Maybe one consideration would be to get a cost effective multi FX board first. Most of the time they can cost less than one FX pedal. 2 good examples are the Zoom B3N or Boss GT-1B. They both can be had used for under $200. and double as a DAI. You try out a large number of amp sims (preamps) and effects in a small package without all the cables. You can customize the effects and sims either on the unit or with software. Then determine what you like and what you need. If the multi fx is not good enough for you start buying the pedals that co relate to the ones you used and enjoyed on the multi.
I originally had over 21 pedals. It was a variety of EHX, MXR/ Dunlop, Sansamps, EBS, Ampeg, Boss and Aguilar. After a post that @howard made (about ditching pedals for software) I decided to lighten the load and only keep a compressor and a couple of preamps. (they get little use these days). I then pickup up a Boss BT-1b and Zoom B3N and kept the Boss which suited me better. They act as a DAI or a standalone if I want to play without a PC. I also use Amplitube for guitar and bass which really covers everything you could want to toy with. I don’t miss the pedals at all. Even though they were fun to play with and all those lights on a pedalboard looked pretty, the multi and software are more than enough for me (I even find myself playing without any FX these days) and I banked all the money I made from selling those pedals for another addiction. More basses.
My must have is the providence dual bass station or final booster, boss dynamic wah, I’m still on the hunt for a good reverb/delay pedal. I have the GT1-b but I have to find time to integrate that into the board without level degradation plus it seems like half is distortion preset of sort, probably not half but it just feel that way.
Personally, I started with a Zoom B1 Four, which I sold and purchased a Zoom B3n. I later caught the “Pedal Board Bug”, and sold the B3n to my local music store and started building my pedal board. I covered it with every pedal I could get my hands on, but soon realized that the most important thing is refining my bass skill, not masking it with effects.
After about six months, I shook off the pedal board bug and came to my senses. I sold all my pedals and the pedal board and went back to basics. Now, all I use is my tuner (essential) and my VTBass DI.
I did eventually buy back my Zoom B3n from the music store (for less than they paid me for it), but only use it on occasion. When I do use it, I only add chorus, compressor, and maybe reverb.
I love the sound of my bass with no effects.
I have a pretty simple pedal board, korg tuner, MXR M87 compressor, and an MXR M81 preamp. I like the M81 because it doesn’t add color, and gives a gain knob. I use gain a lot.
I have some other pedals I can hook up if I need, but focusing on playing now. One is a Zoom B1Four, which I really dislike. It is too flipping complicated. Not saying it is bad, just offering couterpoint
As someone who is way down the rabbit hole on pedals and effects, avoiding saying exactly how many to support plausible deniability, it’s super easy to get down the road even a little and realize your chasing something you can’t quite put your finger on but it has a firm hold on your wallet and impulse control. Maybe I’m projecting a little. Hahaha. Starting with a multi effect is great. My last bass gig I grabbed a Stingray and a my Zoom B3. Didn’t even have a patch prepared till I got there. You can spend six months messing with all the nuances inside a pedal like that that’s under a hundred bucks used. And when it’s time to spend money you’ve got a better perspective on what you will and won’t be using regularly. Then, buy a preamp and quit using the Multi effect for that and just use it for the things you need. If your tight on space and cash, a Zoom MS60B is great start for swimming in the waters of a chain of effects. Can be limiting playing live unless you’re wanting just a handful of tones available on the fly.
For the money I’ve loving the NUX Atlantic. The NUX has a shimmer switch some folks like and you can switch the order of them as well. Tap tempo etc. Build quality is great. And it sparkles. If that matters. I noticed you like shiny things.
Or Keeley caverns. Those have been popping up cheap around here lately. I grabbed one of the Waves limited edition ones last week for fair money.
aaaand the Tech 21 Geddy Lee Signature SansAmp rack mountable unit. I do already have a Radial J48. Is it just me or does the Radial J48 seem a bit complicated / confusing with all the buttons and switches?
I think this might be the right place to share this. For those of us who have to practice and play at very low volumes (in an apartment and alike) and never get to hear gain or saturated sound, the Joyo California Amp Simulator pedal is an inexpensive and fun pedal. Two more options are available (British and American). There are probably much better ones out there but these seem to be a cheap and fun alternative. Enjoy!
Joyo typically punches above its weight in the inexpensive market as far as I can tell. They even show up at NAMM. And gave me a custom Joyo pick with my compressor XD.
JHS even has a YouTube video reviewing and recommending them, too.
I did some research on the topic and I’m really happy with it. That’s why I wanted to share it since it seems to me like a really good product at a good price. I’ve heard many good reviews about Joyo.
Interesting to see where you placed it in both cases. So far I have only tried it out at the end of the chain before the amp. Do you have a reason to do so? Comments and suggestions welcome!
I typically play into my Rumble 500 or direct into the DI when I play live, depending on what’s called for. I basically set mine up like a pre-amp, and I wanted the drive tone I create to feel like it has space and dimension. That’s why the modulation after. It is an always on pedal for me. Set for Edge of breakup at full volume that way any other drives pushing it will still respond to the volume knob. Especially the fuzz. Can almost walk away from the board unless I need to tap a tempo in or drop the reverb for a melody that needs to punch through.
@Reasonably_Happy Thank you so much for the input. That makes a lot of sense, particularly the volume reasoning. Without any experience my logic was that I ought to see the pedal as a replacement for the mike before the amp.
My setting is a desk with the laptop, DI and pedals, sound monitors and a small Laney RB2 under the desk. Either I hear myself through the amp (after pedals) at low volume (no DI) which sounds like an amp at very low volume, no gain. That’s were the pedal comes in and it sounds “loud” at low volume.
When I use headphones I go through the same chain into the amp at 0 volume going into the DI into GarageBand and I can take lessons at the same time. Seems to work without having to unplugging things to change from one to the other.
Anyway, I should give your reasoning a try by putting it first before everything else including the preamp since it has compression, distortion and gate built in. Cool! Thanks!
