Does anyone just use a bass & amp?

[The59Sound]

Got me thinking with the amount of pedals coming out every month - is the idea of using a bass straight into an amp old fashioned or do you feel you can't get a workable tone without pedals?

Do people love the simplicity of plugging straight in and just using the EQ to get a good sound? 

[Len_derby]

Me. 

[Burns-bass]

Me too. 

[NJE]

I love the idea of a couple of pedals, but in practice I know at a gig they would stress me out and add more complications and more chances for things to go wrong.

In all honesty I barely even use my amp settings, it’s mostly flat and my stingray does my small EQ tweaks.

[Steve Browning]

I have a switcher and a buffer but they are to allow me to use basses with different output levels and account for the longer cable run. If only using the one bass I don't need that and so think of myself of a bass and amp guy.

Always fancied playing through an envelope filter on some funky tunes but never even tried it.

[Mickeyboro]

Me, unless you count cordless transmitter! 

[uk_lefty]

Every now and then I do end up with just bass and amp. It's usually when using a provided backline, either cables are too short because they expect the bass player to be so far back you may as well be sat behind the stage, whereas I'm up with the singer doing backing vocals, or I've had pedals either fail or ram a load of unwanted noise through the amp which rather than try to resolve I just ditch the pedals.

I like the security of having my tuner (for obvious reasons) pedal and my hartke vxl as a minimum, all the others are nice to have but not at all essential. The vxl is there as either a backup in case the amp fails so i can go direct from that pedal, or for the EQ if I don't know the amp. If I'm using my own amp then it's used as a boost pedal or to put drive at the front end of the pedal chain. 

[christhammer666]

I have done all the pedals and boards etc, but as NJE says its just more stuff to go wrong. And more often then not I have had issues. At the mo with my Ibby sr500 and my hartke lh500 im getting a lovely piano like tone so it suits me.

All I plug in is a tuner

[spongebob]

Bass, amp, cab. Job done!

[baldwinbass]

Me too

[BigRedX]

Taken to it's logical conclusion you'd need to be using a single pickup bass with no tone control direct into an FRFR amp/cab.

Of course if the PA plays a significant role in your FoH sound then it's all irrelevant, since the engineer will be applying EQ and compression at the desk. 

[Lozz196]

If I were to use a generic Precision sound then I would, however as the sound I use is pretty specific and not obtainable from many amps (I can get it from my own amp) I have a preamp/DI pedal in the chain to get it. As such it`s easier to always have the preamp in the chain and get the sound from that, even if using my own amp, just makes setting up more standardised.

Edited April 18, 2018 by Lozz196

[Mykesbass]

Me. I own an EHX Soul Food, but usually forget to plug it in (or don't have enough sockets). Have dabbled with effects, but haven't had much joy getting the right sounds out of them.

[franzbassist]

Me too.  I go through phases of wanting to use effects, so I put together a basic pedalboard, use it a couple of times, and then sell it all off.

[dmccombe7]

Depends on the gig but i'm happy with just plug and play as long as i have my tuner (pedal or rack mounted).

Normally like a touch of compressor but can do without  if required.

Dave

[basseng]

Bass and amp, tone by finger position.

[SpondonBassed]

I don't gig.

I only plug a tuner into my rig.  I don't want anything between my bass and amp as I haven't become fully aquainted with what I can already do with what I've got.  One drawback to my situation is that it is rare for me to play at gigable volumes so my view is hardly representative.  I do however echo the sentiment above that fx complicate things and make troubleshooting more of a chore if things aren't quite right.

If I ever got to gig regularly I might change but I think it is unlikely.  My Ashdown has Five band eq, Compression, Deep, Bright, Overdrive and Subharmonics already without plugging anything into the FX loop.  I'm happy enough with what I've got.

[casapete]

Another one here. Don’t even like using a pedal tuner (more cables to affect the signal etc).

[LewisK1975]

I use (and love) the Line 6 Helix for my covers band. 

But I rehearsed the other day for my originals band and I just took my RH750 and two10.  Worked lovely (for that band)...

Horses for courses as they say! YMMV!

[BassTractor]

Bass --> combo.

Job done.

 

Best regards,

Shep.

 

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[police squad]

yep, no pedals here, not even a tuner. That clips onto the headstock

[bassbiscuits]

Me too.

Bass + amp.

If that's not enough, then you're not doing it right!

 

[Leonard Smalls]

Just bass into tuner into amp for me too.

However, there's 6 pedals making 3 loops plus clean hanging off a Wounded Paw blender attached to the FX loop

 

[chris_b]

Use pedals if you want to but I haven't found a need for one so far.

Buy better gear and play it well and you'll sound the best anyway.

[The59Sound]

38 minutes ago, casapete said:

Another one here. Don’t even like using a pedal tuner (more cables to affect the signal etc).

Now this I would disagree with. A tuner (not a child's toy aka clip-on tuner) is essential for gigging/playing. Being in tune is more important than having a good tone. Why would you play without a chromatic tuner? That's like removing a string from your bass.