Unboxing / Build thread

[howard]

There’s relatively famous people that use the B3n live; apparenly Stu Hamm and Marcus Miller do (or did). But dunno how heavily. Regardless though @Gio is right in that if you’re a pro you probably want to spend on a Helix or better. The Zooms are awesome but they are not top tier by a long shot. As much as I love them for what they are - best bang for the buck in effects out there

The thing that held me back from the MS60b is it is based on the older B1on era processor and effects models. If they updated it (like they did the guitar one) to be as good as the B1four/B3n and with their new models it would be a lot more compelling at its price.

Then again there were some cool models back on the B1on too, I really liked its chorus and compressors.

One thign to be wary of, especially if you plan to chain a few of them, is how good its bypass is. I don’t know.

But man, it’s the perfect form factor. I seriously considered getting one for a couple months.

[T_dub]

I was not saying I didn’t beleive about famous people using them, I was just remarking that I was told they do.

Yes, I am not gonna get 100% of the Moog envelope filter, but I wouldn’t ever use 100% of it anyway.

I chain the MS-60b, B1four and B1xFour now, with 4 other pedals, and the bypass is fine so far.

I want to get the B1”s. Out of it and keep them fully mobile practice, and headphone amps, kind of like bringing one for a small gig instead of the whole board, but I want them replaced. I can’t really find an envelope filter in that price range, and this has like 4, the EHX Qtron and Moogfooger and others. Based on that alone it warrants purchase, the other one is strictly my compressor when on the board.
Course it helps I have been playing with the Env Filters and auto wha (needed for NIB intro). To kind of know I want another so that can stay my Compressor.
Plus it’s been tested with the auto wha set up the same way on my B1four, with the MS in front as a compressor, and results were what I wanted.

[howard]

@T_dub

I chain the MS-60b, B1four and B1xFour now, with 4 other pedals, and the bypass is fine so far.

Specifically one of the things apparently improved in the current generation (B1four/B3n) over the older (B1on/B3, and the slightly older MS60b) was they quality of the bypass. That’s what I was referring to.

I never really had a problem with my B1on but then again I never tried using more than one at a time. No idea if it is an issue you’ll notice or not, but I wanted to mention it as a possible caution to look out for if you try chaining a few together.

[T_dub]

Ty, I will get another on amazon, and see if it makes a difference, it can always go back

[JoshFossgreen]

@Gio

What I don’t like about it, is that you can’t get JUST octave on it. It’s distortion and then an option of with or without octave.

This pedal is a similar realm of double-pedal but doesn’t have that issue: https://www.redwitchpedals.com/zeus_pedal/

It f**kin rocks. It deserves to be on a pedal board, but right now it lives in a closet. Poor Zeus.

@Gio

But I tried it at a shop with such terrible, commissioned, hard-sell-never-leave-you-alone salespeople that I didn’t pull the trigger.

Ha, I wonder if I know which store you’re referring to… do they have a fruit in their name that I also have tattooed on my arm?

[Gio]

@JoshFossgreen

It f**kin rocks. It deserves to be on a pedal board, but right now it lives in a closet. Poor Zeus.

Oh my… I really think that if it wants to sneak out of that dirty, dusty closet some time, I could put it up. For a while, you know. Like a summer vacation.

@JoshFossgreen

Ha, I wonder if I know which store you’re referring to… do they have a fruit in their name that I also have tattooed on my arm?

Nailed it.
What an awful reputation, eh? That would be my first guess also. What kind of model is that to build a franchise around? I ask you that!!

[howard]

@Gio

Nailed it.
What an awful reputation, eh? That would be my first guess also. What kind of model is that to build a franchise around? I ask you that!!

Hmm. Which one? I used to know someone at the one in Sausalito, but he is the opposite of high pressure. He’s also a former rockstar, which probably helps. Haven’t talked to him in ages though, he may have moved on.

[TNKA36]

Hi @howard,
That’s a nice part of the world, haven’t been there in a few years.
Cheers Brian

[howard]

Me either! About 11 years or so in fact.

[Gio]

@howard

Hmm. Which one?

San Rafael.
My body work guru - the man and woman who put my arms back together for me - are literally around the corner from this music shop, as they just moved locations.
I went there once (checked the pedal), and shall ne’er go again.

