Gear Reviews
Review: Eventide H90 Part 1… How I Cut My Pedalboard In Half
A review of the Eventide H90…
You remember the first time you looked at a smartphone and realized the game had changed? You looked into your bag that had a cell phone (Moto Razr for life, fam!), a camera, an iPod, etc.. and realized that the thing you held in your hand rendered everything else redundant.
Folks, it’s with that in mind that I introduce you to the H90, the next generation of harmonizers from Eventide. And, while I feel the term is overused, the H90 is truly worthy of being called a game changer.
DISCLAIMER
This isn’t a review on the amazing algorithms that Eventide offers. As the original 52 algos from the H9 are included in the H90, we’re already familiar. Plus, we know the new 10 algos will kill, hands down, and they deserve a separate forthcoming review.
This review is about the new features and how the H90 got me to cut my pedalboard in half and achieve more flexibility with it.
THE PRE-H90 PEDALBOARD – Pedaltrain Novo 16
My pre-H90 board contained two H9s, a handful of analog pedals, a MIDI controller, an expression pedal and a whole lot of cords. The H9 allows you to run effects pre/post in an effects loop, which was handy, although I’ll admit that it got confusing sometimes figuring out WHERE the best placement was. That said, I spent a lot of time wiring everything up to the point where I felt I was the operator on a switchboard back when my folks were growing up and wanted to place a phone call.
Typical setup was H9 running a distortion into a tube preamp into another H9 for chorus/ambient effects out into the Rose Delay, or the MicroPitch. The MIDI controller was the “stage manager,” using its hours of programming to make sure everything changed at once. It also allowed me the option of momentary switching, so I could turn on effects just for a second or two, without needing to stomp on/off.
All that was about to change.
DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE
First thing you’ll notice about the H90 is its size. Only about 2” wider than the H9 (other measurements are the same), it also supports the use of two algorithms simultaneously. And with the addition of 10 brand new algos (including some iconic additions), you’ve got so much more to dive into and explore. This was that first “aha” moment when I realized that perhaps I didn’t need two H9s anymore. A moment that my wife, an accomplished multi-instrumentalist herself, was eager to capitalize on as she grabbed one off my board.
ROUTING OPTIONS
The H90 has four ins/outs on the back of the unit, allowing you several external routing options, one of which is two inserts for external pedals. I threw the tube preamp into INSERT ONE and checked into putting it between effects.
And this is where it got fun.
The effects in the H90 themselves can be routed in series or parallel. That automatically opens up the options past the two H9s on my board. It also gives you plenty of new options for routing the effect inserts. If you choose parallel, you can choose pre/post effect 1, effect 2, or master. OR, run the insert parallel with the other effects.
I could set it up in series operation (like the current board) but found out parallel with the tube preamp running post on only the dirt channel was a clearer tone. The distortion was still slamming into the tube pre, but now the chorus sound was running independently. This allowed me a much clearer sound that retained all the character from my old setup but sounded better, cleaner, more precise.
ALL THE STOMP BUTTONS!
What also helps in the navigation is the Select/Perform buttons on the top. By holding down the Select button for two seconds, the stomp switches turn into your typical bank up/down (hold both to tune) and active/bypass. If you hit the Perform button, you now have access to 6 user-determined commands. Use a tap-tempo, set up different hot switches, turn one of the effects into a momentary pedal, you name it. It even offers you the option of turning on/off the different inserts.
So many options at your feet that while the H90 is fully MIDI programmable, you might not need a controller for this. It’s going to handle the “stage manager” role just fine.
BANK MODE
Another great organizational feature is Bank Mode. Your program settings are grouped in threes, in a bank. If you don’t need a specific hot switch to press during a song chorus or a momentary switch that you need, you can call up the Bank Mode and then tap between the three programs in the bank, although you can go from Bank Mode to Perform Mode and back with ease.
I didn’t realize how nice this option was until I was in the theatre pit for Footloose. I had three different programs set up and was scrolling back/forth between them. Just doing this was easy enough, but by utilizing the Bank Mode I was able to much more quickly go between the programs with just one tap.
UI FEATURES
At the time of writing, there is no Bluetooth app for Android/iOS (it’s forthcoming) but I did get familiar with the desktop software. I organized my effects, rebuilt my signal chain, played with some of the new algorithms (I’m digging the Weedwacker), and so on.
