Guitar effects for bass

[J4oasis]

Is it ok to use guitar effects in a bass rig.....say a delay or something? My bass player is curious.

[clifford]

A delay is just replicating a signal.. more or less.. so as long as it picks up the frequencies, I dont see any reason why not. Although, it (or any other guitar-specific pedal) may cut some of the low end off, or add other undesirable tonal frequencies if its made specifically for guitar.

Other than tonal 'damage,' I dont think something is going to blow up or be otherwise damaged.

[Wayjurn]

Something like a delay is not going to affect your tone. However, be warned that most guitar effects will not react well to bass frequencies. When applied to the entire signal, distortions will lose low end, choruses and envelope filters will fuzz up and get all ugly, and wahs will completely turn your sound to ****. In general, delays, flange, and phase are OK to use on bass, but in most cases distortion, chorus, compression, wah and envelope followers will need to be bass-specific to preserve your tone.

The only exception to this rule seems to be the Big Muff.. a lot of people won't SHUT UP about it as a bass distortion :)

[blankspace6]

i'm not a bass player, but i've used both my tubescreamer and distortion + for bass before and they both sounded great. atleast for what i was trying to do with them. the bass player for BRMC uses a tubescreamer in his set up, and he also uses the green line 6 multi effects pedal (whatever the hell it's called). for the most part i can't see any problems with using guitar effects with a bass. some people start whining about tone and all that, but generally, those aren't the people that would be experimenting with guitar pedals for bass anyways.

[Wayjurn]

Originally posted by blankspace6
i'm not a bass player, but i've used both my tubescreamer and distortion + for bass before and they both sounded great. atleast for what i was trying to do with them. the bass player for BRMC uses a tubescreamer in his set up, and he also uses the green line 6 multi effects pedal (whatever the hell it's called). for the most part i can't see any problems with using guitar effects with a bass. some people start whining about tone and all that, but generally, those aren't the people that would be experimenting with guitar pedals for bass anyways.

As a matter of fact I used to play bass and had several guitar effects for my bass, all of which sounded like ass. I'm speaking from experience here :p

[A2aThoT]

I like to use guitar distortion on my bass... I know I destroy my tone this way but, I like it!

I think I'll buy an ABY switch to have 2 sounds:

bass --> A --> clean bass (always on)
\---> B --> effected bass (to have a second distorted guitar)

As you can see on my rig... I like effects pretty much... :D

[paulwhite]

electro-harmonix small clone!

[Motorhead]

The effects that I don't like end up on my bass rig.

Try an HM-2 on Bass ;)

Don't call me Motörhead for nothing.

[Duba]

What the ****! Who said that guitar fx made only for guitar. They just called that way.
In the 60's and 70's there were no special "Guitar" or "Bass" effects; there was an effect for the wide croud of all kinds of players - no matter what instrument they play.
Then, from unknown reasons, the term "Guitar Effects" popped out to the surface and created a stupid stereotype that guitar fx made only for guitars - IT'S INSAAAAAAAAAAAAANE, AAAAAAAAAH!!!!!

If a bass player loves the effect's sound - HE SHOULD PLAY IT
All my effects stand under 'guitar fx' category: Dunlop GCB95,MXR Blue Box, EH Big Muff, Ibanez SC10 and Boss DD-3 - SEE!
All of them are good for me. But I'm a bass player, how could it be!!

STOP THE STUPID STEREOTYPE CALLED 'GUITAR EFFECTS' - I'ts just an excuse for the manufacturers to take more money from guitar and bass players! Guitar and bass players were born equal!