How to order your effects for best bass tone

How to order those effects for the most effective bass tones? This is not a science and there is really no wrong way to do it. The important point here is to use your ears and go for what you like. I know that sounds like a cliche but let's face it - this is your voice on your instument.

For most players there is a logical order for bass effects. For example, a reverb effect which is used to simulate the effect of playing in a church, hall, small room probably makes sense at the end of a signal chain. On the other hand, a compressor that is used to even-out the amplitude variations in on your slapping bass line might make good sense early in your signal chain. Other pedals like tremolo are more flexible in there placement. Again, these aren't rules, just ways of seeing these effects.

You could lump effects into the following high-level categories:

• fuzz, over drive, distortion, boosters or preamps, buffers
  
• compression
• delay and loopers
• reverb
• chorus, phasers, flangers, pitch modulators
  
• tremolo and vibrato
• envelope filters and wahs
• octave and pitch

I am not suggesting that all these effect be played simultaneously. I am simply offering an opinion on logical sequencing so that when effects are combined, they have natural interaction with each other.

Below is just one possible effects order.

1. Levelling pedals: Compressor, sustainer.
I place a compressor first in my effects chain as it evens out the dynamics in my playing and sets the source level for the following effects and eventually my amp. You could put a compressor anywhere you want to smoothe out the volume fluctuations in a signal.

2. Basic tone building pedals: Over drive, fuzz, distortion, octave
I use these pedals second to establish tone.
I like to put these kind of effects right after a compressor. Again, you might prefer placing fuzz, distortion, OD before a compressor. I like it after since I can make the overdrive sustain the effect.
I use Octave or pitch pedals to fatten up the established tone from the earlier effects stages. I personally love the sound of octaver pedals for bass.
Octave and pitch pedals make sense to me as a thickening tool for an already good tone.

3. Dynamic EQ shaping pedals: Envelope filters and wahs
I use these filtering pedals to carve out and hone into specific tonal responses from the thick pallette of tones available. Filters make sense to me here since the full spectrum of tones have been built up at the overdrive and octave stages. Many guitar players would disagree here since many use the filters to control the intensity of the distortion or overdrive effect. Once again, this is a matter of taste. For my personal taste on bass - this is the only way to go. Go with your ears.

4. Multiple voice pedals: Chorus, flanger and phaser
The sound of a chorus or a flanger after overdrive sounds lovely as the harmonics really come to life here. Also these kinds of effects can thicken up a signal thinned out by filters and wahs.

5. Tremolo and vibrato pedals: tremolo and vibrato
Traditionally, tremolo effects were built into to amps as the last stage before the power amp. A vibrato is a pitch bend effects. I think these kind of pedals could sound pretty natural just about anywhere after compression,distortion and octave pedals.

6. Delay pedals: Delay and looper pedals
You've built up some sweet sounds at this stage so this is the place to replicate those sounds with a delay or loop. Some would argue this effect should go last. It's up to you. I think reverb make sense at the very end.

7. Ambience pedals: reverb
To me, this is a logical and natural place for reverb in the effects chain. As mentioned earlier, this is the effect used to simulate the sound interaction in a given space. Makes sense to me at the end of a signal chain.

Below is my pedal board. Check it out.