Author Topic: Best effects for a bass? Rack or pedals? (Read 444 times)

hieronymous · « **Reply #15 on:** March 12, 2009, 09:37:48 AM »

One thing to be aware of is that some pedals color the sound, even when switched off. I have heard that Boss pedals do this. The Moogerfoogers as well - even when switched off, the signal still goes through the Moog preamp. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but something to keep in mind. True bypass pedals are one solution, putting some effects into a switchable effects loop is another...

olieoliver · « **Reply #16 on:** March 12, 2009, 10:07:49 AM »

Excellent point Harry. I prefer running any effects though my loop on my amp and switch them on and off that way.

OO

crobbins · « **Reply #17 on:** March 12, 2009, 07:07:26 PM »

No FXs here at all. Just my bass and Ampeg SVT(1971)..

Bradley Young · « **Reply #18 on:** March 12, 2009, 11:13:53 PM »

I tried out a motion sound unit (pro3) on top of my bass rig tonight, and I really dug it. Kinda one-trick pony as far as I can tell, though.

Not really a pedal, but pretty cool none the less.

Bradley

David Houck · « **Reply #19 on:** March 13, 2009, 10:07:57 AM »

Bradley; I have the vague recollection of playing at a pool party in 1972, and that for some reason the cabinet I was playing through was a Leslie. I do recall playing previous gigs through borrowed Plush amps and cabs. Soon after that I purchased a used Ampeg V4B with a 2x15 folded horn cab. I guess the Leslie sound just wasn't what we were going after for bass.

Bradley Young · « **Reply #20 on:** March 13, 2009, 12:23:29 PM »

Oh, but Dave, you should try one on the new six string.

I ran it crossed-over out of my F1X:

High to the Pro3
Low to the QSC -> Acme B-2

It's like the thought I've had for a while of running a guitar amp on top of my bass rig (with a crossover).

It goes wahwahwahwahwahwahwahwahwahwahwahwah!

David Houck · « **Reply #21 on:** March 13, 2009, 01:19:34 PM »

I think the Lexicon has a rotary speaker effect. I do like to switch on my vibrato setting and play Crimson And Clover! One of my favorite bands was Poco; and Rusty Young would run his pedal steel through a Leslie, with some pretty cool results.

charles_holmes · « **Reply #22 on:** March 18, 2009, 02:02:05 PM »

Hey Dave,
I have the MPX1 too but did not have anyway to control it. What is the specific Yahmaha Midi controller that you use? I imagine that it needs to be programed to work with the Lexicon. Any other details? Thanks!

David Houck · « **Reply #23 on:** March 18, 2009, 03:10:19 PM »

MFC10.

Yes, there is some basic programming of the controller, but also of the MPX1 to assign the foot switches and pedal.

For me, the process of getting the system to work turned out to be quite complex. It was not as straight forward as I originally thought. For instance, for quite a while until I figured out how things needed to be set up, switching on or off a channel or patch would change how other channels were set up. This is a Lexicon issue, not the controller. I consulted the manual extensively, but it didn't seem to me to address this issue adequately. And of course, it could very well be that I still don't understand the situation fully. But what I have set up now works, and it seems to sound good to me.

beatlejuice · « **Reply #24 on:** March 18, 2009, 03:16:25 PM »

Dave,
Glad to see another Poco fan around. I saw them live way back when Timothy B. Schmit was with them. Always thought they should've been what the Eagles ended up being.
Bill

David Houck · « **Reply #25 on:** March 18, 2009, 03:40:13 PM »

Bill, I lot of people have felt that way. I think that perhaps one reason might be that while Poco's albums always seemed to have one or two great tunes, the rest of the material wouldn't be as strong; whereas the Eagles albums seemed more consistently strong throughout.

Here's Rose Of Cimmaron. Beautiful tune.

57basstra · « **Reply #26 on:** March 18, 2009, 06:38:32 PM »

Another Poco fan here. Also a fan of the late Phil Hartman who drew the Poco horse Logo for album Legend

It is the deeply bizarre height of sadness and tragedy that we speak now about Phil Hartman in the past tense. He drew this horse - a paragon of economical lines leading directly to action and emotion - for Poco for the cover of their 1978 album Legend. No truer a title chosen.

Philip Edward Phil Hartman, September 24, 1948 ? May 28, 1998. Comedian, artist, writer, father. Internet Source Pictogram

edwin · « **Reply #27 on:** March 19, 2009, 07:06:21 PM »

Lexicon MPX G2 with the R1 footcontroller is hands down the best rack setup I've ever seen. the way the pedal integrates with the rack unit is perfect. When you hit a button, all the other buttons become on/off switches for each individual effect block so it becomes like a virtual pedalboard. The R1 also integrates with the MPX1 in the same way but the G2 adds a whole slew of guitar/bass related effects, including an analog gain/overdrive effect that is very good. It also has a switchable effects loop and can integrate with the channel switching of an amp. It's such a sad thing that they discontinued this rig. I replaced a monster pedalboard and a 12 space rack with mine. The pitch shifting is good. The only thing that is finicky is the envelope filter effects, but they do work once you get them dialed.

Edwin

peoplechipper · « **Reply #28 on:** March 19, 2009, 10:31:40 PM »

Maybe it's because I'm a reforming guitar player, but I've never been able to make racks or multieffectors work for me...if I can't find a sound in 10 minutes, it isn't there...I beat the front end of my Acoustic 370 with a Sansamp bass di(with drive) with a Marshall guv'nor II and Prescription electronics Yardbox when I want MORE distortion...I also have a modified Ibanez Ad-9 delay that I put into a wah case with the repeats on the treadle...like controlled live dub...the repeats increase as I rock back so I push forward to stop the runaway and/or switch the delay off...much fun, just keep your old casing and parts if you ever wanna sell the delay later...Tony.

qualloyd · « **Reply #29 on:** March 24, 2009, 08:52:33 PM »

Hi Everyone, GREAT thread! I started playing in the late '70's and ran straight until I retired in the mid-eighties. Once I no-longer worked 3-11's and my son got older, I came out of retirement 5 years ago and started experimenting with effects. I have a Roland CE-1 that I bought new way back when that I ran thru two Peavey combo amps. That was a sweet sound with the stereo effect, but this didn't have a true bypass mod and sucked the tone when off. I turned to ebay and picked up different pedals: Digitech Bass Driver, Ibanez Flanger, Delay, and Phazer. Fun to mess around with but rather impractical for my jams. It seemed my sound would be lost with the band...I like subtle! I finally settled on the following: OptoStomp Compressor - Tech 21 SansAmp DI Bass Driver - Boss BF3 Flanger & Boss (Vintage) DM3 Analog Delay thru Road Rage True Bypass Looper mounted on CNB Pedal Board powered by 1-Spot adapter. The Road Rage eliminates any tone-sucking while the SansAmp really brings out the highs and gives just an ever so slight grind. I've recently purchased Tech 21's VT Character Series Bass Pedal, which gives the same effect as the DI Bass Driver. If traveling light, that pedal is a MUST! As many people describe, It's like someone removed a blanket from over the speakers! It stays on full-time, as does my OptoStomp and DI Bass Driver on my board, when I use that. I hope I haven't put anyone to sleep!
Lloyd