The Myco Pedals Bepa is a tube bass overdrive pedal: an all-analog circuit built around a single 12AX7 tube run at high voltage, aimed at the sound of a classic tube bass rig. It carries two gain channels, each with its own gain knob, plus a Tone knob and a Master volume, and it offers two outputs: one for your amp and one, labeled Rec, with a speaker simulation circuit for recording direct. Bass Gear Magazine reviewed it in May 2018 at a list price of $299.991.
How it works and what it controls
The top panel holds gain knobs for the two channels, a Tone knob and a Master volume. One footswitch turns the effect on and off, and the other engages Gain-2, so the two gain settings can be switched on the fly without bending down1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain-1 knob | Sets the gain for the first channel |
| Gain-2 knob | Sets the gain for the second channel, engaged by the second footswitch |
| Tone | Tone shaping |
| Master | Overall output volume |
| Footswitch 1 | Turns the effect on and off |
| Footswitch 2 | Engages Gain-2 |
Because the pedal runs a 12AX7 at high voltage, it takes a 12v AC supply rather than the DC input common on compact pedals. A supplied adapter covers this, but it means the Bepa will not share a standard daisy-chain or battery setup1.
The Bepa requires 12v AC power, not the DC supply used by most pedalboard setups. Use the supplied adapter1.
The two gain channels
Bass Gear Magazine's reviewer, Tom Bowlus, heard the two channels as different tools. Of the first, he wrote:
"Gain-1 is not a very obvious effect, and definitely something that you'd dial in and just leave in the signal chain all"1
Tom Bowlus, Bass Gear Magazine1
Gain-2, by contrast, is a more obvious overdrive effect, though not over the top even at full boost, and it is inherently louder than Gain-1, which makes it usable as a volume boost as well as a drive change1.
Overall, Bowlus described the pedal as "an organic, vintage-inspired overdrive pedal, for sure," evoking classic tube bass rigs1.
The Amp and Rec outputs
Along the top of the enclosure sit the 1/4" input and two 1/4" outputs, labeled Amp and Rec. The Amp output feeds your bass amp as usual. The Rec output features a speaker simulation circuit and is intended for recording purposes, so a player can run the pedal straight into an interface and capture a speaker-like tone without miking a cabinet1. Players looking at that recording path may also find the Speaker Simulation Pedals page useful for standalone alternatives.
The maker
The Bepa comes from Myco Pedals, and it is made in the USA with a 5-year warranty1.
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Questions
Does the Myco Pedals Bepa use a real tube?
Yes. According to Bass Gear Magazine's review, the Bepa features a single 12AX7 tube run at high voltage, with all-analog circuitry around it. That high-voltage tube operation is part of how the pedal aims at the feel of a classic tube bass rig, and it is also why the pedal uses a 12v AC power input rather than a standard 9v DC pedal supply.
What is the Rec output on the Bepa for?
The Rec output carries a speaker simulation circuit and is intended for recording purposes. It lets you send a simulated speaker tone straight to an interface or recording rig while the Amp output feeds your bass amp, so both outputs can be used at the same time from the pedal's single input.
Is the Myco Bepa true bypass?
Yes. Bass Gear Magazine's review describes the Bepa as using 3PDT true-bypass switching, alongside its all-analog circuitry and single 12AX7 tube run at high voltage.
Where is the Myco Pedals Bepa made?
The Bepa is made in the USA by Myco Pedals, a company founded by Mike Olienechak. The review lists the manufacture as Myco Pedals and the country of manufacture as the USA, with a 5-year warranty.
What does the Bepa's second footswitch do?
One footswitch turns the effect on and off, and the other engages Gain-2, the pedal's second gain channel. Each channel has its own gain knob, so the second switch calls up a different, more pronounced overdrive setting without touching the knobs.
Sources (1)
- Bepa Bass Tube Overdrive Pedal, Bass Gear Magazine, 2018-05-08