HPF & Signal Chain

[d-basser]

Apologies if this has been asked before, I did do a cursory search.

 

I am going to be building a Schalltechnik_04 HPF and I was wanting to get opinions on where it would be best placed in my signal chain. The intention is to allow me to best get some punchy and heavy sounds whilst still allowing my amp and speakers to run efficiently. I am running a six string through a board that has, amongst other stuff, a couple of drives, fuzz, chorus and reverb. My plan was to run it last in the chain as pedals like the always on drive I use (Oh See Demon) can add quite a bit of low end and I think it could be tamed a little.

 

What are people's thoughts and experiences? Should I run it first so all my effects are seeing a nice filtered signal or last to tame the effect of my effects? Or, as I suspect, is this just a suck it and see type deal where it is completely application specific and I should just try both?

Edited December 6, 2021 by d-basser

[fretmeister]

I have a Thumpinator and I've tried it at the beginning of the chain, the end and in the FX loop.

I liked it best at the end of the chain before the amp - last place on the pedal board.

[d-basser]

Cheers, matches with my plan but good to know you tried all the permutations first

[Baloney Balderdash]

3 hours ago, fretmeister said:

I have a Thumpinator and I've tried it at the beginning of the chain, the end and in the FX loop.

I liked it best at the end of the chain before the amp - last place on the pedal board.

I agree that this would be the most sensible placement taking OP's intention with using it into consideration. 

Edited December 6, 2021 by Baloney Balderdash

[dodge_bass]

5 hours ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

I agree that this would be the most sensible placement taking OP's intention with using it into consideration. 

Yup me too - clean up the signal before it hits the amp. That’s where I have it in my signal - just before my compressor (last pedal on my board). 

[d-basser]

Interesting, my comp is first in my chain. Didn't play nice with previous dirt pedals when I tried it the other way but now I think about it I've not tried with my new Fuzzrocious setup

[Downunderwonder]

The LPF section begs to be after your fx. That way you won't be sending any clipped highs that give conniptions to any tweeters in your rig or the PA.

[d-basser]

The pedal I'm building is HPF only, that said, if I like it I may well build a Vong that has both.

 

I am running a Markbass head though and use the VLE to tame high end a little

Edited December 7, 2021 by d-basser

[paulo m]

I use a Tech 21 Q Strip @ the end of my effects chain it has both H. P. F & L. P. F which you can punch in or out... Most useful indeed..

I run it straight into the head not' into the effects loop of the amp. 

[acidbass]

I run mine first with compressor second - I want to make sure that the signal going into the other effects is as clean as possible. Also, some pedals e.g. octave track better without unnecessary lows/highs.

[nekomatic]

Given the apparently even split here between HPFfirstians and HPFlastians,  I have to wonder if there’s a case for two HPF stages, one before any other effects or EQ and one after… maybe at 12 dB/octave each?

[itu]

3 hours ago, nekomatic said:

Given the apparently even split here between HPFfirstians and HPFlastians,  I have to wonder if there’s a case for two HPF stages, one before any other effects or EQ and one after… maybe at 12 dB/octave each?

The bass produces very low frequencies only through handling (B is 31.5 Hz). It is possible that while playing the instrument is hit, and handling fills the channel. This may affect some effects a bit, but I do not think this is very crucial. It is also feasible to understand that the frequency response of many units is limited from both ends (like 30 - 8 000 Hz). To remind you, a magnet-coil system is a BPF.

 

Some effects like octaver can go very low, and that's why the HPF is doing the most as the last in line. As stated before, if your comp is at the end, the HPF can be before the comp. From the technological point of view, comp is refining the end product (i.e. sound), just like the HPF. But as said before, try and find the most suitable to your sound.

[d-basser]

Currently trying comp first in chain and hpf last which is working well. Will try other arrangements but that's working for now.

[Bunion]

Does your compressor have a sidechain?

[d-basser]

Nope, it's a Diamond bass comp

[BabyBlueSound]

I like to keep it at the end, as my main goal is to clean up the resulting sound and eliminate the unnecessary lows. If it's not at the end, some other pedal like my Behringer might re-add lows. But that's just the sound I am looking for. You might want something completely different.