Effects Pedals

[The Shadow]

You guys that like my board must be just like me... An anal retentive neat freak with just a hint of OCD.

Those are all pretty standard pedals and it took some trial and error and some planning to get that where I wanted it. I've been running that board into a 100 watt Marshall DSL. I keep the DSL on the green channel in the "Classic Gain" setting with the gain dimed. Roll back the guitars volume for clean, volume full on for crunch, kick on the SD-1 or the RC Boost for more gain, or use them stacked for modern high gain tones.

[MeYatch]

...I know Paul and I are using true bypass loop pedals, American Looper and Loooper, respectively. Not sure about Mitch, though. I can't tell if his blend pedal does the same as ours...

I just turn the gain on my amp until its really noisy with or without pedals.

I don't really notice a huge problem, its all about expectations management.

I may build a true bypass loop/switching system someday, but it would be more for aesthetics and ease of use than for tone.

[lonewolf]

You guys that like my board must be just like me... An anal retentive neat feat freak with just a hint of OCD.

I don't know why they call it a disorder...
Why do they call it a disorder?
Why do they call it a disorder?
Why do they call it a disorder?
Why do they call it a disorder?
Why do they call it a disorder?
Why do they call it a disorder?
Why do they call it a disorder?
Why do they call it a disorder?
Why do they call it a disorder?

[bassist_25]

Question to all: How do yins quell the extra noise?

Hey Joe, check out the angled pedal on the left side of my board. That's an ISP Noise Decimator. I've been pretty happy with it - very easy to use and easy to get a balance between eliminating noise and not choking the end of my notes. I could get away without it, but like I said, earlier, I like having it there for high gain (the VT can get a little noisy on extreme settings) and to take care of electrical interference with my pickups in some rooms. Kenny uses a Rocktron Hush in his rack and he's been very happy with it.

As Steve pointed out, I'm using a looper. That's to help eliminate some cable lenght, get some pedals with inferior buffered bypasses out of the main signal, and to switch on multiple effects at once - in this case, the Wounded Paw, Fission, and Muff. Not every pedalboard needs a bypass looper, but they definitely come in handy once you start putting a lot of pedals, especially true bypass pedals, on your board.

You guys that like my board must be just like me... An anal retentive neat freak with just a hint of OCD.

I wish my board were wired more cleanly. I've drooled over some of the professional cabling jobs that Trailer Trash has done with their boards- http://trailertrashpedalboards.com/. But a Trailer Trash board with a professional wiring job would probably cost as much as the pedals on top of it! Right now, my boards wired up with a mix of Planet Waves, George Ls, and Lavas. I mainly wired the loops up with George Ls, since the smaller plugs worked better for the Sends and Returns. I'd like to wire the whole board up with some .155 George L cabling, but the plugs for the wiring get expensive.

[metalchurch]

Paul, yea I saw that bro. I've been posting at 4:30am while my coffee pot does it's thing, so I apologize for missing some details.

And yeah Shadow, I am a big fan of neat and clean. It looks good, and it makes trouble shooting much easier imo.

[floodcitybrass]

[kayla]

i'm thinkin of grabbin a flanger pedal. not sure if thats a good choice with blues. but i've got a channel on my practice amp that i like the flanger setting on it.

good idea, or bad idea? opinions?

- kayla.

[bassist_25]

Flange is definitely one of those effects that you don't use real often, but a time always comes up when you need it; and it makes or breaks what you're doing, IMO. If you're going to venture into classic rock, which sometimes happens when playing the blues (don't taze me, blues purists!), a flange would be a good idea.

[Mysterytrain]

i'm thinkin of grabbin a flanger pedal. not sure if thats a good choice with blues. but i've got a channel on my practice amp that i like the flanger setting on it.

good idea, or bad idea? opinions?

- kayla.

A couple of things, in my opinion and what I prefer...

I prefer a Phase/Phase Shifter over a Flanger. It seems to be a more consistent swirling effect. I hear a more broken effect using a flanger. I like how the phaser sets behind the solo's tone where a flange steps on the individual notes. If that makes any sense.

Also, depending on the volume of live vs. at home jamming will totally change things. What sounds great at home may get lost when playing live over the drums, bass and volume. Which sucks because I've spent hours dialing in multi effect units to have great tone and effects then when I tried them out live it got washed out.

Whatever flanger sound you are getting out your amp be sure to look around at different pedals until you find the one that sounds similar.

