If you could only choose one filter pedal

[Al Krow]

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1509218484' post='3397421']
Is all this mini board business really necessary? Just sounds like an excuse to buy more pedals!
[/quote]

[b]What is really necessary?[/b]
Well that is a good question! If I'm being completely honest, I'd say that right now, of my current gear, all that is really [i]necessary [/i]would be my: Ibby SR1800, my trusty Markbass combo, a guitar lead and bass stand (and a tuner is, for sure, definitely useful). Everything else I have bass-wise (e.g. my three other basses and my EUB, my delicious Mesa M6 2x12 Combo, which at 80lbs is never going to get gigged, and ALL my pedals) probably then falls into "the nice to have category". But that's ok I've saved more than that over my adult lifetime by never having had a Sky subscription

So given that 80% of my gear already isn't "necessary", another 5% in terms of relative costs (this mini board shouldn't cost too much to put together), I guess ain't going to move the dial much on that score?

And on the subject of buying more pedals, well I've bought in [i]total[/i] since I picked up the bass again five years ago: 13 (that includes an incoming MS-60B and a TC Mojomojo and also allows for the three pedals I've moved on during that time). So these additional two (assuming I get two rather than one) will take my total pedal purchases to 15 of which I have kept 12 (which will be split 7 on main board and 4 on the mini board plus an off board Boss RC-30 looper for creative riff recording).

Now dear Dannybuoy, let me put the same Q to you: how many pedals you bought in total over the past 5 years - I'm guessing 104(!) and how many do you still have? I'll let you come back with the correct answers to both

Edited October 28, 2017 by Al Krow

[Hooch]

I'd definitely put a Bananana Matryoshka on a mini pedal board. I received one of them yesterday, you got there a crazy amount of usuable sounds for a 1590a estate. Fat synth goodness in such a little thing is wonderful !

[CameronJ]

There is a small chance I may be moving my DiscomBOBulator v2 on soon Al. A couple of other things (non-bass related) have come up which need paying for...though I may have to choose something else to put on the chopping block as the DCB2 with its switchable boost is very useful. Hmmm...

[CameronJ]

[quote name='Hooch' timestamp='1509264147' post='3397570']
I'd definitely put a Bananana Matryoshka on a mini pedal board. I received one of them yesterday, you got there a crazy amount of usuable sounds for a 1590a estate. Fat synth goodness in such a little thing is wonderful !
[/quote]

Aaahhh you’ve got one?! How do they manage to fit so much into such a tiny enclosure?

[ped]

I don’t know what it is but though I love my multi fx, I can’t abide single pedals that require a wall wart. Puts me right off.

[Hooch]

@Cameron: it really is something new on the market. A multi-synth on such a tiny space ! A preset deluxe version would be estate-consuming, but if Bananana launches a Matryoshka V2 with an expression pedal on the rate control, it'll be a complete killer toy/tool.

GAS is even telling me a 2nd Matryoshka on a board isn't a silly move... GAS is so strong. Matryoshka's too.

[Hooch]

(Even slightly off-topic)

Edited October 29, 2017 by Hooch

[Al Krow]

[quote name='Hooch' timestamp='1509264147' post='3397570']
I'd definitely put a Bananana Matryoshka on a mini pedal board. I received one of them yesterday, you got there a crazy amount of usuable sounds for a 1590a estate. Fat synth goodness in such a little thing is wonderful !
[/quote]

Hey Hooch - I think you've definitely got our attention! Three Qs if I may:

1) So can this do 70s funk wah (i.e. MXR M82 / Aggie FT / Fwonkbeta) as well as the whackier SA Manta stuff?
2) What is it like as an octave - can it do clean octave (with no synth) and what is it like in terms of tracking speed (any warble / latency?) and tracking depth (how low on the E string can it track down to)? Not a deal breaker if it's not a great a octaver if it delivers on 1) as I can get a TC sub'n'up mini to do the octave bit (or if I'm being boring another COG T16 )
3) How much is it delivered and from where?

Edited October 29, 2017 by Al Krow

[lee650]

I've still to find the filter for me! I'm currently using an early coloured/etched 3 Leaf wonderlove,I love it mixed with fuzz and octave, (especially when they are in its loop) but struggling to find a tone I like on its own, it's just not squelchy enough. My favourite was the original big box Qtron I owned! Buts it's massive a PITA to power and sucks tone bypassed! I've had the EBS IQ, digitech BSW, Tone factor bottom Feeder, Bass balls and various multi fx and haven't found "the one" yet.

tones I love are "back to love" Brand new heavies, "fell n love with a boy" Joss Stone ( guy used a Moog Murf I believe) and anything by Bootsy:) got my eye on the Emma Discombobulator at the mo!

[Hooch]

3) It's in the 200 euros shipping fees included region - but have in mind customs & VAT fees too. Good to know: Bananana has a e-shop on reverb.com

1) No, think multi-synth - which can work great with a EV too. For funky 70s era stuff, got a Wonderlove etched version, and a Snow white which are both great on their own. For synth swoosh, a Xero dlx.

