Crumar CPB-1

Not much to this unit except keeping it in tune. A more sensitive tuning control 'pot' would make that a bit easier. I like the way the volume and sustain controls are mounted with large wheels so I can turn them with my feet for adjustments and fade outs.

It doesn't have any 'special' features but for a simple bass line it does the job. If there were a Midi output on this pedalboard, it would be so cool. Unfortunately, Midi wasn't around when these things were made.

It's just your basic organ bass with 8' and 16' pipe stops, plus a sustain control.

I've been using it off and on without problems for about 15 or 20 years (I lost count.) All the controls still work fine. The only trouble I had was the suitcase-like cover hardware broke off, so I had to do a little carpentry work to remount the latches.

The only support is probably the opinions and suggestions of other owners of this beast.

I found this pedalboard at Goodwill back in the 80's. It cost me about six bucks. I've been going to Goodwill everyday since then hoping to find another one. It was a bit of a struggle to learn how to use it, but now it's fun and I'm surprised there isn't more of this type of equipment available. I know Hammond make a bass pedalboard, but I don't think it is a "stand alone" unit like the Crumar. If my Crumar bass pedalboard gets lost, broken, or stolen I will try to find another one.

Easy, just tweak the knobs til it sounds good.

It's ok. Very simple. Not bad for its age. No effects or anything. A nice modulated saw sound can be obtained.

Just step on the pedal and hear the note. Nothing fancy.

It always fires up. The major problem, and this is why I don't use this thing, is that you turn the tuning knob to put a certain note in tune and all the others are off a little. Like the scale is shrunken. I'm looking into getting this fixed but you have to realize the thing is 30+ years old.

None.

I paid $20 bucks for this (my friend needed cash :P) and another similar unit that has less features, which I scavenged for parts to make one working unit. If it were lost or stolen I'd probably get over it quickly.

This Pedal is SO simple. Juste need to Plug it in the wall and it works. You have Three options : 16' or/and 8', Sustain on/off.
There are two wheels but I never use them they are stuck.

You Know, thats the main problem of this machine : It has no features.
Polyphony : 1 , No effect (is sustain an effec?) , No expansion , No midi. But I Love the way the keyboard behave : Priority to the lower note.

The sound on this instrument is pretty basic : A cheap imitation of a sawtooth wave. There is absolutely no evolution in the sound. When Alone : we are far away from the moog sound.

Do not oppen-it up like I did : It's been one year that I'm working on It. The Rootting system, controled by the keyboard, Is made of 11 TTL Gate and one of them was fried. I've Rebuild the Power suply to have the mains voltages (15Vdc, 9Vdc, 5Vdc). I've Changed the main filter to moog filter.

There is NO support

If my crumar synth was stolen I would cry for a long time. Since I've made these modification : this machine is like the real thing. I think its from Italy

Not much to it. they're basically just plug-in-and -play bass pedals.

It has 1 octave of pedals. The pedals were originally plastic, but mine were replaced with solid pine. If you have these pedals, I would suggest you do the same. It has 16' and 8' tone generators. It has a pitch(tuning) knob and a sustain switch. It also has a sustain wheel and a volume wheel.

It's sound is pretty simple: BASS. It sounds like the bass pedals on an organ. I usually use it with an Electro-Harmonix BassBalls to get Moog Taurus-type filter sweeps. It sounds really wicked with the BassBalls.

I have gigged out with it, and I haven't had any problems with it so far. A word to the wise-let it worm up for about ten minutes before tuning it.

I use state of the art analog equipment, including Electro-Harmonix effects, a 1976 Rickenbacker 4001 bass, a 1972 Fender Super Bassman head, and the good ol' Crumar CPB-1. It is worth the money for what it does. It doesn't have the filter section of a Moog Taurus, but it also doesn't have the $1,000 price tag. It comes alive when you use effects with it.