# Pedals for Bass Guitar



## bhcarpenter (Aug 13, 2021)

I recently picked up a P Bass and an Ampeg BA-210. Any recommendations for pedals? DIY preferred, and PedalPCB if possible!

I tried some of the pedals that I built for guitar, and the only one I really liked was the Simulcast. I’m thinking some kind of compressor, a fuzz, and an autowah would be in order? 🙂


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## Jonnytexas (Aug 13, 2021)

I took my newly built Duckbox to rehearsal last night.  May have been better on bass than guitar, and it sounds good on guitar.


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## bitzie (Aug 13, 2021)

My immediate answer is the Parentheses or Parentheses Mini (clones of the Earthquaker Devices Life Pedal) as I absolutely love them, but I'm not sure how much fuzz you really want. If it's lots, they can definitely deliver. They can probably do more subtle fuzz, but I've honestly never tried. They can be finnicky builds, but for downtuned doom/stoner/sludge/drone they sound amazing.


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## bhcarpenter (Aug 13, 2021)

bitzie said:


> They can probably do more subtle fuzz, but I've honestly never tried.


You’re doing it right then 👏👏👏


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## Bricksnbeatles (Aug 14, 2021)

Tonebender mk3 is a favorite of mine for bass fuzz. Pretty sure there’s a few different EQD boards here that are based on the MK3, but don’t quote me on that.


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## Feral Feline (Aug 14, 2021)

bhcarpenter said:


> ... I’m thinking some kind of compressor, a fuzz, and an autowah ...



Congrats on the low-end scores.

COMP: 
Out of all PPCB's offerings, the only one I'd skip for bass is the Byrdhouse (Janglebox aka DynaRoss). That leaves you with six to choose from, all have good reviews for use with bass.
Constrictor    —    Compulator            
Creamery    —    Milk Box            
Delegate    —    The Warden            may cut bass — but then still gets good reviews for bass. I went for the Boneyard Edition
Delegate Boneyard — Warden tweaked by Chuck D Bones
General Tso   —     Fat General            
Thumbsucker  —  Engineer’s Thumb            

You'll find info, and links to two bass-compressor review sites, in this thread:





						Favorite  PedalPCB compressor
					

I don’t have a lot of experience with compressors but I did build a General Tso’s and I like it...But having never really played with a compressor pedal this is my only experience which begs the question what are the others like? And which is your favorite build?



					forum.pedalpcb.com
				





FUZZ (alphabetical order): 
Arkaim — Mountainking's Megalith
Box 66 — D*A*M 1966
Calamity Fuzz  — Fairfield Circuitry Unpleasant Surprise
Carcass Fuzz — DOD Carcosa
Death Cap — Fuzzhugger Doom Bloom
Dung Beetle — Basic Audio Scarab Deluxe
Gnat   — Burns Buzzaround
Muffin —  EHX Big Muff Pi (Build to RUSSIAN spec, same for below)
Muffin Factory  — Multi-Muff + FACEPLATE
SuperHeterodyne Receiver  —  EQD Data Corrupter (or Mini version)
Teddy Rupture    —   KMA Fuzzly Bear
Two Sticks of Derm — 3Leaf Auido Doom2(?)
Quarantine — Muff-ish but no clipping diodes, exclusive to PPCB

There are other PPCB fuzzes I could add, but that's a good start. Notable mention, the Arkaim, Calamity and Death Cap. Some, such as the Burns, you may want to tinker with to get yet more bass.




AUTOWAH:
CDXL Classic — DOD 440 (hard-to-find & expensive vactrol needed for best performance/original sound)
CDXL Reissue — DOD 440 reissue (read it's like an FX25, but with up/down-sweep toggle)
Duck Box — Guyatone WahRocker 
Waddle Box — DOD FX25 great for Bill Laswell dub tones


My picks if only 1 from each category:
CREAMERY *
ARKAIM
DUCK BOX

* (or Thumbsucker for all-rounder)


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## bhcarpenter (Aug 14, 2021)

Feral Feline said:


> Congrats on the low-end scores.
> 
> COMP:
> Out of all PPCB's offerings, the only one I'd skip for bass is the Byrdhouse (Janglebox aka DynaRoss). That leaves you with six to choose from, all have good reviews for use with bass.
> ...


Whoa that’s quite a list! Thank you!!


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## Feral Feline (Aug 14, 2021)

You can't go wrong with any of the autowahs, which makes it tough to choose one; same thing for most of the comps. I should've included a Superfuzz, such as the (Propolis) Bumble, but the Fuzz list was already getting too long.


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## Mentaltossflycoon (Aug 14, 2021)

My pedalboard currently has clones of the doom bloom, wooly mammoth(madbean), erupter(fuzzdog), swollen pickle,  and unpleasant surprise.   I recommend all of these for different reasons. I stack these with a barbershop, prunes n custard, and before all of these in the chain, a hogsfoot bass booster.   The wooly pairs well with my meatbox while the pickle sounds good with my ocelot octaver.  The eruptor plays nice with most of my other pedals so it's kind of a utility fuzz for me. Unpleasant surprise might be my favorite stand alone fuzz right now but I wouldn't suggest it as a first project. 

Others I swap in and out frequently: 
Green Russian muff
Muffin factory
Terminal (some low end loss)
Sodameiser
Quarantine
Dirt transmitter
Hoof 
Maestro mfz1

Things that underwhelmed me: 
Fy2 unless you're in a radiohead cover band
Brassmaster
Spaceman titan
Jhs 3 series fuzz 

I just finished the pettyjohn rail (polar cap) last night and I'm really really digging it so far. Next on the bench is a frantone lofran.  Might also do a bassweet if I like that one.


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## bhcarpenter (Aug 14, 2021)

Mentaltossflycoon said:


> My pedalboard currently has clones of the doom bloom, wooly mammoth(madbean), erupter(fuzzdog), swollen pickle,  and unpleasant surprise.   I recommend all of these for different reasons. I stack these with a barbershop, prunes n custard, and before all of these in the chain, a hogsfoot bass booster.   The wooly pairs well with my meatbox while the pickle sounds good with my ocelot octaver.  The eruptor plays nice with most of my other pedals so it's kind of a utility fuzz for me. Unpleasant surprise might be my favorite stand alone fuzz right now but I wouldn't suggest it as a first project.
> 
> Others I swap in and out frequently:
> Green Russian muff
> ...


Nice! This is going to keep me busy for a while 🙂


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## IPv6Freely (Aug 15, 2021)

Caesar. Everything else is a distant second, for me.


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## Untro (Aug 18, 2021)

+1 to the Thumbsucker, Green Russian, Dirt Transmitter, Parentheses, Bit Crusher and 2 sticks of derm. 
Cant forget a Rat with either a bass toggle switch or just lower the input cap i think. Honorable mention to the Unison Double Tracker for modulation.
Gonna try a fuzzwar and fender blender build for bass soon, ill see if it works! I feel like the blender will work a bit better with bass cuz the mix knob.


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