Transform Tone and Sound with the Best Bass Pedal
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VOX Modeling Bass Guitar Multi-Effects Pedal -
Boss ME-50B Bass Multi-Effect Processor -
Electro-Harmonix Bass Big Muff Pi Distortion Pedal -
Boss CS-3 Compressor/Sustainer Guitar Drive Pedal -
Aguilar TLC Compressor Bass Effects Pedal -
MXR M87 Bass Compressor -
MXR M108 10 Band Graphic Equalizer Pedal -
Boss GEB-7 Bass Equalizer Pedal -
Behringer BEQ700 Bass Graphic Equalizer Pedal -
EBS UniChorus Bass Chorus Pedal -
Buyer's Guide
While effects pedals may be more commonly associated with guitars, there are also numerous effects specifically designed to enhance and transform the sound of the bass guitar. These effects pedals can play a big part in the tone and style of bassists in a variety of musical genres; truth be told, most of popular music’s most prominent bass players owe part of their signature sounds to their effects. Navigating the sheer amount of bass pedals on the market can be a daunting task, but fear not, we’ve laid out some important guidelines for you to follow in our buyer’s guide provided below.
Best Bass Pedals Worth Considering in 2022
VOX Modeling Bass Guitar Multi-Effects Pedal - Best Bass Pedal Overall
The Vox Stomplab IIB’s appearance may make it look like a small toy, but the contents contained within make it anything but. 100 preset patches give you plenty to work with, drawing from 61 effect, amplifier, and cabinet models. Each of these components can be stored in one of the 20 user programs available in the unit, meaning you can really craft tones that can easily switch from one song to the next, making it ideal for live performances. The small size of the LED screen makes it perhaps a bit more of a challenge to navigate when compared to some of its larger counterparts, but the size of this unit is also a huge part of its appeal. This is definitely an ideal unit for bassists who travel frequently or don’t have much real estate available in their rig.
Boss ME-50B Bass Multi-Effect Processor - Runner Up
The BOSS ME-50B bass multi-effects processor employs COSM modeling for its compressor/limiter and EQ. This feature gives players a strong foundation to dial in a tone that is going to sound impeccable even before it gets jazzed up with more expansive effects. Those effects are wide and varied, including some bass-centric settings like the Defretter, which instantly transforms your bass into a fretless-sounding instrument. The ME-50B’s Drive effects allow players to add some bite to their tone, with settings like “Muff Fuzz,” “Metal,” and “Bass Driver,” all of which can turn your bass into a full-blown assault. This unit also includes a looper that allows you to stack sounds, and even a Kick Drum function that offers the ability to tap in their own pattern so that you can practice along with the beat.
Electro-Harmonix Bass Big Muff Pi Distortion Pedal - Honorable Mention
Like its beloved brother-in-tone, the Electro-Harmonix Bass Big Muff Pi is the go-to pedal for bassists looking to add anything from a slight crunch to a full-blown, earth-shattering fuzz/distortion to their instrument’s signal. Its controls are simple enough as players can control the volume, tone, and sustain levels of the pedal via three dedicated knobs. Because it’s important that the low end frequency of the bass signal remain intact even when things are pushing into the deep end of distortion, the Bass Big Muff Pi also comes equipped with a mini-switch that triggers a bass boost. The pedal also offers dual outputs for both an effected and dry signal (making it ideal for recording). The Bass Big Muff Pi is also a durable piece of equipment, thanks to its rugged metal chassis build.
Boss CS-3 Compressor/Sustainer Guitar Drive Pedal - Consider
The BOSS DS-1 distortion pedal is a piece of gear that works great with guitars, basses, keyboards, and many other instruments. The simple, three-knob design of the DS-1 makes dialing in your tone a snap; the Tone knob allows you to brighten or darken the bass signal, while the Distortion adjusts how much overdrive the signal actually gets. The Level knob adjusts the output volume. Because this is a BOSS pedal, you’ll never have to worry about any reckless damage being inflicted on this unit; it’s built like a tank with a rugged metal enclosure.
Aguilar TLC Compressor Bass Effects Pedal - Best Bass Compressor Pedal
Aguilar has long been a favorite amongst bassists, as the company counts Adam Clayton (U2), Paul Turner (Jamiroquai), and John Patitucci (Chick Corea) as avid users of their pickups, preamps, amplifiers, cabinets, and effects. Their studio-grade compression is now available to bassists in a small pedal called the TLC Compressor. This unit utilizes Trans Linear Control circuitry to allow players to really fine-tune the dynamics of your sound. Four knobs is all that you need to dial in the right amount of control on your signal. A unique element in this pedal is the fact that this pedal will pass signal even after the battery dies – a real advantage for live shows where one dying pedal could potentially derail the whole operation.
MXR M87 Bass Compressor - Best Bass Compressor Pedal
MXR’s M87 bass compressor pedal provides a clear, clean, and transparent compression that is a welcome addition for any bassist looking to add a powerful yet simple effect into their rig. Simple knobs for release, attack, output, and input give players hands-on control to shape the direction of the effect. Ten gain-status LED lights make it easy to see when the compression threshold has been reached. The M87 also utilizes Constant Headroom Technology (CHT) to ensure clear performance and plenty of space. The compact size of the M87 also makes this pedal a welcome addition to any pedalboard that is running out of room.
