Bass guitarists’ pedalboards come in all sorts of forms and sizes. From single-effect pedals that focus on doing one thing well to multi-FX units containing the latest effects.
Envelope filter stompboxes act like wah pedals, raising and lowering frequencies depending on how hard you hit the pedal. Octave shift and pitch-shift pedals also do this but with different frequency tracking.
Multi-Effect Units
Many bassists utilize multi-effect pedals to add depth, character, and variety to their sounds. Reverb and delay effects provide time-based dynamics while harmonizers and octave effects add layers of sound above or below your original note, adding complexity to your tone.
A good multi-effects pedal should include an array of effects and be easy to edit, as well as being protected by a buffered bypass, which prevents signal loss caused by long cables when the pedal isn’t in use. Some units even include sequencers so you can pre-program effects in an order and play them back at the press of a footswitch button.
Boss, Digitech and TC Electronic all offer options on the market from their variety of guitar effects processors, with many models providing multiple effects such as digital delay/chorus effects as well as an octave effect and phase shift effect – some even come equipped with built-in tuners!
While these can be highly versatile, they may be too complex for novice users and costly. Furthermore, many lack an easily visible display of current settings; making navigation challenging when only using LED lights or scribble strips above footswitches as guides.
Other multi-effects units feature an intuitive user interface and offer fewer presets, making them suitable for pedalboard integration. One such multi-effects pedal, NUX HX Effects pedal features 190 effects in total such as the full Helix/M Series range plus pitchshifter/chromatic pitchshifter, auto wah, flanger, chorus etc – not forgetting joystick/touch sensitive footswitches to customize parameters directly via feet allowing more hands-on editing of effects parameters!
If you’re serious about bass playing, nothing beats having an exceptional multi-effects pedal at your disposal. Finding one with just the right effects can unlock endless creative opportunities and take your sound to new heights.
Compressors
One of the more underrated bass guitar pedals is a compressor. Although its main function may not be to create thunderous distortion or complex time-altering effects like delay, it remains an invaluable tool for any bassist. Compressors work by narrowing dynamic range for each note so soft notes sound louder while loud notes remain under control – though many modern compressors also include tonal changes via side chains, onboard EQ, and dry/wet blend for even further personalization.
Before purchasing a bass compression pedal, it is essential that you become acquainted with its controls. Threshold – This setting determines when your signal will trigger the compressor; as its threshold increases, so will its level of compression; depending on which settings are chosen, this could range from subtle limiting up to full decibel compression.
Ratio – Your signal change above threshold will depend on this ratio (e.g., for every 2dB increase above the threshold, output will decrease by one dB). Most pedals come equipped with fixed ratios; however, experiment to find which ratio best matches your tone and playing style.
Attack – This feature determines how quickly the compressor kicks in when your signal exceeds a threshold value. A fast attack will squash peak notes quickly while slow attacks allow more unadulterated signal through before compression occurs. For bass players, the factory-set Attack setting on Custard Factory pedal is optimal – compressing just fast enough for effective results but without overly rapidly compressing every string pluck, pick or slap!
Many effect units alter and blur your bass tone in ways that hinder rhythm players, such as creating echo effects or altering pitch. Compressors, on the other hand, keep your sound clear while dampening volume peaks so short notes have more definition and longer notes have more sustain.
Distortion
Distortion pedals are essential tools for bass players, adding an extra grit and kick to your sound, particularly if you specialize in heavier styles of music. Most distortion pedals feature multiple overdrive engines so you can select which type of dirt you desire; some offer classic valve amp style overdrive, Heavy metal tones or Fuzz mode without compromising low end tones – some may even come equipped with fuzz features!
Some distortion pedals feature a Clean knob to blend in unaffected bass signal without altering or distorting it, to keep effects from overpowering and muddling your tone. This feature can be particularly helpful when used in loud environments where volume levels increase quickly – giving you complete control of your tone!
Bass players need several effects that are essential for them, including wah pedals, envelope filters and octave effect pedals. These effects work best early in your chain as they colour or transform the signal while more tone-producing effects such as overdrive and distortion pedals should come after them.
modulation effects such as chorus, flanger and phaser pedals provide subtle adjustments to your bass signal that alter its frequency to produce unique tones. While more subtle than distortion and overdrive pedals, these modulation pedals still make an enormous impactful statement about your sound if placed after tone-producing effects in the chain; placing one before distortion pedals could reduce their effectiveness significantly.
