6 Classic Bass Tones from the Blumes Overdrive PedalJanuary 30, 2024Dan Epstein

A few months back, an old bass-playing pal of mine hit me up for some pedal advice. A wrist injury had forced him to shelve his Fender Jazz in favor of a short-scale Guild hollowbody; and while he dug the feel and sound of the Guild, he also wanted to “add some gusto” to it. He told me he was thinking of buying an octave pedal, and could I recommend one?

Knowing his playing style and the kind of music he’s currently performing — he’s holding down the low end in a ‘90s Brit Pop cover band — I admit that I did an involuntary face-palm at his mention of an octave pedal. But I couldn’t blame him for instinctively heading in the wrong direction; back in the ‘80s, when we were both coming up as musicians and playing in a band together, nobody talked about pedals for rock bassists, who typically weren’t encouraged to explore any sonic or tonal options beyond what they could achieve between their instrument and amplifier. I remember the time my friend tried using a distortion pedal for a “fuzz bass” effect at one of our gigs; it sounded cool — but it also completely removed all bottom end from his (and our) sound. And since neither of us were aware of any better bass effect options in those days, he simply ditched the distortion and moved on.

In recent years, the array of pedal options for guitarists has since exploded to a degree that was unimaginable even a decade ago; ditto for the array of resources and forums that can teach guitarists about which pedals do what, and which ones might be right for them. But bassists have remained relatively underserved on this score, which is why many of them have turned to guitar overdrive pedals — such as the EarthQuaker Devices’ Plumes Small Signal Shredder — to punch up their sound, and which is why I recommended that my friend do the same. But I wish he’d asked me the same question just a few months later, because then I’d have had a better answer for him: Get yourself a Blumes, baby!

Much like the Plumes, the Blumes Low Signal Shredder is an all-analog overdrive that offers three different clipping options for your tone-sculpting, face-melting needs. Blumes, however, features a circuit that’s designed specifically to enhance the deep-end frequencies purveyed by the bass. (Sure, it sounds fantastic with down-tuned guitars, as well — but let’s give the bassists their moment in the sun, shall we?)

With its three control knobs (Level, Tone and Gain) and three-mode toggle switch, Blumes can add all manner of flavors to your bass sound. It can deliver serious crunch, fuzz and full-on, bowel-disturbing distortion, but it can also work for you on a much more subtle level. Think of Blumes as a variety pack of sonic hot sauces: some of the settings will make things a little tastier, some will give you a nice burn, and others will make your eyes involuntarily bug right out of your head. Here are six that’ll give you a sense of what Blumes is capable of.

(Note: your own results may vary slightly depending on your setup. Blumes can drive the hell out of any tube amp you pair it with; but I found the following settings while recording with my P-Bass through a direct box for a truly neutral “playing field”.)