Al Krow

Yeah - pretty much shredded buddy 😂 An ES-3 would have been quite neat. The MS-3 is actually a multi effect switcher and not just a switch pedal like the ES-5 and actually is slightly more pricey than the ES-5 as well as being a similar size to the ES-5. But I'm good with just having the SY-1 in a parallel loop with bit crush and drive - that's the key parallel loop I was to looking to do.

Cheers for that - I tried that route by installing a new version of HX Edit onto my laptop and also onto another desktop this morning and no joy. It's just been off-boarded to take back to PMT to see if they have any more luck...

Haha boys. Yup, there's only so much headspace in my little Krow brain for PC editing and mine's been allocated to DAW, Stomp, Manta and Aftershock. That's MORE than enough thank you! So any pedals that can deliver what I need without PC editing is a boon. Not missing my FI one bit!! But you may well have gathered that from another thread...😂 ...besides there's PC editing and FI PC editing! You do need a brain the size of minor planet (which fortunately our very own @Quatschmacher has) to develop expertise with the FI. You need to bear in mind the FI is "light years" ahead of it's rivals in synth technology.

+1^^ 😊 Finding that my Stomp has gone 'stealth' and won't be detected by 3 different computers and 2 different USB cables (which work with other devices) so the ability to use HX Edit, which is a must for me, is no longer there. Have done a factory reset, but still no joy. Anything obvious I'm missing? If not, could be a case of taking back to the store under warranty for repair / replacement.

Thanks @GisserD! Yup your ES-8 would pretty much take up my entire board!! (Btw I checked @krispn's suggestion of an ES-3 and it doesn't unfortunately exist. The MS-3 is still pretty big and has a bunch of redundant effects from my perspective) It seems our boards are finally diverging - haha! I'm down to having just 3 bits in common with you from previously having had 7!! Fyi - I've put my Neurohub under my board and that's freed up some useful additional space. Both a C4 and a Manta?! But hey - you're the only chap on the planet with TWO Mastotrons on his board 😀

Cheers @krispn I probably don't need anything further on the parallel capability front more than I have with the SY-1 parallel loop, just now, but good to be thinking ahead and the ES-3 could be a very neat solution. Not missed your request - just trying to get to grips with the technology and software bugs! Had an hour with Focusrite crew the other day, getting my computer to speak to my Gen 1 Focusrite 6i6, which they eventually managed to sort, but the USB connection is now noisy / unusable to my HX Stomp. Ugh!! The SY-1 already provides a clean blend with separate volume controls for the clean and synth tones so you can go from fully clean to fully synth straight out of the blocks. If you then want this 'clean blended synth' (i.e. clean + synth) further mixed with e.g. a clear drive you set can simply set up a parallel loop - it's dead easy. You then have clean, synth, and your favourite drive all in parallel not being 'mushed' up sonically by being in series. The most recent YouTube clip posted by fretmeister actually gives quite a decent overview of some of the synth sounds available. Then you have the ability to blend your clean bass tone from 0% to 100% and to also mix in a parallel pedal of whatever type you want.

Haha, you're a more capable man than me if you're making your own. And if you had a look at my PB posted earlier you'll only find one Boss pedal on there...simply a case of giving credit where it's due in my books in terms of what's good and what's not. I've actually been on the look out for compact parallel loopers for a little while and it seems to me there ain't too much around at a reasonable price. (So I was kinda hoping there might have been some substance behind your post!). The LS-2 seems to tick the box and a lot of the other compact switches are series only. The next one up that does more than one parallel loop at a reasonable price is the EHX that @stewblackhas on his board. But it's a bit larger than I'd want for a passive piece of kit. Maybe there's a gap in the market for your pedal making talent? 😉

Hence the "or similar". What compact format pedal do you personally recommend / are you using to deliver parallel loops?

No question that it's another great Boss piece of kit! My point is a practical one - not everyone has the spare PB real estate to accommodate an ES-8. What size is your PB that it can comfortably take the ES-8? Pic please!

Yup, great bit of kit. But the same size as a Nano+ pedal board just by itself?

What are your thoughts in terms of rejigging your board?

Soz mate, still way too soon to say. Give me another 18 to 24 months and if it's still on my board, I'll give it a thumbs up. I'm sorry that is making a mess of your sweepstake. If it's actually been gigged by then, you'll know I'm smitten. Particularly as my live sound has hitherto been just fingers, strings, bass, lead amp and cab. If I buy an FI or C4, because I need a battleship all bets are off. Probably more likely to get a synth keyboard, though... On a touch more serious note, one thing I would strongly recommend to fellow synth users - having a parallel loop with ability to keep your synth generated sound clean is a game changer. If your synth pedal can't do it worth thinking about a Boss LS2 or similar.

