The Best Bass Pedalboard Ever? | The Janek Gwizdala Podcast

I always find it fascinating as to how long a pedalboard lasts. For the most part in my career, the next board is already being planned before the current one is even fully wired and operational.
Things seem to be a little different this time around though, and I’m excited to share with you what makes this one of the most musical builds I’ve ever completed.
P.S. For the first time in the store I have signed physical copies of Ultimate Chop Builder available! Both Minor and Major modes versions, plus a fresh batch of Bass Player’s Guide to Pentatonics.
Get Bass Books: janekgwizdala.com/store
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[@tagindenver2]

I caught your show with Gabriel Santiago and friends this past weekend at Dazzle in Denver - what a performance! Not only did you all sound great together but it was also very cool to finally see you do your thing in person, including an interesting looped/layered, textural solo later in the set that showed off your expertise with the pedal board. I felt the solo provided a nice contrast and was well placed within the set. Anyway, if I remember correctly, Gabriel explained that it was the first time the five of you had performed together as a unit, but you really sounded like an established group. Hope you can perform again in Denver sometime soon!

[@artofwar1776]

Dude, that is a killer tone you had while playing with that track!

[@martinsbalu9947]

loving the videos. cant wait for the DI shootout one. Would you ever do a studio tour video? showcasing the gear you use and the setup etc..would love to see that 😎

[@janekgwizdala]

I'm about to move to a new studio, so one i have it all dialed in I'll definitely be making a video about it.

[@martinsbalu9947]

@@janekgwizdala congrats and looking forward

[@julienlaroche1605]

this will be my dream shootout, wish I knew ! been doing my own for a couple of months during which I tested I think12 of them. My bass has separate outputs for high and low strings and I kept the Capo for high strings, and a couple of them for the lows: Shift Line Olympic + Bassrig vintage with the cabsim output. Crazy how instructional these shootouts are, both for the ear and the dialing fingers !

[@CoffeeAndSteel]

Love your videos Janek! Hoping I get a chance to meet you when you come through to Sweetwater!

[@xquesmuah]

Sounds great!

[@orryfishburne5326]

I have the Canvas Stereo, but i have never tried it on bass. I use it in its line isolator mode at the end of my guitar pedal board. It works and sounds fantastic to use after a modeler, but i havent tried it in the DI mode. I do want to get the mono version to have at the front of my chain for a DI to capture my dry signal so i can use that to reamp if needed, then try one at the front of my bass board for the same purpose.

[@ivanzolotco8667]

man it was so nice to meet you at the show in Denver a few days ago! you're always such an inspiration, thanks Janek :)

[@janekgwizdala]

Appreciate you guys making the drive down to see us! too bad i didn't have more time for 🦷. 🤣

[@ivanzolotco8667]

@@janekgwizdala totally Janek! seeing you live was definitely a dream come true! and if you ever need anything 🦷related - hit me up😄

[@haddockvision2631]

I use a Disaster Area DMC Micro to add midi control to my HX Stomp. I also have the extra two foot switches as you do. The DMC micro gives me short and long presses for different functions so is very versatile for controlling the stomp. It can also control extra midi devices. It has a small footprint as well.

[@Energy_from.the_Sun]

I use the DMC micro pro but can't get it to do anything other than preset changes. Any resources you have on setting up the pedal to do other functions would be extremely helpful. I can't get them to do stomp or tap tempo functions.

[@TRONOFTHEDEAD]

Same here! HX Stomp is the brain of my pedalboard but the Micro Pro is absolutely the heart!

[@haddockvision2631]

@@Energy_from.the_Sun I currently have it set up to switch between Snapshot and Stomp box mode and bypass on Utility 1 short presses. long press on button 1 is tuner (Which acts as a mute for the whole board). Long press on button 2 switches to Utility 2 which has tap tempo and bypass. Another long press on button 2 switches to Preset up and down. I use the midi connection from the stomp to the DMC micro I used the DMC micro manual and the HX stomp midi command codes to get it set up. It’s a bit fiddly but worth it in the end.

[@JensVandenMeersschaut]

Thanks for the awesome videos! I have the Canvas Stereo on my board to send both outputs from the HX Stomp to FoH (DI with the Noble patch and Amp Sim) while also having a passthrough to go into my amp. Can't recommend it enough.

