[mathminnick31]

My nephew is learning fast on the bass and now wants a pedal. We play 90s and newer worship music (he's using an Ibanez Ergodyne 5-string). Any suggestions for a must-have pedal for bass players? Thanks.

[thesteve]

Originally Posted by mathminnick31

My nephew is learning fast on the bass and now wants a pedal. We play 90s and newer worship music (he's using an Ibanez Ergodyne 5-string). Any suggestions for a must-have pedal for bass players? Thanks.

Some kind of drive maybe? I used a rat2 for a long time as my primary drive

[Bassman1185]

If he is just getting started on effects, the best option is to get a GOOD multi-effects unit like the M9 or the ME-50B. That will give him lots of options and allow him to learn what kinds of effects he likes and what works together. What he does NOT need is a crappy Digitech BP-whatever that is made out of plastic and sounds like a toy. Those things (and their competition) are a waste of money and a good way to sour someone on the use of effects.

If you mean a single effects unit, a good preamp/drive will be pretty handy. The MXR M-80 is an extremely useful piece of kit. It has a very nice sounding EQ and an excellent DI. It also has a drive section, but that kind of sucks. A pedal tuner is also a necessity.

[Burk48237]

If your bass sounds good thru your current system, I'd go with a compressor. If you're going thru the system it makes the sound guys life far easier. And if you're live thru an amp, it will smooth out your sound and give you more control over your dynamics. Also a compressor in front of any other effects makes them sound better by giving them a cleaner more consistent signal. One other point don't try to save money on effects. While there are some great bargains out there on a few types of pedals compressors are a pretty much your get what you pay for proposition. The ones to check out are the Mark Bass, Demeter, Kelsey, FEA, and the MXR M87.

This guy does great reviews here:
Compressor Reviews

As far as other pedals. it depends on what you want your bass to do. Some of the natural distortion pedals like the Sansamp, VT, and the Myco are great for getting more of a tube sound out of a real clean rig. If you play a lot of urban gospel an Envelop filter is cool, and an octave is nice to fill in the sound in a smaller group. A chorus or delay is great on a frettless. A lot of metal and heavier players like an over drive-distortion-fuzz. I'm personally not a fan of the multi effects, my experience is most cut corners or take away from the good tone of a good bass. And if you need a pedal to make your not so good bass sound good, you have problems an effects pedal can't solve. You want to start with a good sound and add effects to enhance.

[mathminnick31]

Thanks for the replies. We've looked at several units and are still looking. He did like the idea of multi-effects. He tried a Digitech guitar multi-pedal that I had laying around (my buddy left it at my house). The clean tone my nephew gets is great, he was just wanting some options for heavier songs. He's into the fuzz and overdriven tones.

[mr_mcbride]

As far as other pedals. it depends on what you want your bass to do. Some of the natural distortion pedals like the Sansamp, VT, and the Myco are great for getting more of a tube sound out of a real clean rig. If you play a lot of urban gospel an Envelop filter is cool, and an octave is nice to fill in the sound in a smaller group. A chorus or delay is great on a frettless. A lot of metal and heavier players like an over drive-distortion-fuzz. I'm personally not a fan of the multi effects, my experience is most cut corners or take away from the good tone of a good bass. And if you need a pedal to make your not so good bass sound good, you have problems an effects pedal can't solve. You want to start with a good sound and add effects to enhance.

I'd say a compressor also, but using a compressor takes a fair amount of knowledge of compression and those who do not understand compression usually get frustrated with it.

For your nephew, I'd ask him what effect he is interested in.