Boss LMB-3 Bass Limiter / Enhancer Pedal Reviews

Does it's job. A little goes a long way

First off, this is not only a Limiter, but a great Compressor, too (those are the same effects except for the amount of slope, scientifically). Just turn the slope below 12:00 and it becomes a compressor. And yes, it still brigs up quiet noises and gives you more sustain.

Between slope and threshold, you have a lot of precise customizability. The pedal is pretty transparent, so even when you minimize the thresh and maximize the slope, it doesn't sound like a "squash" effect or make your bass sound tiny. It just adjusts volume and thiccens your sound. I can fine tune it and it simply makes my bass sound better however I want to set it.

I don't really use the "Enhance" feature. The "Enhance" feature's infamous hissy clickiness is not that bad when you keep it below 12:00, in my experience. But I don't really feel like it's necessary to have it up at all to keep your percussive quality, so it's not really a drawback to me.

Lastly, I do not regret getting a pedal without an "Attack Time" knob. On bass, Limiting *needs* an immediate attack time to be useful for mixing switching playstyles. If you want even note volumes, even switching between fingerstyle and slap or picked, this attack time is perfect --- same volume. I love this pedal; it does everything I wanted and more. This will be an always-on pedal for me.

Rapid-Fire Unexpected Pros:
- Gives great definition to notes on my B string (less rattly and boomy, more musical)
- Brings harmonics up in the mix (loud and clear tone, even when played in conjunction with normal bass notes)
- I don't have to dig in as much with a pick to be heard, but I can still dig in for extra oomph without being too loud
- It can help hide less-than-perfect articulation in the mix by keeping your volume from spiking with fret buzz

Bottom Line: It's versatile, it's useful, and it's cheaper than its competition (especially on the used market).

I have an LMB-3 bass pedal that i use for studio recording. This pedal is a set and forget pedal meaning you find the right settings for your typical playing style / bass, and then leave it on. That's all there is to it. This pedal doesn't sound like you are using a pedal if you have it setup right. It basically normalizes your volume and tone for maximum volume without noise and clipping no matter how hard you hit the attack. That really helps avoid distortion and pops when recording that cause recording retakes, but without the compression softness and artifacts. Works great for what it is intended to do.

I have a LMB-3 in my bass pedalboard, but with no hiss what so ever, even with the enhance at full.This pedal is a three trick pony. One, it has a buffer. Two, you can use it as a cut or boost pedal and three it is a compressor pedal. I run a 32 foot instrument cable,(so I can walk around while I'm playing) into the LMB-3, then into the Pi big muff (which I only use for some songs) and then into VT Bass DI. I use the VT Bass DI for the 10db boost which I run into the SVT 3 Pro and 410HLF Quad box with another 10 foot instrument cable. I play a fender jazz bass and a gibson thunderbird. I like to keep it simple because I'm after that plug straight in tone. Mainly play Deep Purple and the Stones.

This did everything it was supposed to do very well, and more. Unfortunately, the "more" was noise. This pedal hissed when active no matter where it was physically in relation to my bass or amp, what positions the knobs were in, etc. I could turn the level all the way down, the limiter and enhancer off, you name it--still hissed. I sent it back, and Sweetwater took care of me.