Electro-Harmonix Bass Balls

very simple. See other reviews.

Not too bad. Sounded like the original enough for me to buy it. There is a significant gain increase when on. Adding a volume pot would be pretty easy if it was really a problem.

***I would really like to know what effect Aaron Collins is using on White Trash's "The Crawl". I know this isn't it, but it will do until I know. If you know PLEASE contact me via e-mail (below).

Ooops. I bought the Russian one to save a few bucks. It has plastic jacks! The unit is in a crappy folded aluminum box, and is filled with sub-grade parts. It probably won't last 5 years.

Hope I don't find out. Really, though, if this broke I would probably throw it out, unless it is less than a year old.

Would NOT buy this again, though now that I have it it I wouldn't sell it. I will just play it until it dies. I would rather have the US made one. Save up and buy the US one. That is an order!

It couldn't get any easier.

I play through a Gallien Krueger 1001RB head with an Ampeg SVT 410 HLF Cab and an Ibanez SR 5 string. This unit has a great sound. I was very impressed when I first used it. I used to own a Boss Bass Synthesizer but I consider the Bass Balls much better. Only thing that lets it down is when you put the effect on, you can hear the click of the pedal through the amp. This would not be all that great with recording.

I haven't had it too long but it hasn't broken on me yet. Its not a crucial part of my set up so if it broke it wouldn't make me look like too much of a dumb ass.

Havent had to use it yet and hopefully never will.

I play alternative music and every now and then its good to chuck a couple of weird sounds in the mix to make it sound different. I used to own a Boss Bass Synthesizer and normally I wouldn't can Boss products but that was a crap pedal. The Bass Balls succeeds where the Boss pedal didn't. If there was something I could put on the pedal I would put a gain knob on it. If this pedal was stolen or randomly decided to break I would definatly replace it.

this seems really simple to use, one switch and one nob, nothing more to it, the only problem is i can't seem to find the sound i want, does anyone know how to get a real rubber sound with this, when i bought it thats what i was looking for, but i can't seem to find it, if you can get a rubber sound could you please post what settings you use on your bass/amp/bassballs, thanx

i am using a peavey tnt 160 amp (i know, its ancient), an alvarez bass or a peavey p bass, sometimes i use a boss odb-3 overdrive pedal, or a cry baby bass wah wah pedal, the pedal doesnt really have that much versatility to it, i can't get as many sounds with it as ive hoped, but for what it is i guess its allright

this thing is reliable, its never failed me, i wud defintaly gig without a backup, i got the NYC one, which is decent, but ive heard the russian thing is a tank

never dealt with them

well i like to use this on funk, thats not all i play, but its pretty much all i use this for, with the rare exception of a few songs here and there of some other stuff. i've had this thing for a few years, if it were stolen i would be mad, i dont know if i would go out and buy a new one immediately, i would probably look for something more versatile. if you listen to the p funk jam on the electro harmonix site (www.ehx.com) the bassist (its probably bootsy) has a really rubber sound that i really want, but i can't get it with mine, thats the one thing that dissapointed me about this effect, other than that, its decent.

Easy to use, one knob and a switch.

It has a really flatulent sound to it. It makes your guitar sound like it has a really bad gas. But its kinda cool.

I would give it a 3 for reliability because the first time I popped off the battery cover, it just completely broke off and now the battery just kind of hangs out of the bottom. I would give it a zero, but it still works fine. Really cheesy though. It feels like it would break if you didnt set it down gently.

No opinion..........

Eh....its an ok sounding pedal, but I never use it anymore because I bought a Q-tron (but try finding one for under $130). If I lost it, I wouldnt be too dissapointed. In fact, I'm gonna give it to one of my friends cause its just sitting around collecting dust.

A distortion toggle switch as well as a sensitivity knob are your only controllable paramaters. Placement in your effects chain will also render some differences in sound. That being said, it's fairly simple to use if you know what you're doing. The distortion switch has very different effects depending on what channel you're using. Try using it in your effects loop, and try using it before your delay -- it triggers on changes, post-delay makes it trigger quite a bit more.

