Blending Equipment

[phil_the_bassist]

Ok, I've got some great ideas for pedal chains...BUT my current problem is that the signal is 'wetter' than I'd like. I know some bass heads have an fx loop that can blend the wet signal with the dry, but mine can't.

Soo, how can I get around this?

Cheers!

[cheddatom]

Use a blending pedal! There are loads more than I first realised, but they seem to be quite difficult to find. If you search this forum section for blend, then you might find some info.

I have a Barge Concepts blender thing, a DHA Bob the Blender, and a Boss LS-2. They're all good at their different applications, but I think you'd probably want the barge concepts one.

[Dubs]

[quote name='cheddatom' post='260651' date='Aug 12 2008, 10:16 AM']...but I think you'd probably want the barge concepts one.[/quote]

you beat me to it

[phil_the_bassist]

[quote name='cheddatom' post='260651' date='Aug 12 2008, 10:16 AM']Use a blending pedal! There are loads more than I first realised, but they seem to be quite difficult to find. If you search this forum section for blend, then you might find some info.

I have a Barge Concepts blender thing, a DHA Bob the Blender, and a Boss LS-2. They're all good at their different applications, but I think you'd probably want the barge concepts one.[/quote]


nice one tom! I'll check 'em out!

[coasterbass]

FWIW I take a more audacious approach and run two 'rigs' in parallel.

I split before the preamp, and run clean into an Eden preamp (then straight to desk). At the same time I take the second signal into my Ampeg preamp and then run fx in the loop on that. That runs to the desk too.
Both preamps run into a stereo poweramp and then (once I've bought them) to a pair of speakers.

Main advantage is that the eq for the FX side can be tweaked to suit the tone whilst your clean side stays solid throughout.

NB: I concede this is overkill for most gigs, and use something much simpler for 90% of gigs.
However it remains light if you just bring the preamps to gigs and leave the output to the FOH.

[Darcy]

The Boss LS-2 works a treat and blends my Litte Big Muff and clean sound well.

In a quite practice enviroment the mix I use seems very Muff dominant, but in a live one one the mix is great

[phil_the_bassist]

I had a bit of a scout around, and Bob the Blender's valve freak all hell outta me! I'd be sooo paranoid about busting it, it just wouldn't get used.

The Boss just didn't tickle my fancy. looks like a great pedal, but it didn't GAS me up!

The Twin Amp thang...would LOVE to, but I can barely fit my Hartke on the stages I use, let alone another amp too!

So, I have (with the kind help of Toasted) recently aquired a Barge Concepts VB-Jr (cos I didn't need, or even manage to imagine, any time I'd use the feedback loop of the bigger pedal)...I'll letcha know how I get on when it arrives!

Thanks for the help!

[simwells]

[quote name='cheddatom' post='260651' date='Aug 12 2008, 10:16 AM']Use a blending pedal! There are loads more than I first realised, but they seem to be quite difficult to find. If you search this forum section for blend, then you might find some info.

I have a Barge Concepts blender thing, a DHA Bob the Blender, and a Boss LS-2. They're all good at their different applications, but I think you'd probably want the barge concepts one.[/quote]

In what way do their applications differ? Probably a silly question but in my head a blender should just allow me to choose how wet a signal is, what else is there to it?

[Kev]

i hope i can ask this without boutique snobs beheading me; why is the barge vb-jr pedal better than the boss ls-2? the boss just looks like it has more options to me

Edited August 19, 2008 by BassManKev

[Finbar]

I'm guessing if you don't need the options the LS-2 has, the VFB-jr is buffered and true bypass?

And smaller board footprint.

Edited August 19, 2008 by Finbar

[phil_the_bassist]

[quote name='Finbar' post='265977' date='Aug 19 2008, 11:29 PM']I'm guessing if you don't need the options the LS-2 has, the VFB-jr is buffered and true bypass?

And smaller board footprint.[/quote]

That's what I thought, after from checkin out my options. The LS-2 looked like it'd be something that I'd need to spend time figuring out, whereas the VB-jr I could just twiddle for 5mins and BINGO! job done.

Same reason the VFB was dropped from my choice...I can't see myself needing a feedback loop at any time in the future, so why loose the board space

[cheddatom]

[quote name='Finbar' post='265977' date='Aug 19 2008, 11:29 PM']I'm guessing if you don't need the options the LS-2 has, the VFB-jr is buffered and true bypass?

And smaller board footprint.[/quote]

It can't be buffered AND true bypass!!

The LS-2 is good for all of it's different functions, and good for the fact that you have two volume controls for each loop rather than a mix pot. The VFB has only one loop so you can only use it to blend clean with one loop, rather than blending two loops.

I use my VFB to blend clean with my LS-2 which I used to mix two different effects chains.

[MythSte]

[cheddatom]

[quote name='ste_m3' post='270176' date='Aug 26 2008, 12:51 PM'][/quote]

I couldn't fit my tone in there to blend it. It's too phat.

[MythSte]

?

[Toasted]

[quote name='cheddatom' post='270153' date='Aug 26 2008, 12:32 PM']It can't be buffered AND true bypass!![/quote]

It could. You could switch it to be either buffered or true.

[cheddatom]

[quote name='Toasted' post='270205' date='Aug 26 2008, 01:10 PM']It could. You could switch it to be either buffered or true.[/quote]

If you switch it then it's not both!

My point being it can't be both at the same time. If a pedal has a buffer on while the effect is off, then it's not true bypass, and vice-versa. Given that this is the case, I don't understand how "the VFB-jr is buffered and true bypass".

Maybe he means that the effects loop is buffered and when you switch it out it's true bypass? With the LS-2s buffered loops, the difference would be the true bypass function, not the buffer. Am I being stupid again?

[phil_the_bassist]

[quote name='cheddatom' post='270209' date='Aug 26 2008, 01:13 PM']If you switch it then it's not both!

My point being it can't be both at the same time. If a pedal has a buffer on while the effect is off, then it's not true bypass, and vice-versa. Given that this is the case, I don't understand how "the VFB-jr is buffered and true bypass".

Maybe he means that the effects loop is buffered and when you switch it out it's true bypass? With the LS-2s buffered loops, the difference would be the true bypass function, not the buffer. Am I being stupid again?[/quote]


I was told that when it's switched out it's true bypass, when it's switched in it's buffered. This is what I was told, and I know that my Bassballs now actually works (I think it was you ChedTom, who recommended getting a buffer when I was having troubles with the BB?) so I'm hoping the info I was given was correct!

[Finbar]

Possibly, or I could be talking out of me arse.

I'm pretty sure that the effects loop is buffered though, and in bypass mode it is actually a true bypass? I haven't really read up on it huge amounts!

[umph]

[quote name='Finbar' post='270321' date='Aug 26 2008, 02:42 PM']Possibly, or I could be talking out of me arse.

I'm pretty sure that the effects loop is buffered though, and in bypass mode it is actually a true bypass? I haven't really read up on it huge amounts! [/quote]
blend loops have to be buffered to avoid it just feeding back

[Alun]

I'm still tempted to try and knock something together with a volume pedal so that you can fade the mix from wet to dry but never get round to it. Does such a thing already exist on the market?

Cheers
alun

[cheddatom]

check [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=25912"]here[/url]

[Alun]

Thanks Cheddatom, missed that one

[Mace]

You 100% want an X-Blender by Xotic - amazing pedals

Funnily enough there's one for sale at the mo!

Check it out:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=26689"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=26689[/url]