Re: STOMPBOXES!
Depends what you want dude. Compression is a very popular choice for a lot of bass players, but they also favor effects like fuzz or overdrive, also pitch changing or octave pedals are valuable tools for bass players too since these kind of pedals can fill out the sound more, which helps in smaller bands that want a bigger sound. A tuner always comes in handy and Boss has a great standard one, and a number of players also use EQ pedals to fine-tune their tone beyond what their amp settings can usually do, though I find it more popular on the more simple passive basses, as active basses usually have more tone shaping capabilities on board the bass itself.
More occasionally used effects for bass usually include things like chorus, delay, wah, filters, etc. But many examples of these effects used exist and they really help things sound unique and stand out. It also depends which music styles you play, like if you play old school motown or blues, effects might not help you very much or even be necessary, but if you play more progressive, ambient, or heavier styles of music, effects can be a lot more helpful. So what do you play or plan on playing?
When it comes to actually selecting a good pedal for whatever effect you want, it is mainly up to your own personal preference. For example, many bass players actually use pedals designed almost exclusively for guitar and this actually yields great results. I myself use a Fulltone OCD for a boost/overdrive for my bass and there was a thread not long ago about using a Boss Overdrive a user had lying around and he loved the results it had on a bass. Basically, if it sounds right, then it is, but try to test the pedals extensively before buying them. What sounds great on it's own could sound horrible in a band setting or vice versa. Maybe it sounds good quiet but when you crank it up it doesn't sound so good anymore. Also try them with a set up as close to yours as possible if not identical to find out how it interacts and responds to the rest of your gear so that when your full set up is complete, the tonal result is greater than simply the sum of it's parts. Also pay attention to how the pedals are supposed to be used, where they are supposed to go in your signal chain, what they do to your signal even when they are off and the cable just runs straight through it, etc. These are just things to think about when trying pedals out.
