Bass players, lend me your .... opinions

[Willybomb]

Gudday all.

I'm currently building on vero a bass DI/Preamp/Frontend as I no longer have an actual bass amp and will be running direct into a powered PA speaker.

It will consist of a yamaha NE-1 clone (Brian, if you are looking to do more bass PCBS, this is one is a must), a sprout for fuzz, and a compressor (if I can get the Really Cheap Compressor vero working).  I might include a balanced out and effect loop/insert if I can find the space in the enclosure.

My question to you, proper non-hack bass players (unlike myself), would you have the compressor and NE-1 footswitchable?  The sprout/fuzz is a given for a footswitch as I'm not much of a dirty bass player, it's just there because the pcb is small and for a bit of fun.  I was going to have the NE-1 permamently on, and have the compressor switchable using a DPDT mini toggle as I'm pretty much a set-and-forget type of bass player.

Would you bother with the compressor footswitch?  For me it's probably more to even out my dynamics (although you don't have to worry about that much when you keep hitting it flat out).

Has anyone tried the Sprout on bass at all?  I'm only putting it in because a) I rarely ever use any dirt on bass, and b) I have a stack of them lying around (two populated) left over from my pedal workshop.  Any suggestions for component subsitutions to tailor it better for bass?

Thanks,
Willy.

[selfdestroyer]

Not to hijack your thread but I did have a NE-1 layout in my archive from Chris over at Handmades if you are interested.

http://music.codydeschenes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Yamaha-NE-1-Chris-Transfer.pdf

[Willybomb]

No probs, and thanks for that but I've already built mine from the layout at paulinthelab though.

[das234]

I would put stomp switches on them just to have to ability to switch them on/off on the fly.  I might never use them but at least I have the option.  That's just my opinion.

[moosapotamus]

If it can not be switched off, I would always wonder what it's really doing for my sound. I might leave it on all the time, but I just like knowing what my clean, unaffected signal sounds like for reference.

~ Charlie

[CRBMoA]

ESPECIALLY if you are contemplating relying on FOH amplification, make your builds switchable. You need options, man. (Bass player since the Federal Minimum Wage was $3.35/hr)