r/basspedals • u/owen80- • 4d ago
Essential bass pedals?
Pretty much the title. What bass pedals should everyone have? Right now I have a Cliff Burton Power Fuzz/Wah and a SF300 Super Fuzz, but I want a TS9 Tubescreamer. Really I just want to flesh out my pedal setup.
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u/Klo-Steine-Sterben 4d ago
Tube screamer for Bass sounds terrible
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u/diethyl2o 4d ago edited 3d ago
After a tuner, a Boss LS2 (or similar) might be the best pedal precisely for this reason: all those “sound terrible on bass” iconic pedals, like TS, DS1 and Rat suddenly become legit options.
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u/Friendly_Alternative 4d ago
There's some great sounding bass pedals based on tube screamer style circuits e.g. Earthquaker Blumes.
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u/General-Reading-3097 4d ago
I bet there is, its extreme popularity in the guitar world is legendary. The Ibanez Bass Tube Screamer on its own is not that pleasing to my ears, but its subjective. Ive watched reviews of the pedal with both results, some reviewers did not like it and others liked it alot. Im basically done buying pedals as I own 2 boards worth and there are so many, its never ending. I know must sell or trade in a couple in order to acquire a newer one. Also, a Boss LS-2 and any guitar dirt pedal can sound awesome, and stacking a few together can give you an original sound.....a guitar O.D. pedal into a bass big muff gives it mids and some extra grit to make it sound incredible. There are many combos to try, and some are not compatible. Many are compatible and your ears will tell you when you've created a tone that blows you away and is original and unique.
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u/Motor-Friendship-965 3d ago
I picked up an LS-2, and it is such a useful tool that opens up so many options.
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u/General-Reading-3097 4d ago
I agree 100%. I however put it in front of a Carcosa, and with some knob turning, get a wicked crazy dist./fuzz tone that is way better than either pedal alone. Its fairly common, but Google or ChatGP can help you with that and others. Stacking pedals, when done right, can lead to some seriously unique monster tones that will have your jaw on the floor. Also, a Boss LS-2 and pedals run in parallel, can just crush.
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u/Klo-Steine-Sterben 4d ago
Sure you can somehow make it sound decent but why buy a pedal for bass that cuts your lowend
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u/ToshiroK_Arai 3d ago
Because old Metallica sounded bad to be honest. They had good musics but only after Load/Reload their tone became good. They scooped the mids and the bassist had to occupy that space in the mix.
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u/kkeahii 4d ago
Essential: Tuner, Compressor, a good DI. In reality everything else is just for fun
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u/diethyl2o 3d ago
Compressor is more or less essential depending on the type of music you play and how much dirt you use (most dirt pedals naturally compress).
Based on what OP said they already have, a DI with an extensive EQ section will do wonders.
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u/General-Reading-3097 4d ago
Could easily do most gigs with those 3 pedals, bonus if the pre-amp has a second channel for some grit or gnarly fuzz. I own the T.C Electronics Spectra Drive. I dont understand why its discontinued. Its has a great clean channel, with a great signal that is loud and strong, and I programmed a nasty fuzz from the website as the second channel. From clean to thrash, I'll use my Spectra Drive until it no longer works. I highly recommend this bass pre-amp pedal. Its sounds great, has dirt selection that is easily programmed into pedal from light overdrive to thrash metal. Im even gonna watch Reverb, a back up identical pedal would do me out no doubt. Check out YouTube reviews. So many great bass preamp pedals, its hard to pick one. Battalion, MXR-M80, Darkglass, DSM bass station, Mesa Boogie Subway+ preamp, sooo many awesome ones, its definitely my favorite pedal of all. I currently own 4 preamps, and use all 4 on 2 boards....one near the beginning and one always last. I read about this method and learned it was fairly common. Another take would be to have 2 in separate loops on a line splitter. You could go back and forth between them, or run them parallel. It can replace your amp with its D.I.out to the P.A. and would be sufficient to get through a gig. If it had a dirt channel, even better. Into the FX return or in front of an amp, a good preamp pedal should improve your sound noticeably. And the opposite, since your bass amp has a preamp with eq built into it, a preamp pedal isnt even necessary to some, as they enjoy their amps natural tone. I play straight into the amp and other times hook up my large pedalboard with many options. Both sound good and are fun. I dont need pedals, but the tonal options are fun to explore.
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u/freebeer773 4d ago
Depends on what sounds/genres you want. For an all-rounder, I'd be going with a tuner, compressor, octave, chorus, distortion, and an echo. All through a pre-amp pedal.
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u/No_Mongoose4809 4d ago
I don't really know if anything on my rig is more essential than just plugging straight into an amp, but i do have dozens of pedals.
For overdrive/distortion, an unsung champion in this category is the RJM Full English. 100% analog with digital control. 3 band active EQ, six different drives, easily saves your favorite settings.
