Tim Marks bass, a Lakland Glaub.
- Got a new set of IEMs from Plunge. Reasonable priced and I like them better than my expensive molded IEMS?

Which model did you take the Plunge with?

 

[wolffire99]

When you say second stage, the B pedal with more gain or with the fuzz engaged?

The B side with gain at 2 o'clock

 

[projectapollo]

Which model did you take the Plunge with?

The more affordable Unity Dynamic model. They seem to offer returns, but I never had a thought about returning them.

 

[erayser]

Served at student ministries today, always fun. A few pics attached:
- Keeping the load-in simple.
- Simple pedal board. Sound very good.

Served at my home church today...
- Doesn't look simple.
- However, it's simpler than my normal weekly setup.

I was testing this new setup to see how long it would take to setup, for when I bring my Moog Messenger. It was fast since my X32 has cables made to connect to wireless system rack fast and easy. Once I connect that, I just cables from my pedalboard and bassboard to the my wireless system rack, and outputs to the FOH stage box. If I brought my Moog Messenger, I would just connect the input to the bottom rack. into the 8 channel Di. The messenger is powered by the CIOCKS pedalboard power supply.

I created a scene on the X32 rack to output for my bass, messenger, and drums into my bassboard.

For visual, here is how I set up rack at home... just exclude the 2 middle racks (stage box and wifi/network multitracks playback interface). So just look at the top and bottom racks... which is how the cables are connected on stage.

Also decided to get a P16-HQ Powerplay for IEM's since our drummer has been using one. We'll just daisy chain our P16's together with a CAT5.. It just sounds so much better than the mixbus outputs since we can EQ and Pan each channel.