Eh, that's my two cents,

[Jasaoke]

Mysterytrain +1:

The subtle use of effects is fairly well lost in a live situation. I don't really go for effects, but when I do, I try to put them almost over-the-top. If you're trying to recreate the "Kashmir" flange on stage, I think you're better off going for a more 'cartoon'-ized version. It's a fine line between doing too much and just enough, but if you want to make sure a room full of people get it, go big.

[old Skool]

+2 on the phaser. Pretty much what everyone else said about it but try a flanger too. If the flanger is what makes YOU happy with what you're trying to create that's what matters most. Some very cool tunes & jams have happened by people doing the opposite of what everyone else said & did. With that though I still vote for the phaser (get the old MXR & you're guarenteed to play like Van Halen ha ha!).

[Mysterytrain]

+2 on the phaser. I still vote for the phaser (get the old MXR & you're guarenteed to play like Van Halen ha ha!).

Nice... I use an old MXR Phase 100 script logo version.

Not really into Van Halen though.

[kayla]

older thread, but im bringin it back up. i finally got my pedal board set up, still shuffling around ideas on a second tube screamer/overdrive pedal.

but right now its got the marshal echohead, boss chorus pedal, handwired/built big muff pi, hand wired/built custom tube screamer.

i have my eyes on this leslie simulator
http://www.dlseffects.com/roto_sim.php

thats it for now. anyone stumble on some cool pedals lately?

- kayla.

[Banned]

older thread, but im bringin it back up. i finally got my pedal board set up, still shuffling around ideas on a second tube screamer/overdrive pedal.

but right now its got the marshal echohead, boss chorus pedal, handwired/built big muff pi, hand wired/built custom tube screamer.

i have my eyes on this leslie simulator
http://www.dlseffects.com/roto_sim.php

thats it for now. anyone stumble on some cool pedals lately?

- kayla.

I would love to hear it, are you practicing this Sat.?

[kayla]

I would love to hear it, are you practicing this Sat.?

yup, starting at 2. stop by if ya can! and bring your guitar

- kayla.

[bassist_25]

I'm still waiting for my SFX Micro-Fuzz.

http://www.sfxsound.co.uk/mainpage.asp?page=micro_fuzz

I'm pretty excited. Most fuzzes, whether for bass or guitar, just sound like slight variations on Muffs and Tonebenders to my ears, but this thing has a very synthy quality to it that I dig.

I have one of Max's Micro-thumpinators mounted under my pedal board. That's a handy little box. I wish more pedal builders used the 1590a enclosure. It really saves room on a tight pedal board.

[kayla]

I wish more pedal builders used the 1590a enclosure. It really saves room on a tight pedal board.

those boxes are tiny. i can't imagine wiring in one. i get angry wiring in a 1290 enclosure

[racecarbkwds]

Kayla,

Check out the Fulltone OCD if you're looking for another overdrive. Many think it's a great overdrive pedal, and it has a different voice than TS-9 type drives.

[kayla]

Check out the Fulltone OCD if you're looking for another overdrive. Many think it's a great overdrive pedal, and it has a different voice than TS-9 type drives.

the fulltone is a nice over drive pedal. after our practice saturday i think everything i have is more than sufficient for my needs. i can get all the overdrive i need and have a beautiful clean tone.

- kayla.

[StumbleFingers]

I wish more pedal builders used the 1590a enclosure. It really saves room on a tight pedal board.

those boxes are tiny. i can't imagine wiring in one. i get angry wiring in a 1290 enclosure

Another tough thing about the 1590s is that unless you have really tiny feet, your switches end up being too close together and you have to spread the pedals out so much that you negate the advantage of the smaller size.

They're great for things that you intend to leave turned on. I built a buffer in a 1590 and it's really convenient.

And this thing is just sick: Polytune Mini. Wow!

[bassist_25]

Another tough thing about the 1590s is that unless you have really tiny feet, your switches end up being too close together and you have to spread the pedals out so much that you negate the advantage of the smaller size.

They're great for things that you intend to leave turned on. I built a buffer in a 1590 and it's really convenient.

That is a good point. I can't see myself using an entire board of 1590 boxes, but they are great for putting them in places on the board where a small footprint is the only way you're going to get anything more on there. Some of the line buffers work great on pedal boards like Pedal Trains and such that have space underneath.