The usability of the program is very intuitive and made it easy for me to figure out how to set up banks, save presets, recreate some of my former H9 presets and organize it in a simple way. The H90 has a USB-C out, which is the new standard and I’m happy to see it.
Even the Quickstart Guide was easy. I can only imagine that Eventide spent an exhaustive amount of time making sure the H90 was more user-friendly than its predecessor (which was still very easy). Within five minutes of reading the guide, I felt I had a firm grasp on how to start using the H90. In fact, I felt like I knew more about the pedal than the H9s that I’d been using for years.
THE POST-H90 PEDALBOARD – Pedaltrain Metro 16
It still needs some tweaking, but I have the H90, my tube pre and the Rose Delay (another Eventide masterpiece) running into the Inserts of the H90. I’ve spent enough time with the desktop app to have all my old effect chains running digitally, without the need of extraneous cords or pedals.
That’s why it’s a game-changer. I can do more with less.
With all the features that the H90 offers, it is much more than just two H9s put together; it is your control center for the entire pedalboard chain, which can change at the press of a footswitch. I’m looking forward to diving into more of the new algorithms (stay tuned!), as I search out new and interesting ways to make sounds.
The Eventide H90 is available online at sweetwater.com or eventideaudio.com/pedals/h90/
Gear Reviews
Review Transcript: BITE Custom Bass – The Black Knight PP Bass
This is a written transcript of our video review of the BITE Custom Bass Black Knight PP Bass originally published on March 4, 2024
BITE Custom Bass – The Black Knight PP Bass Review…
Bass Musician Magazine did a review on a Steampunk bass from BITE Guitars about three years ago, it was an amazing instrument, and we were very impressed. Now we’re happy to bring you another BITE bass, the Black Knight PP.
Everybody needs a P-type bass, it’s the standard of bass. If you’re recording, they want you to have a P bass. So why not have something that gives you a little more by having two instead of one P pickup. That’s the idea of this bass, it’s the first thing that leaps out: the double P pickup configuration.
Installing two of their 1000 millivolt split-coil pickups, BITE then went one step further and wired them up in a 4-way parallel/series circuit, a look at the controls reveal a 4-way rotary selector:
The first position, marked “B”, gives you the bridge pickup by itself.
The second position, marked “P”, gives you the bridge and neck pickups in parallel mode, that’s the traditional J-type circuit, it reduces output due to the physical law of parallel circuits.
Position number 3 is marked “N”, it gives you the neck pickup by itself.
And finally, number 4, marked “S”, gives your bridge and neck in a series (humbucking) mode which adds up resistances and thus boosts output. The other two controls are master volume and master tone.
What’s more, like every BITE bass, this one also has a reinforced headstock heel designed to give it extra output and sustain. The BITE website features a graph and explanation of what they have done to the heel, as compared to traditional headstocks.
A look at the body reveals a beautiful Black Blast body finish and underneath that we have alder wood. The bass has a matching headstock with a 4-in-line tuner setup and the traditional bite out of it, so everybody will know what kind of bass you’re playing. The pickguard is 3-ply black, the neck is vintage tinted hard maple and it has a satin speed finish at the back which keeps your thumb from sticking.
On top of that, there’s a clear-coated roasted black locust fretboard with black blocks marking the frets. The nut is a black Graph Tec nut, we’ve got diamond dome control knobs, and the tuners are lightweight compacts with cloverleaf buttons and a 1:17 ratio precision gear. The bridge is a Gotoh brass bridge with 19-millimeter string spacing.
Overall measurements: we’ve got a standard 34″ scale, a 1.65″ width nut and a C neck profile. This bass weighs 8.2 pounds, or 3,7 kilograms for our metric friends, and it uses standard 18% nickel silver frets.
Taking a closer look at the sound, this bass is a joy to play. The BITE proprietary 1000 millivolt pickups deliver an extraordinary amount of output which is surprising considering this is a passive instrument. You may even want to set your amp to active mode because of all of the juice you’re getting out of this guy.
The tonal possibilities are very versatile, it’s a straight P if you want but also much more with those different arrangements of the circuitry. So why have multiple basses when you’ve got one that can give you your basic P plus a lot more?
