Electro-Harmonix’s The Mole bass booster pedal assists guitarists – specifically bassists – with unleashing a positively subterranean sound. Based on the company’s classic design, this updated variant from Electro-Harmonix maintains the same rich, throbbing bottom end while adding a 20dB boost to your signal.
Whether you dial back the knob to add texture to your existing tone or step on The Mole to experience the ground-shaking drive, this bass booster digs as deep – or shallow – as you ask it to.
Pros
- Responsive
- Compact
- Excellent sound quality
Cons
- Some user feedback suggests the pedal is a bit “too bassy” at times
- Not a plethora of features
- Eliminates some highs and mids
Looking for a pedal that does exactly what it claims to do…which is boosting the bass? Go no further than the Electro-Harmonix’s updated version of its classic Mole.
This bass booster fattens up the higher notes when you aren’t seeking a thinner sound, and works great on tunes from the ‘60s and ‘70s that may need a fat upper register.
Though the product has been well-received for its responsiveness, compact dimensions, and overall sound quality, some users have reported an “excessively bassy” characteristic from the pedal as well as the fact that it doesn’t boast many features beyond a knob.
Some feedback has also suggested that The Mole tends to eradicate highs and mids from music.
Where it Goes in Signal Chain
Important to note is that placement in your signal chain is very important in order to get the most out of this bass pedal. Whether it’s in our labs or taking into consideration user feedback, things tend to sound better before some effects and after others; you need to experiment with The Mole’s features to establish what works best for you.
Sound Quality
We have spoken with musicians who have purchased The Mole to turn their Strats into a bass when multi-tracking on the cheap, which is a testament to the product’s versatility. It tends to add a “deep bluesy fuzz” to effects if you’re looking for a little extra texture from your tube amp.
If you run your bass directly into a DAW or modeler (or board), this may just be the product for you; from what we have seen, The Mole instantly produces an EQ profile and presence that you otherwise would fuss around for hours to achieve.
Features
- Type: Bass booster effects pedal
- Controls: Centrally-mounted knob to control boost level; up to 20dB, of low-frequency gain for any amp; on/off footswitch
- Inputs: ¼-inch phone jack; DC power jack, 9 VDC input
- Outputs: ¼-inch phone jack
- Bypass Type: True bypass
- Power Source: Internal 9 VDC battery or US96DC-200BI external
- Dimensions: 2.75 x 4.5 x 2.1-inches (70 x 115 x 54 mm)
- Weight: 0.7 pounds