I love pedal$, too much of a good thing....?
- Thread starter Mark from Murrieta
- Start date
aleclee
Tribe of One
I recall one day looking at my non-ginormous pedalboard and doing some arithmetic. Including the board and power supply, I'd sunk about $1,300 in the thing. I had some nice pedals but nothing crazy expensive. Stuff adds up.
While it's fun to go down the rabbit hole of analyzing the minute differences of various pedals, there are times when they start to sound the same to me. That BYOC dirt box with built-in boost and semi-parametric EQ does seem to be a little more off the beaten path than most. For me the biggest challenge was figuring out what features were truly important to me. One example is tremolo. While a lot of folks (including myself) look for something that approximate's the bias trem effect built into some amps, I also want to be able to use it for more of a slicer effect. The ability to cover both made the Voodoo Lab trem much more appealing than pretty much anything else out there.
Aside from the $$$, it can get challenging to run a big board. Cable routing can get interesting depending on how you prefer the pedals to be laid out. Tap dancing can be a challenge in terms of timing and balance. Transporting a large pedalboard can be a challenge if you have a small vehicle.
I suppose where I'm going with all this is that it can be a fun ride but pedal tasting can get spendy and managing a large set comes with its own set of challenges.
While it's fun to go down the rabbit hole of analyzing the minute differences of various pedals, there are times when they start to sound the same to me. That BYOC dirt box with built-in boost and semi-parametric EQ does seem to be a little more off the beaten path than most. For me the biggest challenge was figuring out what features were truly important to me. One example is tremolo. While a lot of folks (including myself) look for something that approximate's the bias trem effect built into some amps, I also want to be able to use it for more of a slicer effect. The ability to cover both made the Voodoo Lab trem much more appealing than pretty much anything else out there.
Aside from the $$$, it can get challenging to run a big board. Cable routing can get interesting depending on how you prefer the pedals to be laid out. Tap dancing can be a challenge in terms of timing and balance. Transporting a large pedalboard can be a challenge if you have a small vehicle.
I suppose where I'm going with all this is that it can be a fun ride but pedal tasting can get spendy and managing a large set comes with its own set of challenges.
cowboy
Blues, Booze & BBQ
agree with aleclee..."there are times when they start to sound the same to me"...but like with guitars, too many choices...(yes, I'm guilty of this also)
I always go back to the KISS principle...just put a good guitar into front of a good amp...Gibson LP -> my Nace....BUT then I think I want a bit of delay, maybe some tremelo, a quick and easy volume boost...and then I think I want some wah, a couple of OD sounds or make that distortion, plus some flanger, vibe........and then the GAS begins...
so I end up with a pedalboard, then a mini pedalboard, and then a couple of effects units and two shelves of "optional" pedals...
maybe what I really need is a "fire sale"...
however in the end, the boy with the most toys wins...and I'm doing a good job of being in the race...just ask my wife...
...later.
cowboy
shhhh, don't tell anyone but it's fun...
I always go back to the KISS principle...just put a good guitar into front of a good amp...Gibson LP -> my Nace....BUT then I think I want a bit of delay, maybe some tremelo, a quick and easy volume boost...and then I think I want some wah, a couple of OD sounds or make that distortion, plus some flanger, vibe........and then the GAS begins...
so I end up with a pedalboard, then a mini pedalboard, and then a couple of effects units and two shelves of "optional" pedals...
maybe what I really need is a "fire sale"...
however in the end, the boy with the most toys wins...and I'm doing a good job of being in the race...just ask my wife...
...later.cowboy
shhhh, don't tell anyone but it's fun...
CaptainMoto
Blues Voyager
Pedals are like hot sauce.
They all spice up your meal, some are very similar and some are HOT!
There's a recipe for every taste.
I'm always seeing new stuff, that looks great but, I'm resisting all the new temptations trying to learn how to use what I've got.
All my amps have reverb but I like to have a Verb pedal on the bard for an extra dribble of juice when I want it.
My delay is almost always on and I use a Wah now and again.
The main variation in tone comes from driving my tubes and/or one of four O/D pedals that are all just different enough to get me anyplace I need to go.
I'm always looking at the new stuff.
I just aint adding any right now.
They all spice up your meal, some are very similar and some are HOT!
There's a recipe for every taste.
I'm always seeing new stuff, that looks great but, I'm resisting all the new temptations trying to learn how to use what I've got.
All my amps have reverb but I like to have a Verb pedal on the bard for an extra dribble of juice when I want it.
My delay is almost always on and I use a Wah now and again.
The main variation in tone comes from driving my tubes and/or one of four O/D pedals that are all just different enough to get me anyplace I need to go.
I'm always looking at the new stuff.
I just aint adding any right now.
Rancid Rumpboogie
Blues Mangler
NO MORE PEDALS! NO MORE GUITARS! Time to STOP and just concentrate on LEARNING TO PLAY.
jackderby52
Prehistoric blues knob (not newbie)
Wow, never saw that one coming... ...
...
nvr2old
Blues Newbie
YepWow, never saw that one coming...
snarf
making guitars wish they were still trees
Yep! I always like the pedal issue of the other guitar mag. I've found that pedals are like guitars. I only ever need 1 more.
So far I've managed to not feel like I needed an effects unit, but I've seen a couple of them lately that have made me start to wonder if I might need to add one to the collection (although I do have a Mustang Floor if that one counts). You never know when it might come in handy, right?
Taking a quick look through the pedals in the article, I don't feel a need to run down and hit the GC this weekend, but that chorus/reverb pedal on like the 3rd or 4th page caught my eye. The VCR was it called? I've been considering a good Chorus lately. Had one I really liked, loaned it out, and decided recently that I'm probably never going to see it again.
That's my problem with pedals. I hit one of those phases where I'm all about guitar > amp, and then I think. As Mrs Snarf always tells me, thinking just gets me in trouble. Wonder what it would sound like if... And you know I can never use a pedal on the shelf because I know what that one sounds like, so it's off to the GC to see what they have. Do I think I need an OD? So this one is an actual green TubeScreamer (got one), and this one is this company's version of a TubeScreamer (got it too), and so is this one (and got this one too), but I haven't heard this other one to see if it really sounds like a TubeScreamer or not. Guess what goes home with me. And guess what sounds, pretty much, just like 5 other pedals on the shelf.
So far I've managed to not feel like I needed an effects unit, but I've seen a couple of them lately that have made me start to wonder if I might need to add one to the collection (although I do have a Mustang Floor if that one counts). You never know when it might come in handy, right?
Taking a quick look through the pedals in the article, I don't feel a need to run down and hit the GC this weekend, but that chorus/reverb pedal on like the 3rd or 4th page caught my eye. The VCR was it called? I've been considering a good Chorus lately. Had one I really liked, loaned it out, and decided recently that I'm probably never going to see it again.
Thank you. I may be there as well..... I hope.
Pat B
Rancid Rumpboogie
Blues Mangler
I do, however, plan on getting a Quilter MicroPro Mach 2 head and Quilter HD 1 X 12 cabinet when I retire in about a year.
I will still have my Mustang III V1 and my three great tube amps.
(My new after-retirement music room will need some good visual impact / "atmosphere")
I play 99% through a CLEAN amp, and the Quilter has that covered in spades. Don't need a plethora of different amp models, etc., just one GREAT tone that is MY tone.
This video is the original model, the new ones are improved beyond this.
https://youtu.be/sB4C-1blIw8
This is also the older model
https://youtu.be/OOjXBLlFn38?list=RDsB4C-1blIw8
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