Looking for pedal / mod recommendations for bass.

[gregsmakercorner]

I have a pedal board that I use for electric (rhythm, and lead, occasionally a baritone), acoustic, and bass. It's pretty bulky, as you can imagine. On my board, I currently have: HX Mini Stomp for cabinet modeling and IR's, a compressor/boost (Corey Wong), a Proco Rat distortion/fuzz (PedalPCB version), a Blues Breaker overdrive (Pedal PCB version), a Boss Chorus, and an ABY switch.

I would like to get down to a smaller pedal board for my bass. I mostly use the HX Stomp for the bass depending on the song, but being a pedal builder I would rather narrow down to a few pedals for the effects that I use. My main bass guitar is a Reverend Decision P.

Here are my thoughts on what I'm looking for, and hoping to get recommendations here. I am still relatively "new" to pedal building, but I have a handful of DIY pedals under my belt now.

1) Compressor
2) Overdrive / Fuzz
3) Octave
5) DI Box

What are some good options? I still have a few extra boards for Blues Braker and Rat, that I could potentially mod with different components but I'm not quite sure how to do that yet. My preference would be to go with a pedal that is more intended for bass. Appreciate any /all suggestions!

 

[jimilee]

I have a pedal board that I use for electric (rhythm, and lead, occasionally a baritone), acoustic, and bass. It's pretty bulky, as you can imagine. On my board, I currently have: HX Mini Stomp for cabinet modeling and IR's, a compressor/boost (Corey Wong), a Proco Rat distortion/fuzz (PedalPCB version), a Blues Breaker overdrive (Pedal PCB version), a Boss Chorus, and an ABY switch.

I would like to get down to a smaller pedal board for my bass. I mostly use the HX Stomp for the bass depending on the song, but being a pedal builder I would rather narrow down to a few pedals for the effects that I use. My main bass guitar is a Reverend Decision P.

Here are my thoughts on what I'm looking for, and hoping to get recommendations here. I am still relatively "new" to pedal building, but I have a handful of DIY pedals under my belt now.

1) Compressor
2) Overdrive / Fuzz
3) Octave
5) DI Box

What are some good options? I still have a few extra boards for Blues Braker and Rat, that I could potentially mod with different components but I'm not quite sure how to do that yet. My preference would be to go with a pedal that is more intended for bass. Appreciate any /all suggestions!

Delay, phaser, enhancer, wah and chorus.

 

[Mentaltossflycoon]

I have a pedal board that I use for electric (rhythm, and lead, occasionally a baritone), acoustic, and bass. It's pretty bulky, as you can imagine. On my board, I currently have: HX Mini Stomp for cabinet modeling and IR's, a compressor/boost (Corey Wong), a Proco Rat distortion/fuzz (PedalPCB version), a Blues Breaker overdrive (Pedal PCB version), a Boss Chorus, and an ABY switch.

I would like to get down to a smaller pedal board for my bass. I mostly use the HX Stomp for the bass depending on the song, but being a pedal builder I would rather narrow down to a few pedals for the effects that I use. My main bass guitar is a Reverend Decision P.

Here are my thoughts on what I'm looking for, and hoping to get recommendations here. I am still relatively "new" to pedal building, but I have a handful of DIY pedals under my belt now.

1) Compressor
2) Overdrive / Fuzz
3) Octave
5) DI Box

What are some good options? I still have a few extra boards for Blues Braker and Rat, that I could potentially mod with different components but I'm not quite sure how to do that yet. My preference would be to go with a pedal that is more intended for bass. Appreciate any /all suggestions!

If we're sticking to pedalpcb:

1. Thumbsucker (though I haven't built the new Median and I suspect it's good too). Caveat- I'm not a big comp user so I've only built a few of the available projects.

2. OD -Akronym or Kliché with the chuck d bones mods. I recently put together a Phat Phuk B on vero that is pretty interesting too.

2.Fuzz should get subcategories.
- Muffs -Green Russian if you want something stock, Creampie if you want the thickness.
- Elka dizzy tone (gnat pcb) if you want to wrestle with a germanium/OG build, sounds amazing
- Fuzzy fox is my favorite octave fuzz for bass at pedalpcb but it's mostly bass friendly with the octave turned off. Bass players often prefer brassmasters (me) and scramblers for this since they include a clean blend. Those are available at madbean and aion.
- Others to consider: Snuffy/Aloysius for gated, Curds and Whey for weird, Arkaim for doom.

