it doesn't matter what kind of effects you use, everyone is affected by acoustic conditions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiTtWnx_rjY
guitar and bass can be used through exactly the same effect. however, the way it is used and the final result will be completely different. chorus and delay are extremely effective as the bottom end can sound really huge if you know how to use it
with a bass.
unfortunately i don't own and pc recording interface, if not i could share with you guys the way that i use such effects, sometimes in series with other effects.
it doesn't matter if an effect is 'boutique' or not, as long as it is of sufficiently high quality (low end response, sufficient headroom) to handle a bass signal.
either way, if you are in a cover band, it will be hard to use effects on someone else's shit. or alternatively, try playing muse songs WITHOUT the fuzz.
anyway, i shouldn't be telling anyone what they should do and how they should play, because music is about creativity, not convention.
so the short reply will be
FAVOURITE CHORUS:
MAXON CS-550 or
CS-9
reason: delay time setting