@joergkutter, I just realized I answered my own question about this topic . . . 
. . . I start with all my amp controls set “flat”, and on my bass I set the neck pickup to max, the bridge pickup to off, and the “tone” control to ~20% (there are no numbers on the knobs).
Now I know if I want to play “Billie Jean”, I need to adjust the bass setting on my amp.
One song down, a million to go! 
All best and good luck to you in your own search, Joe
Haha, I need to get myself one of those Billie Jean knobs on the amp - from “can’t play” all the way to “can play” 
Good points, @lucas9000! I totally see and understand what Squire was trying to do (even if perhaps a bit excessive), because that was how he defined his base line (no pun intended) sound. What I don’t get is that there seems to be a market for $250 FuzzWahPsychoChicken pedals (they all seem to have crazy names) that produce sounds that can only be used very rarely (either because they make you feel queasy or because the novelty wears off quickly).
So, perhaps it is a bit like buying a very expensive crayon and using it only once or twice. Maybe that is still worth it, artistically speaking!?!
I love this analogy.
Well put, @lucas9000.
I say - when you want your bass to make a sound that you’ve heard, but can’t duplicate, start looking up pedal options.
@joergkutter 
OK, seriously though, making slight adjustments in your settings (be they either on the amp and/or guitar) really CAN make a difference in the track that you’re trying to play.
If you’re doing this on stage, I can see how useful pedals could be to make make changes rather than running back and forth to your amp. So that answers another question.
But I’m not too worried at this point . . . it will be a least a few more weeks until I need a road crew to help me move my stuff on stage!
All best, Joe
I just went down this path last month, in a way, and discovered that effects gear is so incredibly better and cheaper now than it used to be.
Unless you want to go really deep down the rabbit hole, for casual usage (and maybe even pro usage) you don’t need to buy a gazillion pedals to have all the effects you need. There’s a number of good and inexpensive multi-effects boxes you can get now.
I wanted a chorus pedal to get a specific sound, and started looking; I discovered that the combo effects boxes like the Zooms are inexpensive, sound fine, and come with the equivalent of dozens of individual stomp boxes. Many of their presets are crap but the individual effects sound fine and you can edit them with surprisingly good software.
For about $40 I bought this:
https://www.zoom-na.com/products/guitar-bass-effects/bass/zoom-b1on-bass-effects-pedal
and I regret nothing 
It’s also got a looper, tuner, and drum machine built in.
They just replaced this one with a new model so there’s probably deals to be had. But this isn’t the only one nor the only brand at a decent price point.
That is really great input, @howard - thanks!
So, that would mean (and that goes back to another one of my questions) that modern modeling amps (like the Rumble 40 Studio) provide the whole package then, as they can model many (classic) amps, have a ton of effects, a looper, a tuner and a drum machine. You can create set lists and use a foot switch for going from one setting to the next during a gig, or activate the looper.
Are the Zoom B1on and the Rumble 40 Studio the way this is developing then? There must be a reason why specialized effect pedals are still in demand? Are they superior in sound quality, build, endurance, versatility on stage? Again, I am not trying intentionally to be thick - just trying to find out what others (more experienced) players can chime in with!
@Jazzbass19 - didn’t mean to imply that it doesn’t work for you. But, I hope you can agree, you don’t play “better” (more accurate) just because of a different setting!? It just sounds better, more appropriate for the given song, and perhaps more forgiving to your mistakes!? I can’t claim I can play guitar, but if I noodle on a guitar that is heavily distorted, it sounds as if I could play metal power chords 
Anyway, I think there are solutions to your needs that don’t involve your own road crew/stage crew (See @howard 's post in this thread and my reply).
@joergkutter . . . Got it! . . . I was focusing more on the “sound in general” part of your topic.
And you are right . . . the “sound” is better with different settings and apparently it’s an individual thing with each guitar, amp, plucking technique, acoustic surroundings, etc.
There’s a whole lot of different options for the combo effects. I went with this one after research on the less expensive end of the spectrum, but there are a range of Zoom boxes, some in nice metal cases with gigging in mind. If I were going to use this at a lot of gigs or something I probably would have gone with the B3n instead, for example. Several companies make similar effects boxes, from cheap all the way up through pro-level rack units. People do seem to like the Zooms though.
