Let's Talk About Effects Pedals And Stuff!
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You're probably going to be buying 20, 30 or more pedals over the next several years. Trying many pedals. Using some for a while because "they are the best"! Then replacing one on your board with another one you like. Your board will probably grow in numbers, and will undoubtedly, and magically migrate and morph into different boards over time. I'm a pedal junkie! LOVE pedals. Not so crazy about guitar processors. Tried a bunch of them. OWN a bunch of them! But at the end of the day, I'm using my pedals. One thing to consider: There are pedals made to make your rig sound "better", not just different! And you really need to include these pedals on your board to get the most out of the pedals you're using most. IMHO: The 1st pedal that should be on EVERY board is a compressor! Not to be used as a distortion or over drive pedal! But to give your board a proper foundation! And you should have an EQ pedals as well. If you know you'll be using several pedals, invest in at least a cheap buffer pedal! Behringer makes a great compressor at a very good price. I have 2 of them on my main board! (19"X39", 28 pedals!) I have 2 buffers. One at the beginning of the chain. Along with the compressor, into the EQ into the buffer, then into my Seymour Duncan Pick Up Booster. (Awesome pedal!) These 4 pedals are my "always on" pedals. The create the overall sound of my guitar. They bring out the best of my guitar, and my amps! Because there are so many pedals, and I use them in so many different combinations, I run them into a Joyo PXL-Pro 8 channel pedal looper/switcher. The thing is, each pedal opens a door. The more you learn about how pedals work in general, and how to use them efficiently, to full advantage, the more you'll love them! And the bigger the door gets! You'll need to learn about signal path. What pedals to go where in the effects chain. Some sound best in front of the amp. Some sound MUCH better going through your amp's effects loop! (Vitally important if you use your 2nd amp channel as a drive channel!) If you only use pedals to drive your amp (amp is always set CLEAN) then it's not an issue. But if you drive your amp with it's gain/drive options, some pedals really need to go into the effects loop for optimum sound. (time and modulation pedals) Of course, that means . . . CRAP! You gotta buy a new amp if it doesn't have an FX loop! LOL Another good tip . . . ALWAYS use good cables! Don't string effect pedals with cheap $3 or $4 cables! If you're on a budget, learn how to make your own cables! Buy the cable and connectors. Save a small fortune! Plus you can then make them to the exact length needed, with the correct, optimum connector. (straight or 90 degree) Be sure to use adequate, and quality power supplies! Cheap ones like the OneSpot are fine to get started. But once you're gigging, you need a better power source! Cleaner, more constant and consistent ISOLATED power! Hmmm. Did you know your pedals are "amp specific", and "guitar specific"!?! Single coils, humbuckers, active pups . . . tubes, trans-tubes, digital SS amps. They all sound different, and RESPOND differently to your pedals! I mentioned using a pedal switcher. I also use an amp switcher because I prefer gigging with 2 amps. All tube Fender head with 4x12 MojoTone 4x12 with Neodymium Celestion Creambacks, an all tube Vox AC30CC2 2x12. Occasionally I also use my Marshall. Depends on the gig. But the PXL-Pro has trigger outs so I can switch amps right in my patches! I use the Fender amps a lot, but use the Marshall a bunch as well. So some of the 28 pedals are linked in patches specifically for the Marshall with my PRS guitar. (for Santana, Gary Moore, etc.) and others are specifically set up for Strats, Teles, etc. through my Fender rig. (Jazz, Rock-a-Billy, Surf, etc.) I have patches/banks set up specifically for Blues, Latin Rock, heavy Rock, Surf, Jazz, etc. I used to run a real reverb tank on top of my Fender rig for Surf. So it's critically important that my signal chain is set up properly. What pedals go with what guitar, and which amp. And the order the pedals are in each patch, and what goes into the FX loop! So enjoy the journey. It's an exciting, fun journey! I started gigging in the mid 1960's. I'm 76. Still actively gigging! Jazz, Blues, Surf, heavier Rock! I see no end to my journey! |
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