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visserman
Platinum Member
1072 Posts |
 Posted - 05/11/2008 : 16:00:53
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I started my research into this subject a few days ago.
It all comes from gigging around guitarplayers who only play acoustic and do not improvise much, so I am looking for adding more colour with the bass to the songs we play.
I have to mention that I play through a small bass- and guitaramp. The bassamp provides the bottom end, and the guitaramp adds clarity to the sound.
My basic pedalset-up is:
APhex compressor into Sansamp Bassdriver into GEB7 into Yamaha Parametic EQ into DOD reverb.
After the compr. I will put a distortion of any kind, and just before the reverb I will add a chorus with two outputs, one going straight into the bassamp, while the other one is connected to the reverb.
This overall set-up is able to give me a lot of colour and clarity.
I have tried most of the overdrive/distortion and choruspedals, have jet to look into flangers and phasers, but so far I am happy with what I have found.
CE2 works great as a thick chorus.
DC3 is fine two
CS1 okay.
For overdrives, the OD1 was great for a classic sound, HM2 is fabulous, just as the MT2, XT2 and PW2.
BD2 works great as a brightboost, great for when your strings do not sound too bright. I use this one before the Sansamp.
Been also using the Rat and the MXR dist. plus, all of them do a great job too.
Okay, just tell us what you use then for bass.
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DarrinPA
Silver Member
USA
221 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2008 : 21:03:39
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If I want a heavy bass distortion I use an Ibanez Smashbox SM-7. For mid amounts of distortion I use my Ibanez TubeScreamer. For just a clean but almost dirty sound I use the Boss Bass Distortion ODB-3, with the gain at 10 and the clean/distortion knob at clean [or zero] and I boost the eq.
As for using reverb on a bass, I'll have to try that. |
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danomite64
Copper Member
USA
8 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2008 : 06:00:04
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| I've used the CE-2, and a couple of different phasers (Phase 90 & Small Stone) that I liked. The EH Big Muff is cool, too. Delays are always cool to play with, but until I convince my band to play 'One of these days" by Pink Floyd, I don't get to use one live. |
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dudewheresmybass
Bronze Member
United Kingdom
66 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2008 : 20:10:25
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i use an old HM2 for extreme fuzziness on my bass, and ceb3 for chorusing stuff.
i have used the following - with varying degrees of success!
OD2 - great OD but suffers with a little bass loss
PW2 - very muffish fuzz, not very distinctive!
BF2 - great flanger, Justin chancellor's (TOOL) choice!
OC2 - great octave effect, but suffers with tracking low on the e string
MZ2 - good diostortion, but loses bass end
DS1 - as above
DS2 - as above
AC2 - didn't set the sound on fire. just added a muddiness to the sound
CE5 - great chorus, just wasn't 'right' for me
DD3 - fantastic delay, works well
HR2 - tracks well, sounds too digital!
CS3 - OK, not right for me
NON BOSS
metal muff (all three sizes!) - no definition with other guitar players, no bass loss
nano muff - ok. low gain, no huge bass loss
little big muff - huge bass end with the right tone settings. a wall of fuzz!
DOD 250 - a popular choice, lost some bass
Distortion+ - very similar circuit to the DOD, similar issues
MXR distortion3 - Love this pedal!, no bass loss, perfect OD / Dist!
Marshall Guvnor (OLD black) - OK, lost bass end. As used by timmy C
Marshall bluesbreaker - Low gain, lost bass
Marshall regenerator - ok. no bass loss as such
marshall echohead - Fantastic! many useful modes inc. tap tempo
marshall compressor - useful pedal, not 'right' for me.
dod octoplus - better tracking than oc2, great sound
dod meatbox - sub bass generator. what else to say!
dunlop wah (95Q) - tons of bass loss
ibanez weeping demon - the perfect bass wah, tweakable, and works fantastically with fuzz/od/dist!
vox 847 wah - loads of bass loss
dod envelope filter - great funky box, flea's choice!
Micro Q tron - Dirty greasy funky filter - awesome!
tone factor cream pie - Fantastic low gain pedal - BUY ONE!
mxr evh phase 90 - great, no bass loss
mxr Zakk Wylde OD - ok, some bass loss
mxr EVH flanger - ok, no bass loss, metallicy sounds
mxr micro amp - great boost pedal
the danelectro fab series are ok for the money. check out the flanger particularly
the dano pb & j is a great delay too, and well priced!
there are others i have forgotten, but they really must have been impressive if i can remember these and not those!!!!
i hope all of this helps!!!
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Britsie
Bronze Member
Belgium
92 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2008 : 13:16:24
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HF-2 has been my secret weapon on bass for a long time. Doesn't eat the low end and adds a little 'motion' to the high tones. It may be a little to subtle for your needs. I found it to be one of those effects you hear best when you switch it off.
DC-2 doesn't work in a band (unfortunately). |
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visserman
Platinum Member
1072 Posts |
Posted - 05/14/2008 : 12:39:00
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quote:
Originally posted by Britsie
HF-2 has been my secret weapon on bass for a long time. Doesn't eat the low end and adds a little 'motion' to the high tones. It may be a little to subtle for your needs. I found it to be one of those effects you hear best when you switch it off.
