Help with Bassballs settings

[GCPENG]

I bought a Bassballs pedal the other day, and so far, I hate it. I've read through threads here on TB that discuss settings, but I'm hoping of getting some fresh thoughts.

I was hoping to get a live "Young Lust" sound out of it, but no luck. When I engage it, I get a change in tone, but very little sweep effect at low Response settings, or a harsh bark at high settings. It's more abrupt with a pick, and much less effect with fingers.

I tried some trimpot adjustments, but after a while, it all starts sounding the same.

I don't want to spend time and money modding it to get external pots, since I can't find a sound that I like as it is.

So I am appealing to other users who have found a way to get a good sound out of it without the abrupt bark. Trim pot settings? Response setting?

Thanks.

 

[254 stringer]

Where is it in your chain? I listened to the live version of the song and you should be able to get close to that. I would put the trim pots back to factory spec and just play and adjust the sensitivity knob till the effect sounds right. You have to kind of play an envelope instead of just turn it on and let it do its thing.

 

[DDXdesign]

My personal opinion on Bassballs sounds:
- Older = better in terms of sound. Don't know why. The 90s-00s USA ones (reissue of the 70s, with the LED) just sound better to my untrained ears than the Nano. I don't like the Nano much myself.
- Trimpots: lower (counterclockwise) tends to be better/more vocal.
- Sens knob: set to where the volume is the same with the fuzz switch on and off is a good starting point for this knob; that point is usually about 11:00 on the dial.

Good luck!!

 

[GCPENG]

Where is it in your chain? I listened to the live version of the song and you should be able to get close to that. I would put the trim pots back to factory spec and just play and adjust the sensitivity knob till the effect sounds right. You have to kind of play an envelope instead of just turn it on and let it do its thing.

It's early in my chain. After compressor (which I found was useful to even out the attack, since the BB can be very sensitive to that. Before fuzz/OD. But most of the time, I have been fiddling with it on its own, not on my board, giving me the chance to play with trim pots.

Can you elaborate on when you mean by "play an envelope"?

For the sake of anybody looking for factory spec setting on trim pots of the nano BB, I am attaching an image.

Nano Bassballs trim pots

• GCPENG
• Mar 8, 2017
• bassballs

Factory setting for Bassballs nano trim pots. On mine, anyway.

 

[GCPENG]

My personal opinion on Bassballs sounds:
- Older = better in terms of sound. Don't know why. The 90s-00s USA ones (reissue of the 70s, with the LED) just sound better to my untrained ears than the Nano. I don't like the Nano much myself.
- Trimpots: lower (counterclockwise) tends to be better/more vocal.
- Sens knob: set to where the volume is the same with the fuzz switch on and off is a good starting point for this knob; that point is usually about 11:00 on the dial.

Good luck!!

This one is a Nano. Thanks for the suggestions and guidance!

 

[254 stringer]

You don't want a comp before that pedal. It responds to differences in attack. So by playing the envelope I meant that playing softer will not trigger the sweep but when you dig in you will get the "quack" effect.

 

[GCPENG]

You don't want a comp before that pedal. It responds to differences in attack. So by playing the envelope I meant that playing softer will not trigger the sweep but when you dig in you will get the "quack" effect.

Got it. You're right, of course - and perhaps getting this pedal to work for me is going to require improvements to the consistency of my playing overall. Which is an area in which I am lacking.

 

[Roland GR 88]

Agree with 254. The comp is leveling out the peaks which the BBalls needs to see to be triggered. Swap the order and you'll still get the benefits of compression but with the full tone of the filter coming through.

 

[DDXdesign]

Agree with 254. The comp is leveling out the peaks which the BBalls needs to see to be triggered. Swap the order and you'll still get the benefits of compression but with the full tone of the filter coming through.

Problem is, though, what if one wants to use the BBalls with, say, an octaver? I have to run comp before octave, but anything filtery is going to slot in after the octave. I never have issue with Bassballs after comp and octave, myself.

 

[mrufino1]

I received one last week by mistake, bought GC used online and someone put a bassballs nano in the box rather than a bass clone nano. In the little while that I tried it (what the heck, I thought maybe id like it) I kept coming back to the setting I found best. Set the knobs and switches anyplace, but the key to making it work is to make sure the footswitch is engaging the bypass setting...