Sign In: or Sign Up! (forgotten password?)
Drowned in Sound

Good Bass pedals - recommendations please?

I tried a 'little Big Muff' but wasn't quite sure - thought there may be something better out there.

Are Boss pedals any good? I'm looking for a filthy sound, nice and gritty.

Any advice welcome.

cheers

titan_grip | 25 May '08, 13:55 | Send note | Report this | Reply



  • ...

    I had a US Big Muff back in the day and found it pretty good, but a little wild. And it wasn't really made for bass so tended to wipe off the low-end when you used it. Still though, great sound.

    I think the Sovtek muffs were better suited to bass frequencies. They have a pretty different sound, but they're still great.

    I use a Boss ME-50 now because I don't have the time, money or inclination to be going around buying shit loads of little individual pedals. The good news is that the ME-50 is incredibly versatile, comes with loads of ninja sounds, easily configurable and has a built in looper and tuner.

    You have the cash for it, I'd recommend it.

    Stealthy | 25 May '08, 14:00 | Reply

  • the only distortion pedal I've been impressed with on bass

    has been the Colorsound Supa Tone Bender (which is, strictly speaking, a guitar pedal). Unfortunately you can't get them anymore, but these days a bass version is available, so it might be worth a go:

    http://www.macaris.co.uk/product_full.asp?productID=178&typeID=27&catID=5

    argle | 25 May '08, 14:02 | Reply

  • Filthy, nice and gritty

    describes an awful lot of pedals. Whether you'll like any of them is down to you - choice of distortion is very personal, and everyone always recommends their own choice. So, any hints about whose bass sound you'd like to get close to?

    Incidentally, most fuzzes (as opposed to distortions) prefer a high impedance signal. If you're using an active bass or another pedal like Boss in front of the Big Muff you're likely to get quite a synthy or gated sound.

    Musky | 25 May '08, 19:39 | Reply

  • Boss ODB3

    As used by Mogwai, RHCP etc. Dead good. 50 quid-ish.

    Personally i use the aforementioned ME-50B for its variety. One going for 110 on ebay at the mo.

    The ZVex Wooly Mammoth is the shit but normally upwards of 200 beans.

    Just go to a shop and ask nicely to play about with everything. I've found some great tones in Danelectro and Behringer pedals around 20 quid.

    19and85 | 25 May '08, 20:45 | Reply

    • I have the Wooly Mammoth

      Mine is a anniversary (green sparkle) one-It sounds great (low on the neck) w/ guitar too. I have a Boss ME_508 Bass Multiple Effects mod (I usually hate multis) that has lots of COOL stuff but I like it mostly because of the expression pedal (best bass wah i've found) and it is really easy to use. The only presets you have to deal with are the ones you make yourself and it plays well with other effects. I also like the electro harmonix wiggler (i think i'm going for one of ZVEX's tremolos though) and the Boss DD-6 Digital Delay. between those four things there's just about no sound I can't get (except the sounds my amp just refuses to make) therefore I just tracked down a SUNN 200S w/ SUNN 2X15 Cab.

      ZVEX also has a lower price (not hand painted) line called VEXTER SERIES (Japanese made) and Zachary Vex says they have nicer guts that his own. My next ZVEX pedal will be VEXTER

      rue_the_day | 25 May '08, 21:55 | Reply

    • the ODB3

      is a pedal that gets overlooked terribly. Ive got one and the blend function is extremely usefull, as is the good eq on it. The wooly mamouth would be my choice for dirty dirty fuzz if money was no object.

      To be honest, with bass your best bet is to run 3 channels, a clean and dirty, ckick in the dirt tone above the clean and make it propper nasty. This way you keep the low end integrity of the signal and also get the grind your looking for. epic post apologies

      aharps | 25 May '08, 22:16 | Reply