Do I need a new amp or new effects? Student seeking professional advice.

[Zak Tozer]

[size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]I am a student studying a double music A-level. The main focus of the course is on performance (bass for me, obviously) which requires that I do a solo recital of 20-30 minutes in march, about 5 folk songs with an ensemble and various other pieces throughout the year.[/font][/size]

[i][size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]So my dilemma is that I need to get many different sounds for all of this and I don't have much money and I'm also trying to save to for a car which isn't going too well cos I barely have any money coming in because I have no time to work as my college is a half an hour drive away or 2 hours via public transport. But I have Christmas to ask for a few things but my parents money is limited too so I really have to pick wisely and efficiently, so this is why I need all the advice and help I can get.[/font][/size][/i]

[size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]The songs that I will be playing and a vague idea of the sounds that I require:[/font][/size][list]
[*][size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]'Superstition' -Stevie Wonder. This is my own solo arrangement where I'll be playing the riff as well as the vocal lines and keeping a funky groove. It's mainly slapped and I start it with some harmonics.[/font][/size]
[*][size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]'Wicked World' -Black Sabbath. This one is also a bit of my own arrangement where I'll be playing the guitar parts as well as bass parts and replacing the crazy guitar solo in the middle for my own similar styled bass solo. This played in regular finger style. I need a classic rock bass sound for this.[/font][/size]
[*][size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]'Tom Sawyer' -Rush. Classic Geddy sound and I want to try and get some of that grumbly sound he gets with his synthesiser.[/font][/size]
[*][size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]'Play That Funky Music' -Wild Cherry. Again, my own arrangement. I'll be slapping the riff and playing the vocal melody too.[/font][/size]
[*][size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]'A Dark Light' -Aram Bedrosian. Chords and tapping. Need a nice clean reverb and a compressor to balance the dynamics especially in the tapping section[/font][/size]
[*][size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]'Winter Winds' -Mumford & Sons. Need a warm tone.[/font][/size]
[*][size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]'Mr Tambourine Man' -Bob Dylan. Again just a nice warm tone.[/font][/size]
[*][size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]'Mykonos' -Fleet Foxes. Need a warm tone that also sounds good for chords.[/font][/size]
[*][size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]'The Fear' -Ben Howard. Need a clean tone for this, not too warm.[/font][/size]
[*][size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]'Little Talks' -Of Monsters and Men. A warm/clean tone too.[/font][/size]
[*][size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]'Beat It' -Michael Jackson. [/font][/size]
[*][size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]'Hit The Road Jack' -Ray Charles. Gotta get quite a 60s double bass feel which I don't really know the best way to do on an electric...[/font][/size]
[/list]
[size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]My current equipment:[/font][/size][list]
[*][size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Vintage V10004B Active Series. That's the closest model I could find on the internet to it, only real differences to mine is that mine has a Wilkinson jazz styled neck pick up and 4 knobs (1 to change between pick ups 1 to turn the bass up and down, 1 for volume and 1 to change the string feedback type thing, so if you turn it up the slaps become harsher and you can hear your fingers on the strings and stuff... If that makes any sense...[/font][/size]
[*][size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Behringer BXL900a. It's meant to be 90 watt but it barely uses half of that. It has a 7 band EQ which I don't know how to use that well and a distortion channel which is a bit poor. It's only a cheap amp really and it's not really great for gigging... But give me advice... How I could get the best sound out of it or whether it's just worth getting a better one (at a reasonable price). http://www.thomann.d...CFTDMtAod9mQAiQ (mine's never sounded anything like the sound samples so I must be doing something wrong... haha)[/font][/size]
[*][size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]ZOOM B2 multi effect pedal. Can get a couple of nice effects out of it, I have a nice reverb and an alright classic rock kind of sounding one... But they could be better to be honest... http://www.gak.co.uk...CFWbKtAodFicAyA [/font][/size]
[*][size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Dunlop MXR M82 Bass Envelope Filter. I used to love this piece of kit, got it last Christmas but now I just can't get any sounds out of it that I'm happy with. I think it could work well on Superstition and Play That Funky Music but I need some help with it.[/font][/size]
[*][size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]BOSS LMB-3 Bass Limiter Enhancer. I never use this. It's fuzzy and it's never sounded good for me.[/font][/size]
[/list]
[size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]What effects or equipment would you suggest? (Best for value considering I only have maybe £300 budget overall at a stretch, (coming out of my pocket as well that is)). If you have the time and don't know about some of that equipment then look it up and if you could give me any advice that'd be amazing.[/font][/size]

