The Finhol ABL-01 Auto Bass Looper is a guitar pedal that creates a "bass loop": you play a chord sequence into it, and the pedal works out the accompanying bass line from that sequence, trying to replicate what a four-string bass player would do. It is aimed at solo artists, buskers, or anyone trying out new song ideas, and it was reported as something new when it appeared in March 20161.
How it works
The pedal is built around playing a chord sequence into it. You tap the footswitch four times to set up the tempo or loop, and then the recording starts; after that, the pedal plays the bass line it has worked out from what you played1.
The bass sound comes from samples rather than synthesis. All of the bass samples are taken from a Fender Jazz Bass, which the report described as "a good all-round bass tone for many different styles of music"1.
The controls and jacks
The layout is deliberately simple: two footswitches and a single pot for the guitar level1.
| Control or jack | What it does |
|---|---|
| Footswitches (two) | Tap four times to set the tempo or loop, then recording starts1 |
| Guitar level pot | Sets the guitar level1 |
| Input | Where you play your chord sequence in1 |
| Guitar and bass outputs | Separate outputs for the guitar and the bass samples, so the two can go to different amps or channels1 |
| Trigger Sync jack | Sets up a click or metronome pulse for another rhythm device, or sends a click to a drummer1 |
The light on the front panel is a two-color red and green LED, used to indicate when the pedal is recording or playing back the bass samples1.
Where it came from
Finhol manufacture their products in Germany and make a number of different accompaniment pedals as well as more traditional effects1. The ABL-01 was reported as new in March 2016, at an RRP of EUR 1991. For other pedals in this family of tools, see Looping Pedals and Drum Pedals.
Questions
Does the Finhol ABL-01 write the bass line by itself?
Yes. The idea behind the pedal is that you play a chord sequence into it, and the pedal then works out the accompanying bass line from that sequence. You tap the footswitch four times to set the tempo or loop, the recording starts, and after that the pedal plays the bass part back for you.
What bass sound does the Finhol ABL-01 use?
The bass samples in the pedal are all taken from a Fender Jazz Bass. Gearnews described that as a good all-round bass tone for many different styles of music, so the pedal aims to cover a range of material with one bass voice rather than offering several.
How do you set the tempo on the Finhol ABL-01?
You tap the footswitch four times to set up the tempo or loop, and then the recording starts. Once that is done, the pedal plays the bass line it has worked out from your chord sequence.
What is the Trigger Sync jack on the Finhol ABL-01 for?
The Trigger Sync jack is used to set up a click or metronome pulse, either for another rhythm device or to send a click to a drummer, so the pedal's bass line can be kept in time with the rest of the performance.
Can the Finhol ABL-01 send the guitar and bass to separate amps?
Yes. The pedal features an input as well as outputs for both the guitar and the bass samples separately, so the two signals can be routed to different amplifiers or channels.
How much does the Finhol ABL-01 cost?
When the pedal was reported as new in March 2016, it carried an RRP of EUR 199. No US dollar price is given for it.
Sources (1)
- More bass: Enter Finhol's ABL-01Auto Bass Looper pedal, gearnews.com, 2016-03-27