The standard analog pedals are still in demand for a simple reason - they can sound better (often just slightly, but still) than digital emulations of the analog effects, are tough as nails, and are very easy to wrap your head around. Also they have (in many cases) signature sounds that people want.
Another thing to mention - for home use, GarageBand has a bunch of effects too.
One last recommendation - if you DO get a Zoom, make sure to also download ToneLib Zoom:
It’s third party software that makes editing patches on the Zoom boxes a breeze. Editing on the box itself is not bad but the ToneLib software is much better. While all of the individual effects on the Zoom sound good to me, it comes preloaded with 100 demo patches, many of which you will want/need to delete and replace with your own, because they range from “pretty good” to “LOL no”, and replacing a demo patch is the only way to save your own. Which is fine as many are useless (and they are demos).
This is a fantastic thread - so glad it got started and folks are weighing in!
One of the neat features (as a lot of folks have already commented on) of my Rumble 40 studio amp, it that it has 100 different “modeling’ presets with space for another 100 that I will be able to create/tweak from the ones on it already and save. As has been said, a TON of them will probably rarely/never get used, but fun to have and intriguing to hear and give creative ideas from.
I really dig that a whole creative suite of sounds is already stored into this amp that I can play with to my hearts content! I’m very happy that I am learning this bass now that I can do so instead of having to deal with a the physical pedals that folks did (and still do).
-Kevin
Hey- I just had to add my 2 cents to this effects/pedal thread. I am a complete novice… bought a bass last year and started this course. Unfortunately so far I have only completed the 2nd module, so lot’s more to go. I got sidetracked by trying to write my own simple riffs and songs. I discovered a UK band, “Royal Blood,” just 2 guys, drums and bass. The bass player uses pedals and splits his signal into a guitar amp and bass amp simultaneously so you achieve kind of a guitar chord sound either separate or at the same time as bass, depending on what you what at any given time. I am trying to play with a somewhat similar sound (even though I have no idea what the hell I am doing)
I had a chance to jam “live” with a drummer for the first time ever last month… here is a clip with a few of my riffs so you can get an idea of the effects sound. It is a bit “gimmicky” so I am not sure if I want to continue in this direction or just go back to more traditional bass. I do certainly plan to pick back up on this wonderful course soon- I really need to establish the basic knowledge and technique help in order to really progress. I just started having too much fun creating riffs and experimenting with effects, so I have not made time for the lessons. I would love to get any feedback on the sound, and if you think this direction is worth pursuing. Thanks!
Here is the montage clip:
I don’t have too much to add to this, already lots of the stuff I was going to say from @lucas9000 and @Gio… but I will add a couple bits:
I didn’t know anything about pedals and effects until diving into it the last couple years. You can have a whole successful music career and not buy a single pedal. It’s been done many times. So just do it if the gig requires it… or do it for fun!
Hey . . . since I got my cool new amp with all kinds of empty jacks on the back just begging to be filled in, I may as well jump into the “pedal scene” with you guys . . . 
So, I’ll order a footswitch to get started
“he who dies with the most pedals wins” 
All best, Joe
Have fun exploring 
+1
What kind of jacks Joe? FYI, even though a lot of amps have an effects send → effects return, most bass players just run pedals before the amp (bass → pedals → amp (preamp → poweramp → speaker).
Yes I realize that, @JoshFossgreen . . . . . . and thank you!
I was just kidding around a little bit. As you say, there are effects send & return jacks. There are also footswitch, aux in, XLR line out, & headphones jacks . . . plenty of room for expansion later on. But I could use the footswitch to toggle the overdrive circuit on and off.
Sorry if I caused any confusion . . . 
All best and thanks again, Joe
Ah, gotcha. The humor went straight over my head, I must have had it stuck in “the low end.” 
G.A.S. - Gear Acquisition Syndrome
Used in a sentence; “Dude quit GASing and practice.” Or, “Eric was really GASing for the Aguilar Octamizer.”
Car guys like more car parts.
Tool guys like more tools.
Gun guys like more gun parts.
Computer guys like more computer parts.
Bakers like more kitchen tools.
And Musicians like more gear.
I’ve known each of those people and they all GAS the same. They just GAS for different stuff. For all of them there is a combination of hobby, artistry, and usability to what they do. Also, as Josh said, it’s FUN! It’s fun to get new stuff to play with and experiment with.
Having said all that, Yeah, this sh*t can get really overwhelming.