Need Lots of Help, Please!!!

[Xureal]

I need some help with something...

I plan on picking up an assortment of pedals in the near future and I've got about eight or so picked out that I'm interested in. First off, I don't plan on buying every single one of them. I'm a tad confused on whether or not I should get some versus other, as it may be a bit redundant (you'll see what I mean, I hope.) I'm going to list the ones I've got picked out for now, like I said, I don't plan on buying all of them. If someone could take the time and explain the differences of a few things such as delay pedals, reverbs, sustainers, octaves and overdrives, I would very much appreciate it. Also, if someone could tell me whether or not you think one or some of these aren't worth getting due to the capabilites of another pedal(s).

Thanks in advance!


Boss DD-6 Digital Delay Guitar Effects Pedal
Boss RV-5 Digital Reverb Effects Pedal
Electro-Harmonix USA Big Muff Pi Distortion/Sustainer Pedal
Boss ODB-3 Bass OverDrive Pedal
Akai E2 Headrush Delay/Looper Pedal
Boss OC-3 SUPER Octave Pedal
Dunlop OC-3 105Q Bass Wah Pedal
Electro-Harmonix Bass Micro Synthesizer

[Az_Holl]

f someone could take the time and explain the differences of a few things such as delay pedals, reverbs, sustainers, octaves and overdrives, I would very much appreciate it

Why do you want these pedals if you dont know what they do?

Anywho: http://www.talkbass.com/ampfaq/

Lots of good information to be had.

[Akira]

I'm with Az. Don't get pedals just to be cool. In my opinion, a lot of bass effects are pretty worthless, especially in a rock band.

[museic]

a few years ago i was really into effects... seems like i wasted a lot of money on them.. some effects can be really cool, i still use an octave pedal, an EQ pedal and an overdrive but if you want effects the best thing to do is find examples of songs you like with them and find out waht effect it is instead of just asking what pedals do and getting them from that

[Akira]

If you really want to play with effects, I would recommend a multi-effects pedal.

[rh15951]

I'm with Az. Don't get pedals just to be cool. In my opinion, a lot of bass effects are pretty worthless, especially in a rock band.

123, I occasionally use the big muff and even less so the bassballs, thats about it.

TS: If you're getting a big muff go for the russian one and modify it :D

[Radiobass81]

1)Boss DD-6 Digital Delay Guitar Effects Pedal
2)Boss RV-5 Digital Reverb Effects Pedal
3)Electro-Harmonix USA Big Muff Pi Distortion/Sustainer Pedal
4)Boss ODB-3 Bass OverDrive Pedal
5)Akai E2 Headrush Delay/Looper Pedal
6)Boss OC-3 SUPER Octave Pedal
7)Dunlop OC-3 105Q Bass Wah Pedal
8)Electro-Harmonix Bass Micro Synthesizer

1) A delay is an effect that sort of 'repeats' what you played. It's like an echo on steroids, although a reverb pedal and a delay are two different things. A well-known example is Every Breath You Take, by the Police (atleast I THINK it has a delay). If you listen to Tool, Chancellor uses it very frequently. Off the top of my head, I can remember the Grudge.

2) Echo. Good for solos/leads, and just for adding a bit more to your sound.

3) It's a type of distortion they call a fuzz. It's pretty much a very heavy and 'fuzzy' (hence the name) distortion. Tons of people use it. CLiff Burton in Anesthesia, Muse in Hysteria, etc.

4) An overdrive is also classified as a distortion, but it's lighter, as it simulates the sound of an amp being overpowered. IMO, it's more useful for a bassist than a distortion, as it gets an edgier tone, but still cuts through well, which many distortions don't do.

5) It's a pedal that (obviously) is a delay and a looper. I've explained what a delay is, so let's go with the looper. A looper is a device that records something you play, and repeats it continously. For example, you play a chord change, and loop it, and then you can solo over the chord changes, which are being played over and over again.

6) An octave pedal is a pedal that, depending on the pedal, can change your ptich an octave up, down, or play two octaves at once. Not sure what are the capabilities of the Boss.

7) Come oooon, you HAVE to know what a Wah pedal is. It's a pedal that basically sweeps up and down mid frequency (I THINK that's how it works), which in turn, gives what you are playing a wah wah sound (literally).

