The 5 'must have' FX pedals / Scott's giving away THE bass / Finding YOUR sound | EP111

The 5 'must have' FX pedals / Scott's giving away THE bass / Finding YOUR sound | EP111
Clever use of a stompbox can transform even the most ordinary bass guitar part into a classic. In this episode, we run through our guide to the best and most desirable effects pedals ever to brave a sticky stage.
In this episode we cover...
► An introduction to the major effects types.
► Our pick of the most exciting stomboxes out there.
► Why the Boss OC-5 is still going strong.
► How you can win Scott’s Ken Smith White Tiger.
► And much, much more!
[ - PODCAST - ]
► iTunes: apple.co/1O6P2oZ
► Spotify: spoti.fi/3M7ZlbY
► Stitcher: bit.ly/3BZNc4m
[ - SOCIAL - ]
► Facebook: / scottsbasslessons
► Instagram: / scottsbasslessons
► TikTok: / scottsbasslessons.com

[@pabloprimo250]

Whoever wins the Banana Bass, please bring the person to the pod, would be so cool to put some pressure “play that thing, DONT SELL IT”😂

[@liamgaliano]

Love this

[@neaituppi7306]

I would play it. I got one 5 string Bass I had for 25 years, haven't been able to get another one.

[@llarryamrose3980]

Guys, please do that Compression podcast. I've been playing for over 35 years, and I *still* don't get what effect compression really has. I have a compressor, and I used to use a preamp with one built in, and I've never been able to hear the difference.

[@Dekutard]

try turning the threshold all the way down, ratio all the way up, attack and release as fast as they will go. it should make the loudest parts of your playing quieter and bring out the quietest details up. this can have the effect of making it sound "loud and huge" without actually cranking volume up.

[@brettg.6060]

Ian PLEASE do a podcast on Compression!!!

[@mrmansville9340]

Scott I just wanted to let you know how much I'm digging Divine King when I'm doing my morning skipping. Time fades away and the structure and vibe of these songs flows through with more energy because it's instrumental, there is no voice for me to get caught up on. I never realized I would dig this kind of music. You're awesome Scott, you and Ian above all else are promoting healthy hearts, minds and souls. I appreciate the load it must put you under. You've so many friends you've simply never met.

[@michaelhardie9193]

Perfect timing. I'm just diving into effects for the first time and making a board that my son and I can both use. I appreciate hearing the top 5 effects and glad I have some of them. I would love an episode on the effects chain/order as this seems overwhelming for me. Thanks again Scott and Ian. Your podcast is a must listen for me.

[@damienscanlon5585]

For modulation. I just bought the BOSS MD-200 and I am loving it! I just started messing with the rotary function and wow. The organ-like sounds that you can get out of it when used with an OC-5 are so nice!

[@jasonwebb1898]

I was on a budget so I just bought a used boss GT-10. It has so many pedals and effects built in that as a beginner it will keep me happy for a long time.

[@andywrenolds]

The RoboCop reference was spot on i was dying when you called that out 😂

[@77Dragons]

Good talk about pedals! Thanks. Watching it gave me an idea for a future podcast. Ian talks about using x + y + z for a synth bass sound, and I thought: for people beginning a pedal journey it would be great to have a podcast around pedal COMBINATIONS. This plus that = “a good entry to classic rock.” That plus this = a base for motown, or jazz fusion, or whatever.

[@tombowman9463]

Nice job guys! Over the years I found that very mild drive and subtle delay to create a sense of space do the job. After that's done, there's fuzz and chorus, which are really cool. Then there's a third tier that includes compression, envelope, and octave, but they're such special effects that I rarely use them. The price range is crazy too. My favorite delay of all time is a Danelectro Dan Echo because it can be so subtle. My favorite envelope is 3 Leaf. Opposite ends!

[@fredhystair5789]

Agreed. OC3 is a hidden gem.

[@backdoorarts5243]

For the life of me I can't remember the band (it may have been Peter Case's solo road band just after the Plimsouls), but we opened for this band in Philly and I was using their bass rig, and the guy had an SVT w 8x10. When we finished our soundcheck I couldn't get off the stage, I just wanted to keep hearing this glorious sound, so I stayed on and was riffing along with the bar music. As I did their drummer came back from soundcheck, looked at me (I thought he was pissed) and said, "That sounds awesome, don't stop", and jumped up and we played another 5 until we both knew we had to get down. There is truly nothing like the experience. I've never been able to justify anything like one, but I completely get why they exist and why so many people play them.

[@josephalvaro5244]

I had that experience of the wall of speakers behind you.Back in the second half of the 70's I use to play through a SVT with two 8×10 flatbacks.No Di,no mic,straight off the stage and it would fill the largest clubs up here in Vancouver.Sure things have changed with less gear on stage now but boy I'm glad I had the chance to rock that monster setup.

