Building bass FX.. UPDATE!

[Kræn]

The bass player in my band has shown alot of interest in my new found hobby: Stompbox building. He has asked me if I could build him a good bass compressor. I told him I'd look into it and that I probably could. What would you suggest for a good bass comp? He mostly wants to use it for slapbass playing; to get a nice punchy sound.

Also he asked me if I could make a ring modulator for bass. I told him I thought it would be hard, but I'd look into that too. What are you guys' thoughts on that? Is it too hard for a newbie like me? I haven't seen any schematics or layouts for ring modulators anywhere. Where can I find some?

Regards
Christian

UPDATE:
My bassplayer has specified for me what kind off effect he actually wants for his bass. I've come to the conclusion that it is NOT a ring modulator. It's more like a synth type thing. He told me to listen to Stevie Wonders 'Boogie on reggae woman'. That's the bass sound he wants. Is it doable? What should I be looking for?

[ryanscissorhands]

The simplest Ring mod that I know of is the green ringer from generalguitargadgets.com. No pots--just on or off. I haven't built it yet, so I can'tsay what it's like exactly. Obscure, from what I hear-has a lot of "non-musical" sounds. But simple.

Just remember that it might need to be modded to react better to lower frequencies. I can'thelp with HOW to do that, but just beware.

[TELEFUNKON]

I haven't seen any schematics or layouts for ring modulators anywhere. Where can I find some?

I`ve seen a couple in the S-F

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

A ring modulator for bass is the same as a ring modulator for anything else.
It isn't like a wah or envelope follower tht needs frequency related tweaks.
Any ring modulator box that works on normal guitar, works on bass.
Some of my Blue Ringer customers play bass.

[nordine]

here: http://www.geocities.com/tpe123/folkurban/fuzz/snippets.html

you can find the 'thing modulator',

..ain't a true ring mod, but is capable of tons of wicked sounds -atari like stuff-, if freq set to low oscillation, you get some disturbing tremoloed subsonic bass sound, can't describe it but very fun... i'm a bass player, and the thing does wonders with it

[southtown]

here: http://www.geocities.com/tpe123/folkurban/fuzz/snippets.html

link dont work for me

*edit* hmm tried again and it did... never mind 

[Kræn]

bump..

[A.S.P.]

check " bernardduur "-s posts...
he`s the main bass-man around here.

btw: it was hard to detect the "NO RINGMODULATOR!" - edit

otherwise: bass-microsynth/Mutron

[Bernardduur]

Wow, I'm known

Good bass comp is a Craig Anderton compressor (can't live without mine) or a stock Orange Squeezer; don't make an Orange Squeezer +++ (as on Moose's site) because it has a too slow attack for bass.

The OS will color your sound, the CA don't. Combine them into one pedal (as I did) and you can get the best out of both worlds.



Never made a ring mod for bass though

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

My bassplayer has specified for me what kind off effect he actually wants for his bass. I've come to the conclusion that it is NOT a ring modulator. It's more like a synth type thing. He told me to listen to Stevie Wonders 'Boogie on reggae woman'. That's the bass sound he wants. Is it doable? What should I be looking for?

I hate to say this, but I think you should be looking for a minimoog. AFAIK, the original was done using a minimoog synth. No reason why you couldn't recreate this though, because the mini is only monophonic. Maybe a Boss SYB-3 envelope follower would be worth a shot? I doubt a normal envelope follower would cut it. Still, plenty of professionals have covered this song with normal bass, so it must be possible.

[Bernardduur]

My bassplayer has specified for me what kind off effect he actually wants for his bass. I've come to the conclusion that it is NOT a ring modulator. It's more like a synth type thing. He told me to listen to Stevie Wonders 'Boogie on reggae woman'. That's the bass sound he wants. Is it doable? What should I be looking for?

I hate to say this, but I think you should be looking for a minimoog. AFAIK, the original was done using a minimoog synth. No reason why you couldn't recreate this though, because the mini is only monophonic. Maybe a Boss SYB-3 envelope follower would be worth a shot? I doubt a normal envelope follower would cut it. Still, plenty of professionals have covered this song with normal bass, so it must be possible.

Yes, I once did this track with my Nurse Quacky and some low distortion; OK, it was not 100% like the original but it was nice. Else, just build a micro synth

[Kræn]

Yeah right.... JUST build a microsynth..... Have you seen the schematic for that thing?? 

[Bernardduur]

I am breadboarding one right now.......

Am I will be doing this for a long long time .... I have no hurry for it; it will be a switchable guitar and bass synth.

[Kræn]

I saw a pic of a stripboarded microsynth somewhere on this forum. I got a little dizzy..... And with the amount of experience I have at this point, I think I'll do something else. Afterall, the only thing I have built yet is a microamp.

[Bernardduur]

Then try to build an envelope follower....... bassplayers seem to like them and they are not that hard to build

[niftydog]

You could only get an approximation of the "Boogie on..." sound, because it's a keyboard of some type and not a string bass.

I have both a microsynth and a deep impact and I wouldn't really say that either of them faithfully reproduce that sound, sorry!