What does a bass pedal do?

A bass pedal is used by bassists to give certain effects to the sound of their instrument. They are usually electronic effects that are created to be used with an electric bass and delivered through an amplifier. Pedals like these are usually built in a stompbox-style, and that means they are made of metal boxes (or hard plastic in some cases). These boxes have a foot-operated button or pedal switch that is used to turn the specific effect on or off. They are simple to use and they should be sturdy enough to withstand constant stompings. You will find that most of these pedals also come with different knobs or additional buttons that will let you take control of the overall volume, tone, and they’ll also let you modify the effect. There are analog effect pedals and digital pedals. The first of them have been around for quite a while and some old-style players prefer them for their natural sound. Digital effect pedals are newer and they can offer more in terms of versatility. However, digital pedals are often not that sturdy and their sound isn’t that natural and smooth. You can also find effects already built-in amplifier systems.

Do bass players use pedals?

Of course they do, and that’s why effect pedals for bass exist. The looks guitar players give to bass players when they lay down their pedalboards full of effects is always interesting. But guitar players aren’t the only ones limited to using pedals. Usually, bass instruments don’t do that great with coloring and different effects because of the nature of the sound they produce. That is why most people aren’t used to effects on basses - because not a lot of people use them. With the right effect, however, you can make your bass sound great. Speaking of great effects, compression is one of them, and it’s an effect rarely used on guitars. It is a nice touch to the sound of the instrument because it doesn’t color its tone too much. It only affects the dynamics and that is why it’s great for bass. When you start building your pedalboard you should have such a pedal there. Distortion is another effect to consider. It works as it does for a guitar player, but it also offers you the “blend” possibility, so you can have a better mix between the colored distorted tone of the instrument and the dry bass sound.

What order should I put my bass pedals in?

Players that have been experiencing with pedals for a long time suggest that the best pedal order is the following: wah or filter first, then compression, overdrive, and modulation, and at the very end pitch-based effects, delay, and reverb. Why is that? Because wah and filters have a wide dynamic range and frequency response and most players want to keep that in their mix. But don’t forget that at extreme points these effects can negatively affect and damage the overall sound. That is why compression pedals are placed right after them, to tone down on some of the speaker-breaking frequencies. Next, you want to place the overdrive, distortion or fuzz effects. This is because many players often forget these pedals turned on even when they don’t need them, and these pedals will cause some noise in the chain. But because they’re placed there, they won’t accentuate the noise too much. Modulation and other pitch-based effects will go between the overdrive and the delay. That is because their circuits will cause some noise due because of the analog-to-digital conversion. Placing them there will make sure this noise won’t be amplified unnecessarily. Last, in the chain, place the delay and reverb pedals.

How do I hook up my bass pedal?

Before you start connecting anything, turn all of the devices off. You should do that every time you’re trying to connect or disconnect something in the chain. Only tube or valve amps should be left one while moving cables around, but they should stay in standby. Next, hook the amplifier and the pedal to power. Switch them on and off to make sure they have power. The next step is to connect the bass to the input jack. Effect pedals are simple, as they usually only have an input and an output. Located usually on opposite sides, they will a standard quarter-inch cable. Locating the input port, plug in your bass there. Then, connect the pedal with the amplifier with a cable running from the pedal’s output port to the amplifier’s input one. The cable used is the same, a quarter-inch one. The input of the amplifier should be the same you would normally plug the bass directly into. After you’ve done that, turn the amplifier on and don’t forget to set its levels. When trying a pedal for the first time it’s recommended that you keep the amplifier settings to a neutral position.

Guitars
Amps
Extras
Bass Guitars
Advice

Guitars
Amps
Extras
Bass Guitars
Advice

This website is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission.

Contents

1. Boss Tu-3 Chromatic Tuner Pedal
2. Deluxe Bass Big Muff Pi
3. EarthQuaker Devices Spatial Delivery Voltage Controlled Envelope
4. MXR M82 Bass Envelope Filter
5. Dunlop Crybaby Bass Wah Pedal
6. EarthQuaker Devices Hoof Fuzz V2 · Guitar Effect
7. Eventide Space Reverb Pedal
8. Electro Harmonix, Bass Micro Synth
9. Aguilar Chorusaurus Bass Chorus Pedal
10. Fender Downtown Express Multi-Effect Pedal
Yearly Guide & Report
Frequently Asked Questions:

15 Best Bass Pedals Compared & Reviewed

Last Updated: 23.10.20