[howard]

Actually that’s the store I was thinking about, it’s in San Rafael, not Sausalito.

Hmm. The guy I know specialized in guitars and banjos, not bass.

[T_dub]

Quite a strange bio about Ben Fulton, creator / owner of Red Witch Pedals.
Not sure if it’s a joke, or WTF?

[howard]

Seems like someone is attempting humor.

[T_dub]

I was thinking that, but then wondered, since it is so out there, maybe he was accused, and wanted to state his innocence??? Who knows. Thought it funny enuf to post tho.

[howard]

He’s definitely guilty of Attempted Humor.

[T_dub]

You got that right

[T_dub]

Ok, got the board thrown together. Pretty sure it will be like this for now.

Boss Chromatic Tuner
Zoom MS-60B (set up as compressor)
TE Electronics - Nether Octave
Donner - Harmonizer
Earthquakes Labs - Plumes Over Drive
EHX - Bass Big Muff - Fuzz
Optional set up here with quick cable switch

A - from Muff to
Zoom - B1Four ( as chorus / flanger / auto Wan, etc)
Behringer - Bass BDI-21 Bass Driver / DI
Out to
Amp
and / or
Zoom - U-22

B - from Muff to
Behringer Bass BDI-21 Driver
To SWR WorkingMan Amp
Effects loop out
To Zoom B1four for Chorus / Phaser / Auto Wah / Delay / trek / etc…
With possible loop to any of those pedals in the future or any added Zoom MS-60B’s.

The Wiretap is not chained in. It is sort of not part of the pedal board. It could be set up after the BDI-21 before the amp to record riffs with effect sounds.
It could be patched in between the MS-60b for clean compressed sound, and it can later be looped thru effects to see what sounds best.

It could be in the end of the effects loop if / when it is set up that way.

I plan to use it in multiple places, so I will do it manually when using it.

Plus, it is the 9th pedal, I have an 8 port power supply, so I will use it with a separate P/S, at least for now. If I get more pedals, like a Bass Clone, an Env filter, an expression pedal, etc…, I will need another P/S, so we will see what comes.

I will prob replace the B1Four with another MS-60 as a first NEXT move, ot sure when…

I may end up with a bass clone, or an Env filter, but an MS-60 has both, and it has the Bass Clone and the MoogerFooger Env filter if I can load it from a computer.

I use the B1x-four as a headphone amp for easy set up, and to patch in my IPad to play to tunes via headphones.

The one on the board will go to my daughter for the same thing.

The limiter enhancer, not making the board, but I will find use for it, or save it for starting my daughter a board someday.

[T_dub]

The Source Audio Bass MicroModeler.
Great pedal, great features, it really has it all.

All except a good 3 channel EQ.

Many of the fuzz / octave fuzz / tube crunch / tube screamer, have such different sounds, that you need to be able to shape them to get the right sound. Some need fat bottom with high and mid cut heavily, but not all the way.
Others need Bass about 12oclock, with mid at 10 and high at 3.
Others drop the bass, get high and mid at 3-5.

There is no good way to do this when they share the same dial, there is no display to say where they are at, and there is no way to deselect the 3 options in order to reset the dial to 12 before selecting one of the channels to adjust.

You select between hi - mid - low
So one is always being adjusted
So you need to walk one over, select the other and dial back, and select the other.

You end up with 1 all the way up and 2 all the way off, or vice versa.

You can set them all flat bu holding the button til they blink,
Then you could select bass, adjust it where you want.
Save the settings to the foot switch.
Then deactivate the foot switch
Move dial back to noon.
Activate setting, with the bass adjusted correct.
Select the hi.
Adjust it.
Save again.
Deselect and move to noon
Activate with hi and bass set
Select mid and adjust, and save it.

Then you have one switch and a good setting.

You have one more foot switch, after it is set up, you are back to screwed.

They have a storage block you can buy to make up for it, but kind of inconvenient and pricey.

The new versions, the aftershock, it has all the settings in a GUI on your phone.

That’s the way to go.

I can see getting one of those one day, as I say, it’s a great pedal, but without the new version, and the phone app, it was just too much a PITA.
Love what it is capable of tho.

[terb]

funny to have the DAI on the pedalboard !

[T_dub]

Just so much room for it. If I need space, it’s an obvious one to move.
If I were to ever go gig with it, I would remove it.