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tobiewharton

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Posts posted by tobiewharton

    Switching between Plectrum and Finger Style from song to song - do I need 2 Chanel Preamp Pedal - and if so .... which?

    in Effects

    Posted

    21 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

    Yeah I think if I were looking at Duff McKagan to James Jamerson as the OP is I’d do the same, get the Duff sound on the amp with tone control fully on on the bass & play with a pick, back off to about 2/3 on the tone control & play fingerstyle for the Jamerson sound. 

    I think this approach is ok but quite limited. Treble roll-off in conjunction with a preamp/channel change and a couple of flavours of drive and you'll be getting a more satisfying contrast with minimal faff IMO. Personally, I'd be using foam for JJ too.

    Switching between Plectrum and Finger Style from song to song - do I need 2 Chanel Preamp Pedal - and if so .... which?

    in Effects

    Posted

    I'd suggest that options are preferable but not essential. 

     

    A preamp (two channels will give you more flexibility); a medium gain crunchy drive (with clean blend is a bonus); and a decent compressor.*

     

    My suggestions would be as follows: 

     

    Relatively Inexpensive 

    Pre: The Laney Digbeth rules supreme in its price range and also creams most of its more spendy brethren.

    Drive: The Earthquaker Blumes or Laney Blackheath punch well above their weight and the EHX Hot Wax gives you two stackable sides and a clean blend. 

    Comp: Boss LMB3 or Ampeg Optocomp are hard to beat for the price, or EBS Multicomp if stretching a bit further. 

     

    More Cash

    Pre: The Two Notes Revolt (has a third channel too). 

    Drive: The Jam offerings have an extra gain stage, so added flexibility in a single unit (I use their screamerish offering called the Lucydreamer).

    Comp: So many options but the Aguilar DB599 sounds excellent, is incredibly simple and is also tiny. I also have a soft spot for the Boss BC1X.

     

    The Ampeg SGTDI may give you all you want (with some compromises) in a single unit. I haven't personally tried one but they review well.

     

    *Add a chorus if you have the space and budget.

    • Like 1

    Best Active 5 String Bass???

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    I don't mean this at all negatively, but it sounds like the OP isn't too sure on quite a few details?

     

    This is a great position to be in - there's a lot out there to try!

     

    It's simply untrue that there's a 'best' instrument on the market; it's even very difficult to confidently endorse a particular model. 

     

    The reality is, instruments are unique and personal and whilst you can be more confident in the QC of some production instruments, there is no guarantee that any two basses will be so similar as to be considered equal. For this reason, IMO it's always good to be healthily sceptical about reference to the superiority of any one model over another; there are good, bad and different under every name. 

     

    A trip to Bass Direct, nr Warwick would give you hands-on experience of many new and used instruments in a broad range of prices. You can compare specs and may find 'The One', even at a much lower price than you'd budgeted! You can take your own amp to try the basses with too.

     

    Try not to be in a rush wherever you go and enjoy the process.

     

    All the very best!

    • Like 1

    so many lovely preamps for sale at the moment!

    in Effects

    Posted

    1 hour ago, SumOne said:

    I'm gonna be contrary and say I can't see much point in preamp pedals. 

     

    Perhaps they are useful playing through a PA with no backline and not wanting to DI from an Amp, but multi-fx would seem a more flexible option to me for that most of the time.  Even a cheap multi-fx unit will do a better live job by having Amp/Drive/Cab/IR/EQ/HPF/LPF and presets all available. And if playing live at pub sort of level then most players still go through an actual Amp which includes a preamp so not much need for a pedal version. And if home recording then a clean signal generally seems best (to then edit later) - multi-fx can act as an interface to your Laptop for that whereas many preamp pedals can't. 

     

    I dunno, but they kind of seem to be a solution to a problem that doesn't exist for 90% of situations.........perhaps why so many are for sale on here?!

     

     

     

     

     

    Hmmmm...

     

    A discussion that's been had many times and to which there is no conclusion!

     

    FWIW, IMO and all that, the two approaches have their benefits.

     

    If we're really honest with ourselves most listeners (and even fellow musicians) won't notice the difference - the value of the things is in our using of them. I have no issue with that. Within reason of course - excessive noise, fizzy distortion and other artefacts can be universally horrible!

     

    I use a multifx on my fly rig. It's practical for that job. I don't love using it. Stompboxes (analogue or digital) allow for a modular set up with its own 'feel'; the process of using the units can itself be a worthwhile 'experience'.

    Before even getting to that stage, I love the nerdy fiddling required to build the pedalboard in the first place 🤣

    • Like 2
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