[@ckauffman9516]

for midi I have the moringstar mc6 pro and really like it. I hook my chase bliss pedals to the Disaster Area Designs MIDI BOX 4 for connection to the controller

[@andresfortunato4337]

Love your videos Janek. Just a note: we all know you are a sworn ditto user, but you should consider the boss rc500 for your stereo setup. You can configure it for simple use like a ditto, but stereo, two loopers in one pedal, better ntr spec, stop button, etc. just have to devote some time to it.

[@michaelglidden4765]

Have you tried a Nobellium? I built one but haven't had the opportunity to test out the DI elements yet. The preamp sounds awesome... a bit hot... I need to test out some other 12AUX7's in it to see if that might be the issue. I've been looking to get a GSS Baby Sumo and kill off the Rack Mount stuff forever.

[@spinomarxist2688]

You might consider looking onto things like the Boss ES-5. Total game changer for me. It's a 5 loop switcher which includes midi commands. In 1 press I can turn off 2 pedals and turn on 3 other, and send a dozen PC and CC commands to my Stomp and other midi controllable pedals. Cheers!

[@janekgwizdala]

I’ve had an ES-5 for many years. I totally agree that it’s a fantastic pedal, I just found the form-factor for the exact size and application of my rig to not be quite right.

[@thesteverbever]

Can't wait for the bass DI shootout! Will you be testing the Badwater from Walrus Audio in there? Cheers! We appreciate your informative and entertaining content, Janek!

[@janekgwizdala]

I will! That just came in yesterday.

[@wallace_nelson]

Don't forget about the new hx stomp presets. 😀😃. Excited about the shoot out video. Thanks for sharing

[@kennethgarcia25]

Please, what other pedals do you have on your pedalboard. The various sounds are killer!!! If that's an HS Stomp, than what else is there?

[@gonzalotrejos3556]

Your pedalboard is quite unique and inspiring to think "out of the box", thank you for that. For the D.I. box video: do you have a baseline "flat response" unit to compare and see how the others change sound? FYC my favourite D.I. so far is the (Nordstrand) StarLifter, very clean D.I. with a very usable EQ, worthy of a shot.

[@janekgwizdala]

For the big DI video I'm probably going to plug straight into the HI-Z input of my apollo X8 with no preamp as the control sound, and then highlight how all the DI's sound against it.

[@gonzalotrejos3556]

@@janekgwizdala can't wait for it. I'm a preamp junkie. As a side note: I have a SansAmp RBI rack unit to record stuff at home, and by chance stumbled upon a Behringer BDI21, which is a ripoff of the SansAmp circuit. It works pretty well, and for less than $30 you can have a clean D.I. and a decent preamp that gets close to my RBI if needed. Not a fan of ripoffs, but this was a surprise.

[@77Dragons]

Very much looking forward to the DI shootout video. And VERY glad that I am not the one to do the work. Thank you so much!

[@RussellRodgers]

Thanks for the great info as always. Your great information has really made a difference in my musical life. FYI hears my current setup that is really working well. - Russ Rodgers

[@Antonio-qf3ez]

thank you! another great video! I need to ask you for advice, I'm assembling a pedalboard made up of the Eventide H90 which I use for reverbs, pich and more, the Meris LVX which I use for delays and other lo-fi effects, the MXR Vintage Octaver and the Quad Cortex which use for looper, multiple freeze effects, cab and anp simulations and more. Having said this, can you tell me what would be the best signal path to use? Sorry for the length but I'm having trouble. Thanks for your patience and congratulations on the content

[@janekgwizdala]

That's a complicated set of parameters... With essentially three multi fx units on the board, it will be tough to choose where each one goes. But as a general rule, I run Octave/pitch, fuzz, modulation, delay, reverb, looper, DI as my chain. I do use a parallel switcher though (EQD Swiss Things currently) which allows me to run a pre amp and compressor on the "clean" output when neither A or B are engaged, and then I can split up my chain in two sections with the A/B channels and it gives me some more routing and pedal combination options. Sounds like your board will maybe work well going: MXR - LVX - H90 - QC. Just depends on how much you want to switch the role of each multi fx unit.

[@Antonio-qf3ez]

@@janekgwizdala thank you so much for the reply, you are always very helpful and precise, it's not for everyone and it's not the first time you've helped me. I have been following you for a long time and it is an honor to be able to receive simple but important advice from you, thank you again for your time, for your artistic production and for what you represent for this generation of bass players, in the hope of being able to meet you one day I send you the my regards. Soon

[@sergiobass1980]

Hi Janek, great video as usual. Do you have any dates in the near future up here in Toronto Canada? 🇨🇦

[@janekgwizdala]

Nothing in Canada planned right now, although I'm always open to suggestions.