I use:
Gibson Les Paul Studio or an Ibanez GAX70 (great cheap guitar)
Dunlop 595Q Variable Wah Pedal
Ernie Ball Mono Volume Pedal
Boss TU-2 Tuner/Power Supply (off of the tuning output from the EB)
DOD FX-25B Envelope Filter
MXR Phase 100
Boss CE-5? The Chorus Ensemble one
EHX Bass Balls

Into a Line 6 POD 2.0, or a Mesa Boogie V-TWIN rack preamp
Which then feeds to a QSC RMX-850 poweramp
For right now, I use a Mesa Boogie 4-10 Road Ready bass cab

This is not the most conventional guitar setup, but for my needs -- and budget, it works out just fine.

The bassballs pedal doesn't seem to degrade my sound too much. When it's switched on, it makes very quirky sounds -- so it's difficult to measure exactly what's good and what's bad with any sense of nuetrality. I think it sounds great, and it makes some very interesting sounds -- don't buy this if you're looking for anything super consistant, or subtle. It's an effect you have to play, not an effect that'll make the way you play sound better.

I've got the russion model, the jacks are made out of plastic or something -- looks very cheap, but if you don't unplug/plug it in all of the time, shouldn't be a problem.

I play a very weird effects style, most of my playing weaves in and out of the other insturments in my music. Moreso, I like to hear "was that guitar?". I've been playing for several years, mainly as a bass player, but more recently during my recording projects -- I've found it much easier to play my own guitar tracks. If it were lost or stolen, I'd walk to my nearest harware store and locate a very sharp axe, at which point I would locate the thief that jacked my bassballs pedal, and proceed to jack him, times two of course.

I wish this pedal had a volume/gain knob, I like to even my effects out a bit.

It does indeed help me make music, as its twin filters create a layering effect that I can't describe.

switch, knob, nuff said. has a real cool sound to it. i haven't put it to good use yet, cuz i play mostly metal, but its cool just messing around with it.

i use it with my alverez 4-string and peavy mark VI 400 watter. no excess noise. it sounds really different with the distortion, adds to the vowel like sounds.

You can always depend on the russian models, not sure of the usa ehx, i only have one and i just got it(small clone, if you're wondering).
These things are built heavy duty. EHX are my primary pedals, the only others i use for my basses are a morley bass wah and a boss d-1 distortion (it's for guitars but i like the sound with my bass).

you won't need to call them.

i play metal, so this pedal doesn't really fit, but its fun to experiment with it anyway. I've been playing a few years and have only 5 guitars. but if it came down to it i don't think i'd buy a new one, but if it fit with my style i'd definatley buy another one if it were stolen, hell i'd probably have two just in case.

It's easy to dial in a lot of sounds on this simplistic effect box, but the sound isn't necessarily that good. There is no manual, but if you have basic motor skills, you should be able to figure this thing out. I use the USA model without any upgrades.

Going through a Fender Marcus Miller Jazz Bass into a Hartke 3500 into a vintage Vox 15" Cab, this thing has an OK sound. It's not noisy; but if you crank it, you can hear the envelope filter doin it's thang. The effects are fairly poignant, not to say that's a good thing. I have a hard time getting that Sly sound because there is only one knob - effect level, which also controls the master output. There should be two knobs, in my opinion; master and effect. The distortion effect (a small switch) should be a stomp-button, but once again, this thing is based on simplicity and ease of use. It is more characteristic sounding with the fuzz, but expect a huge cut in low-frequency.

Tank. No backup needed.

Never dealt with EHX.

