HPF thoughts ?

[fretmeister]

32 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

 

Apologies for the thread digress, but was interested in your comment - I used to be a massive fan of using octave pedals, but find that a 5 string largely eliminates the need in a band mix as you can often play an octave down anyway compared to a 4 string particularly for songs in keys of B, C, D and Eb. 

 

If you're playing in the low E string to A string range then the octave down is giving you a fundamental at 20hz to 30hz, which you're barely going to hear. The second harmonic from the octaver pedal is then just doubling your existing fundamental (which you've already got). I find even with HPF engaged it's not a great sound in the mix - pleasant enough when solo'd at home for sure - but you're obviously finding it works well with your set up and band? I've literally just taken my OC-5 off my board this past week! 😊

 

Its working fine. I'm using sort of Duck Dunn tone which is really all about the low mids rather than low bass. I'm competing with a lot of brass and reeds and I need to make sure the bass and the bari sax / bones all have room. The signal path is:

 

Bass

Filter

Drive (Subtle for a bit of hair)

Compressor

Octave

Thumpinator Mk1

Amp

 

I set the octave so when it is on, the original signal is at a slightly lower volume than unity and let the octave signal take up the slack. When the thumpinator does it's thing on the really low notes that lower than usual original signal sounds just right, presumably because of the doubling.

 

Dusty's live tone was absolutely filthy but I believe he ran his octave (MicroPog) and thumpinator parallel to the rest.

[Al Krow]

Ah...interesting pedal running order: I've always had my Octave and Filter reversed in running order to yours - to give the Octaver the cleanest bass signal to bite on at the start of the signal chain and the Filter towards the end to give it the most complex wave pattern to filter. And I'd have the HPF at the start to clean up the signal for the rest of the pedals.

 

The other thing about Octavers "doubling up" the lowest notes with the second harmonic is that there is a very slight latency which I guess then sounds like a second string and which I presume is how we hear a thickening up of the sound?

 

But I digress, again, haha. As you were, back to HPFs...

[fretmeister]

I like the HPF at the end. I take the view that pedals are designed to take the entire signal from the bass without anything missing, then I just cut off the problematic part. It doesn't work as well for me the other way. It's like not giving the pedals enough to work with.

 

The compressor gives a clean and steady signal to the Octave so it doesn't matter that the filter is before it. I just like the sound of filter before octave much more than the other way round.

 

I'm currently deciding which drive pedal stays on the board. So at the moment I have both a DG AO and an EBS Sheehan Ultimate. They are both amazing at low drive as well as the OTT stuff. But I can only fit one on with the others. I refuse to take anything more than a Nano+ board. Cannot be bothered with carrying anything more.

[tauzero]

On 26/09/2023 at 17:56, NHM said:

I haven't tried the Broughton, but I have a Vong Filterung on my board and it is excellent - as well as the HPF it has a LPF (switchable on the toggle) and a DI out. You can set the frequencies for both the H&LPFs, and you can toggle polarity should you ever need to. It's really handy as the last pedal in the chain.

 

I made one. Bastard thing doesn't work and I haven't had much help from the designer.

[NHM]

52 minutes ago, tauzero said:

 

I made one. Bastard thing doesn't work and I haven't had much help from the designer.

Bad luck mate. I had a fault on mine once, I approached the company and they weren't interested in helping. I took it to a local tech who sorted it out no problem.

[SuperSeagull]

On 27/09/2023 at 09:52, BillyBass said:

Or you could promote the Scottish economy and buy one of these:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175805626444

 

I have one.  24db/octave reduction, variable frequency cut off, operated by a stomp (though I leave mine as a permanent on at about 35Hz)

I’ve just ordered one. Grant messaged me to say he is quite busy with orders at the moment and I suggested it might be as a result of discussion here! Even so he reckons with me by Weds so no real delay. Will compare and contrast with my Rafferty which works brilliantly but I do need a small footprint pedal plus less bothered about the pre amp and phase switch.

[tauzero]

I've decided to give https://www.pedalpcb.com/product/pcb553/ a shot. More news when it arrives.

[BillyBass]

1 hour ago, SuperSeagull said:

I’ve just ordered one. Grant messaged me to say he is quite busy with orders at the moment and I suggested it might be as a result of discussion here! Even so he reckons with me by Weds so no real delay. Will compare and contrast with my Rafferty which works brilliantly but I do need a small footprint pedal plus less bothered about the pre amp and phase switch.

I got the Rafferty before I came across the Sine Effects HPF.  I prefer the Sine Effects HPF because it is pedal board friendly and it has a 24db cut.

[Beer of the Bass]

4 hours ago, tauzero said:

I've decided to give https://www.pedalpcb.com/product/pcb553/ a shot. More news when it arrives.

 

Hmm, that's a useful looking thing. If I ever get around to making up a pedalboard rather than whacking two or three pedals on the floor, I'd be tempted to do one of those and keep the Vong for double bass use.