Reverb and delay pedals should also be considered when building your bass rig, as these effects can dramatically change the tone. While some pedals come equipped with specific reverb effects built-in, others combine both into one pedal unit for added atmosphere to your playing.
EQ
Effect pedals for bass players offer an abundance of sonic possibilities that enable them to create signature sounds easily. From creating scooped mid sounding guitar solos, to amplifying mid frequencies for stronger rhythms – an EQ pedal can make an immense difference to your tone and overall soundscape.
An Equalization pedal can be placed before or after distortion or overdrive pedals to help shape the frequency response of input signal. Placing it before allows you to cut or boost specific frequencies that may become overwhelmed by overdrive, giving more control of sound of your distorted tone. Conversely, placing one after can help fine-tune overall tone by boosting or cutting certain frequencies to better match mix or compensate for any changes to bass’s overall frequency response caused by your overdrive pedal.
No matter your EQ needs – from simple 3-band graphic EQ pedals like EarthQuaker Devices Tone Job to more complex parametric EQ pedals with frequency selection capabilities that let you fine-tune specific ranges – there is sure to be something suitable. Just be mindful to subtract frequencies rather than just add them since adding too much noise or hiss could compromise your sound.
Bass players need distinct notes in the mix, so it is wise to avoid effects that blur or alter your bass tone excessively. This is particularly important with respect to effects like echoing, pitch shifting or softening which could muddy up the mix and diminish clarity of their performances.
Though experimenting with effects pedals is fun, don’t be too eager to overuse them when playing live – you need to hear yourself sing so as not to lose the groove and keep up your own voice! At home and during rehearsals it would also be beneficial to test how well these sounds mesh with the rest of your setup.
Electro-Harmonix, MXR and Xotic bass effect pedals are tools used by world-renowned bass musicians like Doug Whimbish, Bootsy Collins and Les Claypool to get their signature sounds to pop and growl just the way they need. We carry an impressive selection of these pedals for sale on our site.
Pedals that can be used by bass players fall into a couple of general buckets. First and foremost is a tuner. These can be placed anywhere on the pedal chain but are typically plugged in early to ensure that the bass signal is clean.
Overdrive and distortion pedals offer a variety of sounds from subtle to fizzier. Other great choices include filter pedals that curve your EQ and pitch-related effects like octave.
Overdrive
Overdrive pedals are a staple of any bass guitarist’s rig. Whether you’re looking for subtle overdrive to bring out the harmonics of your bass, or a searing fuzz pedal that gives your tone a hairy, saturated grind, there is an overdrive pedal for you.
It might be worth mentioning that overdrive and distortion pedals can sound different on bass guitars than they do on guitars. This is because a bass guitar pumps out lower frequencies (usually an octave lower) and has a different EQ curve due to its longer scale-length, fat strings and different pickups.
A bass-specific overdrive pedal will take this into consideration and be designed to track bass frequencies more accurately, resulting in a less harsh sound. This also applies to octave and pitch-shift pedals, which need to track the frequency of the original input in order to shift it up or down.
Other pedals, such as modulation effects like delay and reverb, will simply repeat whatever they receive. This means that they will often sound slightly different on bass compared to guitar, but it is not usually a problem and may even enhance your bass tone! This is particularly true of effects that use feedback, such as phaser and flanger, which can create some truly monstrous jet engine-like sounds when cranked up.
Fuzz
A fuzz pedal takes the input signal, amplifies it and clips it hard. This creates a distorted tone similar to overdrive but more extreme. It also adds higher harmonics and can create a growling sound. Fuzz can be used to give a bass a more prominent position in the mix or to provide some distortion without sacrificing clarity.
A major factor in determining how a fuzz pedal sounds is the global feedback network. This determines how much the pedal cuts off low frequencies. Increasing the value of C3 (the middle dark green trace in the circuit above) will decrease the cut frequency and will allow more low frequencies to come through.
Another factor is the type of transistors used. Silicon transistors have tighter tolerances and will provide a more consistent performance. They are cheaper to manufacture and more widely available than germanium transistors. However, some players prefer the tone and texture provided by germanium transistors.
The input impedance of a fuzz pedal is also important. The higher the input impedance, the less current will be supplied to the transistors. This will cause the pedal to have more gain. As a result, the pedal will be more sensitive to the input signal from the guitar pickups and will respond differently when placed after other pedals or a buffer amplifier. For this reason, many guitarists recommend putting their fuzz pedal first in the chain.