[@vince8081]

My fav bass pedal is the bass soul food by Electro harmonix. It's a Klon for bass, very subtle overdrive. At very low drive, it change the grain of your amp bass sound and make it more present and focused. Always on.

[@shonburke7600]

I picked up the Boss Katana 110, and the biggest selling point for me was it has so many effects to try and play with!

[@duncanwatson7858]

Ah man I just discovered envelope filters and now I’m hooked! Also, love the @phillipconrad shout out, got a lot of time for that guy!

[@jari04]

I would love to see the Olinto Pbass more. Such a killer bass both in looks and sound!

[@ericamccool345]

The fact that Ian has a Squirtl on the shelf behind him is pretty awesome! LOL!!!

[@vassili87]

I only played on a 8x10 cab once. It was a Hartke. Not the best cabinet ever, I guess, but damn, you're right. The stage roared with me. I could only imagine with a powerful valve amp on top of it.

[@admarhermans1]

Herbie Flowers played his 1960/61 stack knob blue Fender Jazz for over 40 years on thousands of gigs and songs! And, with the same tapewound strings, 🤣! And, what a sound he had. Sheer beauty. The other side: in the early ‘90’s I had the opportunity to see John Pattituci live in The Hague (The Netherlands). He played a beautiful Sadowsky four string and had the most beautiful sound I have ever heared! It was his bass, because he used it in pictures in BassPlayer Magazine at the time. But, I never did see him playing that bass ever again..., 😢.

[@taynehenry6924]

The bass Big Muff from EHX is an awesome fuzz. Smashing Pumpkins tones for days! 🎃 Own the OC-3 and yes it's a great affordable octave pedal.

[@ltee12658]

I use an Ampeg SCR-DI. love it. Agular compressor. Any of the giveaway basses would be sooooo sweet!

[@cabitt83]

Guys, epic videos as always! Just wish you could demonstrate the effects of the pedals next time.

[@Brother_Dave]

Awesomeness, once again... I've shared the contest url with every bass player I know. Love you guys. You rock.

[@BrianPellerin]

Eq pedal is my favourite. Never need to change my strings.

[@landrybass0000]

The new Crazy Tube Circuits mini Sidekick is AWESOME. Finally a pedal that can do like 6 reverbs, 3 different choruses, and 2 delays in a super small compact size.

[@MrSirr]

I want the ghost note shirt, i NEED it right now!!

[@liamgaliano]

Tom Morello’s solo on No Shelter Live at Grand Olympic is the coolest use of effects I’ve ever heard. It sounds like you’re being dragged into the pits of hell

[@JohnFoxBass]

Know what? I have an 8x10 here, and it is incredible. But I also have a GR Bass AT 210 stacked on top of an AT 115, and it rattles the ceiling MORE than the 8x10 !! The stack sounds almost as tall as the 810, but there does seem to be some magic with that 15" in the mix. Ian - you DO need to come here and listen to the GR AT 810 though. At 53 lbs., it is a highly addictive and very smile-inducing achievement of audio engineering.

[@paulgrinold1103]

I just signed up for SBL and I'm working on Players Path!

[@teresaravenshaw5477]

Preamp, chorus, compression, everything else is negotiable.

[@davidturner7863]

Back in 1990 I bought a Mesa boogie 400+ with, I think was a diesel cab. I still have the head. Playing with a Warwick dolphin pro1 and a Wal MK1 (still have them) the sound was immense and funny that you were talking about ghost notes, it was incredible for that, plus the sound was fantastic. Looking at getting the Mesa subway 800+ to see how it compares. Unfortunately, they are still not available in the UK. Anyone here have a subway 800+ ?

[@elambassist]

I have a blue hx Really want the purple.

[@BARTFUNKBASS]

I'll be boring. My favorite fx is an envelope filter, my old trusty big box Electro-Harmonix Q-Tron. It sounds so warm and big. It's not that old but I consider it now as a piece of vintage equipment and it doesn't leave the house anymore. For that purpose I've bought a smaller Source Audio Spectrum Intelligent Filter. It has sooo many features. It may be the wildest filter around, but most importantly it emulates the mighty Mu-Tron almost as good as the old Q-Tron. ✌️

[@GaryBouch]

My first ever gig when i was 17 was at a youth club. The sound engineer was a bass player & as his band were headlining, he brought how trace elliot 4X12 with an extra 4x12 cab. Never had a better sound since. Couldn't hear ANYTHING else apart from the snare :-)

[@mr.force1036]

Ian, Dude, did I hear you say a Lull, Mike Lull out of Seattle.?😎

[@TheSirpatrick33]

I played my Alembic through a Trace Elliot AH650 SMX (I Think) into a Peavey 8x10. I would lean back on that cab and get a nice back rub during a show