2) the octave is always the synth one. No clean octave at all. As for tracking, it's too early to be very specific as i had a try with the Matryoshka between a Pbass and my amp, and that's all. But tracking seems ok to me. Some glitches on E string, below A sometimes, not on every modes. Btw, better tracking than most multi-synth pedaĺ attempts i heard on youtube - only got Octavius Squeezer, this one is much simpler/more usable for me.

Edited October 29, 2017 by Hooch

[Al Krow]

[quote name='Hooch' timestamp='1509271132' post='3397652']
1) No, think multi-synth - which can work great with a EV too. For funky 70s era stuff, got a Wonderlove etched version, and a Snow white which are both great on their own. For synth swoosh, a Xero dlx.
2) the octave is always the synth one. No clean octave at all. As for tracking, it's too early to be very specific as i had a try with the Matryoshka between a Pbass and my amp, and that's all. But tracking seems ok to me. Some glitches on E string, below A sometimes, not on every modes. Btw, better tracking than most multi-synth pedaĺ attempts i heard on youtube - only got Octavius Squeezer, this one is much simpler/more usable for me.
3) It's in the 200 euros shipping fees included region - but have in mind customs & VAT fees too. Good to know: Bananana has a e-shop on reverb.com
[/quote]

Cheers Hooch for that feedback. Well would you believe it? Within 24 hours of dannybuoy bringing this little slippery Bananana to our attention one has already appeared in the FS section - how spooky is that (probably haloween related)?! It's on for a whopping £250 second hand and current owner decided pretty quickly that he'd rather have the cash than keep the pedal, which says to me it's clearly not going to be everyone's cup of tea.

(And no doubt Ped's gonna say he'll have one, if it's free(!) together with the new Ashdown Doom head - you guys seen that? It's completely gorgeous and PMT online are not only stocking, but are going to be opening a store within 30 mins of me...)

Here's the test with the Bananana Rama for me - at that price is it really a much better piece of kit than the Source Audio Manta? I'm struggling to see that it is going to deliver any more [i]usable[/i] filter sounds (as opposed to wonderfully whacky wonders for solo bedroom performance )

...anyway I've managed to pick up my first bid win ever on eBay this afternoon (which obviously means I paid too much), but with 142 sim patches to play with costing me approximately 40p each, I guess I can't complain!

[Hooch]

Every synth pedals are not everyone's cup of tea i'm afraid. Their use is so specific... It really is a matter of individual taste, not a question of bedroom vs live needs i guess.

Just have a look at Tim Lefebvre's Instagram. He's using the Matryoshka, saying it's the bomb. It doesn't mean it will tick every boxes for what you'd define as a multi-synth, but it means for sure you got to expect some serious & usable stuff from this tiny little box. And a slice of real fun too !

[Quatschmacher]

[quote name='lee650' timestamp='1509269381' post='3397630']
I've still to find the filter for me! I'm currently using an early coloured/etched 3 Leaf wonderlove,I love it mixed with fuzz and octave, (especially when they are in its loop) but struggling to find a tone I like on its own, it's just not squelchy enough. My favourite was the original big box Qtron I owned! Buts it's massive a PITA to power and sucks tone bypassed! I've had the EBS IQ, digitech BSW, Tone factor bottom Feeder, Bass balls and various multi fx and haven't found "the one" yet.

tones I love are "back to love" Brand new heavies, "fell n love with a boy" Joss Stone ( guy used a Moog Murf I believe) and anything by Bootsy:) got my eye on the Emma Discombobulator at the mo!
[/quote]

Yup, the loop on the Wonderlove is great, but I’m with you about it not being squelchy enough on its own. The Q-Tron+ I just picked up has the squelch and the loop (and is true bypass, unlike the older big box version). Sadly there’s no blend knob like on the Wonderlove but this might be up your street, Lee. (Also, try the Q balls enigma.)

Edited October 29, 2017 by Quatschmacher

[ped]

[quote name='Al Krow' timestamp='1509305984' post='3397958']


Cheers Hooch for that feedback. Well would you believe it? Within 24 hours of dannybuoy bringing this little slippery Bananana to our attention one has already appeared in the FS section - how spooky is that (probably haloween related)?! It's on for a whopping £250 second hand and current owner decided pretty quickly that he'd rather have the cash than keep the pedal, which says to me it's clearly not going to be everyone's cup of tea.

(And no doubt Ped's gonna say he'll have one, if it's free(!) together with the new Ashdown Doom head - you guys seen that? It's completely gorgeous and PMT online are not only stocking, but are going to be opening a store within 30 mins of me...)

Here's the test with the Bananana Rama for me - at that price is it really a much better piece of kit than the Source Audio Manta? I'm struggling to see that it is going to deliver any more [i]usable[/i] filter sounds (as opposed to wonderfully whacky wonders for solo bedroom performance )

...anyway I've managed to pick up my first bid win ever on eBay this afternoon (which obviously means I paid too much), but with 142 sim patches to play with costing me approximately 40p each, I guess I can't complain!
[/quote]

Well if you don’t ask you don’t get!

