GisserD Posted November 9, 2016 Share Posted November 9, 2016 So I rebuilt my partialy midi controlled pedal board last weekend, made up of roughly 12 pedals. Tested it at home and everything sounded great, but when I got into the rehersal space last night I found some of my preset levels were a bit off.... Rather than reprogram on the fly, I decided to bypass the board and go straight into the amp, especially as I had a new cable to try out.... What happened next was kind of a big thing for me..... my tone was amazing!!! It was like I fell in love with playing bass all over again. My tone just popped, cut like butter through the mix, sounded round and full.... Everything I played sounded fantastic! Well at least way better than usual FYI I play a cort custom A5 into an eden wt800 and 410xst, and play mostly funk and rnb. So it leaves me with a dilemma... do I need my pedal board??? Right now I'm leaning towards no and I'm quite ready to sell the whole lot. I play only in originals bands so I can choose my tone. It's not like I have to have a certain sound for anything. Anybody here had similar experiences? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted November 9, 2016 Share Posted November 9, 2016 (edited) Personally I always play straight into the amp. It really depends on how badly you want your fx sounds. EDIT: I did use pedals once, no great epiphany when I ditched them, just less setup hassle. Edited November 9, 2016 by JapanAxe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted November 9, 2016 Share Posted November 9, 2016 If I just used a generic Precision tone I wouldn`t bother with pedals, but I need mine to get the sound I use as many amps can`t do it. I can just about get away with only using a Sansamp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted November 9, 2016 Share Posted November 9, 2016 mmm - if your tone really "cut like butter" then you may want to hang on to your pedals 'till you come up with a better analogy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markstuk Posted November 9, 2016 Share Posted November 9, 2016 Depends on the pedals - you can use a looper or have true bypass pedals, or a switchable effects loop on the amp.. All of which address the tone suck issue.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudpup Posted November 9, 2016 Share Posted November 9, 2016 I've gone through the same process. And I only use a couple of pedals but it sounds so much purer and punchier without the pedals. Now I just go from a Sony wireless straight into the amp. The pedalboard consists of a DOD Milkbox compressor, Zoom MS60B multi effect and a Sansamp VT Bass DI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorris Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 For the OP - what was on the board ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliveT Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 Went through a similar process years ago. I now don't use a board but I do have a few pedals which I just use as and when needed. The octave pedals does get used on most gigs and chorus sparingly but that's about it now. Sometimes I forget myself and go on ebay and buy another. Then I try it a remember why I don't need it really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GisserD Posted November 10, 2016 Author Share Posted November 10, 2016 [quote name='ColinB' timestamp='1478719723' post='3171221'] hang on to your pedals 'till you come up with a better analogy! [/quote] [quote name='markstuk' timestamp='1478723527' post='3171263'] Depends on the pedals - you can use a looper or have true bypass pedals, or a switchable effects loop on the amp.. All of which address the tone suck issue.. [/quote] i do use a looper.... see below [quote name='rmorris' timestamp='1478770392' post='3171445'] For the OP - what was on the board ? [/quote] i have .... Future impact dod meatbox moog boost source audio manta MXR envelope filter Line 6 M5 MXR compressor pretty much set up in that order, and i split the signal at the meatbox and send the wet down the chain and mix it it with an LS2 just before the compressor all linked up to a joyo PXL looper/midi controller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 The Boss LS2 has attracted criticism for its lack of transparency. I don't expect the DOD Meatbox's buffer is much to write home abut either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markstuk Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 [quote name='GisserD' timestamp='1478782011' post='3171578'] i do use a looper.... see below i have .... Future impact dod meatbox moog boost source audio manta MXR envelope filter Line 6 M5 MXR compressor pretty much set up in that order, and i split the signal at the meatbox and send the wet down the chain and mix it it with an LS2 just before the compressor all linked up to a joyo PXL looper/midi controller [/quote] Regardless, something in your setup is sucking tone... I'd take it apart and build it back up a pedal/device/patch lead at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GisserD Posted November 12, 2016 Author Share Posted November 12, 2016 I don't think kandice there's any physical problems with the board. The point is I'm rethinking my attitude towards effects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painy Posted November 18, 2016 Share Posted November 18, 2016 I used a Line6 Bass Pod XT pro as a multi effects unit (with the amp modeling bypassed) for a good few years. One night at a gig, the cable connecting the Pod to the amp started crackling and I didn't have a spare so went straight into the amp and it sounded absolutely awesome. A couple of years ago though I started to really miss having a few effects but decided to go with individual pedals. Soon discovered that I didn't like what most buffered pedals did to my tone at all but I could get away with using all true bypass pedals if I used active basses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrackerJackLee Posted November 18, 2016 Share Posted November 18, 2016 (edited) I place a Line Driver after my bass to buffer the signal... makes a huge difference...coaxial line also sucks up lots of tone with stray capacitance... this takes care of it all. The boost part is ok, maybe for soloing parts, but the buffer is always on when plugged in. It makes the bass tone sparkle a bit. Without it, the tone sounds muffled. Coax kills tone... that's why you can throw your curly cords in the