Bass Guitar Effects – Overdrive, Distortion and Fuzz

January 27, 2009 | By Vikki Alexander In Accessories, Choosing Equipment, Effects Pedals |

One of the most popular bass guitar effects used today is distortion. It comes in many flavors from a subtle, sweet-sounding overdrive to a raunchy, full-blown distortion. The type of distortion for you will depend upon your playing style and the type of music you play. For example, a hard-edged, full-on distorted sound would not be well suited to blues.

Distortion is not really an accurate description of this bass guitar effect. What actually happens is that the natural overtones and harmonics are boosted, producing a fuller, richer sound.

Some amplifiers have distortion built in. However, even if your amplifier has this feature, it may not produce the sound you are looking for. To help you decide upon which type of distortion pedal to look for, here is a brief overview of the 3 most common types available.

Overdrive

This one got its name from the days when boosting the input signal to a tube amplifier caused it to clip the signal producing a warmer, smoother sound. Overdrive units mimic this sound either by using a vacuum tube or by simulating it digitally. The change to your sound will depend upon the model and settings used. This can range from a subtle edginess to a fuller, fuzz-like tone. If you play in a band, a small amount of overdrive can help your sound to cut through a little better. Overdrive is particularly suitable for blues and some rock music.

Distortion

Distortion effects units work in a similar way to overdrive units, but the level of distortion is much greater. Typically, distortion units produce a harsher, grittier type of distortion and are suited to heavier music such as metal or punk. While good quality distortion units will work well, the cheaper ones tend to lose a lot of the bass frequencies. The level of distortion varies considerably among the different brands and models.

Fuzz

The last of the distortion type effects we will look at is the Fuzz Box. Fuzz is a variation of distortion that sounds more, well fuzzy! Rumor has it that it was originally supposed to copy the sound of torn speakers and that some people actually poked holes in their speaker cones to get the fuzz sound. Fuzz boxes started life in the sixties and were made popular by guitar players such as Jimi Hendrix. Nowadays they are also available for bass guitar and if used carefully can add another dimension to your sound.

Some of these pedals are very expensive, but good used ones are usually available. Here are a few pedals for sale on eBay right now.

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