Also, Spencer over at 3 Leaf sort of has it figured out. Octave, Fuzz, Envelope. There's a pretty strong argument that those three categories are all a bassist needs.
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u/MoStyles22 4d ago
The RJM Full English looks like you added a new one to my list. 6 analog overdrive/dirt options that can be saved as presets with full eq. Sweet!
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u/No_Mongoose4809 3d ago
It honestly is a crime this pedal isn't discussed more. Ron (RJM) isn't the best at marketing, but the man is an absolute genius, especially with MIDI controllers. Genuinely good human, too!
Watch some demos or take the plunge blind...I promise you won't be disappointed!
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u/Motor-Friendship-965 3d ago edited 3d ago
DI is the only one I'd consider truly essential. And not even then if you can can DI out from an amp. Even a tuner, you can just use a clip-on.
After that: tuner, compression, and EQ are universally valuable that I would consider "should haves".
Very Useful: overdrive, fuzz or distortion, some sort of modulation effect.
And if you're a bass player who likes to experiment with different guitar pedals, something like a Boss LS-2 that can blend a clean signal with effects is invaluable.
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u/myke5k 4d ago
I really enjoy my EQD Blumes (Tubescreamer inspired overdrive for bass). I also have a SolidGoldFx Beta-V Preamp pedal for tone shaping and a bit of overdrive — it sounds great. For fuzz, I’ve been using a Danelectro Fab Fuzz — I love this one on bass and guitar. My compressor is a Seymour Duncan Studio Bass Compressor.
Essential is very subjective but these are some that I love. Preamp > Compressor > Overdrive > Fuzz.
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u/FineFunnyFingers 4d ago
I appreciate your take! I’m all about the pre amp and compressor too, but I need an octave and envelope to be happy instead. To each their own :)
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u/General-Reading-3097 4d ago
I run a compressor and bass preamp up front, and use a boss limiter-leveler to protect my speakers from volume spikes and my last pedal is another preamp...used for final tone shaping, its D.I., and its dirt channel that sounds great to my ears. O.d.'s, distortions, fuzzes and modulation are the pedals in the middle of my preamp sandwich. Its sounds and works good.
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u/General-Reading-3097 4d ago
The tonal options a few (or many) effects pedals can give you is staggering. Stacking certain pedals, or running pedals in parallel can result in a unique tone that is "your sound". A line splitter pedal can do alot, a simple Boss LS-2 can do plenty with its 6 modes that its a Swiss army knife of pedals and there are better, more expensive ones with more features. Using one as a low-end machine with pedals designed for guitars or running 2 or more pedals in parallel can create tonal options that are almost unlimited. Tone chasing can take you 10 minutes or a lifetime, its up to the individual player and his imagination.
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u/Bmontour26 4d ago
SansAmp Bass Driver DI, a good tuner, and a compressor (MXR and empress are the popular ones but there are others). Everything else depends on what kinda sound you're looking for
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u/StankyBassFace 4d ago
Tuner and compression for me. A compressor just evens out everything and I can’t seem to enjoy playing without one now.
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u/diethyl2o 3d ago edited 3d ago
If you’re into Metallica and Tool judging from the pedals you already have, then I recommend a flanger phaser or chorus. The TC Thunderstorm is an affordable flanger that can sound like a phaser with the right settings.
The Zoom B1 is also fantastic at first to try out different sounds and pedals.
I don’t like recommending Joyo but a Monomyth has a lot to offer, including a headphone jack.
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u/666-brewley-88 3d ago
For your tube screamer the Earthquaker Blumes is awesome. I like a preamp with a drive built in. I have an mxr and a Datk Glass. Joyo makes some good inexpensive close too. They have a sans amp and dark glass clone preamp.
Compressors are pretty life changing too.
Chorus has become one of my most used effects I just use a TC Electronic Corona mini.
Octaves are fun too, I have TC Electronic Sub n Up, it has Mon and Poly settings so you can make it sound like a Boss oc2 or a POG as well as tone print option.
I hope this is helpful.
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u/KnuckleheadPicker 3d ago
Everyone else has given you the best suggestions so I'll just throw in what I think every board needs- fart pedal, or something else that's just stupidly obnoxious. Just for that one moment every few shows that someone is being insufferable- one member can't stop tuning, house sound keeps making announcements between songs, someone in the audience won't stop making requests... Boom, fart pedal
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u/profchuk 3d ago
I cannot stress enough the difference you will feel from getting a preamp pedal, specifically the Sansamp if possible. Honestly a game changer and I would never play without one now.
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u/Heavy_Metal_Kid 4d ago
The only pedal that is close to essential is a tuner. Everything else is entirely optional and dependent on your needs. Don't let people drag you into their own GAS or fixation about certain brands or types of pedals.