Zoom B2

[paul h]

I've been struggling with my tone recently at rehearsals after trying to play some funkier stuff and just not getting that warm, burpy, mid hump sound I was after. It all sounded a bit harsh and a little bit "rock".

The first thing I decided to do was to replace the ceramic p pickup with an alnico. I had already swapped out the j. That's a fix I have done many times as ceramic pickups tend to sound a little too brittle for my taste. In the past when I have done that there has been an instant and noticeable improvement however this time the alnico sounded just as harsh as the ceramic.

I don't mid admitting that I was puzzled. Puzzled I say!

So then I thought I would check the Zoom to make sure I hadn't accidentally changed the eq settings. Normally I use the Zoom to boost the output and as tuner. Everything else I keep off. It was all set as normal with the lo and hi eq's turned off.

The next step was to plug direct into the amp leaving the Zoom out of the equation.

SUCCESS!

And there it was! Burpy mid warmth in buckets! Buckets I say!

I still have to see how it sounds through the rehearsal rig but as far as I am concerned the tone sucking monster that is my Zoom B2 is now dumped! Funny thing is that I have always been full of praise for them up until now. However with my current bass it sounds harsh, brittle and possibly a little bit digital!

Message ends.

[cheddatom]

Did you try it on bypass with the Zoom? I'd be interested to know if the zoom bypassed still has the same effect. If it doesn't, then it sounds like you just need to make a new patch for that bass.

[paul h]

Good idea, I will try it out. Although I am still leaning towards dumping it.

Mainly because as much as possible I set everything flat on amps etc. and everything up full on my bass and do the rest with my right hand. I think knowing that I have had to tweak the eq on the Zoom just to make it usable would irk me!

[cheddatom]

You have to set the EQ for each patch, surely?

I know some people like to have all their dials pointing at 12 o'clock, but it doesn't make much sense to me. What if an amp shipped with the mid dial on 0 and the others on 12. If it sounded good, would you leave it set? Or would you set the mid control to 12 o'clock, then decide you don't like the sound of the amp set "flat" and return it?

The zoom isn't that great I suppose, but if you take your time you can get some really good sounds out of it.