[size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Thank you to anyone that has taken the time to read this and reply. I really appreciate your help, because without a good sound then I will fail my course and I don't have long now and I don't have much money so it's all quite scary. Any help is so greatly appreciated.[/font][/size]

[b][size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Thank you,[/font][/size][/b]
[u][b][size=2][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Zak[/font][/size][/b][/u]

[Doddy]

Good sound/tone is a subjective thing so I don't see how you could fail because of that,especially if you
play the stuff well.
If you are set on changing something,I'd change the amp rather than the effects. I think a good amp will
be much more beneficial that effects (as fun as they are). Remember though,that tone starts off with your
hands.

[Zak Tozer]

Yeah I know, what I mean is that it sounds as good as it can it's just I need a better tone actually from my amp, so yeah thanks think you're probably right. Still some guidance on what amp I should get from anyone that could help is what I need.

[PlungerModerno]

I have a zoom B2.1u - like yours but with a pedal - and it's good for a few tones (eg. fuzz or OD) but the compressor on it kinda sucks. If you're planning a fair bit of slap I'd recommend trying to get the best out of your Boss LMB3. Here's what a compressor expert (if there is such a thing) suggests:
http://www.ovnilab.com/
http://www.ovnilab.com/reviews/bosslmb3.shtml

He recommended the Carl Martin Classic Opto ( http://www.thomann.de/ie/carl_martin_classic_opto_compressor.htm ) which turned awesome for me so I'd tend to take his hints pretty seriously.

As far as amps go, I've heard good and bad things about the behringers . . . you should check out new and used combo's and rigs around you're area. If you'll be playing with a drummer consider a fairly capable amp . . . take a look at Hartke, GK, Peavey, Ashdown and the like. Try a few with your bass if you can - Oh and remember 95% is down to practicing like crazy!

[Zak Tozer]

That's great thank you. Will check them out.

Yeah that's what I've been trying to do, but the it's just it changes every day and I don't wanna make any rash decisions, but I'll keep on looking!

And of course, always am!

Thanks for your help!

[Truckstop]

I agree you should invest in a decent amp. The Gallien Kreuger MB range of combos (head and speaker cab joined together) are excellent value for money. You'll be looking at no more than £250 for a 2x10/1x15/2x12 combo and they are pretty good. Bags of power, reliable and lightweight.

I wouldn't worry about effects. Unless the songs you're playing actually use effects, you should be able to emulate the original sounds using a decent onboard EQ (the controls on your bass) or the EQ on the amp. The only effect I'd consider buying in your position would be an EQ or compressor. Using one of those, you can adjust your tone vastly without compromising your playing style or messing with the amp settings too much.

For a Geddy-ish tone, you'll want to boost the mids on your amp, dig in with your fingers and use the bridge pickup on your bass. For a nice woody, thuddy tone, play the strings softly close to where the neck joins the body and boost the neck pickup. Killing some treble and mids will also help. For a nice chuggy rock tone, leave the EQ flat, max out both pickups and dig in!

Don't forget, sometimes bass isn't supposed to sound good to your ears when it's solo'd. You really need to pay attention to how the bass sounds in the mix with the rest of the band.

And as Doddy says 90% of your sound comes from your fingers!

Truckstop

[Zak Tozer]

That's great! Thank you very much! I need reverb for A Dark Light. But I think the reverb channel on my ZOOM is good enough. But that advice is really useful, thanks very much!