Affordable Worship pedals for bass beginners

Ronald Poe

Ronald Poe

Jan 22, 2015
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#1
I'm relatively new here and play both bass and guitar. Anyone got any cheap pedals for Worship bass beginners. I own a Dunlop ZW44 (that's an overdrive), Danelectro Cool Cat Drive, Bass Big Muff, Boss CE-5 (that's my always on pedal), 2 different Crybaby Wahs, Boss DS1 (modern version), and a Joyo California Sound coming this Friday. I currently only use three of these at a time (usually chorus, overdrive, and a third pedal). My only bass is an Ibanez GIO (yeah I know it's not a typical Worship-music bass and certainly wasn't bought with that in mind).

I'm a bit of a Metalhead/general music nut and want to maybe play Worship bass sometime. My budget for individual pedals is $100 (I'm kinda cheap). I'd also like some tips for pedalboards and effect chains (I just daisy chain my effects). I'd say I'm pretty decent at bass and guitar but could improve.
 
#2
There’s a worship pedalboards thread here. I’d say you can do plenty with what you’ve got. Most worship music today is pop-rock stylistically, and tends towards the simple as far as effects usage goes - though some folk here do get quite creative in that front.
 
#4
Personally, I would say the main thing is to use a bass that you really like the tone of, for starters. If your Gio gives you good tone, that would work. Otherwise, you may want to look into picking up a Squier Vintage Modified bass from Guitar Center Used. If you do, I would not trade off the Gio, as you won't get hardly any money for it. You'd be better off selling it on Craigslist.

The next thing is to ensure that you are playing through a good DI at your church, that allows that good clean tone/signal to come through on their house system. They may have a DI that may or may not be capable of providing good tone. If not, a Radial Stagebug 1 will get you there as long as the church mixer can send phantom power over the xlr to the Stagebug (to power it).

That will give you a good base for tone, which you can then add pedals to if you'd like. A lot of folks just play clean, and I typically do, and occasionally add a little something (drive, chorus) when it fits.

But a good bass tone must be there first.

Strings may help here too. I use DR Low Riders Nickel, but everyone has their preference. Good luck! You're welcome to PM me if you have any questions.
 
#5
Thanks for the advice, Tedsalt. I was thinking about keeping my chorus on and maybe adding the ZW44 Overdrive when I want some grit. Do you think my gear is sufficent and what gear should I use or add? Also I love my Ibanez GIO a lot and can get a good tone out of it. Although I'm sure people would question why there's anime girls on my bass (they're actually from a game called Devil Survivor 2) ...
 
#7
Here's the thing. You need to know what sounds you need and want. I play P&W in our church every 3rd week. Although I have a dozen or so pedals I have never "needed" anything but a little dirt. And I have a binder of charts for over 80 songs that I have done.

I'm not lecturing. But always be mindful of why you are there. Artistic expression and making the the coolest sounds you can think of ain't it. ;) If creating wild and crazy sounds will get the job done.... the job you are there to do.... then, by all means, go for it.
 
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#8
Thanks, I guess I only need a couple pedals. I was planning on using my GIO with my Boss CE-5 for my base tone and maybe my ZW-44 (with the gain on halfway) on. I see the ridiculous Worship pedalboards some guys use on this forum (including a volume pedal, fuzz, a compressor, reverb, delays, ect) and thought maybe I need a big pedal board.

For Metal, I use a similar base tone but with distortion and stuff.
 
#9
I would listen to the original recordings of the songs that are typically played at your church. What does the bass usually sound like for those?

One note about guitar pedals. Sometimes they cut the bottom end. So if you're using them for bass, they don't work very well. I did notice that Boss makes a bass specific chorus pedal, possibly for that reason.

Also, I probably wouldn't use a Zakk Wylde distortion pedal at church. Of course, I'm a clean / light overdrive kind of guy. Typically worship music does not have too much distortion, and is more clean (maybe some light to mid overdrive).

Some of these you can get cheaper on guitar center used. And if you decide they're not working for you (after a thorough trial), you can take them back (within 45 days). Even if you've had them shipped from another GC in timbuktu, you can return them at your local gc.
 
#11
nshuman said:
Then just use an MP3 player.
Click to expand...

Getting too deep into what you are there for would break our forum rules regarding discussing religion. Suffice to say that guitar solos, rock show type antics and allowing the music to take center stage over the words are not the job.

The reason you don't use an MP3 player is that that if the worship leader or lead singer get caught up in the moment, or the congregation reacts to a certain passage, you can break it down, pump it up, or extend a certain part of the song.

