I haven't been in a band since 1972...

[EllArr]

But I tried out with some guys and they invited me to join them. My rig is simple: MIM Jazz Bass and Fender Rumble 500 amp. I've never used pedals with a bass before and currently have the budget to afford two. I'm thinking about a compressor and a parametric EQ to begin with. Edit: I also build amps and pedals. so am good with building or modding on my own if anyone knows a serious advantage to doing it that way.

What are the group members' opinions about adding pedals to a new setup?

 

[WillyW]

that's a good start for pedals, I ended up not using a compressor, but I'm in the minority.

EQ is a wise choice

 

[BassyBill]

Welcome to TalkBass, and welcome back to the musicians’ fraternity after your short break!

As far as adding gadgets goes, I recommend just spending a while browsing the Effects forum here, and also most definitely YouTube, before taking the plunge. A good EQ might be helpful, or a preamp with versatile EQ options built in. That said, be careful you don’t end up duplicating what your Rumble 500 can do already.

Compressors - lots to study there. That’s an understatement!

Maybe check out something like the Valeton Bass Dapper, which includes a pre amp with EQ, a compressor, chorus, octaver and an interesting filter, with fuzz. Some useful reviews on YouTube for that one. Have fun!

 

[StereoPlayer]

But I tried out with some guys and they invited me to join them. My rig is simple: MIM Jazz Bass and Fender Rumble 500 amp. I've never used pedals with a bass before and currently have the budget to afford two. I'm thinking about a compressor and a parametric EQ to begin with. Edit: I also build amps and pedals. so am good with building or modding on my own if anyone knows a serious advantage to doing it that way.

What are the group members' opinions about adding pedals to a new setup?

Welcome to TalkBass!

 

[StereoPlayer]

that's a good start for pedals, I ended up not using a compressor, but I'm in the minority.

EQ is a wise choice

I don’t use a compressor either.

 

[EllArr]

Welcome to TalkBass, and welcome back to the musicians’ fraternity after your short break!

As far as adding gadgets goes, I recommend just spending a while browsing the Effects forum here, and also most definitely YouTube, before taking the plunge. A good EQ might be helpful, or a preamp with versatile EQ options built in. That said, be careful you don’t end up duplicating what your Rumble 500 can do already.

Compressors - lots to study there. That’s an understatement!

Maybe check out something like the Valeton Bass Dapper, which includes a pre amp with EQ, a compressor, chorus, octaver and an interesting filter, with fuzz. Some useful reviews on YouTube for that one. Have fun!

Wow. That Bass Dapper looks interesting if it does all those things well. Thanks for the reply.

 

[BassyBill]

Wow. That Bass Dapper looks interesting if it does all those things well. Thanks for the reply.

You’re very welcome. The Tech21 Bass Flyrig, by the way, is similar to the Dapper but (presumably) higher quality and about 3.5 times the price, here in the UK at least.

Whereabouts in the world, are you by the way? Just asking out of curiosity, but it also makes a difference to gear recommendations. American stuff is often quite nice but it’s very often not made in the USA and is often ludicrously overpriced outside the US, anyway.

 

[two fingers]

But I tried out with some guys and they invited me to join them. My rig is simple: MIM Jazz Bass and Fender Rumble 500 amp. I've never used pedals with a bass before and currently have the budget to afford two. I'm thinking about a compressor and a parametric EQ to begin with. Edit: I also build amps and pedals. so am good with building or modding on my own if anyone knows a serious advantage to doing it that way.

What are the group members' opinions about adding pedals to a new setup?

Welcome to TalkBass!

And welcome back to playing in a band!

 

[EllArr]

You’re very welcome. The Tech21 Bass Flyrig, by the way, is similar to the Dapper but (presumably) higher quality and about 3.5 times the price, here in the UK at least.

Whereabouts in the world, are you by the way? Just asking out of curiosity, but it also makes a difference to gear recommendations. American stuff is often quite nice but it’s very often not made in the USA and is often ludicrously overpriced outside the US, anyway.

I'm in Savannah, GA USA. My wife and I celebrated her birthday a few weeks ago in your green and pleasant land. I haven't made it to the Midlands yet, but have friends from Birmingham. I have a Tech21 SansAmp and have tried it on bass before, but found it does more good with 6-string. Moved house recently and have no clue as to where it might be.

