Merlino

If you are searching for a Fwonkbeta, there's a used one on mercatinomusicale.com (the biggest italian website for used musical gear). https://www.mercatinomusicale.com/mm/a_mr-black-pedals-fwonkbeta-envelope-filter-spedizione-compresa_id6064651.html If you need any help for translation, you could ask me 😉

I've recently purchased a GR2 from a basschatter, I can't belive you have bought one too! :-) I'm waiting for the pack, I hope It will arrive soon, can't wait to put my hands on this pedal

I'm currently playing in a funk-soul band, but at the moment I don't remember to have any clips where I play with filters. I'll search anyway, if I'll find something I will surely share 😉

Hi Al! Thanks for your hard question Your clips are great samples of the 2 pedals, and a great demonstration that they both sound really good if properly setted. The biggest difference in my opinion is that the MXR is much easier to set to get a good sound. The BEF has a bit more edge, and works great in a band mix, but as you said it is less consistent. Both pedals reacts very well to player's dynamics, but I have the impression that the BEF opens faster so it's easier to tame. The Fwonkbeta needs more patience to get the sweet spot that matches best with your bass and your touch, but once you get your setting you could feel it bigger, sweeter and juicer. I like the Fwonkbeta because is less "bubbling", and more "waving" (sorry if it's not good examples, but english it's not my first language)

I've used the compressor before the filters for a lot of time, but recently I realized that the comp is not only acting by limiting the peaks, but also it rises the volume of the softer notes. In other words the compressor produce a narrower range of dynamics, and my concern isn't for the peaks, but for all the soft nuances of the right hand. Now if you use (like I do) lots of ghost notes the enhancement of the weaker notes is useful, but if you like to "play the filter" in my opinion the compressor is working against your right hand. So I decided to try the comp after the filter, and I like this solution very much! Honestly the Fwonkbeta sounds very good in slap, but the wonderlove still my favorite for the percussive techniques. Of course these are my tastes :-)

I've used a 5 string jazz bass with DR Lo Rider SS At the end of the chain I always use a compressor, my actual "go to" comp is the Nemphasis VT Comp (a super easy optical compressor) Here''s the pictures of the envelopes and Doom settings

Here we are guys! I'm posting some clips Please don't judge the bass player, but only the sound. It's all a first take record, so forgive the mistakes! I'm uploading 2 Funk Lite clips because at my normal setting it sounded a bit dark, it's the main problem with the audio clips, all these pedals sound broader when amplificated Funk Lite.mp3 Funk Lite 2.mp3 Fwonkbeta 2.mp3 Wonderlove.mp3

I had the MXR BEF in my board for about 2 years, and it's great. Probably the only filter I've tried that gave me a good finger and slap sound without changing any set. After 2 years I've decided to put it out of the pedalboard to try something different, but the BEF is in its box and it will stay with me. At the moment I'm a bit tired of its super-bubble sound, but honestly it works great in a really dense band mix. Maybe I'm wrong but the Wonderlove can nail more different kind of envelope sounds (qwacky, bubbling, etc), but it has the defect that it still alway too polite, subtle in a kind of sense. Now that I have different filters and I can compare them, honestly I'm really impressed by the wonderlove. Surely it's not so versatile as the Enigma, but in future I'll surely try to compare them.

Interesting, Has anyone tried the Micro-Tron III? It's another envelope that intrigues me

The Enigma will be my next filter, I'm really intrigued by its versatility I use the Fwonkbeta with "Stroke" and "Juice" almost fixed and I set the Fwonk to catch the right sound, but honestly I don't set it so low... I'll give it a try! Thanks!!!

Thanks Al! I'll try to record some audio clips, I'll need a couple of days 😉

The Funk Lite is my favorite at the moment. But it's really hard to compare with the Fwonkbeta, because the Mr Black is insane, it has a terrific resonance and it is pure funky. The Funk Lite has a really tight sweet spot, and almost a single useful sound: but that sound is amazing. I'll try to describe the differences between the 3 pedals, but I apologize for my english (it's not my first language), and I'll try to comunicate only my impression in a band situation, because at home the Fwonkbeta still unbeatable. I personally use the Funk Lite for all the syncopated 16th notes stuff, I set the knobs at 9 o'clock (and eventually put the "freq" nob at 11) and I literally "play the filter" with a syncopated short note right hand pattern: in this setting it's the best filter you could try, present, effective, and really good sounding. It plays really good with octavers, but I definitely don't like it with slap technique. The Fwonkbeta is my go to envelope when I need a super juicy, insanely resonant and rich autowah sound, I like the responsiveness but it's really hard to control due it's tendency to generate big volume spikes. The Wonderlove it's a really great pedal, very versatile and I use it with all my slap stuff and with the Doom in parallel mode for the synth-style stuff. So I use them for 3 distinct purposes, and with them I have my MXR BEF definitely out of the board Cheers!

Here's my super-funky & super-juicy mini-board

I've recently have a great deal with Derek. He's a really trustworthy basschatter, we had great comunication and he delivered a super-fast payment Highly recommended!!!