Hey Guys new to this forum, and would say an intermediate bass player, but i’m looking to expand my sound a bit, meaning pedals, however i don’t know where to start. could anyone give me 2 or 3 pedals that are a must for every bass player? i mainly play stuff like Sleeping with Sirens, or more punk rock/alternative type stuff like Paramore, Fallout Boy, or stuff of that nature
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I mean, it’s a forum so you will get opinions. But at the end of the day what’s essential to me might be junk to you. That’s why a lot of us start with a bass multi effects pedal, zoom making the most popular ones around here because they are pretty good and nicely priced. Then you can find what you like.
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which zoom pedal is a good starter one?
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Zoom B1 four
Jamie
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the current B1 Four and B3N are quite popular here
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I started with the Zoom B1 Four and then switched to the Zoom B3n for awhile before going with individual pedals. Either Zoom is a good way to experiment with effects to what suits you.
Check out this thread for lots more info
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I also had a b1 four and it’s probably the best one to start with. But it was taking up too much space on my pedalboard so I switched to the smaller but less versatile B60 multistomp.
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Yep…
Can we get rid of this 5 character minimum thing here, it’s annoying.
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@eric.kiser after I posted that response, I came home and played around with settings on the Bass Tube Screamer and settings on the overdrive on the Rumble 100, while engaging both in unison, and got some interesting sounds. This calls for further experimentation.
Your question seems to have ignited something within me.
(That loud pounding sound you hear in the background is probably my neighbors beating on my door. I will ignore them for now.)
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Overdrive into overdrive 
Yesssssssssss… Feeeeeel the poooooower of the dark side!!!
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I would like to back up the rest of them in saying the Zoom B1-four is a great starter pedal. The reason is, not just because it comes with many pre-set patches for you to instantly start playing with sound, and experimenting with what you like, but also because you have the ability to create your own patches.
Now this just sounds like a “nice” feature to have, but it is good to understand that it is SO MUCH MORE THEN THAT.
Once you go to an empty patch (bank 50-59) and put it in edit mode, you can start to build your own chain of effects. you could start with a compressor, and the Zoom has 5 to choose from, and then you could add an octaver then go into an overdrive or fuzz pedal, followed by a chorus pedal and reverb.
you can build patches and LEARN how effects stack and what combining effects do. you can put it in Edit / Stomp mode, and just put a chorus pedal in the chain alone. Then you can experiment with what the chorus effect does and how you can use it. Same with Phaser or Envelope filter, auto wah, delay, compression.
This multi effect pedal is powerful enough for professionals to gig with, and it is powerful enough for you to use as your only effects pedal as well. (it has a tuner and looper in it as well as drum tracks to jam to). But the knowledge you can get from this, for when you decide to start with pedals on a pedalboard is invaluable. It is worth the $80 to get, even if you only use it as a learning tool. Out of all the effect pedals I have bought (and I have had a Zoom B1-four, B1x-four and the Zoom MS-60b), they have worth way more then I paid for them in the knowledge I got from them alone.
I have a full pedalboard, and just finished with buying my last pedal (well, of course there will be more in time, but I am complete for now), and I still have my Zoom B1x-four (the x means it has an expression / was pedal built in) because it also is a GREAT headphone amp for practicing anywhere with batteries or plugged into the wall. Plus, with the Aux in, you can play tunes from your phone or tablet thru it to jam to. Or, like I did, I plugged my iPad into it when I took the beginner 2 bad ass course and was able to do the lessons while playing my bass, into my headphones.
So, events I have a full pedal board, I am still keeping my Zoom, probably forever to use for silent practice when I am not in my normal practice area.
it is money WELL SPENT and I would call it a SMART investment
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I took it even farther than the empty banks… I created my own patches in banks that were already populated with patches and made them my own.
Of all the preset patches in the B1 and B3n, I only found maybe a dozen that I liked. Some of them I absolutely hated (explosion for example).
The point is that the multi effects pedals can indeed be a good school for learning what effects you like and the best way to chain them.
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Thanks Pam, you brought up a great point that I had left out.
I actually look at this a one step before creating your own patches, although, there is no correct order in how you do things, but for me, this came first.
I copied a patch over, and then started to direct it. Then I copied another patch and directed it. Basically, learning how ZOOM patched things together to get an idea of how to patch things together.
PLUS, but tweaking their patches out and replacing or reordering effects, you really can learn how to create sounds.
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I just ordered this JOYO reverb pedal. Although I like the Flamma FS02 that @T_dub recommended, I’m not in love with it. Also, it has given me problems on a couple of occasions, so I want to try something different. I’m still within my return window on the Flamma, so will decide and return one or the other to Amazon,
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I’m a big fan of the Digitech Polara reverb. Harman owns both Digitech and Lexicon, one of the most traditionally used studio reverbs of all time. Harman cross utilizes technology between brands and at least claims to have put the Lexicon sound into the Digitech Polara. It’s close enough for my taste.
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Thank you guys so much, i just ordered a B1x-four from my soon to be roommate who works at guitar center as a manger (i know where my pay checks are going 
)
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Good job. You will love it!
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