[@lockharthorsburgh8601]

Really interesting section about pedals. At risk of stating the obvious, for effects like overdrive and distortion, the choice of amp can make a big difference as well as the choice of pedal. On that front, I tend to use two different distortion pedals: the Darkglass Alpha-Omicron has rapidly become a go-to, with a lot of versatility in the settings; it also works in different ways "in front of the amp" and in the effects loop but both approaches give usable results. Meanwhile, the Rat pedal is less versatile but combines well with my sensibly-priced amp to approximate that Cliff Burton "tube screamer into an SVT" sound (it also works quite well with my 6-string toys that are tuned an octave higher; downside is that it's a bit "noisy"). On the compression front, I have an MXR bass compressor which seems to work pretty well, but I sometimes get lazy and use the built-in compressor on my amp. Recently acquired that MXR bass chorus pedal, and early impressions are positive. Have to admit, i've been ogling those Origin Effects "amp simulation" pedals but wincing at the price (although they are a lot cheaper than the amps they are imitating). Oh, and I've found that a Walrus Fundamentals reverb pedal works nicely with bass (less impressed with their delay in that respect, although it works nicely for "normal" guitar). I don't have an octave pedal, but I'm not sure if it's so relevant for the prog/heavy rock and metal end of the bass-playing spectrum.

[@compucorder64]

Definitely, I settled on the Darkglass Alpha-Omicron too - it's ace. Have the Darkglass Hyperliminal for compression - up front. With an EHX Hot Wax for boost and tube preamp tones. But like the Walrus Mira opto compressor too; lots of control, very fat but clear and transparent. and they've been on sale relatively cheap recently. I like Boss CE chorus, or clones of it, like the Mooer. The small lilac coloured Ibanez is nice too. Really enjoy octave pedals, the KMA Queequee 2 for it's character (try the bass platform demos). But alternatively, the MXR Poly Blue Octave is a beast for modern funky sound design - a real one stop shop. Fuzz, octave, including polyphonic, and modulation too, all in one for $199 ish. A steal for a powerful 3-in-1; a boutique pedal outfit would put funky graphics on it and charge $350. Saving up to buy a Meris Mercury X, and will use a HoTone Soul press combo volume/wah/expression to control the Ottobit style filter, which sounds liquid and lush.

[@davidwinokur2131]

I really like to have compressor, mild hall reverb and mild chorus on almost always.

[@Nugmania1]

Hey Big Brother weighing in, early, a 200 watt Traynor tube head through there Neo 8/10, is thunderous .

[@imparatore9377]

Love to listen podcast in the background. I have small kids. If you can use some other word then fucking it would be freaking awesome. Love the content though. Just refound passion for the music and bass and happy to found you guys.

[@theprezenz]

What's the routing of Ian's pedalboard? Nice video 🔥🔥

[@josefayala1974]

I wish these videos had chapter sections... cause I want to know the 5 pedals but I don't always have time to watch ... lol

[@phillawson9930]

So I have the electro harmonix bass synth but I don’t love it. Would I be better off doing more of a combined effects rig to achieve some of what I like about it? I most often use it as an extreme fuzz for big final choruses in a church context.

[@amandamarinovich6010]

I have a question maybe ya'll can touch on in a future podcast - can you guys explain neck radius? And do you have a preference for larger or smaller? Great pod, btw, I love Ian's pedal knowledge and enthusiasm. I'm tempted to take out a loan just to try them all lol

[@efminkane]

can you do a comparism boss oc-5 vs mxr Poly Blue Octave on Bass? which to use for what?

[@nedvigbendeguz]

Really off topic question here: Any info on the chair Scott's using? Looking fo something with head support, and this seems comfy. thx :D

[@jhc82681]

Flamma is a great budget brand that allows you to try a bunch of different things for not a lot of money. They really don't sound bad either.

[@AqueousMantra]

Rewatched RoboCop not that long ago... was not prepared

[@ctodd122]

Great pod (via Spotify)! But I disagree for the 5 spot. It should have been an envelope filter. A compressor is super difficult to understand and even detect any difference. That isn't something that a beginner can see results right away.

[@Brother_Dave]

Also, shout out to #ianallison for considering following Scott's lead in passing some of your collection on to other players. That's a hard first step to take, so maybe you would consider blessing me with the antiqua or the IA signature to test the waters and see how the satisfaction feels. 😭

[@mrmansville9340]

Yeah Ian listen to your brother Dave. Basses sound best when they're given away....

[@admarhermans1]

About octave pedals: if you need a ‘cheap’ filthy sounding octave pedal and you want to use the dry and octave sound together only, try the EHX octave multiplexer: a sleeper pedal for that purpose... 🖖

[@bloophero]

I saw Robocop the first time at 8 too (we're probably the same age). That hand-shot caused such trauma that the only solution was to play bass!