MXR M108 10 Band Graphic Equalizer Pedal - Best Bass Equalizer Pedal
MXR’s M-108 equalizer pedal has earned a spot in the rigs of artists of all types including bands like Snarky Puppy, Slipknot, and Mogwai can all be counted as fans. Offering ten bands of graphic EQ, this unit works great with bass, but can also be applied to guitar, keyboards, or any electronic instrument. The M-108 offers 12dB of cut or boost, and also features input gain and output volume sliders. The graphics glow in the dark, which makes it ideal for the touring musician who plays in dark clubs and bars. Its die-cast zinc housing also makes it ideal for the road warrior who doesn’t want to fret over the safety of their pedals. Rest assured, this pick is definitely built to last.
Boss GEB-7 Bass Equalizer Pedal - Best Bass Equalizer Pedal
The BOSS GEB-7’s frequency range goes from 50Hz to 10kHz, making it an ideal tool for bass guitars. This unit offers full range response, regardless of what kind of bass this bass equalizer pedal is being used with 4, 5, and 6-string bass guitars all responding great to this unit. In addition to the EQ that this pedal provides, it can also be used as a boost or cut to your signal using the level control knob. A single nine-volt battery is all that it takes to power this pedal, though this pick can also work in conjunction with an optional PSA-Series AC adapter. And like most BOSS pedals, the GEB-7 comes with a five-year warranty to protect your purchase should anything go awry.
Behringer BEQ700 Bass Graphic Equalizer Pedal - Best Bass Equalizer Pedal
Behringer’s BEQ700 bass equalizer pedal gives bassists hands-on control over the 50Hz to 10kHz frequency range. Boosting the lower end of this range is more often than not felt rather than heard. This can result in some serious room-shaking sounds. This unit runs off a single nine-volt battery, or can be powered by an optional PSU-SB DC power supply. The pedal’s electronic on/off switch provides noise-free use. A Status LED light not only lets users know when the effect is turned on, but also offers a battery check.
EBS UniChorus Bass Chorus Pedal - Best Bass Chorus Pedal
The EBS UniChorus offers so much more than its small, compact size might indicate to the naked eye. Far beyond just a chorus pedal, this unit also has modes that offer flanger as well as pitch mod modes. Two simple knobs allow you to control the rate and depth of your selected effect. This unit is not just true bypass, but also offers true analog signal processing, ensuring that your tone is pure when the pedal is on and completely unaffected when it’s off. The pedal’s stereo output allows you to really capture the full range of the effects for when you’re recording or playing live.
Buyer's Guide
Sting. Flea. Victor Wooten. Les Claypool. These are just some of the bass players whose styles have been greatly affected by the use of bass pedals. But regardless of whether you’re a bonafide rock star, an aspiring musician, or anywhere in between, bass pedals generally serve to cut through the mix onstage or to help translate a musical idea in a way that has its own unique character.
Reading reviews is an excellent way to determine whether a pedal is worth your purchase but trying a pedal out for yourself is even better. Beyond both of those methods, having a good understanding about the functional purpose of different bass pedals will put you in the best position to find one right for you.
Bass Pedal Types
Octave Pedals
Bass players already cover musical territory that lives deep in the bottom end of the mix, but that doesn’t mean that bassists need to be limited by the range of their instrument. Enter the octave pedal, which technically falls under the “pitch shifter” umbrella of effects. Octave pedals split the bass signal into two separate octaves (one above the played note and one below). The resulting sound can often resemble the tone of a synthesizer; basslines played through an octave effect can also bring an even greater amount of rumble to a part.
Octave pedals are also often equipped with a distortion function, which can result in a fuzzy, thick tone. The sounds generated through experimentation with an octave pedal are often utilized in genres such as dub or reggae music, as well as songs/styles requiring the bass to sound like a synthetic instrument.
Envelope Filter Pedals
Envelope filter pedals function similarly to wah pedals in they sweep through the frequency range of the instrument’s signal. The effect can subsequently make the bass sound thinner or wider. But while a wah pedal’s resulting sound is determined by how far forward or back the pedal is rocked, an envelope filter functions automatically, without needing any movement with your feet.
The fluctuation in frequency sweep is usually determined by the actual changes in volume coming from the signal flow. This effect can be used to give bass parts a synth-like, growling sort of sound which is distinctive and effective in filling out the bottom end of a song. Groups like Parliament-Funkadelic, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Nine Inch Nails have all run bass guitars through envelope filter pedals on songs to great effect.
Overdrive Pedals
Simply put, a bass guitar running through any sort of overdrive/distortion pedal rumbles the room in a way unlike any other. By overdriving the signal, the sound is boosted and given a stronger (often gnarly-sounding) tone. While fuzz pedals, overdrive pedals, and distortion pedals all have their own slight differences, they generally give the bass tone a sound that is fuller and possesses more low-end.
These pedals also allow bassists to tweak the treble, mid, and bass tones, as well as control the amount of overdrive added to the signal. Great modern examples of an overdriven bass tone include Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Around the World,” the Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage,” and Metallica’s “Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth).”
Chorus Pedals
Chorus falls under the umbrella of a modulation effect, and can be used on bass parts to give them a shimmering (or “chorus-like”) sound. Chorus pedals duplicate the sound of the original output signal and alter it just slightly enough so it sounds like the note is being voiced by multiple sources. This effect allows the notes to ring out just enough to approximate an echo without going into full-blown delay territory.
Bassists like jazz virtuoso Jaco Pastorius have utilized chorus to give the bass a distinct flavor and character that can really make the instrument sing, especially when employed in the higher register. When combined with other effects such as distortion, chorus bass pedals can truly transform the sound into something else entirely.
