Jump to content

I need an octave up: Unibass VS Boss Pitch Shifter VS Wammy


Apendecto

Recommended Posts

  • Members
Posted

I am looking for an octave up to be routed to a guitar amp while I play bass.

 

I tried (back in the day) a Boss Pitch shifter VS Digitec guitar Whammy at two octaves and the Boss sounded much better.

 

After talking to you guys it seemed like the Unibass was a better option but it only went up one octave but one octave sounds better than two.

 

Currenly I am not getting the sound out of my "guitar" side that I would like. The Unibass bleeds my original bass signal over a little and is very noisy on the distorted channle (the one I will be playing) and it kinda sounds like Tom Morello.

 

What I'm looking for

I will be playing in a bass and drum band and I want the "guitar" to sound pretty distorted but "good" like a down tuned guitar.

I play heavy stuff with my bass tuned down one whole step.

I don't need the harmonizing on the Unibass.

I have an AB/Y box.

 

Possible Problems

My amp (Laney AOR 100 tube) is at the shop so I'm using some piece of crap. If this might be the problem what's a good Marshall 800 clone?

The Unibass has somthing wrong with it.

 

Which is better

I'm looking for good tracking and decent sound (as non-fake as possible).

 

Akai Unibass

Boss Picth Shifter

Digitec (Guitar or Bass) Whammy

 

Thanks.

Yo.

  • Members
Posted

I don't think the Unibass tracks real well & the built in disto it has is fairly fake sounding. However, I did put my Big Muff between the Unibass (running clean) and the amp and it sounded good. Still didn't track all that well though. Especially if you're playing fast with a lot of different individual notes. Humping on root quarters you'll probably be fine though.

  • Members
Posted

I liked my Digitech Bass Whammy well enough, I wish I had kept it and split that sideways. It is flexible with its blending and you can get some odd intervals as well.

 

By not having a distortion built in, you are free to do what you will after that point.

  • Members
Posted

One problem I ran into was:

 

I would use a rat after the unibass then a wah (or wah then rat) and neither made my wah pronounced at all. Then I plug straight into the amp and use the amps distortion and the wah sounds good. Trying either/both of these pedals in the fx loop didn't help either.

 

I just can't believe the extra noise from the bleed over. Poor.

 

But since I'm the only one playing (plus a drummer, both singing) I can't just pump out roots.

 

Yo.

  • Members
Posted

Have you considered going the 8/12 string route?

with the ABY box, run one signal straight to the bass amp, and another straight to the guiar amp (or distortion box first) and turn down lower frequencies on the guitar amp so it's not so bassy (also better for your speakers, though most distortion (and other)pedals do a good job of removing low end anyway.)

  • Members
Posted

 

Originally posted by Ace Of Bass

Have you considered going the 8/12 string route?

with the ABY box, run one signal straight to the bass amp, and another straight to the guiar amp (or distortion box first) and turn down lower frequencies on the guitar amp so it's not so bassy (also better for your speakers, though most distortion (and other)pedals do a good job of removing low end anyway.)

 

 

Nope. I need a signal an octave up. And I'd like to play my bass which I'm accoustomed to.

 

One of these three pedals will do it for me, I'm just not sure witch one.

 

UPDATE: I was running my "guitar" signal through my Fender Deville the other day. I'm thinking it's this amp which is so noisy, but I'm still looking for a decent head with the Marshall crunch (with out the Marshall prices).

 

Yo.

  • Members
Posted

 

Originally posted by Apendecto


UPDATE: I was running my "guitar" signal through my Fender Deville the other day. I'm thinking it's this amp which is so noisy, but I'm still looking for a decent head with the Marshall crunch (with out the Marshall prices).


Yo.

 

 

Have you thought about Laney? EQ some bass in that bitch & it would probably sound pretty close. I dig the Peavey Classic 50 heads too, but they're not Marshall.

  • Members
Posted

Yeah my laney is in the shop AND HAS BEEN FOR AT LEAST MONTHS. I'm ready to tell those guys (who say the wiring diagrams hasn't been sent to them yet) I want my money back.

 

Someone on the Amp forum recommended Peavey VHT or somthing.

 

Yo.

  • Members
Posted

I say Digitech Bass Whammy. I was reasonably happy with the octave up, to the point that I used to use it for a cover of Jeremy quite successfully.

 

If you can tame the highs using the guitar amp, then all should be well.

  • Members
Posted

I thought the tracking was quite reasonable. About the same as the Boss OC-2, and just as good if not better down below A. A very slight delay on harmonising, but really not that significant. The pitch bending was spot on, loved it.

 

The thing I wasn't really happy with was how slightly cheesy the upper octave sounded. In hindsight I realise it was probably more accurate than any other option. If I had been able to tweak the level of wet vs dry then I would have kept the beast.

 

If I had considered a biamp rig then that mix would have been a non-issue. In the future I may own one of these again, or the reissue, but I am not sure how good it is... Where Fore Art Thou Clatter? :)

 

The way I believe these things work is that they sample the incoming signal and adjust the pitch of that, giving you a bent versin of your sound. Other pitch pedals like the OC-S generate a tone from an oscillator, and so it is synthetic sounding.

  • Members
Posted

Get a 12-string. Doug from King's X uses one and has a crazy-ass biamped setup with lots of quakey distortion and it sounds awesome. It really fills out their sound, and Ty Tabor (guitar player) has always said the one thing that kept him from pushing for a second guitar is Doug's tone as well as his 12er. The Hamer XT series 12ers get excellent reviews and can be had for $500-$600 brand new. A nice 8-string of some sort would be an acceptable substitute.

  • Members
Posted

 

Originally posted by zenfascist

Get a 12-string. Doug from King's X uses one and has a crazy-ass biamped setup with lots of quakey distortion and it sounds awesome. It really fills out their sound, and Ty Tabor (guitar player) has always said the one thing that kept him from pushing for a second guitar is Doug's tone as well as his 12er. The Hamer XT series 12ers get excellent reviews and can be had for $500-$600 brand new. A nice 8-string of some sort would be an acceptable substitute.

 

 

I've seen those guys twice now and they've kicked my ass tone wise and talent wise twice.

 

Yo.

  • Members
Posted

 

Originally posted by fleizenkruz

could someone explain how an octave pedal can be a good use for bass player?

 

 

octave pedal with an added 5th + distortion = guitar power chord.

 

Basically, it can really fatten up your sound if you're a three piece or a 4 piece with one guitar player.

  • Members
Posted

Originally posted by zachoff



octave pedal with an added 5th + distortion = guitar power chord.


Basically, it can really fatten up your sound if you're a three piece or a 4 piece with one guitar player.

 

well i'll be damned if i have one :D my band had two guitar player, and they both dig that "low-nu-metal-full-of-distortion-guitar" tone...

  • Members
Posted

 

Originally posted by fleizenkruz

could someone explain how an octave pedal can be a good use for bass player?

 

 

I am a two piece (bass and drums). It sounds fine, I am just wondering what the best octave up is.

 

Thanks.

Yo.

  • Members
Posted

 

Originally posted by Apendecto



I am a two piece (bass and drums). It sounds fine, I am just wondering what the best octave up is.


Thanks.

Yo.

 

Do you listen to the band Ruins?

  • Members
Posted

 

Originally posted by SpaceGhost


Do you listen to the band Ruins?

 

 

Never heard of them, but maybe I should.

What kind of music is it?

 

Yo.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...