DC-2 doesn't work in a band (unfortunately).
Gosh you have not been around here for a long time, or is it me that I have not seen any of your posts lately??
Anyway, yep, DC2 is very subtle and limited in its adjustments.
I can imagine the HF-2 being good, still need to get one of those.
I seem to remember that you also liked the DC-3 a lot. |
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visserman
Platinum Member
1072 Posts |
Posted - 05/14/2008 : 12:41:44
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quote:
Originally posted by DarrinPA
If I want a heavy bass distortion I use an Ibanez Smashbox SM-7. For mid amounts of distortion I use my Ibanez TubeScreamer. For just a clean but almost dirty sound I use the Boss Bass Distortion ODB-3, with the gain at 10 and the clean/distortion knob at clean [or zero] and I boost the eq.
As for using reverb on a bass, I'll have to try that.
Hi there, which one of the tubescreamers do you use?
Been trying to use the TS808 and the TS9 for adding brightness [same as the BD-2's function in my setup] and the TS808 does the job very well, but the TS9 is not that good. I find this somewhat surprising since I have reissue pedals of both models, and they should have similar circuits. |
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visserman
Platinum Member
1072 Posts |
Posted - 05/14/2008 : 12:47:19
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quote:
Originally posted by dudewheresmybass
i use an old HM2 for extreme fuzziness on my bass, and ceb3 for chorusing stuff.
i have used the following - with varying degrees of success!
OD2 - great OD but suffers with a little bass loss
PW2 - very muffish fuzz, not very distinctive!
BF2 - great flanger, Justin chancellor's (TOOL) choice!
OC2 - great octave effect, but suffers with tracking low on the e string
MZ2 - good diostortion, but loses bass end
DS1 - as above
DS2 - as above
AC2 - didn't set the sound on fire. just added a muddiness to the sound
CE5 - great chorus, just wasn't 'right' for me
DD3 - fantastic delay, works well
HR2 - tracks well, sounds too digital!
CS3 - OK, not right for me
NON BOSS
metal muff (all three sizes!) - no definition with other guitar players, no bass loss
nano muff - ok. low gain, no huge bass loss
little big muff - huge bass end with the right tone settings. a wall of fuzz!
DOD 250 - a popular choice, lost some bass
Distortion+ - very similar circuit to the DOD, similar issues
MXR distortion3 - Love this pedal!, no bass loss, perfect OD / Dist!
Marshall Guvnor (OLD black) - OK, lost bass end. As used by timmy C
Marshall bluesbreaker - Low gain, lost bass
Marshall regenerator - ok. no bass loss as such
marshall echohead - Fantastic! many useful modes inc. tap tempo
marshall compressor - useful pedal, not 'right' for me.
dod octoplus - better tracking than oc2, great sound
dod meatbox - sub bass generator. what else to say!
dunlop wah (95Q) - tons of bass loss
ibanez weeping demon - the perfect bass wah, tweakable, and works fantastically with fuzz/od/dist!
vox 847 wah - loads of bass loss
dod envelope filter - great funky box, flea's choice!
Micro Q tron - Dirty greasy funky filter - awesome!
tone factor cream pie - Fantastic low gain pedal - BUY ONE!
mxr evh phase 90 - great, no bass loss
mxr Zakk Wylde OD - ok, some bass loss
mxr EVH flanger - ok, no bass loss, metallicy sounds
mxr micro amp - great boost pedal
the danelectro fab series are ok for the money. check out the flanger particularly
the dano pb & j is a great delay too, and well priced!
there are others i have forgotten, but they really must have been impressive if i can remember these and not those!!!!
i hope all of this helps!!!
I like your long list of pedals you use, a real experimenter here, great!!
In my first post I made a mistake about the CS1, it should read CH1 really since I mentioned choruspedals and not compressors!
I also have tried a DOD preampoverdrive, not sure if it is the 250, but it does sound similar to the MXR dist. plus.
Now with all the overdrives and distortions, it does help if your strings are fairly bright.
I tried overdrives while playing with Rotosound strings, and felt the sound was somewhat lacking, then restrung my bass with Fender strings, and this made a huge boost in brightness.
Using a brightbooster can overcome some of these problems, but then some people may prefer a more darker sound. |
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Britsie
Bronze Member
Belgium
92 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2008 : 15:44:32
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quote:
Originally posted by visserman
quote:
Originally posted by Britsie
DC-2 doesn't work in a band (unfortunately).
Gosh you have not been around here for a long time, or is it me that I have not seen any of your posts lately??
Anyway, yep, DC2 is very subtle and limited in its adjustments.
I can imagine the HF-2 being good, still need to get one of those.
I seem to remember that you also liked the DC-3 a lot.
Good memory Visserman, indeed the DC-3 does work nicely on bass.
What I mean with DC-2 not working is that it eats lows. When I switched on the DC-2 at bandpractice it sounded like I had turned off my bass completely.
