What FX do you regularly use live?

[Al Krow]

Thought it could be interesting to get a feel for what fx pedals the BC collective are regularly using live that give us our signature sounds with our bands.

If there's a particular pedal that is the heart of your sound and you couldn't manage without do let us know.

If you have any clips of you making use of particular fx live, even better - please feel free to share!

 

Feel free to tick more than one fx category if you're using regularly i.e. at some point on every gig.

Edited December 14 by Al Krow

[itu]

Where were compressors, EQs, and reverbs? A hint of reverb to OD/dist/fuzz sounds even better. 

 

Several compressors, most popular are tce HyperGravity, and Daring Audio's Phat Beam for fretless 

5 band parametric Ibanez EQ to tame rooms, and a HPF 

Iron Ether Nimbus reverb 

[pantherairsoft]

I need an option for ‘all of them’

[EliasMooseblaster]

I've always been quite minimal: I had an overdrive for solos, and a fuzz for the odd song that needed it. The "signature sound," such as it was, was a Gibson-style bass into a valve head.

 

And since you asked for clips - this one features the OD (Ibanez Bass Tubescreamer - skip to 1.55 for the bass solo):

https://youtu.be/WsWxzQfo_1s?si=x5iqbWaKD2cdhyd2

 

...and this one features the fuzz (EHX Bass Big Muff):

https://youtu.be/6SBOchDGZ7E?si=nxHp5-vvcLm6IbQI

 

[Lozz196]

Preamp pedal for me. 

[Geek99]

I just use my zoom b2.1 (discontinued in Saxon times and made of linden wood) with a bit of compression and the ampeg patch with cab enabled then straight into the PA

 

I was in the cobblers today and he shows up at my OM night to drink. He said my bass sounded really good. Those weren’t his exact words - there was an adjective starting with F 

[Al Krow]

4 hours ago, pantherairsoft said:

I need an option for ‘all of them’

 

Hah! You can tick all the options, you're not limited to one!

[Al Krow]

4 hours ago, itu said:

Where were compressors, EQs, and reverbs? A hint of reverb to OD/dist/fuzz sounds even better. 

 

Several compressors, most popular are tce HyperGravity, and Daring Audio's Phat Beam for fretless 

5 band parametric Ibanez EQ to tame rooms, and a HPF 

Iron Ether Nimbus reverb 

 

I'd kinda assumed Option 1 for EQs and compressors = your clean tone, and often on a preamp?

 

Reverb = other

[Stub Mandrel]

I have to be honest and vote 'none', but when I do use them I have: 

 

TU3 tuner

'Snow White' auto-wah

Spectracomp compressor 

Joyou XVI (+/- polyphonic octaver)

Mojo Mojo overdrive

Behringer Brassmaster fuzz/ring modulator

Ibanez digital chorus (ancient)

Gumpinator (own build 12dB/octave HPF)

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, Geek99 said:

I was in the cobblers today and he shows up at my OM night to drink. He said my bass sounded really good. Those weren’t his exact words - there was an adjective starting with F 

 

Fairly?

 

<ducks>

[Bassman68]

My main pedalboard requirements are..

Pre-amp for D.I ( IEM’s with no backline, so quite important, EQ is generally taken care of with the East preamp in my bass)

Compression

Overdrive

Chorus

Octaver

[spyder]

I use a very simple setup.

 

Bass > Becos Compressor > Supro Chorus > Bassrig 15.

 

 

[Linus27]

I play fretless and my setup is Bass > Tuner > Octave > Distortion > Chorus > Reverb 1 > Reverb 2 > Compressor > EQ/DI > Amp

[BigRedX]

As everyone probably knows by now I use a Bass VI into a Line6 Helix playing alternating "guitar" and "bass" parts;

 

My current standard patch always includes the following:

Deluxe Comp (Compressor)

Obsidian 7000 (EQ and Distortion)

70s Chorus (Chorus)

Elephant Man (Delay)

 

I also use these regularly but not on every song:

Courtesan Flange (Flanger)

Jazz Rivet 120 (Roland Jazz Chorus Combo model used as an alternative EQ for guitar parts)

Teemah! (used as an alternative Distortion for guitar parts)

Simple Pitch (Pitch shifter mostly 1 octave down to thicken up the higher bass parts or produce a bass line behind a guitar part)

Searchlights (Reverb)

Tremelo (Tremelo)

 

I have a different Preset for each song with all the settings adjusted to fit my sound into the mix of other instruments and then up to 5 Snapshots in each song to change the song as required.

[dudewheresmybass]

I use most types of fx but my extra non specified type is keyboard type (ehx b9,c9 and mel9)

and lots of Wah lol

[Al Krow]

On 13/12/2025 at 19:36, itu said:

Where were compressors, EQs, and reverbs? A hint of reverb to OD/dist/fuzz sounds even better. 

 

Several compressors, most popular are tce HyperGravity, and Daring Audio's Phat Beam for fretless 

5 band parametric Ibanez EQ to tame rooms, and a HPF 

Iron Ether Nimbus reverb 

 

Interesting you mentioned reverb. I've just been trying to figure the difference in sound between what I thought were two identical fx patches but which felt like they had a distinct flavour through my IEMs at a gig on Saturday night. I've since done a bit of digging and one has a reverb ('hall') block omitted from the other, which I'd not spotted before! Always thought that reverb was more of a thing for vox and guitar than bass, but I've clearly been missing a trick!

 

Edited December 15 by Al Krow

[Bagman]

Compression or Limiter

 

possibly an EQ pedal

 

probably a light overdrive 

 

selectively a filter 

[Franticsmurf]

After several years of trial and error, this year I have managed to come up with a fairly consistent line up of pedals that are giving me what I consider my core of my sound. Add-ons take care of specific effects for specific songs. The signal chain is MS60B (which provides a noisegate and tuner functions, as well as any one-off effects - it's currently providing a synth bass patch for one song) > NUX Sculpture compressor > NUX Voodoo Vibe > Ampeg SCRDI. If the signal is going to my amp and speakers, it passes through a Sine HPF set to just over 40hz (and I'll adjust it as necessary on the night). If I'm going straight into the desk, I let the sound engineer handle the HPF duties. 

[SimonK]

Tuner (in bypass mode), Preamp and compressor always on (NB mute and a HPF on the preamp). Extra EQ pedal for fretless to give a mid boost if needed (but not always).

 

Fuzz one out of every ten songs again if needed (not always).

 

Chorus/Envelope Filter/Octave pedals go on my board every now and again but then come off after a few months of never getting used (this cycle has been going on for a few years as I keep aspiring to use them, but never do!). They sound great on their own but I don't think add anything in a band situation.

 

[dave_bass5]

Although i still buy bits and pieces (probably up to about 10 preamp pedals this year), ive not been keeping them. I like using a preamp that adds something to the basic tone, but can easily get by without if I had to. In fact the best two gigs ive done this year were with me just going direct in to a supplied bass combo. 

Its nice toy have toys, but since ive been playing keys in a few bands on and off, and all the bassist ive played with use nothing other than a bass and cable, it made me realise the Rabbit Hole is a very deep one, but doesnt really need visiting. 

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

On my bass pedalboard I have a Boss BC-1x compressor as an 'always on' pedal, and specific songs have distortion from a BB-1x. On one song I use an organ sound doubling the bass which I achieve with a SY-1 synth with CEB-3 chorus. I also have an AW-3 dynamic wah on the board which I like to noodle with but don't currently have a specific use for in the set.