dave_bass5

And of course having it in the amp isnt always the best place for. Having a cleaner signal flowing through an effects chain before the amp can work wonders as well. In fact i think most of us use them like that anyway. Come to think of it my Paradriver has a HPF built in, but im assuming thats really only working if i have the blend on 100%, which is a bit too full on for my liking.

Cheers. i had seen that video before when i was looking at getting the micro Thumpinator.

Yes, im not looking to cut anything audible with a HPF, just to back off the amount of sub low end and so allow me to turn up more without too much stress on the cab. The only reason i posted in this thread is im interested in the difference between the HPF and Thumpinator, as you have both and i thought you had used both in a band situation.. I wasnt really looking to discuss a solution to a widely known issue with hollow stages here, even though the two were mentioned in the same post. It does seem like the HPF in the B1 is more useful though but the Gramma pad is the way to go. Helpful relies none the less though.

A powered PA cab could mean no amp to worry about. Just a preamp of some kind and a couple of leads and you're good to go.

Cheers guys. its not that it’s boomy, it’s more over powering because I’m feeling it through the floor more. Having listened back to the recording taken from further down the room the tone isnt too bad, not boomy as such, but lacking upper mids, so i know the actual tone coming out the cab isnt too far off once away from the playing area, but yes, I’m in a corner on a wooden stage so it seems the Gramma pad is the way to go. I had the low end turned down on the amp, which is a 50hz cut and it did make a difference. I really dont want to get in to using another effect pedal, I’m trying to cut down, but if the B1 can cover all that I’m using already, and add HPF then ill give it a go at some point. Maybe ill get my Q/strip out, i know that will fix things, but then thats adding another pedal to the chain. My thinking about using the B1’s HPF was just to allow me to turn my rig up a bit higher once ive lowered the low end without putting too much stress on the cab. The question about B1 vs Thumpinator was more to find out if the HPF works as it should, as it seems more versatile with its adjustable parameters. I dont rehearse much and always use headphones at home. No way i could hear any difference on or off like this so unfortunately i dont have the luxury of testing them out until i do get to rehearsals, and thats pretty much full on playing I expect all that sounds confused, but i know what i mean lol.

The thing is I’m there to rehearse, not play with pedals. Its hard enough getting through all the songs, I wouldn’t have time to do comparisons etc. I’m also trying to get away from using mains powered effects, so i don’t actually want to use my Thumpinator, even if it did do the job. Its on my pedal board that ill use for gigs, but i don’t take to rehearsals. Ill see how i get on with the Gramma pad first, as thats the easiest option and designed for this sort of thing anyway. Its not that the low end is overly boomy, just that it can be felt so much through the wooden floor that it overpowers the mids and highs somewhat. If it doesn't work ill try the B1 next. Its only for rehearsals anyway. Cheers anyway.

Bas, seeing as you seem to be our resident expert at the moment, and i know you have a micro thumpinator, have you found the HPF is as good/better/not worth using in the B1-Four? we’ve started rehearsing in a room with a hollow stage, and its a nightmare for low freqs. I’m going to start using my Gramma pad but was thinking of using a HPF as well. I could use my Micro Thumpinator but if the B1 is just as good i might consider using that (also for one or two other effects if its there).

Well lets be honest, it would be very, very funny if it happened 🙂. We auditioned a keyboard player last year who used two large Casio keyboards. The sounds and playing were great, but quite often we would finish a song and hear his auto accompaniment section playing. It got very annoying.

Agree, although i guess the other side of the coin is you wont accidentally start up a Bossa nova rhythm in the middle of Superstition by hitting the wrong button on the B3n lol

Totally agree about this. One reason i stopped using my B3n at home and got the B1-ON instead (now replaced by the B1-Four). It does sound to me like the B3 will be the ideal box out off all the zoom boxes for you though. 3 foot switches that can be used as 3 different on/off effects. You dont need to bother with anything else if you dont want to . This is how i used mien a few times live. No amp sims etc, just 3 stomp boxes, one per switch, and the ability to mute and use the tuner.