 

[EllArr]

Welcome to TalkBass!

And welcome back to playing in a band!

Thanks. I've played in church, and that's about it. Sang for a blues band in 2009, but quit because I felt like a phony being an old white man trying to sound like an old black man. Musicians in my town were a bunch of narcissistic dicks when I was younger and there was lots of intrigue, drama, and backstabbing. It was a little better in 2009, but not really. </whine>

 

[Marley's Ghost]

Wow! 1972! 50 years. Damn. I felt old after my 20 year break - 1980 -2000.

 

[Killing Floor]

I love pedals and have dozens more than I’d ever use. But I wouldn’t tell you that you need them. That said, a compressor can add a lot to bass. Learn how to use whichever one you get. And have fun! Congrats on the band sitch.

 

[superheavyfunk]

Bootsy Collins told me that the first pedals any bassist should get are (in no particular order) a chorus, a drive, a filter, and an octave.

I use (and love) compressors but most ppl can live without one. You absolutely should get a pedal tuner though, if you’re going to be gigging with this new band of yours. Nobody actually likes the “tuning song”

 

[EllArr]

I don’t use a compressor either.

I love pedals and have dozens more than I’d ever use. But I wouldn’t tell you that you need them. That said, a compressor can add a lot to bass. Learn how to use whichever one you get. And have fun! Congrats on the band sitch.

Thanks for the reply. I have an old dbx 160 that I've experimented with using as a compressor/gate. Sounds pretty sweet.

I advertised myself as a bass player as I'm a decent rhythm guitar player and nobody wants one of those, and vocals are an afterthought around here. I wanted to play out and nobody wants to play bass. There are like three bass players in Savannah and they seem to stay busy. I just wanna play out, and it is pretty much my best option.

 

[Malafaia]

once a bass player, always a bass player.
Welcome back!

my suggestion is a tuner! Tunning while people are chatting, under some kind of pressure can be bad, also tuners can double as mute pedal. before turning combo off (or on), mute everything and you are good to go. if you will be using fender combo, there is an eq and DI onboard it, right? if you need another DI, some preamp can do the job, from behringer bdi21 to sansamp, mxr80, aguilar tone hammer, noble...

 

[The Ruiner]

But I tried out with some guys and they invited me to join them. My rig is simple: MIM Jazz Bass and Fender Rumble 500 amp. I've never used pedals with a bass before and currently have the budget to afford two. I'm thinking about a compressor and a parametric EQ to begin with. Edit: I also build amps and pedals. so am good with building or modding on my own if anyone knows a serious advantage to doing it that way.

What are the group members' opinions about adding pedals to a new setup?

For me, a muting tuner and compressor with a mix/blend control are essential. High pass/low-pass filter is next most important pedal i’d choose. I’ve never found a need for an additional eq pedal, as i usually just eq at the amp, set and forget.

 

[Spectrum]

Tuners that mute are always useful, and decent ones are inexpensive.

 

[akukulich]

My personal philosophy is that if you don’t know what pedals you need, you don’t need any pedals.

Do the gig for a bit. If there are things you need or want, you’ll figure it out. You’ll save a lot of money by being a little patient.

 

[spatters]

What are the group members' opinions about adding pedals to a new setup?

My opinion: Individual pedals quickly turn into a black hole of cables and power supplies and ground loops and high noise floor.

I like floor multi-effect/preamps like the Trace Elliot Transit B and the aforementioned Tech 21 Fly Rig, because they combine all the things you're likely to need...including a tuner and a nice DI for the house.

If you don't mind a bit more twiddling, you can get a floor multi-effect like a Boss GT-1B, a Line 6 Pod Go, or a Zoom B1 Four/B3n/B6. This gets you a lot more flexibility, at the price of having to build and set up patches instead of just turning knobs. (And they all have tuners.)

 

[fourfinger]

I used no pedals at all for many years. Now I use three: a Tuner/Mute, a High Pass Filter, and a Compressor.

You might consider saving up a bit more money for a Rumble extension cab instead of buying any pedals. Using the full 500 watts through 2 cabs instead of 350 watts through one will change your tone much more dramatically than any pedal.