I like funk, rock, and dub, and this pedal hasn't really impressed me in any of these genres. I've been playing for 10 years, but I never find it worthwhile to bring along the Bass Balls. The overdrive usually becomes overkill. It won't get stolen, because it never travels. One thing it does beat is the Boss SYB-3 Bass Synth (Buyer Beware). It's fun to rock it in the beginning, but chances are, once you listen to the tape, you won't be using it much more.

this thing has two buttons. one controls how much funky gargling you have, and one controls the funkiness of the gargling thereof. its easier to use than a cheap hooker with low self-esteem.

i use a mahogony six, or a geddy lee jazz, a tech 21 compresser, and a morley dual bass wah, into a 200 watt yorkville combo. i am a big fan of weird and funky sounds. this thing takes the cake. its weird and funky. if you are an old croner who plays the gay pride march with one finger then this is not for you. if you are a marcus miller solo funkmaster, or if you want a subtle growl to support the band, get one of these.

this thing is a mini tank.

i have not dealt with e h.

i like this thing. if you want to hear it listen to 'all hands' by blues traveller. tad kinchla uses it.

Cannot believe the exaggerated claims for this unit.. I have both guitar and bass applications but lets face it this is a sixties effect..not saying its bad (I was a teener in the sixties) but zoom and behringer can blow this simpleton away. I bought two (one for my bass playing nephew) and outside of its metal box , $80 is ridiculous for the limited effect.

Once again, its a limited sound and not good for many sets unless your bands name is the "electro-harmonix rappers"...then play it all night.

I bought these for the collector value. For effect I use zoom707 and behringer v-amp 2.

There's two controls. One that turns the distortion on/off and one that varies the sensitivity. The only way it could be any simpler to use would be if it drove itself to gigs and back. No manual though, which is why I'm only giving it 9 (it's easy to use but it might be nice to know some technical specs because I'm a geek :) ) It's difficult to get a BAD sound out of this thing because it's so simple unlike the Boss Bass Synth which I also tried. In that respect it's conceptually similar to a P-Bass: simplicity is often the best way.

I use this with a Fender MIJ '62-RI P-Bass. Not the funkiest bass in the world I know. But my band plays mostly punk/alternative rock, I bought this because we seem to be branching out in very strange directions right now, plus there are some bits in our older songs that are just SCREAMING for an effect of some kind. I play through a Pevaey Firebass and 1820 setup. Goes loud. This 'box does not seem to trigger the DDT prematurely which really is idea.

No extraneous noises during operation, a slight phasing effect in the background but that's a good thing IMHO. I've not tried this with my band yet so I don't know how well it will kick through (but then I'm only going to be using it in softer passages of songs so that's not so much of an issue for me anyway). My favourite artsits seem to all shy away from effects, but I do know that Justin Mendal Johnson from BECK is using this box and I can get it to sound pretty damn close to his sound. Which is ideal once again.

This is the Russian made unit, and it's built like a T-72 tank. I could do a thorough test of it's robustness but the only problem would be getting hold of the armour-piercing rounds.

Definately depend on it, I can't see this thing breaking. Everything seems solid as hell.

N/A

The way I see it good customer support should not be needed - if a unit is ergonomic and reliable but it's always a bonus to be able to talk to people who know their onions from their tomatoes. Like I said though, that's not been an issue here as I only got it today.

I play crazy punk/alternative rock that sometimes degenerates into jazz....just for the sheer hell of it. I'm sure this box will do the job just fine....we're practicing on Saturday so it will be amusing to see what the other guys think of it :). I've been playing for....geez....5 1/2 years now, it seems like only yesterday that I was crap...wait a minute - that WAS yesterday! :(

If it were half-inched, I would buy another one and lob it at the perpetrator's head. His skull would be fractured and then I would have not one but two BB's :) I love its simplicity, its solidity and its sheer great tone. It's not the most versatile bass synth (I compared it to the Boss pedal which had a LOT of tonal variation, unfortunately there was not one that I liked) but the sounds it DOES make are all highly usuable, which ot me is better than a whole load of horrid sounds. Also thins thing looks badass! The only thing I wish it had was a second footswitch to turn the distortion ON/OFF on the fly so you don't have to bend down and twiddle with it between songs (some songs I will want the distortion on, others I will want it off). It definately helps my music - I bought it to expand my creativity and already I have come up with some PHAT riffs on it....I can see myself having a LOT of fun with this little beastie - which after all is what we are all playing music for, right?

This thing has turned me into a sex monster already - I have women falling screaming at my feet and I can only thank EHX for this :p