Bass Guitar Multi Effects

[Walda Caesar]

Alsowhen I say multi effects, I primarily have the Helix floor in mind. I know that there are cheaper options available, but I also know that I would be unhappy about their limitations fairly quickly. So if and when I decide to go with multi effects, I intend to go with the Helix floor.

I started out with a Zoom B1-X with the expression pedal and the whole works. Loved it and used it a lot to explore different effects. Then I sold it to another BassBuzzer and got the Zoom B3n and another expression pedal. Again, I used it to explore the different effects and combinations of effects. In the case of both Zooms, I never used the looper, drum beats, or the tuner (I have a DAI, Reaper, tuner, and drum machine for those functions).

After awhile, I got tired of the multi-effects and decided to get a pedal board and start adding individual pedals (for the reasons you cited in your post).

I brought my Zoom B3n into my local music shop and talked to my bass guy about trading it for some pedals. He took it in and gave me a credit for some pedals. While I was picking out my pedals, he chuckled and told me that they get a lot of guitar and bass players who start out with multi-effects devices and grow out of them, eventually switching to individual pedals just as I am doing.

So, with that story told, your answer is right there between the lines. Start out with multi-effects and get an idea of what each effect does to your tone, then decide to either stay with the multi box or go with pedals and pedal board. Some people here have both the multi-effects box and a pedal board, but to me, that would take up too much real estate on my floor.

I actually like the sound of effects in the DAW better than analog pedals. Pedals are fun toys to collect, but are kind of ass for utility when recording. Much more convenient to apply effects in software, and I finally had to admit - at this point the good plugins sound better (or at least as good) too. To me anyway.

Another thing about plugins - in general, never pay full price for them. Wait for sales or bundles. For example, that $20 tube screamer clone is also in a bundle with four other pedals (including a Big Muff clone) for $55. Which will probably go on sale.

I had given up on processors and multi-effects for bass a long time ago as I would loose low end and punch just running through a processor with no effects. I was a true-bypass, analog snob when it came to bass tone. I've had various Digitech, Boss, Eleven Rack, Pods XT, X3, and HD500x, and never liked any of them for bass, even for effects only.

Yesterday, for the first time I plugged the Helix 1/4" out into the effects return of my Mesa M9 2x12 and a Helix XLR out my JBL Eon 515XT and played some bass through it just to try and help another forum member out. I set it to the Cali 400 Ch1 model (Amp only) and was floored. I went and grabbed my real Mesa Bass 400+ (which needs to be retubed so I cant take it out live) and A+B'd them. They are VERY close. Funny thing is, I'm actually preferring the Helix Cali 400 into the effects return of the M9 over the real 400+ into the same powerhouse 2x12 cab. It's a little less muddy while still keeping the all-tube vibe. Now I don't have to retube the 400+ and drag around 80+ pounds for a good tube bass tone. I could 4CM the M9 to get its preamp back in play, but I'm not sure that it's worth the cabling. There is an M9 model in Helix that sounds pretty good, but I'm still loving the Cali 400.

I went ahead a committed myself to using the Helix for this Friday's gig. I spent 2 hours today setting up a single preset for stomp mode with Vetta wah, LA Comp, 2 distortions, 2 filters/synths, flanger, chorus, 10 band EQ, and volume. My basic tone is just the Cali 400 and LA Comp. I love how most effects have a mix control. The Vetta wah is super tweakable for bass. The tuner is great for bass too, and has no issue picking up the low B.

Always been a guitar player here since forever. Never knew I liked playing bass until I actually got a bass a couple of years ago. Never used one with a real amp either so my first foray into this was with an HD500. Got decent results with it but there seemed to be always something missing that I could not identify. And it was a real pain to even get to that point. Nightmarish inducing. Things improved dramatically with the addition of the bass model pack for the HD, which is actually using Helix's modeling method and then ported to the HD.

Then Helix shows up, and I can say I'm not disappointed in the least when using it for bass. It's pretty easy to get a nice growly, piano-like tone that easily fills the lower frequencies and behaves nicely with the effects. My one and only bass uses Nordstrand Big Singles. I'm partial to the SVT Bright.

I really like that all but one wah has frequency adjustments. Makes them much more usable, but ultimately because of that, it doesn't seem to make much difference which one you choose. They can all be made to sound very similar.

I have a similar setup to OP, a 400+ that I run into a Markbass 1x15 (Randy Jackson cab). On it's own, that setup is great, but that head is so freaking heavy and christ is it expensive to retube (fortunately I got Guitar Center to pay for that when I bought it used). The last (also first) gig I played with the Helix live I used my real rig for stage monitoring and ran the 400+ model out of the Helix for FOH. I got some really nice compliments on my tone from people in the crowd, one guy in the other band couldn't believe I was feeding FOH with an all modeled tone. I will say that I noticed that when messing with it through headphones I thought the Muff model would have enough bass but it seriously cuts that through a proper rig, so I had to EQ on the fly. I'll probably try to set up a split path when I get a chance... I'm also really liking sticking an SVT preamp in the chain to use as a dirt pedal. I would love to be able to bring just the Helix to a gig, but I feel like it will sou d dumb on stage through monitors...

That is essentially my routing. Splits right before the 400+ model so I have no modeling going to my rig on stage and then a full model of my rig going out the XLRs to FOH. I actually set it so that both outputs are outputting at fixed levels, too, which works quite nicely. I'm considering if it might not be better to just have a clean power amp to plug into the cab instead for when I need to bring an amp.

I agree 100% I bought this for guitar and have used it almost exclusively for bass in band situations. The fact you can literally blend EVERY effect with the dry signal makes this thing absolutely incredible for bass. I have been running an A/B path with A going thorough a simple EQ bass boost and the B path running through the Muff, bit crusher, and rat(only 1 is on at any time). But the best part is I set the A/B path levels to the expression pedal so I can easily blend the distortion in without having the dreaded anemic sounds of most dirt boxes.

Nice review, thanks! I am looking to sort out something like this for Helix + bass.. I jam with my buddies on Friday nights, and I trade off playing guitar and bass with the other bassist. Using his Hartke bass stack; been messing with a variety of ways to connect it all up, haven't got it dialed in quite yet.

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