3. Ocelot is the classic but the octarock has a similar octave down plus a dirty octave up and some versatility.

5. N/A I use the Sushibox Nobelium. Ppcb doesn't have a di project yet but for the end of your chain a drebbel pre and frequency interchange are great if you aren't familiar. Equiluxe is overkill but also useful.

 

[Feral Feline]

Echoing Mentaltossflycoon, with added alternatives

1) Creamery (DOD Milk Box) for squishy flavour, otherwise Thumbsucker for utility
2) OD: Chop Shop (Fairfield Barbershop) / Fuzz: Fornicus (SS/BS Fuck OD) or Arkaim (MountainKing Megalith) ; Kewpie for Muff
3) Ocelot (Boss OC-2) or Organ Donor (EQD Organizer)
5) N/A

I'd also add the Frequency Interchange that M'flycoon mentioned above as being mandatory, and put it in as 4, since it got skipped by the OP.
4) Frequency Interchange (HPF/LPF)


Non PPCB:
1) Diamond Bass-Comp clone from Lectric-FX or Aion
2) OD: ELS LILLIPUT / FUZZ: BYOC 360
3) Downtown by Lectric-FX (EHX DLX Multiplexer)
5) C2CE Nobelium; or ELS (Effects Layouts Storybordist) has some DI builds suitable for bass Sunndering & Sunßeam as well as a bypass board w/ DI)

4) Passinwind's HPF or Schalltechnik Vong Filterung



There are a number of BASS-specific threads on the forum similar to this one, I'd search & sift those, too.

For the RAT, I like the mods by Gordon Tranter, though there are others equally good (or could be included with Tranter's)
Not sure about bass mods for the BLUES BREAKER.

 

[mybud]

enhancer

You might like the bass version of Aion FX's Meridian (https://aionfx.com/project/meridian-exciter-compressor/), which has compressor and exciter options and a bass/treble emphasis EQ to boot.

 

[gregsmakercorner]

If we're sticking to pedalpcb:

1. Thumbsucker (though I haven't built the new Median and I suspect it's good too). Caveat- I'm not a big comp user so I've only built a few of the available projects.

2. OD -Akronym or Kliché with the chuck d bones mods. I recently put together a Phat Phuk B on vero that is pretty interesting too.

2.Fuzz should get subcategories.
- Muffs -Green Russian if you want something stock, Creampie if you want the thickness.
- Elka dizzy tone (gnat pcb) if you want to wrestle with a germanium/OG build, sounds amazing
- Fuzzy fox is my favorite octave fuzz for bass at pedalpcb but it's mostly bass friendly with the octave turned off. Bass players often prefer brassmasters (me) and scramblers for this since they include a clean blend. Those are available at madbean and aion.
- Others to consider: Snuffy/Aloysius for gated, Curds and Whey for weird, Arkaim for doom.

3. Ocelot is the classic but the octarock has a similar octave down plus a dirty octave up and some versatility.

5. N/A I use the Sushibox Nobelium. Ppcb doesn't have a di project yet but for the end of your chain a drebbel pre and frequency interchange are great if you aren't familiar. Equiluxe is overkill but also useful.

Thanks for the feedback, this is very helpful!! I will check out all the pedals you recommended and probably pick up a few. I've heard about the Nobelium, that seems to be the go-to.