To sum it up, the Black Knight PP is an amazing instrument. The attention to detail that BITE puts into their basses is second to none. This bass is also amazingly balanced and gorgeous to hold and feel with the satin neck finish.
For more information, visit online at bite.guitars/product/black-knight-pp
Bass Videos
Reviews: Phil Jones Bass Compact Plus 450 and Bass Engine 17
Phil Jones Bass Compact Plus 450 and Bass Engine 17 Reviews…
In this issue, we take an in-depth look at two new amps from Phil Jones Bass, the Compact Plus 450 and Bass Engine 17.
For more information, visit online at pjbworld.com
Bass Videos
Video Review: BITE Custom Bass – The Black Knight PP Bass
BITE Custom Bass – The Black Knight PP Bass Review…
I am sure many of you saw my review of the Snobby Steampunk Bass from BITE Guitars back in February of 2021 and will remember what a remarkable bass it was. BITE has been building custom basses since 2019 and has a unique custom approach where you can configure your bass to your specs.
I am very excited to have another Bass From BITE Guitars in my hands, The Black Knight PP Bass!
The need for a P-Bass in one’s armamentarium is pretty standard for bass players and I recall chatting about this with Marty O’Brien about a year ago. It turns out that Marty and BITE Guitars got together and came up with this excellent configuration that gives you a P-Bass with a whole lot more. Marty even played his own Black Knight PP bass at the 2024 NAMM show. You can see his review here.
Join me as I take an in-depth look at this very cool instrument and share all the details.
Here is The Black Knight Bass from BITE Guitars!
For more information, visit online at bite.guitars/product/black-knight-pp
Gear Reviews
Gear Review: Origin Effects Cali76 Compact Bass
Origin Effects Cali76 Compact Bass Review…
Throughout the evolution of music, bass players have sought tools to sculpt and enhance their sonic landscapes, and one indispensable ally in this pursuit has been compression. Origin Effects, a name synonymous with premium audio craftsmanship, introduces the Cali76 Compact Bass Compressor, a pedal that pays homage to the legacy of compression and brings forth a new chapter in bass sonic mastery.
As we delve into the world of the Cali76 Compact Bass Compressor, we’ll explore how Origin Effects seamlessly weaves together the heritage of compression and contemporary bass demands, promising a pedal that not only honors the past but propels your bass playing into the future. Join us on this sonic expedition as we dissect the nuances of the Cali76 Compact and uncover the secrets it holds for bass players seeking the perfect blend of vintage warmth and modern versatility.
For Starters, the Cali76 is a studio-grade FET compressor pedal, based on the classic Urei 1176, but with some features optimized for bass guitar. For those of you who are not familiar with it, a FET (Field Effect Transistor) compressor is essentially a solid-state tube compressor emulation that allows for fast and precise control over the attack and the release parameters; allows for extreme compression ratios; and finally adds the typical 1176 color and character to the sound.
Together with the common controls we see in most compressor pedals – Ratio, Attack/Release, input (just like the original 1176, the threshold in this pedal is fixed), and output (makeup gain). The Cali76 offers two more controls dedicated to us bass players.
A Dry control – This allows us to mix in our dry, uncompressed signal to the pedal output. This is great for when we want to add back some of our playing dynamics to the compressed sound or for when you want some volume back in situations where the compression starts taking away the volume.
A High Pass Filter control – Low frequencies on a bass guitar signal normally overwhelm compressors. This high pass filter allows the compressor to only react to higher frequencies, which helps preserve the natural dynamics of our playing while keeping the low end intact.
Metering on this pedal can be a bit hard to get used to at first. There’s a single LED light on the pedal, that not only serves as an On/Off light, but it’s also our meter. It glows red when no compression is applied and orange for active compression. The brighter the light, the greater the amount of gain reduction. Yellow signifies that the gain reduction reached 27dB and maximum reduction occurs around 38 dB.
In practical terms, it’s all about working with the input and the LED to find the sweet spot (turn the input to zero, start playing and slowly increase the input level until you start seeing the LED glowing orange, which means there’s reduction going on).
With 6 highly interactive knob controls, this pedal implies some degree of compressor knowledge and also some amount of tweaking and experimentation to find the perfect settings. The good news is that it is very hard to make this pedal sound bad…
It can go from very subtle compression settings to very extreme, and it can do everything in between. Also, the team at Origin has been kind enough to add a couple of sample settings in the manual to get players started and to help us understand better how the pedal works.