As for my time on this board, it varies in agreement with my pedal-use. I recently bought a new bas-amp and had a custom bass made and I have been playing some months without pedals (enjoying the new toys  ) As I am slowly re-using pedals (TU-2 and HF-2 have made a comback on my board) also my interest in this forum is re-emerging.
Greetings, |
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DarrinPA
Silver Member
USA
221 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2008 : 01:14:13
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quote:
Originally posted by visserman
quote:
Originally posted by DarrinPA
If I want a heavy bass distortion I use an Ibanez Smashbox SM-7. For mid amounts of distortion I use my Ibanez TubeScreamer. For just a clean but almost dirty sound I use the Boss Bass Distortion ODB-3, with the gain at 10 and the clean/distortion knob at clean [or zero] and I boost the eq.
As for using reverb on a bass, I'll have to try that.
Hi there, which one of the tubescreamers do you use?
Been trying to use the TS808 and the TS9 for adding brightness [same as the BD-2's function in my setup] and the TS808 does the job very well, but the TS9 is not that good. I find this somewhat surprising since I have reissue pedals of both models, and they should have similar circuits.
I use the TS7 [Tone Lok pedal] It does eat the lows a bit, but I use it when I'm more worried about "cutting through the mix". |
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Krall
Bronze Member
Canada
88 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2008 : 02:17:16
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| In the old days (from '87-'95) i'd use a simple DS-1. Lately i've been using a Fulltone "Bass-Drive"..Great OD/distortion for bass since you don't lose the low end IMO. |
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visserman
Platinum Member
1072 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2008 : 15:22:39
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quote:
Originally posted by DarrinPA
quote:
Originally posted by visserman
quote:
Originally posted by DarrinPA
If I want a heavy bass distortion I use an Ibanez Smashbox SM-7. For mid amounts of distortion I use my Ibanez TubeScreamer. For just a clean but almost dirty sound I use the Boss Bass Distortion ODB-3, with the gain at 10 and the clean/distortion knob at clean [or zero] and I boost the eq.
As for using reverb on a bass, I'll have to try that.
Hi there, which one of the tubescreamers do you use?
Been trying to use the TS808 and the TS9 for adding brightness [same as the BD-2's function in my setup] and the TS808 does the job very well, but the TS9 is not that good. I find this somewhat surprising since I have reissue pedals of both models, and they should have similar circuits.
I use the TS7 [Tone Lok pedal] It does eat the lows a bit, but I use it when I'm more worried about "cutting through the mix".
Yes I hear you, the Tube Srcreamer is good at that job, but does take away a bit of low end.
I find the BD-2 preforms very well for this task as well.
Last night I tried the BD-2 just to add brightness on humbuck-guitars, but here it does not work very well, as it is hard to get the BD-2 to clean up with humbuckers. Single coil guitar, on the other hand work like a tread with the BD-2 as brightboost. |
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visserman
Platinum Member
1072 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2008 : 15:26:26
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quote:
Originally posted by Britsie
quote:
Originally posted by visserman
quote:
Originally posted by Britsie
DC-2 doesn't work in a band (unfortunately).
Gosh you have not been around here for a long time, or is it me that I have not seen any of your posts lately??
Anyway, yep, DC2 is very subtle and limited in its adjustments.
I can imagine the HF-2 being good, still need to get one of those.
I seem to remember that you also liked the DC-3 a lot.
Good memory Visserman, indeed the DC-3 does work nicely on bass.
What I mean with DC-2 not working is that it eats lows. When I switched on the DC-2 at bandpractice it sounded like I had turned off my bass completely.
As for my time on this board, it varies in agreement with my pedal-use. I recently bought a new bas-amp and had a custom bass made and I have been playing some months without pedals (enjoying the new toys ) As I am slowly re-using pedals (TU-2 and HF-2 have made a comback on my board) also my interest in this forum is re-emerging.
Greetings,
Thanks for your kind words, yes I do have a good memory.
Liked the early days of this forum a lot too, when we talked more about the datecodes of the pedals and all the varieties. Seems that a bit of the mystery has gone.
AS far as the pedals itself goes, I never lose my interest in them you just find yourself changing set-ups and also rethinking of what you used to think is a "fabulous sound".
Been using the DC-2 recently for guitar, and boy does it sound good!!
It is one of those pedals I do not use often, but it is very simple to find the sweetspots with this one!!
For bass it is not very good, too weak probably. |
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exodia333
Silver Member
USA
273 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2008 : 08:00:00
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Man I dont get this topic I never liked low end with my bass I've used a ds-1 with my bass and i loved it lost all the bass it was great, now its this
MD-2
CS-3
Digitech Grunge
Morley PWF
I always use guitar pedals with my bass
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visserman
Platinum Member
1072 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2008 : 16:52:45
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I guess it all depends on the music you play, and the sounds you like.
Playing covers in an acoustic set-up does not ask for a lot of fuzz, whereas playing bass in a rock/metal set-up may alow you more tonal freedom.
At the end of the day it is all about what works and what you like. |
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Topic |
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Which guitarpedals do you use for Bass??