 

[gregsmakercorner]

Echoing Mentaltossflycoon, with added alternatives

1) Creamery (DOD Milk Box) for squishy flavour, otherwise Thumbsucker for utility
2) OD: Chop Shop (Fairfield Barbershop) / Fuzz: Fornicus (SS/BS Fuck OD) or Arkaim (MountainKing Megalith) ; Kewpie for Muff
3) Ocelot (Boss OC-2) or Organ Donor (EQD Organizer)
5) N/A

I'd also add the Frequency Interchange that M'flycoon mentioned above as being mandatory, and put it in as 4, since it got skipped by the OP.
4) Frequency Interchange (HPF/LPF)


Non PPCB:
1) Diamond Bass-Comp clone from Lectric-FX or Aion
2) OD: ELS LILLIPUT / FUZZ: BYOC 360
3) Downtown by Lectric-FX (EHX DLX Multiplexer)
5) C2CE Nobelium; or ELS (Effects Layouts Storybordist) has some DI builds suitable for bass Sunndering & Sunßeam as well as a bypass board w/ DI)

4) Passinwind's HPF or Schalltechnik Vong Filterung



There are a number of BASS-specific threads on the forum similar to this one, I'd search & sift those, too.

For the RAT, I like the mods by Gordon Tranter, though there are others equally good (or could be included with Tranter's)
Not sure about bass mods for the BLUES BREAKER.

Thanks much, will check this out too!! I will also have to look at the frequency interchange, thanks for mentioning that. Nobelium seems to be a frequent suggestion so I'm probably going to have to add that. The other mentions are interesting as well.

 

[Feral Feline]

Thanks much, will check this out too!! I will also have to look at the frequency interchange, thanks for mentioning that. Nobelium seems to be a frequent suggestion so I'm probably going to have to add that. The other mentions are interesting as well.

Mentaltossflycoon mentioned the Freq Interchange first, I just see it as a must-have for ANY bass-board. Well, 98% of them.
He also mentioned the Drebbel, and
In fact, he mentioned all the favourites (Elka Dizzytone et al), the gleaming tip of the bassberg — when he mentions something as remarkable or noteworthy I take note and mark his words.

 

[gregsmakercorner]

Mentaltossflycoon mentioned the Freq Interchange first, I just see it as a must-have for ANY bass-board. Well, 98% of them.
He also mentioned the Drebbel, and
In fact, he mentioned all the favourites (Elka Dizzytone et al), the gleaming tip of the bassberg — when he mentions something as remarkable or noteworthy I take note and mark his words.

Thanks!! This forum is really helpful and I appreciate everyone that has chimed in. I know I have a lot to learn and look forward to digging in more on these recommendations.

 

[LukeFRC]

Bit late to the party but I like this thread!

1) Compressor
2) Overdrive / Fuzz
3) Octave
5) DI Box

1) diamond comp from aion, Schalltechnik pumpernickel

2) I liked the PPCB chop shop (barbershop) the same topology is also the ss/bs mini I made a version of which I love.
Not explored fuzz much, curds and whey is on the wish list… or a brassmaster style.

3) I bought a valeton oc2 clone that I prefer to the real thing and cost me less than building one.

4) it’s not a DI but aions L4 lab series bass preamp is worth building - it’s the closest I’ve found to a amp sim on the stomp…

That said I used to have a stomp, sold it and the quest for individual pedals led me to building my own. Given that the stomp can do a lot of things brilliantly and almost things well you could save yourself time and money there!!! It’s even got a sim of the Nobel preamp on! Though I never enjoyed the compressors.

 

[Guardians of the analog]

I use and can recommend the following:
C2CE Nobelium-I retired my sludgehammer build after this. Best bass preamp/DI available IMHO
Sheepylove Squish- Boss CS-2 compressor clone and I may have another board available. Classic dynacomp style ota compressor
GCI NEW Bass drive-modified odb-3 bass overdrive with powerful tone shaping options
for modulation the ph-1r, ce-2b and the fb-2/hf-2 are all great options for movement on bass. here are some sound samples

DEMO - Nobleman- C2C nobelium

When @vigilante398 announced this project I knew I wanted to build it but wasn't sure I wanted to spend the money on it. I tried to talk myself out of it but ultimately it served a purpose and will get used. My first tube pedal project that I didn't feel was just a gimmick. The nobelium is the...

forum.pedalpcb.com

DEMO - Azure-Boss CE-2B bass chorus

What, a bass pedal🤯🤯🤯 this a pretty much a stock CE-2 but boss added a clean blend and changed one capacitor to leave the bass frequencies intact and modulate the higher frequencies. In lue of a a lengthy build report, I did one on the circuit already in my second sea build report, I decided to...

forum.pedalpcb.com