Although i was never a fan of the Roses back in the day i have seen this film twice and now a confirmed (belated) fan. It was this film that made me want to try, and buy, a Jack Casady Bass.

Well yeah, if you need a comp 🙂

On paper it is, it’s mainly an EQ pedal and not even a paprametric, with a sub par OD and a one knob comp. For me the magic is how the EQ works, especially the high mid. I go from a grinding P bass to a scooped slap tone (not that I slap much) with just that one knob. In fact I went and got a BH800 based on owning the Spectradrive. I sent my first one back as I didn’t really gel with it, but second time around it made a much bigger impression. I even stopped needing my Q/strip.

Is anyone using either of the pitch shifters in the B1-Four? Being able to go up or down a tone (no more) is the main reason i use my B1 four over my Spectradrive, but when i use them i get a chorus type of ‘wobble’ to the notes. I have balance at 100% so its just the effected tone, but its very off putting. Maybe I’m doing something wrong but i dont get this with the B1-ON.

But neither are real bass playing 🙂

I stopped using a comp, both at home and with the band after quite a short spell with one. Never needed one, but got caught up in the Comp discussions and, well we all know where that leads to. Saying that, if you go from say, pick playing to slap, a comp will make a huge difference that the audience will appreciate, even if they don’t know why.

I too was surprised with the Glam Comp, quite nice what it does to the signal. I also like the Dual Comp. Nice and simple but still two band,.

I also almost got a Stomp (well, started looking in to one) a while ago. It seems like it can do almost everything, and way better than the Zoom boxes. My issue though, is i don’t want something that dose everything, i want something that does what i want it to do, and to do it in a way that is simple and fast. I know you don't have to use all the features os the Stomp, but it seems to me that if you have it why not get the most from it. I’d be tempted to keep tweaking and trying different patch routing etc. Quite distracting for me as all i want is a basic good tone to play with at home. The Zoom on the other hand allows me to place effects in an order I’m used to, and not really many other ways. Its much closer to mimicking a small pedal board, and so its very easy for me to get to grips with it and get the tones out of it without spending too much time with other options and reading manuals etc. This is why i prefer the B1. I’m not a technophobe, far from it, i love gadgets, but sometimes getting something that does the job quickly is preferable over something much more advanced but with features ill never need. I dont think I’d be happy gigging with a Zoom box though, mainly because of the size. Tried it before, became a nightmare on stage due to me hitting the wrong buttons with my size 11’s and then having to bend down and put things right. I prefer an on/off switch for each effect so will stick to individual effects for now, but at home the B1-Four is just perfect. Its definitely a step or two ahead of the B1-on as far as usability goes.

Ive just got a Zoom B1 Four, but have been using a B1-on, which are battery powered multi effects (unlike the B3n which needs mains), with line in and headphone out. The new B1 Four only costs £68. I also use a cheap wireless system, again 100% battery, so the only wire is for the headphones. I love the freedom batteries give, even though I’m at home so its bot really a big issue.

Just noticed there is a FW update for the B1. Just seems to be a bug fix for USB though. https://www.zoom.co.jp/products/guitar-bass-effects/bass/b1-four-b1x-four-bass-multi-effects-processors#downloads

I love my V7 5, and really loved the P7 5 i had but the bridge pup wasnt working as well as i though it should. If they reissue the P7 in one of these finishes I may be very tempted to try again.

Thats my Fav. Who buys white basses these days 😎

Just seen this on the Sire Facebook page. Looks like a really nice upgrade and great choice on colours.

It was a pain, and I have the exact same issue with my B3n so I sort of knew the workaround. I don’t think it’s the drivers as such, just that Guitarlab don’t seem to connect with them and so needs refreshing. Ive yet to use ToneLib with this one, do you need to use the Zoom software to get the extra effects first, or can they be got through ToneLib? Ive mainly been using the first patch, Cleansans, but with the blend turned almost full up. This is now very close to the tone I like to use with my rig.

Took me a while to get it up and running on my PC. I found i had to delete the USB drivers for it when its connected, and then re connect it and Windows would load the drivers again which seemed to do the trick.