Bassballs alternatives

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b-bottom

Dec 18, 2006
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Knoxville TN
superactionrock.com
#1
Let me start by saying that I love the way the bassballs sound. I use it maybe......maybe once or twice during our set.

However I've gone through three bassballs in about 5 years. They either totally crap out or something in them breaks. If we're being honest...EH stuff isn't durable at all.

So I am looking for a good..and much better made version of the bassballs. I've tried other EF and for the type of music that I play, the bassballs fits perfectly. I even have a rocktron heart attack which is a version of the bassballs. And while it gets close....and appears much more durable....something about it just doesn't sound as good as the real thing.

So any suggestions would be appreciated....even if they are boutique pedal makers.
 
#4
Another vote for the Mooer Bass Sweeper. It has more tonal varieties than Bassballs, too.

3 EHX pedals in 5 years? I'm not surprised. What is up with their QC? I've wound up selling or trading every EHX pedal I've ever owned which is too bad because they come up with some great ideas but just can't seem to follow through on the quality end of things.
 
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#6
I've had two nano bassballs and one of the older bigger box versions.

One of the things that I like about the bassballs is that it has one knob and that's all. I'm probably in the minority here when I say that I really dig things that are one trick ponies.

I'll check out the moore. Does anyone know of any small builders that make a version of the BB?
 
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#18
I've spent the day looking at EF and I kept coming back to the bassballs.

That video of the Mooer being compared to the BB really put it over the top for me.....that and listening to old Atomic Bitchwax.....so hopefully I have the pedal in a few days.

Again I am sure that I am in the minority here...but I wish that the pedal was bigger. I can see how folks with a lot of stuff on their board would dig having something so small. At most I run three pedals (Fuzz, tuner and BB) so I have plenty of space.

Thanks for the help everyone!
 
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#19
That Mooer does sound ridiculously like the Bass Balls. It sounds like you've got one coming, so good luck with it!

I used a BB for several years, but due to reliability issues (and a sucking of bottom end on some basses), I ended up moving it on for the MXR Bass Envelope Filter. If the Bass Balls was reliable, and had the clean boost function of the MXR (and other filters), I'd be all over it again. But I also find the MXR more versatile, even if it doesn't completely nail the BB tone. It's definitely more useable with all my bands, though.
 
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#20
sloppy_phil said:
That Mooer does sound ridiculously like the Bass Balls. It sounds like you've got one coming, so good luck with it!

I used a BB for several years, but due to reliability issues (and a sucking of bottom end on some basses), I ended up moving it on for the MXR Bass Envelope Filter. If the Bass Balls was reliable, and had the clean boost function of the MXR (and other filters), I'd be all over it again. But I also find the MXR more versatile, even if it doesn't completely nail the BB tone. It's definitely more useable with all my bands, though.
Click to expand...

If versatility was what I was looking for I would never go with the BB :)

I had a Proton for a while and thought that it sounded fantastic. However it didn't have that crazy punch and "quackiness" of the BB so I sold it. If I needed an EF effect for more than a few parts during a set I would probably pick up another proton, or possibly something that is a bit more subtle
 
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