Distortion
Distortion pedals offer a wide range of tones from subtle overdrive to full-on fuzz. They usually have a level control to set the amount of distortion you’re after, as well as a tone knob to adjust the overall sound and EQ characteristics. Many of these pedals will also have a separate rhythm and lead channel that allows you to increase the drive on one while reducing it on the other. This can help you create different tones that cut through a mix without overwhelming the other instruments in your song.
Generally speaking, distortion pedals work by boosting your guitar’s signal to the point that it exceeds the capabilities of your amplifier’s preamp tubes. This clipping of the peaks and valleys of your signal results in new harmonic overtones that give your sound its character. Unlike overdrive pedals, which can be used to add saturation and dynamic compression to any guitar sound, distortion creates harsh and aggressive forms of saturation that are more dependent on your playing dynamics.
Guitarists often use distortion pedals in combination with other effects such as reverb, delay, and modulation. These time-based effects manipulate the length of your sound, creating echoes and spatial effects that can give your bass tone an ethereal quality. Other pedals, like octave and harmonizers, add layers of pitch above or below the original note, adding complexity to your bass grooves.
Delay
Delay is an effect that echoes the original signal for a set amount of time. This creates a repeating echo-like sound that can add a sense of space or be used as a melodic element. The delay can be set to have a specific amount of feedback and can be manipulated with different settings to achieve various effects. Examples of these include ping-pong delays where each repetition alternates between the left and right sides of the stereo field and multi-tap delays where multiple delay lines can be set with their own independent delay times, feedback levels, and stereo position for wild rhythmic effects.
Delays are particularly useful for bass guitar because they can be used to fill in gaps in the sound or make riffs more rhythmic. Delay is also widely used by lead guitarists for creating sweeping, spacey sounds. The Edge of U2 is famous for his use of delay, as well as Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave. Many modern players use delay for their signature sounds including Annie Clark (St. Vincent), Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (Mars Volta), and Nels Cline (Wilco).
Delay can work best on bass guitar when it is used in conjunction with distortion pedals. When paired with a distortion effect, the delay can add harmonic richness and sustain to riffs as they are repeated and can even be used as a percussive element of a riff.
Reverb
Reverb is an ambient effect that adds space and a little extra air to your sound. This can be useful for bass guitar, because it gives you a bit more room to play without getting lost in the mix. However, reverb can be overused so be careful not to drown your instrument in it!
Some reverb pedals have controls to adjust the type of ambient sound you’re looking for. For example, the TC Electronic Hall Of Fame pedal features three knobs that control level, tone and time (decay). This allows you to create a wide variety of sounds. It also has a TonePrint feature that lets you beam custom sounds directly to the pedal via your phone app. This allows you to use effects created by your favorite artists and create your own!
Another great option is the Strymon BigSky reverb pedal. This pedal has a large chassis and several footswitches, but it’s loaded with amazing sounds. It includes spring reverb, which is similar to the reverb that was built into amps back in the day. It also has a huge number of presets, and you can edit them through their Preset Librarian computer software. It’s been used by artists such as Tosin Abasi and Brad Delson.
Lastly, many reverb pedals have a mix knob that allows you to blend your dry signal with the reverb. This is important because you don’t want the reverb to drown out your bass!
Compressor
Championed by country pickers, funk-inflected rhythm players and sustain-seeking soloists, compression may be the most important bass pedal in your arsenal. This often under-appreciated effect evens out any inconsistencies in your playing technique by lowering peak levels (via the Threshold control) and raising quieter notes via makeup gain. If your bass always sounds great when you play it alone but gets lost in a band setting, that’s a good indication that you need some compression.
The Attack control determines how quickly the compressor kicks in – a fast attack ensures that any peak will be reduced at the ratio you’ve set, while a slower attack allows a little unadulterated signal through and can help give your bass more punch. The Release control decides when the compression stops – a long release can add extra sustain to your bass, while a short release can cause your tone to sound ‘pumped up’.
Keep in mind that all compression pedals will amplify some noise in your signal and while this shouldn’t be an issue, it’s worth keeping in mind when choosing your compressor. Some pedals also feature a Blend control which splits the incoming signal into 2’s – the processed and the unprocessed – allowing you to mix in a little of the softer, less compressed signal when you want to beef up your tone. Lastly, many compressor pedals have a High-pass Filter which can be useful for eliminating any unwanted frequencies from your signal.