AJ567

Curveball suggestion: try the UAFX LA2A. I used to have the marbass, loved it, but let it go because of the awkward size and power needs. LA2A works really nicely for the same purpose I used the MB, which for me, is always-on, mild/moderate compression, adding nice warmth and fatness, with zero noise. It does this in a completely different way - digital (!) emulation of a classic tube circuit, and just three knobs.

+1 for the Harley Benton "iso-ac" series. Another cost effective way to do this is to run a regular daisy chain but add joyo zgp adapters on all but one pedal. Then they're isolated from each other.

+1 for the EBS. Didn't seem to get many mentions until now! Spent years occupying my favourite filter spot... eventually got kicked off by the Spectrum though, hard to compete with SA's digital wizardry.

If you're talking about jumping your distorted sound up and octave and adding that to the regular distorted sound, TC Sub'n'up works great for this. You can create toneprints to EQ the upper octave voice. Or add yet more distortion to it, etc

Nice! I have an MPC Keys, never tried running bass through it but I will now...

I'm not sure, but the Spectrum might be trying to emulate analogue octave up, which sounds more like fuzz. Clean octave up is a different ball game - needs digital processing like the pog, Sub'n'up, etc.

LA2A controls certainly are confusing... Not least because the instructions are printed wrong! It's corrected if you download the manual online. "Mix" knob is actually dry level, which has up to 6db gain above unity. "Peak" is peak reduction (i.e. more knob = more compression) and "Gain" is output gain of the compressed path.

Mini T47! Do you also have a collection of hen's teeth? PS let me know if you ever want to sell it...

La2a

Well, I bought one. First impressions: it's good. Noise level is very low. Does an excellent job of "compressing without sounding compressed". Might be a keeper. Need to play with it some more!

Well, a french bass players has left a positive review of the LA2A on Thomann: https://www.thomann.de/gb/universal_audio_uafx_la_2a_studio_compressor.htm Looks like they're in stock now so I might have to take the plunge and see for myself!

Easier said than done! USA Stingray bridges don't come up for sale often. The Sterling Ray34/Ray35 basses are excellent quality. I believe the pickups and electronics are the same as used the USA models. And the bridge is more or less idential to the real thing (except the engraved logo, but who can tell from a distance).

Envelope filters are deeply subjective. They work by "listening" to your playing and then doing something unique with that information. The way a filter responds to your playing input might feel completely right to you, and completely wrong to someone else. YouTube demos are all well and good, but the filter will sound and feel very different when you're the one driving it. With that in mind, it's hard not to recommend the SA Spectrum... as long as you are happy to get stuck in with editing on your computer. There is so much flexibility on offer with its digital wizardry that you will almost certainly be able to get the sound in your head... And many more to boot. Not so with the many great analogue filters out there. They all have their unique character. Which you might love, or you might hate. There's really no way to know until you've had a go.