Dynamic Control is a setting that provides natural compression, balancing dynamics between various playing techniques. It is a subtle compression that will work almost out of the box almost all the time. Having a medium setting for the High Pass Filter ensures an honest translation of the lower string dynamics.
Parallel compression is a popular studio technique, where both compressed and natural signals are blended. We get the sound and feel of hard compression while retaining the natural playing dynamics.
Percussive, lively & Fat is a setting that uses a slower attack time to accentuate the start of any note. Then using a fast release allows the compressor to recover between notes so that the phrases sound more percussive. Ideal for slapping and other percussive techniques.
Finally, I would like to mention the classic 1176 tonal coloration. It’s not a secret that engineers all around would sometimes use the 1176 compressor, without applying any compression, just to get the tonal coloration into the instrument sound.
And the Cali76 compressor is no different, it has such a rich, warm, and full coloration that’s super pleasing to the ear and makes you want to have it ON all the time. So be aware, that if you want a transparent compressor, this pedal is not for you!
All in all, it is easy to understand why this pedal became a favorite of so many bass players around the world. The Cali76 Compact stands as a testament to the meticulous craftsmanship and thoughtful engineering that Origin Effects is renowned for. It seamlessly navigates through the rich history of compression, offering bass players a gateway to the soulful resonance of the past while empowering them to sculpt a contemporary sonic future.
Whether you’re a seasoned bass maestro or a budding virtuoso, the Cali76 Compact invites you to embark on a sonic journey where every note is held in a delicate balance between tradition and innovation. As we bid farewell to our exploration, we do so with the realization that the Cali76 Compact is more than just a pedal; it’s a sonic companion that elevates the artistry of bass playing
For more information, visit online at origineffects.com
Gear Reviews
Spector NS Ethos HP 4 Bass Review
Spector NS Ethos HP 4 Bass Review…
Not long ago, I did a review of the Spector NS Dimension HP 5 Bass and I have just been given the honor and privilege of reviewing the Spector NS Ethos HP 4 Bass. I have to say, another great bass from Spector that is hard to put down! While there are some similarities between both basses, there are also some noticeable differences which is why I believe having both is essential to any bass arsenal.
Spector, widely used by many rock and metal bassists like Ian Hill, Alex Webster, Colin Edwin, Doug Wimbish, and many more, just to name a few, has a long-standing in these genres. Well, that’s about to change! The bass I used for the review, didn’t see any of those genres, matter of fact, I used it on a few classic country gigs and at church too! However, when at home in the studio, I let the funk out. The NS Ethos HP 4 Bass is an all-around great bass for any genre and will not disappoint.
Let’s get into the specs about the bass, and here we will find the differences between the HP 5 Bass and the HP 4.
Forget that one is a 5 string, while the other is a 4, while that is a difference, that’s not one that I feel needs to be noted as both models are available as 4 and 5 strings. The Spector NS Ethos HP 4 Bass has a 34” scale, 24 fret, 3 piece maple neck through construction with solid alder wings, ebony fingerboard along with centered and side dots and the 12th fret Spector logo inlay with a brass nut.
While the pickups are different as the NS Dimension HP 5 Bass uses the EMG 45DC and the NS Ethos HP 4 Bass sports the EMG 35DC pickups, they are the same pickup configurations, the difference being, one for 4 string, the other for 5 string. The electronics are the same, consisting of a Darkglass Tone Capsule preamp which consists of +-12dB @70Hz for Bass, +-12dB @500Hz for Mids, and +-12dB @2.8kHz for Hi Mids. Controls for Spector NS Dimension HP 5 Bass consist of Master Volume, Blend, Bass, Mid, and Hi Mid controls. The electronics are powered by a 9-volt battery.
The bridge is a Hi-Mass locking bridge with intonation screws and the tuners are sealed die-cast. All hardware is black. Same as the Spector NS Dimension HP 5 Bass, the HP 4 Bass is available in 4 different finishes, White Sparkle Gloss, Gunmetal Gloss, Plum Crazy Gloss & Black Gloss. The bass also comes with a very nice and well-padded gig bag.
Check out the Spector NS Ethos HP 4 Bass at a Spector Music Retailer today near you or visit online at spectorbass.com/product/ns-ethos-hp-4/
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