Are you looking for the best bass multi-effects pedals? Then, you are in the right place.
Picking the right bass multi-effect pedal can be challenging, especially since there is no specific way to pick a pedal. It all depends on what you are looking for and how you want to use it.
Not all pedals have the same effects, so you need to try out a few to see what sounds you like. This buyer’s guide will review a few different bass multi-effects pedals that are hot on the market.
Now we will take a look at four different bass pedals. First, I will list all their pros and cons. Hopefully, this will help you decide which multi-effects pedal is best for you.
Best Bass Multi-Effects Pedals (Comparison)
Boss GT-1B Bass Effects Processor (Editor’s Choice)
When you want a massive power range in a sturdy and small package, you can go with a GT-1B processor. Its foundation lies in the premium quality sound engine of Boss; it allows you to access a wide selection of bass-optimized amplifiers and effects for studio and stage playing.
You can dial in sound quickly with its streamlined interface. Moreover, you can adjust several effects with a board control switch and expression pedal in real-time. You can easily download editing software, the latest patches, and more by connecting to tone control. It is a rugged, compact, and battery-powered mobile tone companion for every bassist.
You will love this product because of its practicality, so you can focus on playing and do not distract by technical sound effects. Important tools onboard are used for the optimization of bass tone. For enhanced musical expression, it comes with advanced MDP effects.
Safe transportation can be done due to its modern design and no sharp edges. In addition, simple select and edit functions allow quick choosing and tweaking patches.
Pros
- Small package
- Flexibility
- Amazing value
Cons
- None we could find
Zoom B3n Bass Effects Processor (Close Runner-Up)
It has multi-effects providing you with different tools to explore different performances and playing possibilities on studio and stage. In addition, it comes with a stompbox amp and cabinet emulators along with new editing features so you can get your unique sound.
It features a range of selection of emulations along with five cabinets and classic bass amps. You can simultaneously chain a cabinet and amp models up to seven effects. As a result, you get pedal board hands-on feel filled with stompboxes. You can easily add, delete, or change the order with effect displays.
Sixty-eight built-in rhythm patterns enable performances, making it an ideal practice rig. Recording and overdubbing can be done by an onboard looper for up to 80 seconds, and using your favored effects, create textured sound layers. It also includes a control input for control over effects parameters in real-time.
Pros
- Outstanding pedal
- Good user interface
- Super easy to get correct effects combination
Cons
- None we could find
Vox StompLab 1B Multi-Effects Pedal
This impressive Stompbox series of multi-effects pedals feature incredible, powerful sounds into sturdy and compact metal bodies. These variations are made for rock, ballad, and blues which are easy for beginners to recall the required sound. In addition, the fantastic looks and sound make it a great companion for bassists and guitarists.
The legacy continued for half-decade and made a long-lasting impact on music. Famous artists across the globe rely on them to provide tone in big stages and studios worldwide. Having varieties of sounds is the biggest benefit and makes novice users happy, but sometimes it creates confusion. This series is created to be easily used by beginners too. It is easy to find the sound and music styles that range from traditional to unusual, quirky sounds.
Bass players benefit from designing adequate bass sound with an effects library and can find the ideal tone of their choice. There are sixty effects for creating the perfect tone and saving it. Editing existing sound is also easy, or you can begin from scratch to get the perfect sound. You are the sculpture of your tone with eight effects in every preset. It has an entire music store worth effects for creating a signature sound.
Pros
- Sturdy
- Complete pedalboard
- The battery is long-lasting
Cons
- The battery case overheats easily
Zoom B1on Bass Effects Pedal
We will look at the first multi-effect pedal is the Zoom B1on Bass Effects Pedal.
Now let’s go over a few pros and cons from the product description.
Item weighs about 13 ounces, so easy to carry around.
The foot pedals are nicely sized and easy to toe into press buttons while performing.
Here are some other pros and cons listed below.
Pros
- Listed at about $50. So very affordable
- Has 100 sound effects. So you have a good number to choose from
- It has a built-in tuner, looper, and rhythm machine.
- It has 100 memory locations to save beats and loops that you use in performances.
- The device is small and compact; easy to carry around.
- Can run on batteries or AC Adaptor
- Has 68 Rhythm patterns
- Has USB connection
Cons
- The device is made of plastic, so it can easily break
- The display screen is small
- Tiny and the buttons are close together. You have to tap your toe on it to change sets.
Overall, there are many good product reviews for this bass pedal. Most people like that it’s affordable; there are many options for sound effects.
It’s okay if you start experimenting with using effects or gig but not a bunch. However, the pedal’s fragile plastic frame may not last if you gig and travel a lot.
Zoom B3 Bass Guitar Effects and Amp Simulator
The next pedal we will look at is the Zoom B3 Bass Guitar Effects and Amp Simulator.
This product is listed at about $200. It has 3 LCD screens that are large enough to read well. In addition, it has a looper function with 40 seconds of phrase recording.
The pedal also has a drum machine and chromatic tuner. With over 100 built-in effects, you can store up to 100 sounds that you create.
It can operate on batteries and an AC adapter. It also includes Steinberg Sequel LE recording software.
Here are a few other pros and cons that have been found from some specs and reviews.
Pros
- Compact. Weighs 3.5 pounds
- Stomp pedalboard so easy to change to what effects you need
- Three large LCD screens and everything goes under 1 of 3 sub-locations.
- You can use up to 3 effects in any combination.