[Al Krow]

[quote name='Hooch' timestamp='1509309001' post='3398001']
Just have a look at Tim Lefebvre's Instagram. He's using the Matryoshka, saying it's the bomb. It doesn't mean it will tick every boxes for what you'd define as a multi-synth, but it means for sure you got to expect some serious & usable stuff from this tiny little box. And a slice of real fun too !
[/quote]

I'm kinda boycotting Instagram after I discovered it's the [url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-39955295"]single worst social media cause of depression[/url] in our youngsters. But I did check his Wickipedia entry and he's not updated that yet for the slippery 'nana. He is an amazing bassist but the weird thing is if you said Tedeschi Trucks to someone in the UK you'd get a blank face 999/1000! A bassist's bassist? What's your favourite stuff by him and what would be iconic in terms of his use of filters?

[CameronJ]

Have to say Lefebvre and Alderete have cost me a lot of money as far as effects chain GAS...!

[Hooch]

The thing is that if you're curious about one pedal, there some chance the stuff has been played & (even for a few seconds) reviewed by Alderete... and that often leads to another pedal, some extra "xxxx talkbass" googling, GASsing, and so on. Endless story.

@Al Krow: sorry if i offend your boycott but it's worth the try on his Instagram account, as there's a recent example of its use of a Bananana during what looks like a forth-coming session.

Interesting use of synth, isn't it ?

Edited October 29, 2017 by Hooch

[Al Krow]

No offence taken, but I'm not going on Instagram either! Principles is principles So w[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]hat's your favourite stuff by him (Youtube links are good - I'm not boycotting that ) and what would be iconic material (if any) in terms of his use of filters (certainly doesn't have to be limited to this latest banana craze)?[/font][/color]

[Hooch]

I mentioned Tim Lefebvre as a renowned pro-session player using the Bananana as a tool, during live or sessions. So i guess there usable sounds in it. This was your question.

As for mentioning Tim Lefebvre "iconic" use of filters examples - really a pity you're boycotting Instagram, there is one there which is miles away from laserblades and robot talks -, i don't know his work enough to be helpful. He played with Nerve & Jojo Mayer, you should find some useful materials there i guess.

I got to say that for me a multi-synth is not a filter, and a total different beast. With the Bananana, but the same or almost goes with other synths, you got your clean voice, first synth voice (which can track an octave below) and the second synth (effect) voice. Some controls function the same way as an envelope filter (sensitivity, resonance), but it doesn't sound the same at all.

Edited October 29, 2017 by Hooch

[Al Krow]

[quote name='Quatschmacher' timestamp='1509196523' post='3397262']
EHX bass microsynth maybe?
By "filter" do you mean "envelope filter" (a la FT) or do you mean "(static) lowpass filter" (a la T16/Octamizer)?
[/quote]

[quote name='CameronJ' timestamp='1509196725' post='3397265']
Bingo. This is what you're after. Octave, Filter, Fuzz all in one. You'll need to spend a little time "learning" the controls as there are a lot of options on deck, but it's a fun process from what I remember. Really need to buy one myself.
[/quote]

[quote name='la bam' timestamp='1509438707' post='3398820']
EHX bass micro synth. Great sounds but sucked all the volume out of my core tone when used next to my b3, making it unuseable in our set list.
[/quote]

The last from another thread, but methinks helpful practical feedback given the recent suggestions to consider this. Dunno if anyone else has had similar experience to la bam?

Btw Q - realised I hadn't responded to your question - I was meaning envelope filter rather than static low pass filter.

[dannybuoy]

The BMS doesn't technically have an envelope filter if I recall correctly... rather than the filter following the amplitude (or envelope) of the signal, it fires off a filter sweep at a configurable speed as soon as your signal hits a threshold. This means every sweep of the filter sounds the same - you don't have as much subtle control as an envelope filter, although for some synth sounds of course it's perfect!

[CameronJ]

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1509441905' post='3398855']
The BMS doesn't technically have an envelope filter if I recall correctly... rather than the filter following the amplitude (or envelope) of the signal, it fires off a filter sweep at a configurable speed as soon as your signal hits a threshold. This means every sweep of the filter sounds the same - you don't have as much subtle control as an envelope filter, although for some synth sounds of course it's perfect!
[/quote]

Ah, you're right. I'd forgotten about that detail as it's been a while since I last played one.

[Quatschmacher]

Got to give a mention to the Future Impact. I got it on rental yesterday; it’s loads of fun and very versatile. Nails some Stevie Wonder tones. It struggles a bit with very fast notes; you need to play very cleanly and with a bit of space between each note to get the next to trigger properly. Sounds fantastic too and the sounds are editable on the pedal (editing via computer makes your own patch creation possible as you have access to all the oscillator settings).

[Quatschmacher]

I’ll be trying the Glou Glou Rendez Vous tonight…

[xgsjx]

If I were to get filters again, it would be the Moog MF-101 & possibly a MF-105m (I had the 105b before).
I don't have a need for them just now, but I do sometimes miss those awesome subby synth sounds.