garbage... Experiment for yourself. Play with a 25ft cord or 12ft and then try playing through a short 3 inch cord, like those between your pedals. You will notice an immediate improvement. The Line Driver is a buffer circuit that not only amplifies, but takes care of impedance matching. I don't care to get rid of the board. I have a convenient volume pedal, Sonic Stomp and MarkBass Compressor along with the Line Driver. Not essential, but I prefer the sparkling tone it provides. Edited November 18, 2016 by CrackerJackLee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitsto Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 I've been experimenting at home with various effects on my Zoom B3 but have never felt confident enough to gig it (plenty to go wrong anyway). My idea was to use it to find FX I liked and then get individual stomp boxes. Then I finally got my Trace Elliot (bought from another Bass Chat member) to band practice and the difference over my Ampeg was immense. The guitarist even said he was pleased to be able to hear me finally (I may have made that up, it sounds so unlikely). Anyway I'm not going to bother with effects. No one notices them anyway. The rest of the band and anyone listening at gigs think the bass just goes thud-thud-thud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markstuk Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 [quote name='Kitsto' timestamp='1479761341' post='3179111'] I've been experimenting at home with various effects on my Zoom B3 but have never felt confident enough to gig it (plenty to go wrong anyway). My idea was to use it to find FX I liked and then get individual stomp boxes. Then I finally got my Trace Elliot (bought from another Bass Chat member) to band practice and the difference over my Ampeg was immense. The guitarist even said he was pleased to be able to hear me finally (I may have made that up, it sounds so unlikely). Anyway I'm not going to bother with effects. No one notices them anyway. The rest of the band and anyone listening at gigs think the bass just goes thud-thud-thud. [/quote] I think you're selling yourself short. Your core tone should, of course, come from your fingers --> bass ----> amp ------> cab, but certainly for the stuff I play a good quality chorus (EBS) , compressor (TCE) and distortion pedal (Cog) is needed.. Good quality true bypass pedals are a revelation... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Left Foot Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 Well, twelve pedals is a huge signal chain no matter how you nurse it all the way through to the amp. Are all the pedals really needed, long winded chains work at the detriment of the overall sound sometimes almost like compensation. Could you be more specific about the sound you want and get that with a far more concise arrangement of pedals. But yeah if you have good gear and a well balance sound within the band keep it simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 A bypass looper is great for this, as the signal is unaffected until you kick in the effects loop. Another advantage is that you can go from clean to a combination of pedals in one stomp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbandit599 Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 [quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1479802924' post='3179318'] A bypass looper is great for this, as the signal is unaffected until you kick in the effects loop. Another advantage is that you can go from clean to a combination of pedals in one stomp. [/quote] +1 - I don't know why this doesn't seem to be a more common approach. I stick all my effects in a cheap true bypass looper so most of the time I play just straight into the amp. Means that you can 'preload' several pedals then turn them all on or off in one stomp - for instance I open one song with a big single synthy, fuzzy, flanged note using 3 pedals then need to instantly cut it and come in 'normal'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winny Pooh Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 My board only has four pedals but of those the Pale Green Comp (makes things sound better) & Foxrox Octron are indispensable. Even with a simple P sound a quality compressor on a mild setting sounds great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
operative451 Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 Just got back from travels and did this... Board ditched, just fuzz and Joyo 'California sound' Mesa boogie sansamp knock-off and into the amp. Sounded like bombs going off... I think its the power supplies actually... Batteries seem to have more teeth... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted November 27, 2016 Share Posted November 27, 2016 My plan for this Fridays gig is just a tuner and Sansamp, both battery powered, rather than my pedalboard - which admittedly only has one more pedal on it, an Aguilar Tonehammer. The whole point of my board was to make life easier but it seems to be making things more time-consuming, plus having more gear to carry/set up etc. Back to basics and looking forward to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorris Posted November 27, 2016 Share Posted November 27, 2016 [quote name='operative451' timestamp='1479985390' post='3180750'] Just got back from travels and did this... Board ditched, just fuzz and Joyo 'California sound' Mesa boogie sansamp knock-off and into the amp. Sounded like bombs going off... I think its the power supplies actually... Batteries seem to have more teeth... [/quote] What's the Fuzz ? and the board power supply ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DangerDan Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 I'm coming at this from the other direction, i've always been a no effects guy (just a tuner) but i've recentely picked up a zoom b3 and have been enjoying that (only used it live once though), but i'm now considering getting a proper preamp (possibly of the darkglass variety). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
operative451 Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 [quote name='rmorris' timestamp='1480287041' post='3183157'] What's the Fuzz ? and the board power supply ? [/quote] Fuzz is a joyo too - 'voodoo octave' but i tend not to use the octave part. The power supply is a daisy chain wall wart thingie... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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