Question Must-have Bass Effects/Pedals?

[AznKenshin]

I've played bass for a few years but I haven't ventured in to the "effects realm" of bass-playing.

Are there important effects or pedals that any bass player should have? What about compressors?

Specific recommendations based on past (or present!) experience would be helpful.


Thanks!

 

[stoneboy26]

Hey - I am a big FX junky. Honestly this probably isn't the best forum to ask the question (as it is an Ernie Ball forum), but I am sure there are people here like my self who use them and if Big Poppa or the mods have an issue we will find out soon enough.

IMO - there are no important FX for bass, just what works for the music you play. I have never used a compressor for any more than 5 mins in over 10 years of playing. I do however use plenty of OD and fuzz (currently 2 of each on my board - EBS Multidrive, VT Bass, HBE Hematoma and Way Huge Swollen Pickle). I find chorus to be really nice, expecially on things where there is a lot of space. I had the EHX Small Clone for years, but like the Visual Sound H2O and a few others I've played. And you gotta have a filter - I have a Q-Tron at the moment for my funky sounds, and a wah!!

But seriously, as far as I am concerned, anything goes. Try whatever you can get your hands on, as what works in my situation might not work in yours - although the VT Bass pedal would be a good start for any OD type sounds.

I am about to go rack with my fx (aside from my OD/fuzz pedals) and get a G-Major2 or G-Force

 

[mmbassplayer]

Im old fashioned... cord straight to my Markbass. Guess that is kinda rare for the sub-30 bass crowd these days. JOSH

 

[oli@bass]

Must have? None!




That said, I have lots of fun with overdrive, phaser, octaver and auto-wah

 

[Sting]

Must have? None.
Useful? Tuner.

I do on occasion use octave or chorus, but only once in a while for certain things.

 

[coastie72]

The tuner is it for me!

 

[Northray]

I've played bass for a few years but I haven't ventured in to the "effects realm" of bass-playing.

Are there important effects or pedals that any bass player should have? What about compressors?

Specific recommendations based on past (or present!) experience would be helpful.


Thanks!

I bought a number of effects, but I haven't found any that are essential for what I do (country and classic rock). I do like to fool around with flange and chorus, though, especially for 80's tunes...

 

[LuvMusic]

Hey - I am a big FX junky. Honestly this probably isn't the best forum to ask the question (as it is an Ernie Ball forum), but I am sure there are people here like my self who use them and if Big Poppa or the mods have an issue we will find out soon enough.

IMO - there are no important FX for bass, just what works for the music you play. I have never used a compressor for any more than 5 mins in over 10 years of playing. I do however use plenty of OD and fuzz (currently 2 of each on my board - EBS Multidrive, VT Bass, HBE Hematoma and Way Huge Swollen Pickle). I find chorus to be really nice, expecially on things where there is a lot of space. I had the EHX Small Clone for years, but like the Visual Sound H2O and a few others I've played. And you gotta have a filter - I have a Q-Tron at the moment for my funky sounds, and a wah!!

But seriously, as far as I am concerned, anything goes. Try whatever you can get your hands on, as what works in my situation might not work in yours - although the VT Bass pedal would be a good start for any OD type sounds.

I am about to go rack with my fx (aside from my OD/fuzz pedals) and get a G-Major2 or G-Force

+1 on this advice....depends on what you're tryig to do with your sound. If you want to read up I suggest TalkBass.com. There is an Effects Forum there with TONS of information.

For OD and fuzzy goodness, this is a good place to start BassFuzz.com

Be careful, many who have ventured to these sites have never returned!!

 

[adouglas]

I've ventured down the FX road over the years as many of us have, and have come to the conclusion that all you really need is a great bass.

Less

Is

More.

 

[Powman]

When I started out playing bass I tried a bunch of pedals...distortion, chorus, synth. I sold them all....

I only have a Sansamp rackmount. I do have a compressor, but I set the kneepoint level quite high. It just kicks in when I do something stupid (i.e. it just gets rid of transients). I am questioning the need for that and may get rid of that too.

So I agree with the others...There is very little need for effects pedals for bass. Even if I was playing more metal stuff, I still feel a cleaner bass tone is all that is needed. The guitarist already have cranked up the distortion levels that a distorted bass sound just gets in the way.

 

[Old_Guy]

I've played bass for a few years but I haven't ventured in to the "effects realm" of bass-playing.

Are there important effects or pedals that any bass player should have? What about compressors?

Specific recommendations based on past (or present!) experience would be helpful.


Thanks!

Aside from a tuner, I occasionally use a VT bass pedal with the 'light' rig. VT does a pretty good job of making a solid state amp and neo cabs sound like a Ampeg B-15N. If you need a compressor and want to go pedal-board style, the EBS comp is probably the best choice. I have mine set for minimal compression and just leave it on, it's one of things that you'd only notice (slightly) if I turned it off.

 

[Jim_F]

Spend the money first of all on top quality bass and amp.
After that, what styles of music / sounds are you trying to nail?
Effects are a very personal thing, try before you buy (preferably through a similar setup to your home bass / amp combo).
Personally I use a decent tuner. (Floor based rather than rack) - Korg good and affordable.
Into a chorus (for a bit of 80s sparkle)
then a Overdrive / Distortion (for the rockier stuff) - I am pretty happy with my EHX Little Big Muff, when I come to replace this I will probably go for the newer EHX Bass Big Muff
then Akai UniBass (for octaves / dist / filling in during lead breaks)
then an Akai Deep Impact (synth pedal - used sparingly)
Personally I don't use compressor live, have used a bit of compression in the studio.

 

[bassmonkey]

Octaver(Boss OC2) very occasionally.

I am in the process of building a Mutron clone. Hopefully I can get it to work.

 

[jaylegroove]

I currently use :

- Fender PT100 tuner
- EHX Bass Big Muff
- BOSS LS2 (for blending dry signal with Big Muffed signal)
- EHX Micro Q Tron
- Tech 21 Sansamp Character VT Bass (for kind of SVT emulation)

Then, must haves depend pretty much on which musical project you are involved in. You may need chorus, overdrive, octaver, delay, mooger fooger, or any other effect.

That said, I'm not what can be called an FX-nut, and the few I have are also the maximum I guess I'll ever have.

 

[steve f]

No FX here - I did enjoy exploring BassFuzz.com though.
I wouldn't mind giving the 3 Leaf Groove Regulator a try sometime.

 

[Bloodfist]

You NEED this pedal, check out this video and watch what it does to the bass!!! I'm thinking of getting one myself!
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WcsV7hQ1V4"]YouTube - Austerity Program "Black Madonna" promo[/ame]

 

[MrMusashi]

You NEED this pedal, check out this video and watch what it does to the bass!!! I'm thinking of getting one myself!
YouTube - Austerity Program "Black Madonna" promo

bwahahah.. priceless on what it does for bass

MrM

 

[BAKER2015]

I use a prescription electronics experience pedal, has fuzz, octive, smell.
I also use a keeley mod chorus pedal.
I also use a EHX delux memory man.

but to each he own.

Thanks,

K

 

[cellkirk74]

I think an autowah is a nice thing. But especially the q-tron is really not that easy to integrate them in a useful live-sound. you may need some kind of limiter for the peaks. The mxr 188 is told to be better.

I do like some sort of coloured di for gigs like a sansamp bddi, a tonebone or a tone hammer.

Since i have my Big Al i dont use any of it...

 

[Kirby]

I have an EBS Unichorus, BassIQ, and TC Electronic Nova Dynamics that I use on and off. My opinion with each of these is that less is more. The subtle additions are just enough to add icing to the cake.