Bass guitar pedals are a great way to add more tone to your sound. You can use them to beef up your signal, add a chorus effect or get that chugging sound that is so famous in metal music.
A good bass pedal can also make your amp sound better by removing muddy frequencies. Try different pedals to find new and unique sounds to express your creativity.
Aguilar AGRO V2
Capable of producing everything from warm, tube-like overdrive to full-on distortion, the Aguilar AGRO bass overdrive pedal delivers grind without sucking out your low end. It offers a wealth of overdriven sounds in an easy-to-use, 4-knob layout. The SATURATION control allows you to dial in a tremendous range of distortion, while the CONTOUR control dramatically scoops the midrange for a more aggressive boosted sound. The PRESENCE control adds just the right amount of attack, ensuring your bass remains defined even with heavy distortion settings.
The Aguilar Filter Twin V2 dual bass envelope filter pedal uses two identical filters sweeping in opposite directions to create new, organic, vocal qualities and unique tone-shaping. It is perfect for creating everything from classic funk sounds to modern lo-fi effects and beyond. The BLEND control enables you to mix the Up and Down filters together for more options.
Aguilar’s Fuzzistor V2 bass fuzz pedal combines classic silicon transistor fuzz with a full-featured control set for sculpting a wide variety of overdriven tones. Its incredibly dynamic controls allow you to move from subtle to crushing, booming, and gnarly. It is the perfect tool for bassists looking to add a rich and full overdrive with an ample amount of low-end.
Designed by bass players, for bass players. The Aguilar TLC Compressor V2 bass compressor pedal features studio-quiet compression that is perfect for bassists who want additional control over their dynamics. It features a unique Trans Linear Control (TLC) circuit that provides more flexibility and more dynamic range than traditional two-knob compression pedals. It is ideal for bassists who are a bit more aggressive in their playing style and want to retain the integrity of their signal at higher gain settings.
Way Huge Fuzz
This pedal is a must-have for any metal guitarist. It provides a range of fuzz tones that can cut through any mix. It also features a Sustain control that allows you to dial in lead tones that can cut through any mix, and a Scoop control that gives you the classic mid-scoop sound of the original Way Huge pedal. It’s a versatile pedal that can fit on most pedal boards.
It comes in a hefty, metallic green case and has big knobs that are easy to see at a glance. The foot switch requires a bit of pressure to engage and disengage, but it feels solid and durable. It’s powered by a standard 9V battery, and there is a blue LED that lights when the pedal is activated.
The Big Muff is one of the most popular distortion pedals on the market. It has been used by many artists in the ’70s and enjoyed a renaissance in the ’90s thanks to bands like Dinosaur Jr and The Smashing Pumpkins. The Big Muff can dish out less extravagant traditional fuzz sounds, but it also excels at huge walls of saturation.
The Big Muff has three main controls and is very easy to use. The volume knob controls the output level, the tone control brightens or darkens the tone, and the drive controls the amount of distortion and saturation. It also has two internal knobs, one that allows you to adjust the scoop and another that lets you select between two pairs of clipping diodes. The Big Muff can produce a wide variety of tones, from simple distortion to spacey noises. This is a great pedal for the experimental guitarist who wants to take their sound in new directions.
Boss Super Over Drive SD-1
This pedal is a great choice for those looking for a mild overdrive effect that adds some character to their sound. It has a tone, level and drive knob that anyone can easily understand and use. Its simple design and versatility make it a perfect choice for metal, rock, and blues. It can be used as an overdrive or a boost, depending on the desired results.
This overdrive pedal features an asymmetrical overdrive circuit that mimics the distortion of a tube amp. It is one of the most popular overdrive pedals in the world and is a staple on many guitarist’s pedalboards. It produces the warm, natural distortion of a tube amplifier while preserving the subtle nuances of your guitar playing technique.
Unlike most overdrive pedals, the SD-1 does not focus on high frequencies or overtones. Its saturation is focused on the low- and mid-range of the signal, which makes it ideal for open chords. The result is a rich, smooth overdrive that enhances the harmonic content of humbucker-equipped guitars and gives a fuller sound to single-coil equipped guitars.
The level, tone, and drive controls on the SD-1 make it easy to customize your overdrive and boost tones. The level control allows you to increase the amount of gain without changing its character, while the tone control adjusts the high-frequency response. The drive control lets you adjust the level of distortion, from a slight breakup to searing lead tones.
Although some guitarists dislike this pedal, it is a worthy addition to your pedalboard. It is very versatile and has a simple, durable construction. It is also relatively affordable, making it a good choice for beginners who want to get started with overdrive.
MXR M85
Featuring a classic Boss design, the MXR M85 is one of the best bass distortion pedals for metal. The pedal is a purple $25 pedal housed in a hard plastic enclosure and features four controls – a level knob for the output volume, an EQ control that allows you to boost or cut your bass and treble frequencies, a gain control for the amount of overdrive, and a blend control to mix your dry and wet signals. It also features a push button that lets you choose between LED or Silicon diode clipping, giving you a variety of distortion sounds.
Unlike other distortion pedals for bass guitar, the MXR M85 is designed with the needs of modern working bassists in mind. It was created in collaboration with indie pedal phenom and bass dirt guru Fuzzrocious Pedals founder Ryan Ratajski, and features a simple, clean design that is perfect for delivering big gnarly tones. The M85 has two distinct distortion circuits — Alpha for crisp and punchy tones, and Omega for the full-on flamethrower sound. You can also adjust the attack and release times for your unique tone.
The MXR M85 delivers a range of tones from high-gain metal distortion to classic rock and blues overdrive. It also features a bypass switch that lets you choose between true or buffered bypass. Its high-quality components ensure a consistent, long-lasting sound. It is compatible with both 9V batteries and DC power adapters. Its small size and low price make it a great choice for bassists on a budget. It is recommended that you use a good quality battery to get the most out of this pedal.
RAT
If you’re looking for a distortion pedal that can add multiple flavors of saturation to your sound, the RAT is an excellent choice. It’s a simple pedal with fairly sensitive controls, but it can provide a wide range of tones from light overdrive to full-on distortion. It’s also relatively inexpensive, which makes it a good option for those who are new to the world of pedals or want a versatile pedal that can be modified later on.
One of the best things about the RAT is that it doesn’t gouge frequencies like many other distortion pedals do. It does produce some noticeable loss of signal, but not at the expense of your guitar’s natural frequency response. This gives the RAT a unique and highly useful tone that many other pedals can’t match.
The RAT has been used by musicians such as Jeff Beck, James Hetfield, Nuno Bettencourt, Kurt Cobain, and Dave Grohl. It’s a great choice for anyone who wants to give their bass tone some extra character. The only downside is that it doesn’t clean up as well as other pedals, such as the Joyo Crunch Distortion and Electro-Harmonix East River Drive. However, this can be easily remedied by making a few easy modifications to the circuit.