But, again, the musicians aren't there to "put on a show" or "entertain" the congregation. The musicians are there to get the congregation to join them on their journey so to speak.

If you don't understand the difference, please stay off the stage at a church.
 
#13
One thing you might do is research things you're interested in. How? One thing I do is - say I'm looking for an inexpensive drive pedal, I'd do the following from the google.com search box -

site:talkbass.com inexpensive drive pedal

This will help you find things on talkbass.com better than the built in talkbass search function.

Good luck!
 
#15
nshuman said:
My reply has NOTHING to do with religion. Don't try to somehow dismiss my reply by making it about religion. You decide to play live music, play live music. I've been to plenty of churches where they react to things that are said with recordings/soundboards. You want to play live music one way, fine, play live music the way you want to. Don't try to imply that others need to conform to your vision of how to play live music in a certain setting.

There, I did not break the forum.
Click to expand...

*sigh*

The question was about WORSHIP pedals. I have played WORSHIP music for decades. Have you?

Worship music is not just any live music. It's more about giving than taking. It's more about getting everyone in the room to focus on the MESSAGE, not the music. You are not t there to perform. You are there to invite them along with you. Period.

So, no, you do not "play it like you want to".

I am not anti effects. I use them all the time.

I was simply cautioning the OP to avoid gathering a collection of stomp boxes for bass for worship music. Effects on bass in worship music are almost "rare".

And, again, if you are the kind of person who feels "I'm gonna do it MY way and if you don't like it you can stuff it" you are likely not a good candidate for a worship team.

Sorry if I ruffled tour feathers. It was not my intent. I was simply offering observations from the viewpoint of experience.
 
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#17
Frankly I'd never, ever think you'd get the chance to use effects (especially on bass: overdriven bass is more powerful than overdriven guitar) when playing worship music. I mean, you do it a lot over there on the other side of the pond (as in, "electric" bands playing live during a religious service) but I really don't see even a slight amount of grit entering the church. I'm certainly wrong so, please, show me some examples of "rock" worship music.
 
#18
nshuman said:
Sighing?

So suspend artistic expression while engaging in artistic expression? Do you listen to yourself or read your own posts?

"Michelangelo, could you paint the ceiling of the chapel? Please don't go crazy on the artistic expression though."
"Leonardo, could you paint the last supper, please don't be TOO artistic."
"Benozzo, can we get a painting of the procession, please, don't get too artsy!"
"Raphael, we need something for the Palace, don't go all artsy on us."
"Bach, please compose an hymn fort us, but don't go all artistic on us."
"Predieri, the next time you compose Christian music, please, no more artsy stuff."

- @two fingers
Click to expand...

1) Bach wad during the baroque period. Simpler melodies and harmonies are hallmarks of that era. Showing off wasn't part of their deal anyway.

2) Other than the Bach piece nothing you mantioned was part if the worship SERVICE. Have you ever been part if a worship SERVICE? Ever? Seriously. I'm asking. Have you ever been part of a worship team and participated in an actual live worship SERVICE? Anyone else notice I can't help but put the word SERVICE in all caps? Wonder why that is. Perhaps it's because you are there to SERVE not PERFORM.

So, please regale us with your vsst experiences in a worship setting. Explain to us how you serve by creating the craziest sound imaginable. Explain how that gets the job done you are there to do. Explain how that is giving and serving.

Rather than just a feeble attempt at browbeating me personally, give us examples and recordings of your perfornances in a worship setting where you used massive amounts of effects. List the songs and tell us which effects you used with success. Please, by all means, tell us how you do it. I, for one, would be on the edge of my seat. I can't wait!

Oh. Wait. I'm sure I'm "not worth the trouble", right? ;)
 
#20
'nshuman' and 'two fingers', could you please have your little debate/pissing match somewhere else (it's really not helping at all and is getting quite childish). From what I understand, I should go for subtle effects (at least for the base tone) and play to the song (listen to the drummer and try to add to the mood). Believe it or not, the Zakk Wylde Overdrive (it's like a cross between a Tube Screamer and a Boss SD-1 except it takes bass better) is actually a somewhat mild distortion (especially compared to my Cool Cat Drive). Do you guys have any suggestions for cheap/affordable overdrives that are more subtle or do you think I should just omit the overdrive from my base tone?

Also Bach's music is quite complex and has masterful counterpart but that's obvious and irreverent.
 
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