ilovefuzz.com

jrmy wrote:For me, now, I almost always have some kind of dirt on. For the last 8 or so months, the EQD Westwood at medium gain has been the one. From there, I stack other fuzzes on top (currently a DOD Carcosa or an EHX Sovtek Deluxe because it lets me boost the damn mids), as well as Flange/Phase (the GNI Flanger / Phaser, which is FANFRIGGINTASTIC on bass), and some verb (Caroline Meteore) and octave (in case I'm playing high up and need some heft beneath).

Which of that is ESSENTIAL? For me, a couple of flavors of dirt - a baseline OD, followed by a couple of fuzzes to juggle between.

I've been loving the Westwood. It's becoming an essential pedal overall, not just for bass. I honestly want to buy two more. One to stay with my DX7 to warm it up, one for the bass, and one for the guitar.

That and the Dispatch Master. I could probably remain happy on any instrument with just a Westwood and Dispatch Master.

MrNovember wrote:

jrmy wrote:For me, now, I almost always have some kind of dirt on. For the last 8 or so months, the EQD Westwood at medium gain has been the one. From there, I stack other fuzzes on top (currently a DOD Carcosa or an EHX Sovtek Deluxe because it lets me boost the damn mids), as well as Flange/Phase (the GNI Flanger / Phaser, which is FANFRIGGINTASTIC on bass), and some verb (Caroline Meteore) and octave (in case I'm playing high up and need some heft beneath).

Which of that is ESSENTIAL? For me, a couple of flavors of dirt - a baseline OD, followed by a couple of fuzzes to juggle between.

I've been loving the Westwood. It's becoming an essential pedal overall, not just for bass. I honestly want to buy two more. One to stay with my DX7 to warm it up, one for the bass, and one for the guitar.

That and the Dispatch Master. I could probably remain happy on any instrument with just a Westwood and Dispatch Master.

Not with those exact pedals, but I'd have to say the same as Jrmy, as far as bass "essentials."

...you guys are making me want to to a look at the Westwood again

frodog wrote:I do mostly run an Accountant after dirt when bassing. What Mudfuzz said basically, though I've noticed that when it's hit with super low frequencies it lops the very bottom off somewhat. But again that tightens the sound.

Yeah that has everything to do with what comp you use, finding pedal ones that don't mess with your sub tones takes a bit of looking

Mudfuzz wrote:

frodog wrote:I do mostly run an Accountant after dirt when bassing. What Mudfuzz said basically, though I've noticed that when it's hit with super low frequencies it lops the very bottom off somewhat. But again that tightens the sound.

Yeah that has everything to do with what comp you use, finding pedal ones that don't mess with your sub tones takes a bit of looking

Any suggestions?

karmablock wrote:

Mudfuzz wrote:

frodog wrote:I do mostly run an Accountant after dirt when bassing. What Mudfuzz said basically, though I've noticed that when it's hit with super low frequencies it lops the very bottom off somewhat. But again that tightens the sound.

Yeah that has everything to do with what comp you use, finding pedal ones that don't mess with your sub tones takes a bit of looking

Any suggestions?

Sure, the best comp I've come across is the maxon rtc600, it sounds better than a lot of rack mount studio comps. Demeters are also great, I've used both of their units for years but I find the yellow pro one a little tweaky and hifi for live, the guyatone bass limiter is great (but noisy) actually limiters in general are cool for bass, I use to use aleses micro limiters for years.. I have like 3 or 4 of the things, the really nice is also... Really nice... Another odd one is if you mod a orange squeezer by increasing the input and output capacitors you get a really neat pedal that can get almost evolope filter sounds in some settings... Sorry I don't have a bigger list, I've played more things I don't like than like... For me if it distorts when I don't want it to its a pass, if I lose any lows it's a pass even it gets cool recordable sounds

There are a boatload of compressor reviews at www.ovnilab.com (written by a bass player with bass players in mind)

Mudfuzz wrote:

karmablock wrote:

Mudfuzz wrote:

frodog wrote:I do mostly run an Accountant after dirt when bassing. What Mudfuzz said basically, though I've noticed that when it's hit with super low frequencies it lops the very bottom off somewhat. But again that tightens the sound.

Yeah that has everything to do with what comp you use, finding pedal ones that don't mess with your sub tones takes a bit of looking

Any suggestions?

Sure, the best comp I've come across is the maxon rtc600, it sounds better than a lot of rack mount studio comps. Demeters are also great, I've used both of their units for years but I find the yellow pro one a little tweaky and hifi for live, the guyatone bass limiter is great (but noisy) actually limiters in general are cool for bass, I use to use aleses micro limiters for years.. I have like 3 or 4 of the things, the really nice is also... Really nice... Another odd one is if you mod a orange squeezer by increasing the input and output capacitors you get a really neat pedal that can get almost evolope filter sounds in some settings... Sorry I don't have a bigger list, I've played more things I don't like than like... For me if it distorts when I don't want it to its a pass, if I lose any lows it's a pass even it gets cool recordable sounds

Thank you! Never even heard of that Maxon comp. I'll look into it. I have the markbass tube comp but that thing is huge. I picked up a Keeley Limiter to replace it but it has yet to make it on to my board mainly out of laziness. It never occurred to me to place it after dirt.

Sure! No the maxon wasn't marketed properly, they had it paired with some overdrive pedals for guitars and yet a comp with that amount of flexibility isn't exactly popular with most guitarists because of how most guitarist use compression and the types of sounds most guitarists want the thing should have been marketed at bassists and acoustic guitarists... I bought mine because I was looking for a cheap alternative to Retrospec Juice Box and I stumbled upon it at random, I liked the specs so I gave it a try

Update: I NEED pitch shifted delays to play bass, there just isn't any way around it.

I have never felt the need for a compressor, I would rather just play with more gain. I have never felt that I have needed one to smooth out notes (the opposite honestly, I need to play more dynamically) and no way in hell that I'd squash my signal for the sound

qersty wrote:I have never felt that I have needed one to smooth out notes (the opposite honestly, I need to play more dynamically) and no way in hell that I'd squash my signal for the sound

It all depends on how you use the things, I don't use it to even out my sound I use them to more punch so when I hit a low note really hard it smashes you in the chest, and the more effects and distortion you use particularly on bass the more muttled and mushy your sound gets so an comp used properly focuses it all at bit. Now the squash thing.. That's again how it's set and the sound you want, and, if that is what you want it's better the stack the things another reason I am so pro comp is for most of my playing life I've played through tube amps, which compress naturally and when I went to using a ss power amp it was a way to get back some of that tube amp feel

The only modulating delay I can recomend is the mf104

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