[@fostervalle2483]

Please do a video for dialing in that synth lead sound! I am a huge Pat Metheny and Allan Holdsworth fan and would love to apply those sounds to my lead playing!

[@ajtullo174]

I would really be intrested in hearing how your signal chain works for a stereo rig. Do you run to two amps and two cabs?

[@janekgwizdala]

It really depends on the situation. If I have the luxury of two amps and two cabs, then that's great. That is also really only about stage monitoring though for most venues, and I'm possibly switching to in-ears for some upcoming projects where I'm going to be running stereo and playing some huge sounds. The plan going forward is to monitor onstage with a mono send to the amp, but send a stereo pair to the house possibly using the Stereo Canvas from Walrus Audio. I haven't tried it yet, but I've heard really good things about it. At home I have an incredible setup with two Caveman Audio BP-1 Compacts for recording in stereo. It's as close to an old Neve console sound as I can get without having to spend half a million dollars.

[@xeode]

ah it's good to see some playing on the podcast :D another smash

[@liamodellbass]

What track did you play nearing the end (~33 min mark)? I gotta learn that one, so groovy!

[@janekgwizdala]

It's called Ship To Shore from my album Night Watch. It's available on all streaming platforms.

[@alvisreidmusic]

I use the Walrus Canvas Stereo with my Helix Stomp XL in line isolation mode and it’s simply amazing.

[@OdhranWAR]

Have you any thoughts on use a HPF set super low between 25-30hz? Seen lots of people using it recently and seems to clean up their amp sound significantly

[@janekgwizdala]

I've been getting into experimenting with that more and more these days in the studio.

[@julienlaroche1605]

@@janekgwizdala @OdhranWAR I acquired a few filters from Broughton Audio for this purpose, they are really great, but the Resonant filter one (to cut unwanted sub-end but perceptually focus the hearing on the resonant bottom) blew me away !! this can emulate a cab sim, but with a fat analog sound and without sacrifying too much frequency bands like IR tend to do IMO

[@lunacy_bass]

Love it, man! What size VRTX board is that?

[@janekgwizdala]

This one is the "Travel Lite"

[@lunacy_bass]

@@janekgwizdala thanks! I really enjoy your channel.

[@dustyaudio]

Sorry to be this guy: what gauge strings do you use for high C? Looking into a similar setup on my multi scale 35-33”

[@janekgwizdala]

Right now it's a 0.30, but I'm going to have some C's custom wound that are 0.32-0.35 just to check out a hight gauge for a change.

[@doubledecker1094]

That video angle is perfect by the way (in my uneducated opinion!)

[@NotThatOneThisOne]

Will you have the Behringer BDI 21?

[@janekgwizdala]

I don't have that one in the lineup for the video.

[@GuyMalka-pz3tb]

Does anybody know which compressor he is using?

[@janekgwizdala]

I'm using a Miura M2

[@nickadams3196]

I feel like the Capo is gonna win out to go on your board…I’ve played through a lot of these DI’s and they’re great (currently gigging with a Noble) although I’m not the biggest Sans Amp fan, they work great for a lot of people

[@janekgwizdala]

All shall be revealed soon!

[@charlescdt6509]

This is cool. What would be a good set for a noob to bass?

[@ethanlocke3604]

A good set of pedals?

[@charlescdt6509]

@@ethanlocke3604 obviously, its a video on his pedal board.

[@ethanlocke3604]

@@charlescdt6509 Your phrasing was not clear. First pedal I would recommend would be an octave pedal. Something like the mxr vintage bass octave or oc5 or smth like that. Then for the average bassist I would recommend a compressor and a distortion, something like the Earthquacker devices Blumes is a great option for like 80 used on reverb. If you want to do weird stuff like Janek, IMO best budget option after the octave would be to get the EHX ring thing. Pricey new, but used I got for like 140, and its not exactly a beginner pedal, but its probably the cheapest way to be able to do the most different Janek stuff. It can do the harmonizer or octave up thing, and if you crank up the ring modulator to the high frequencies and run the octave into it with only the octave down turned up you can get some of the Janek/John Davis synth sounds. Not exactly the same, since its ring modulation instead of sample rate reduction, but cool stuff regardless. It'll take awhile to really get a handle on what all the pedal can do, but its a lot. Then if you want to dive more into the janek stuff get a delay and a reverb.

