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Stupid question...

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(@cerberus)
Estimable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 94
Topic starter  

but humor me.

Using guitar pedals (specifically distortion and wah) on a bass- perfectly ok or utter foolishness?

I pity the fool, but also suggest ways he might better himself.


   
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(@vic-lewis-vl)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 10264
 

I'm no expert, but it's not a stupid question - questions are only stupid if you know the answer already.....

I would imagine any application - fuzz, wah, distortion...that can be used on a guitar would be OK for bass as well.......otherwise why would a 30W Cube Bass amp have Flanger, Delay, T-Wah, Reverb, Chorus and Gain applications built in?

Logical, Jim.....

:D :D :D

Vic

"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)


   
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(@cerberus)
Estimable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 94
Topic starter  

thats what i thought, but arent those effects specifically designed for basses?

I pity the fool, but also suggest ways he might better himself.


   
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(@vic-lewis-vl)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 10264
 

you can buy tha same pedals for guitars.....me. I'm technophobic - anything that needs a lead or a battery is superfluous...I'd rather use the modelling effects on the amp.....

A little research, I found out -

Jack Bruce used a fuzz-box and wah pedal....
Felix Pappalardi (mountain) used about 6 different pedals (from a concert photo)....
McCartney has played fuzz-bass.....

Hell, I say go for it...you may start a whole new trend!

:D :D :D

Vic

"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)


   
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(@paul-donnelly)
Noble Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 1066
 

You've really got to try them out. You won't hurt anything, but many guitar effects sound very good on a bass.


   
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(@rahul)
Famed Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 2736
 

Try Digitech BP80.

Bass players say that it makes their bass like dream. :D


   
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(@danlasley)
Noble Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 2118
 

The biggest issue will be frequency range. For example, a Wah may not sweep low enough for you. Or a delay/chorus/flanger may not have a long enough period to eliminate beat frequencies.

But lots of effects may work just fine. Trial and error is the key.

Laz


   
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(@cerberus)
Estimable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 94
Topic starter  

Thanks guys, big help.

I pity the fool, but also suggest ways he might better himself.


   
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(@last-day-living)
Active Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 12
 

But is it okay to use bass effects on a guitar?


   
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(@paul-donnelly)
Noble Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 1066
 

But is it okay to use bass effects on a guitar?
Yes. Again, it may or may not sound pleasing.


   
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(@artguitarhendsbee)
Estimable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 157
 

Not sure about the other kind but I've got one of the old green Russian SOVTEK big muff pie distortion pedals and we hooked that up to the base. DFA sound right there . Sometimes guitar pedals sound cooler on bass, sometimes worse, experiment it certainly can,t hurt, It's not liek you will blow a speaker by changing the signal a wee bit lol bass speakers are pretty good for that.


   
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(@justin_bass-god)
Eminent Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 17
 

Yeah the Digitech BP80 is awesome
Listen to Billy Sheehan, he used so many effects (too many though)
Cliff Burton did a whole solo using Distortion and Wah

Check out some cool sites!
http://669.betrayer.ca
http://deathpron.tripod.com
http://doommastersriddle.tripod.com
http://hemavenom.tripod.com
http://www.acidplaned.com/powerlord
http://www.freewebs.com/m1dnight


   
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(@rahul)
Famed Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 2736
 

I loves Mike Dirnt's bass.From what i hear in green day songs , i think he does a lot of slapping...Am i right on this ?

Or he uses various effects ?


   
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 xg5a
(@xg5a)
Honorable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 482
 

Yeah, a friend of mine has an NYC Big Muff, which he plays bass through. It get's a great Jack Bruce-like tone. However, I once tried my Dunlop Wah with a bass, and the frequency sweep wasn't low evough for the bass. It had very little effect on the tone. So I guess it really depends on the individual pedal.


   
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(@97reb)
Noble Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 1196
 

I like my Boss-ME50 for guitar. I may test it out on Bass just for kicks, but I really may try and get an ME-50B (the bass one) sometime soon. Right now, at home at least, I am running a bass into an A/B then A to a Roland Cubase with some gain and then B to my Ashdown on a clean setting. It sounds good now. If I wanted to use it in a live setting, I'd have to DI the Roland for sure and the Ashdown too in medium and larger size shows.

It is a small world for metal fanatics. I welcome you fellow musicians, especially the metalheads!


   
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