- Includes patches personally made by some of the world’s top bassists: Victor Wooten, David Ellefson, Frank Bello, and Doug Wimbish.
- It has over 40 different rhythm patterns, and the tap key lets you set the tempo.
- Balanced XLR output for use with Direct Input (DI) Boxes.
- Fast patch change speed of 1milli second.
- Free edit and share software for Mac/PC
Cons
- No gain level to adjust the amount of compression.
- When you turn off the device, all the loops and tracks you stored are deleted.
- It doesn’t have an Aux-In port.
Most of the product reviews on this item were very good.
DigiTech BP90 Bass Guitar Multi-Effects Processor (Editor’s Choice)
The next pedal we will look at is the DigiTech BP90 Bass Guitar Multi-Effects Processor. This product is listed at about $100. It’s still a smaller pedal, but it is bigger than the Zoom pedal.
BP90 Features
- 32 Bass effects, so not as many effects as the Zoom pedal
- 100 Presets (50 Factory/50 User) More user presets so you can make and save your own.
- Built-in drum machine with 40 different patterns
- Built-in expression pedal (The Zoom pedal didn’t have this)
- Independent R/L outputs
- Built-in tuner
- Aux input
- Dedicated headphone out
- Power Supply Included
This pedal has a bigger display screen and would be easier to get around on. However, many reviews found that users liked the sounds offered in the effects.
Some of the customers found it a little harder to understand. It depends on whether you like having the option of more buttons to press or sticking to 2 or 3.
There are also a couple of reviews that you may have some problems with the pedal sticking and making extra noise after some use, so don’t step too hard on the pedal.
Overall, this pedal is better if you do a little more performing. However, it’s not made of plastic, so it is relatively durable. In addition, the expression pedal allows you to control your effects in real-time, and you can tune and record as you go if you need to.
Source Audio Soundblox 2 SA223 MANTA Bass Effects Pedal
The last pedal we will compare is the Source Audio Soundblox 2 SA223 MANTA. This product is listed at about $170. The product is small and lightweight at almost 2 pounds. Has 12 filter effects and eight variations of distortion. It has two user presets and can be battery-powered or with AC adapter. Here are a few other pros and cons about this product.
Pros
- Item is tiny and lightweight
- Easy to travel with
- Has a phaser
- Multifunction In/Out
- Clear 24-bit converter
- Editable parameters for each setting
- Customizable sounds
Cons
- Distortion doesn’t have its dial to adjust sound
- No LCD screen
- No MIDI, XLR,or USB/auxiliary connections
Buyer’s Guide to Purchasing a Bass Multi-Effects Pedal
The Most Important Features of the Best Bass Multi-Effects Pedals
There are a few features that your bass multi-effects pedal must-have. These items include:
- Chromatic tuner. All guitar pedals usually come with a built-in tuner. If you see one that doesn’t have a tuner, DO NOT BUY IT!!
- At least 20 sound effects. It’s okay if the pedal has more than 20 sound effects, but as long as it has the types of effects you like, there doesn’t need to be an excess of options.
- At least 20 rhythm/beat patterns. I included this because most players need to play in real-time and readily use their backing tracks/beats. That keeps you from needing to buy another device. You want to get as much as you can from one product.
Additional Things to Consider Buying a Good Bass Multi-Effects Pedal
Some of the things you also may want to consider when buying a pedal are some of the cosmetic details:
Durability. A durable pedal, especially if you plan to gig and travel with your pedal vs. one made of plastic or flimsy materials. If you travel a lot, you don’t want a plastic pedal. It would break quickly on the road, but that would be fine if you want to play around and practice with it at home.
LCD Screen vs. lights (read what your menu board says or lights illuminate). This might not seem like a big deal, but it could make things difficult if you perform and can’t read your LCD screen to change to your desired preset. If your LCD screen breaks or becomes inoperable, you must get a new pedal. Many pedals now have a little light that shows what effect/preset has been selected.
A power source (if it uses batteries, AC adapter, or both). If you travel, an output for a plug may not always be there. Good to have a pedal that has backup options.
Types of Input/Output connections (Aux, XLR, USB, MIDI, etc). The types of connections you want to purchase depend on how you need to use them, but the more types of connections, the better.
Stomp pedal board vs. buttons. A pedalboard makes it easier to change presets and effects while performing.
If pedal also has a wah pedal. An actual wah pedal will allow you to control the effect as you play and sounds more natural versus automatically added to your sound.
Some Questions to Ask Yourself Shopping for a Multi-Effects Pedal
Does the pedal allow you to record/create your tracks?
A few questions to ask yourself when looking for an amp are “Will this be for practice or performing?”, “Do you want/need to be able to record?” “What types of plug-in connections do you require?” and after you have tried out some different effects, “What types of effects do you want to be on your pedal?”.
Best Bass Multi-Effects Pedal: Our Verdict
Overall, all four of these bass pedals are good to use. However, if you start to experiment with effects and won’t be doing a lot of gigging, I recommend the Zoom B1on Bass Pedal.
You would only pay about $50 and have many effects to practice with and find what sounds you like.
If you travel a lot and still want to get a reasonable price and quality sound, I recommend the DigiTech or Source Audio pedals. They both have great reviews from customers on sound quality, durability and are user-friendly.
Out of the two, I would go for the Digitech because it has Aux input, XLR output (many performers have XLR cables readily available), and the expression (Wah) pedal.
There’s more than you can do in real-time with this pedal, especially if you perform live a lot. Plus, it costs only about $100, so you pay less but have more options!