Preamp pedals - when is it too many?

[lewis]

im going to level with you.
I want 3 different preamp/distortions in my bass chain

1) because why not?
2) they look killer
3) they sound fantastic
4) blend them all for MOAR BASS TONEZ !?

Im planning on getting a Trace Elliot Transit B and a Darkglass B7K Ultra to partner with my Darkglass X ultra.

So:

plan is:

Wireless > Tuner > Trace Elliot Transit B > Cali76 > Noise Gate >
ABY Splitter \ X Ultra >> Radial Mix 2:1\
......................................................... = FOH
................../ B7K Ultra >Radial mix 2:1/

Kind of thinking i will treat the Transit B like an extension of the onboard Bass EQ that also takes on that Trace Elliot colouration before it then hits the rest of the chain. Its why i am thinking Cali 76 etc after it

So 3 preamps/distortions working together being blended and summed together into one output going to FOH. The darkglass Ultra's will also use 2 different Darkglass IR's being blended here too.
The only thing that will probably be giving plenty of gain will be the X Ultra. The B7K and Trace will be a mix of purely clean or slight grit. So its not like im going to have 3 distortions cranked all together.
Overkill? or insanely awesome idea for ultimate Ba$s ToNeZ ?

The trace also has a bass boost button for bossted sub frequencies (killer) and another button for their iconic pre shape EQ which gives that scooped slapp bass sound i can turn on/off when the parts in the songs need it. The darkglass pedals will be always on, set and forget.

 

[c7spheres]

You're crazy... and that's ok : )

 

[lewis]

You're crazy... and that's ok : )

right!??



In my mind, its going to deliver an unreal direct sound haha!

 

[budda]

It's basically channels. Go to town .

This is why the 3-button sansamp DI is a great pedal - 3 different sounds in one box.

 

[lewis]

It's basically channels. Go to town .

This is why the 3-button sansamp DI is a great pedal - 3 different sounds in one box.

Thats also what Im thinking!!

well, i guess im not as crazy as I worried i might be initially hahah!

i guess this idea is alive and real now

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

John Entwistle had a Tri-Amped rig as early as the 60's, and I think he has one of the greatest tones from as far back as ever before anyone really went the extra mile with the bass until Chris Squire later, and then Geddy Lee. Ron Wood's bass tone on Jeff Beck's "Beckola" is pretty massive too. I find as an engineer, that getting great guitar tones is way easier than coming up with great bass tones and great drum sounds, and getting them to sound great together is a work of art unto itself. I think Entwistle was very forward thinking of this and set out to really sculpt out the nuances to fit well in a mix with all of the desirable characteristics you could want, i.e.; nice round low end, definable mids, and a top end with a little bit of grit that works well with the snare, all while not sounding like just a low tuned guitar.

"Go For it", I say.

"You're not going crazy Arthur, you're going sane, in a crazy world..." The Tick...

 

[budda]

Sculpting bass tones that work in a mix is indeed a task. I have so much to learn.