[@billyjay1]

Scot the best

[@WeaponsRemorse]

i LOVED my zoom B9 then it died and i am on the hunt for another one

[@trailblazeratv6306]

I have one called Grizzly Bass. I wonder how that compares ??

[@OriginEffectsUK]

❤

[@Macna333]

I want that Players Path Bass badly!

[@warwickdennis4114]

Do you still have your Fodera 6?

[@awv_music]

important question; does kermit follow the vf4? :p

[@raichoo]

Waiting for Scott to enter the Dingwall Era 😹 Would probably be fun to hear what he does with an instrument like that, but I think this ain't gonna happen anyway.

[@FromTheMosh]

Hi, I'm a lifetime member and I never got a email with a code to get the entries for the bass competition 🙂

[@admarhermans1]

Did you guys know mr. Tony Levin at first felt no need whatsoever to put his early ‘60’s Fender P bass aside for the StingRay in the late ‘70’s? Not soundwise he didn’t. No need for a new bass! Untill he saw the StingRay had the one extra fret he was craving for in the music he played at the time (P. Gabriel, I presume, where he played many parts/ notes high on the neck live.) 🖖

[@SteveTheBassGuy]

“I would buy that for a dollar “Robo Cop…That’s why BackBeat is a must own, to get that feel of the cab on full. Plus, Tube amps just have a resonance that solid state just doesn’t have it.

[@admarhermans1]

Fuzz? Try JAM pedals! 😉

[@gerarddesmondegan1787]

Does the banana bass come with that matching cap that Scott is wearing....

[@forrestmark805]

Dude there is nothing like that 8x10 ampeg svt thing or an orange 8x10 with any of the ampeg orange or fender big tube amps it feels like you have so much horsepower that at any time you can just pop out over the entire mix with the smallest amount of extra pressure and feeling the pressure from the low end is insane I love my 2x12 rig or sometimes 1x10 on top of a 1x12 with my super light class d amp it's convenient and 600w is all I really need but we should all stop being lame and start bringing these monster tube amps back. On another note best thing I ever played through was an svt heritage through ampegs pro touring model 15" speaker that handles a ridiculous amount of power it made my brain short circuit that a 15" speaker cab and that amp could do anything

[@andrewcrawley285]

I'm here for the Robocop chat

[@NJSmithMusic]

Is it bad that if I won the Banana Bass I'd almost want to tell Scott to keep it lol

[@adityanemlekar]

*almost* 😂

[@warwickdennis4114]

When is the giveaway?

[@WeaponsRemorse]

i love driving my slow car FAST lol

[@CosmoReverb]

The worst part is that even when you can look around at all your basses and think "That's way too many..." or "Man I never play half of these basses..." but then, at the same time, I spend so much more time regretting and pining away for all of my basses that have already been sold, stolen, or lost. Every single one of them.

[@mikegreenebass]

I’d buy that shirt

[@johnniecameron8829]

Can i get the WAL

[@element-dh9dx]

You guys give away so many basses it's ridiculous. You are like the Santa of Bass.

[@johnhepburn538]

I had an old SVT. With and 8x10 cab. With an Alembic. My God the Hair on my balls we’re dancing

[@madhatter7862]

Ian if you have too many hook a brother up :) I'll trade you for my Schecter Model T 5 I used in fretboard excellerator !..! Happy Maiden Friday!

[@musicfromakido]

Banankontakt

[@MattyBoJangles]

If if I get the banana bass, I will share everything I do with it with the SBL community

[@ftomasi]

If you came here for a pedal chat, go to like 37:00

[@ftomasi]

correction 42:00

[@mrmansville9340]

If I won the Banana bass I would never change the strings

[@BadHorsie2]

Tuner?

[@teresaravenshaw5477]

Not really an effect, is it?

[@richardstober2540]

It’s horse power baby and great tires.

[@christophercheney1006]

Zvex just got my money. Thanks, ya jerks!!

[@warwickdennis4114]

But there’s nothing wrong with keeping one Bass. Like Lee Solar.

[@TheSirpatrick33]

Next bass s/b Alembic S2

[@erikmeijer631]

The thumbs down is always a mistake on my part Brady

[@warwickdennis4114]

Don’t giveaway the banana bass.

[@b1lahb1ah]

Yo Ian why don't you ever give away YOUR basses? 👀

[@user-sf3ui8sf6o]

i have a pet turtle...

[@johnsausage]

Can anybody listen to the whole video and tell in the comments which 5 FX pedals they are talking about? 😂

[@jamiedouglass7643]

Y’all look like twins, separated at birth

[@Dekutard]

Wish we could hear them!