8) A Synthesizer is a pedal that makes your bass sound as if it was a MIDI function from a keyboard. Simple enough, but very effective. Most funkplayers want one in their arsenal, although it's got many uses.

[Akira]

I am pretty sure that Hysteria is actually a synth keyboard, not bass, but good reply.

[TheIdiotBox]

Nah, Time Is Running Out is synth with bass over the top but Hysteria is all bass. And yeah, go for a multi if you're just getting into effects.

[Radiobass81]

I am pretty sure that Hysteria is actually a synth keyboard, not bass, but good reply.

Thanks. No one else was answering his doubts, so... :p

[TheClap]

Jesse Keeler (Guy from Death from Above) uses natural overdrive by simply over powering his cabinets (which are fitted with P.A. speakers.) So he doesn't have to use any distortion/overdrive effects, its all real.

[Radiobass81]

Ah, I thought I heard somewhere he used a muff. I don't really listen to them. I guess I just heard it was an easy way to get his tone, and got mixed up. I'll change it.

[TheClap]

Ah, I thought I heard somewhere he used a muff. I don't really listen to them. I guess I just heard it was an easy way to get his tone, and got mixed up. I'll change it.

Yeah, I just didn't want the fanboys (there are one or two on here) tearing you up cause of that, its happened to me.

[Akira]

Jesse Keeler (Guy from Death from Above) uses natural overdrive by simply over powering his cabinets (which are fitted with P.A. speakers.) So he doesn't have to use any distortion/overdrive effects, its all real.

Yeah, but that only works with a tube amp. Overdriving a solid state amp just sounds nasty.

[TheClap]

Yeah, but that only works with a tube amp. Overdriving a solid state amp just sounds nasty.

123

[Xureal]

1) A delay is an effect that sort of 'repeats' what you played. It's like an echo on steroids, although a reverb pedal and a delay are two different things. A well-known example is Every Breath You Take, by the Police (atleast I THINK it has a delay). If you listen to Tool, Chancellor uses it very frequently. Off the top of my head, I can remember the Grudge.

2) Echo. Good for solos/leads, and just for adding a bit more to your sound.

3) It's a type of distortion they call a fuzz. It's pretty much a very heavy and 'fuzzy' (hence the name) distortion. Tons of people use it. CLiff Burton in Anesthesia, Muse in Hysteria, etc.

4) An overdrive is also classified as a distortion, but it's lighter, as it simulates the sound of an amp being overpowered. IMO, it's more useful for a bassist than a distortion, as it gets an edgier tone, but still cuts through well, which many distortions don't do.

5) It's a pedal that (obviously) is a delay and a looper. I've explained what a delay is, so let's go with the looper. A looper is a device that records something you play, and repeats it continously. For example, you play a chord change, and loop it, and then you can solo over the chord changes, which are being played over and over again.

6) An octave pedal is a pedal that, depending on the pedal, can change your ptich an octave up, down, or play two octaves at once. Not sure what are the capabilities of the Boss.

7) Come oooon, you HAVE to know what a Wah pedal is. It's a pedal that basically sweeps up and down mid frequency (I THINK that's how it works), which in turn, gives what you are playing a wah wah sound (literally).

8) A Synthesizer is a pedal that makes your bass sound as if it was a MIDI function from a keyboard. Simple enough, but very effective. Most funkplayers want one in their arsenal, although it's got many uses.


Awesome! Thank you very much, this is more help than I expected from anyone, and it's greatly appreciated!

A couple of those I knew what they did, such as the Wah and the Synth pedal. I think everyone knows what a Wah pedal is. ;p But some of the others sounded all too much alike to me and wasn't sure what they did, like the OverDrive and the Delay Vs. the Reverb.

[Xureal]

I'm with Az. Don't get pedals just to be cool. In my opinion, a lot of bass effects are pretty worthless, especially in a rock band.

No I'm not doing it to be cool. I want to try and create something really different from any normal structured band (Not that it's a band thing). Similar to the band HALO, if anyone knows of 'em. I play bass, too, I probably should have mentioned that from the get-go. =P

[rh15951]

Yeah, but that only works with a tube amp. Overdriving a solid state amp just sounds nasty.

He overdrives the cabs, not the heads