Effects or no Effects?

[Desmund Nichols]

When playing your Smith, do you prefer effects or not. I actually bought a nice MIDI effect system, in which i would have to install another pickup on my bass, but I dont want to alter my bass in anyway. And besides, the sound of the bass is too good all in itself.

[Bob Faulkner]

I run through a Boss ME-50B effects board, but in truth I really only use the compressor at all. I use a little phaser/flange/chorus/delay from time to time, but for the vast majority of what I play I run clean as a whistle.

[Kraig Gregory]

No effects. Sorry I guess I am just old school.

Kraig

[Tim Bishop]

Effects can be nice depending on the piece of music, however, I also see effects being used to cover up sloppy playing.

[Steve_M]

I have a Lexicon MPXG2 for my effects, its a swiss army knife. I tend to either use it for subtle effects like a stereo shimmer, or I go completely over the top using wet stereo hi's with distortion and delay effects and low dry signal paths.

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Steve_M

I have a Lexicon MPXG2 for my effects, its a swiss army knife. I tend to either use it for subtle effects like a stereo shimmer, or I go completely over the top using wet stereo hi's with distortion and delay effects and low dry signal paths.

I have all the EBS Pedals. While I don't use them often, the EBS Pedals are "the bomb" when it comes to bass effects pedals (i.e. construction, durability, quality, and sound). My top four favorite EBS Pedals are the "Multi Comp", "Octabass", UniChorus, and "DynaVerb".

Again, while I'm not a huge fan of effects on bass, occasionally (depending on what the piece of music needs or calls for) I will break them out. If you like effects on bass, I highly recommend these pedals.

[David Powell]

Originally Posted by Desmund Nichols

When playing your Smith, do you prefer effects or not. I actually bought a nice MIDI effect system, in which i would have to install another pickup on my bass, but I dont want to alter my bass in anyway. And besides, the sound of the bass is too good all in itself.

Pretty much sums up my approach. Best effect is a great bass, clean amp, and good right hand technique. If you get bored with your sound, try a new right hand method, like tapping on the FB, or anything that you haven't done yet. You'll be amazed at how many people hear you and think you are running a pedal. I do a mean phase shifter just by varying where I pluck up and down the string. Do it in a constant motion pattern over an ostenato and it sounds just like a phase shifter. And I can get a good "delay" with my fingers and muting between the hits also, just back off on the attack sequentially and shorten the interval. It's great to practice this stuff and a Smith bass responds really well to nuanced right hand work.

[ed hauser]

yea i agree the sound is great just as it is. but if you are forced to be playing some covers i dont think any good hand technique is gonna emulate the phase in "stranglehold" or the slap back in "rock on" or even the Bootsy sound in "groove is in the heart" i mean i get a real sweet "muted accoustic" sound by first hitting the string with my right hand ring finger then almost instantly with the middle digit to accentuate (depending where on the neck i play), but mute it ala. "come to my window" so while i feel they have their time and place in music, i see the devices almost becoming a playing form in and of themselves. setting up some 8 second repeat pattern (sometimes using 2 machines, one having vocals yelled over it for use durring my solos) and then playing over it, ive been doing that for 15 years before i heard others doing it.
playing well and using no effects can be great! playing well and using some sparsley but well placed effects can make that same passage stunning!