[@reisselpud]

What is the song please ?

[@laurenceblackadder3103]

Jad Freer Capo the Tim version so you run your Mantic Hunk or Meat Box in the separate channel and DI is my guess

[@janekgwizdala]

Interesting...

[@laurenceblackadder3103]

Yeah it means for you you’re not saturating the one channel with a huge low in to the PA that the FOH then turn down in the PA. It means FOH can tame the Hulk or Meatbox separately without messing up your other effects signal. There’s a YT with Tim explaining it.

[@theprezenz]

Pls test the new Boss ME90b 😊

[@soulfred]

Go!

[@admarhermans1]

Going to China? Take the Radial JDI just in case for when your preferred DI might break down. It doesn’t need power and is indestructible. And it’s way better than the DI on your Ampeg. 🍀

[@christophercheney1006]

I keep trying to pair my board down. Granted, international travel is not a concern for me. It's more about my old ass not wanting to schlep an aircraft carrier around. Anyway, those of us in what I refer to as the "Committed Community Of Dope Sound Making Freaks" know this struggle. I keep telling myself that I'll make a board that is nothing but a tuner, volume pedal and preamp/di. Someday....

[@edwardmooneyhan1928]

If they can figure out how to put the Reddi in a compact pedal size, it'll be an instant buy for me. Can't replicate that sound, but can't practically take it anywhere.

[@sushiboxfx]

Unfortunately (or fortunately?) part of the sound of the REDDI comes from the large custom transformer they're using, and with the way they're using it in the circuit you just can't get the same sound with a smaller transformer.

[@edwardmooneyhan1928]

​@@sushiboxfx I've also been wanting to try your More or Underground Accelerator. Maybe that's the correct route for me then : )

[@sushiboxfx]

@@edwardmooneyhan1928 Well I obviously won't try to stop you there ;) I'm really looking forward to Janek's thoughts on my Finally D.I.

[@janekgwizdala]

I'm in the middle of production on the video now. I can honestly say I've never had this much fun with sounds, pedals, and video.

[@julienlaroche1605]

@@sushiboxfx @edwardmooneyhan1928 Recently got my hand on a sushibox MORE to tube the shit out of my beloved Jad e freer CAPO and that couple rocks beautifully ! thanx !!

[@neoLover23]

Will the countryman win the DI battle or is the noble unbeatable

[@janekgwizdala]

Let's see...

[@OlettaLiano]

I've been playing bass since 1975 and the only FX I ever used was a rack mounted compressor. I want my bass to sound like a bass. Silly, I know.

[@businessofrhythm2315]

First 🥇😮

[@bassplayerrm]

You are way to close to the mic , at least a fist away bro, I can't watch your videos it's too distracting

[@sebaslap]

I like his soothing voice

[@janekgwizdala]

What is too distracting?

[@bassplayerrm]

@@janekgwizdala Love your playing! Can't take the asmr aspect of the audio. Maybe there's a way to process the audio different for YT

[@janekgwizdala]

@@bassplayerrm 🤷‍♀ Podcasting is about as close as it gets to what radio broadcasting has been for over 100 years, and this is my take on that sound and that format. I'm not about to change anything in my setup as it takes a serious amount of vocal cord workout to sit and talk basically non-stop for an hour. This is the sound of my voice. I get that it's maybe not for everyone, but that's the beauty of there being 5,000 other podcasts out there to listen to. You can't please everyone. I learned that a really long time ago, and have long stopped putting importance on what other people think. I don't mean that in a callus way at all. It's not an F you, it's just a way of saying "this is what it is. You're more than welcome to hang out, but no one is going to be bent out of shape if you don't".

[@bassplayerrm]

@@janekgwizdala your voice sounds great you definitely have a broadcast quality voice, it's the inside of the mouth aspect of the audio it's too close that's it , listen to any broadcast quality programming the audio is never like this and for a reason. I realize you get this comment so maybe consider this perspective, or not do you, but it has nothing to do with your voice you honestly could do voice over work imo.

[@AmilcarBaxo]

Quando a @empress vai enviar um @empresszoia para nosso notável JG 😅