I think that's overstating it a bit e.g. the FI can't touch the SY-1 on quality of tracking, availability of an arpegiattor or the ability to parallel loop - and now I know what I'm missing, never having had any of these on my FI, these features are right up there in things I'd want from my synth. The quality and glitch-free nature of the tracking on the SY-1 is a massive achievement making it a really usable piece of live gear. I've never felt that about any of my synth pedals before. And in terms of the rest of the synth engine - sometimes you really don't need a battleship; a fast tracking and small-form gunboat will do just fine. Horses for courses 😉

Paul - just pulling you on here to avoid my de-railing someone else' FS thread: Couple of quick comments from me: - I'm absolutely loving my LX5, it's an astonishingly good bass! - worth checking the difference between the recent more 'rounded' Aggie pups and the EMG pups, which have the classic 'Spector sound'. I've got EMG 40s on mine as has the OP, and they seem to be getting a BIG thumbs up from us both!

Updated comparison note of Panda FI vs SY-1... Where the FI wins: · overall more capable and more tweak-able synth engine · midi enabled · ability to provide 99 presets Where the SY-1 wins: · flawless tracking all the way down to a low B (and not requiring a staccato / muted style to avoid glitching) · immediacy of dials (no need for an app/midi/PC) to access some great synth sounds · ££ (new) · arpeggiator · polyphonic · straightforward parallel loop capability · ability to use an expression pedal · smaller footprint The Source Audio C4 takes the plusses of the FI (albeit owners of both the C4 and FI seem to be saying that they consider the FI to have the more capable synth engine of the two) and a couple of the plusses of the SY-1 (e.g. arpeggiator, smaller footprint and it can also, with care, deliver a parallel loop capability). It also comes in half way between the FI and SY-1 on price. Of the three, I'm finding myself very much in the SY-1 camp (having previously owned the FI and not being averse to SA pedals as you will have noted from my PB!). Whilst the SY-1 is not going to be everyone's first choice, I think we can all agree there's never been a better time to be a bass synth pedal lover!

Board rejigged with the SY-1 very much as the centrepiece - set up with clean input from Thumpinator and Becos comp; parallel bit crush / drive / fuzz loop comprising Srutator, which has replaced the Mastotron very capably, Grizzly, and Ripper and TRS cable to expression pedal. Output from SY-1, combining synth and parallel loop, --> SA pedals / GR2 / Mosaic and finally to Stomp which provides both balanced out and excellent headphone amp capability. Loving it - and that's hopefully me done for a while on the pedalboard front, although I suspect I'm going to be on the look out for an upgrade to my expression pedal to get the most out of the SY-1 at some point soon (hit me up if you have a high end one going spare)

@MoJoThat's a good question! I think Yammy do their own take on the P bass tone and it's a little less 'flat' than the classic P bass, but of all the BBs I've tried my 425 came closest to the classic P bass 'thud'. If you want something more growly / complex than the 425 then my 1025 and P35 have both provided that. I think of the new line up the 735A has the closest sound to these. Although I absolutely love the P and PJ tone from my BB1025 / P35, neither of them will give you the delicious 'growl' of the Nordy Big Singles which I get from my Ibby 1825 which is definitely a J/J bass not a P/J bass. I think you're right to thinking about adding a bit of dirt as the easiest route to get you to the 'sound in your head' and maybe the question is what dirt pedal would be the right one to give you the growl that you're after? I'm sure our fellow BB crew will have some useful thoughts to share on that subject!

Vast range on Amazon for under £10

They do say he who laughs last... I think you're frankly firing blanks on this one gents; always good to get some Feedback.

Probably about the same time as I sell my Boss SY-1 on. Already overdue, should really be just a matter of days now...

Excellent review just posted by Si: Conclusion - which makes a very fitting summary to this thread: "This is one of, if not the best pedal format compressor I have ever used. Being a VCA circuit it's not a one trick pony, lends itself particularly well to transparent compression anyway, but coupled with the advanced features here its capable of incredibly transparent levelling to help 'glue' your bass into the mix better. Or fast enough attack speeds and extreme enough ratios and thresholds to make compression a fun in your face effect or super fat core tones completely achievable. If you want a tool to help on the gig, or to get a 'signature' compressed tone or a device in your hands to help you really get an understanding of what compression can do for you then this has to be really high up on your list. It certainly deserves to be there."

Really excellent review Si and my pleasure to make this pedal available to someone who deeply understands the subject of compression and is undoubtedly one of BC's foremost experts on the subject.

Did you consider getting a different nut made up with narrower spacing to provide you with the desired taper?

Me too. What's not to like? 😉

Aha so you avoided 20% VAT and Customs duties on top, which accounts for a big chunk of the difference. Thanks for the Helix tip, I'll give it a spin. I do have a Tech 21 Red Ripper - wonder if it might be better to use that as my starting point. What's happened to the days of getting a decent bass pedal for £100 eh?! 😎