Zoom A3 upright

[jrixn1]

I couldn't find much information about the Zoom A3 pedal, which is an acoustic remodeller -- so here's a quick demo in case it's of interest to anyone else.

Bass: 'Christopher' brand hybrid (spruce top, laminate back/sides)

Pickup: K&K Bass Max piezo

[media]http://youtu.be/7i3pamLxgAU[/media]

I used the pedal's default upright bass setting.

I clicked the effect on and off every eight bars, starting with it off.

I've faded the backing track out gradually over the length of the video, so by the end you can hear just the bass.

My opinion: I don't know if it's just an EQ curve, or something else more complicated - but I think it sounds better with it on than off!

Edited June 21, 2016 by jrixn1

[DorsetBlue]

Personally, and I am no expert, but I think it just took away the piezo "quack" - which I think is a good thing.

[TPJ]

Difintely makes a difference with making sound more natural. It would be interesting to hear how it works in a live situation in regards to feedback from back line, monitors etc...

[ikay]

Sounds good. Are the eq and balance knobs on the Zoom all at 12 o'clock in the demo?

[jrixn1]

The EQ settings were:

Bass: 10 o'clock
Mid: 12 o'clock
Treble: 11 o'clock

The balance was completely clockwise (100% wet).

I play with a loud 10-piece function band, but fortunately I don't ever seem to suffer feedback issues -- so I won't have a chance to test out the feedback functionality of the pedal.

[ikay]

Thanks. I'd be interested to hear what a regular bass guitar sounds like using the upright setting. Any chance you could try that and post a demo? Probably expecting too much for it to sound much like an upright but you never know!

[jrixn1]

[quote name='ikay' timestamp='1466615738' post='3077292']
I'd be interested to hear what a regular bass guitar sounds like using the upright setting.
[/quote]

Interesting idea!

It's a fretless jazz (rounds) at first, then about a minute in it's a fretted precision (flats + foam bridge mute).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e5UwBVgq2k

Pedal settings: EQ was set flat, 100% wet blend, magnetic pickup option.

Nope... doesn't sound like an upright! We'll have to keep lugging these things around :-(

[ikay]

Hmm interesting, thanks for doing that. The zoom certainly adds a huge amount of bottom end which emphasises the fundamental and puts it more in upright territory. I'm not sure my speakers would cope with that much low end movement!

[jrixn1]

I have a negative comment about the pedal: there is no way to bypass it.

You can stomp on/off the effects loop (i.e. the upright bass modeller + any other digital EQ/reverb effects you have programmed in), but some settings are outside of that loop: the input level, the input pickup setting (magnetic, piezo, or flat), master EQ, and the output level.

If I was playing only upright, this wouldn't be a problem, as the pedal would always be in use. However, nearly all my gigs are doubling, so it is a bit annoying. I guess could use a separate effects loop pedal to bypass the Zoom A3 when I don't want it - but that's extra faffing and pedalboard space.

(EDIT: I subsequently discovered that the tuner has two modes: "mute" and "bypass". The bypass mode is partial: it bypasses the main effect and master EQ; it doesn't bypass the input/output level knobs).

Edited July 18, 2016 by jrixn1

[Maude]

[quote name='jrixn1' timestamp='1466685453' post='3077872']
I have a negative comment about the pedal: there is no way to bypass it.
[/quote]


Yep, I think you've convinced yourself you don't like it. I'll do you a favour and take it off your hands for fifty quid


I did think about one of these when I was looking for a preamp, I'm now interested again, thanks for doing the sound clip.