|
Post by Lefty on Jul 26, 2015 6:13:07 GMT -7
Anyone using non-boutique pedals?
At rehearsal last week the other guitar player in my band was using an old Boss MIJ SD-1 and it sounded pretty damn good. I was using my Plimsoul and it left me a little flat, maybe a little too transparent. Then I remembered years ago I played through a friends SD-1 and his Marshall...OMG, it was great. Makes you wonder. Are we over thinking it?
|
|
|
Post by Maddog on Jul 26, 2015 6:25:31 GMT -7
I hear ya, Lefty. That old (NON true bypass) green Tube Screamer still sounds pretty darn good as well!
|
|
|
Post by LT on Jul 26, 2015 8:54:23 GMT -7
I've thought a lot about this lately….especially when I read about touring players and what they have in their effects chains. A lot of them are using off the shelf stuff that sounds good and is easily replaceable….and relatively inexpensive!
|
|
|
Post by walt on Jul 26, 2015 9:01:05 GMT -7
mass produced=bad,boutique=good has obviously become the oversimplified rule of thumb,but then you see pro boards with boss stuff side by side with the expensive pedals.I think it depends on the builder and the actual innovation/lack of.Thankfully there are usually lots of reviews and videos online-I bought most of pedals (and my dr z!) without ever hearing them live.People just need to take the time to do research and get as much info as possible,and choose what works for them.
|
|
|
Post by benttop (Steve) on Jul 26, 2015 10:53:18 GMT -7
I took an entire truckload of stuff to the guitar show to sell last year. Every bit of my cheap stuff went in the first couple hours. Virtually all of my boutique pedals came back home with me.
|
|
|
Post by Paul (TRANE) on Jul 26, 2015 12:21:23 GMT -7
Yes. We all over think things. I was just sitting here playing.....guitar into amp straight. Every guitar sounded awesome through each amp. Basic cheap spectra flex cable about 10' long. Dialed in the pickups on my LP. Then tried my other guitars......oh my! Now that is what I call killer tone. Big fat with cut and no ice pick highs. Just messing with volumes and tone knobs. So much on tap.....gotta love it. I may have to break out some efx and see what sells......maybe.
Sent from my SM-N900V using proboards
|
|
|
Post by wraparound (Steve) on Jul 26, 2015 20:28:15 GMT -7
To answer directly, yes I have a few off the shelf effects, and also some boutique effects. Hardly use any really because the tone that is most important to me is the guitar + amp + speaker. I think that most of us accommodate to the limitations we face, and can get by with anything. Heck in the past there was no choice, you absolutely had to! The small builders have grown on the care they have taken to build effects that do not tread on the foundation tone. Much of the off the shelf fx were just the cheese in the mousetrap made by people trying to make a buck. But many times they hit it right. They got their money, we had a little stupid fun and nobody got hurt. That's ok, but the boutique builder seemed to cater more to the players stated concerns and desires. Many of these builders were musicians too. No one builder gets everybody satisfied, but the competition does produce the kind of equipment that is aimed to do what we want it to and stays out of the way of what is important in that foundation tone. The biggest problem to the builder and to us as well is there are SO MANY choices. At a certain point it just has to be good enough and you stop the sampling. I think the pros stop at a certain point and use a variety of surprising choices because they found a way to make the off the shelf stuff work with their tone. Plus they are great players, and great playing trumps everything.
|
|
|
Post by jbrad on Jul 26, 2015 20:54:59 GMT -7
I use a lot of off the shelf pedals. I have an SD-1 on both pedalboards along with some boutique pedals but keep finding myself using the SD-1 most of the time. They are fail proof, very reasonably priced and sound good IMHO.
I have a Hot Rod DeVille at church that sounds awesome on the drive channel with the gain on about 3 and the SD-1 set with the drive low and the volume at just above unity. I also am using a DOD milk can compressor on this board. Never turn it off, it is pretty transparent and I bought it for around $30.
|
|
|
Post by j4gitr (John) on Jul 27, 2015 3:12:58 GMT -7
We often say, "it's all in the hands," maybe we could tag on to that, "not on the floor."
My pedal board cost more than most of my guitars and amps. That's kind of backwards.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2015 10:40:43 GMT -7
It's funny how little of a difference pedals make in a live setting. Sure it's easy to justify buying boutique pedals but in a live setting with a full band, the audience doesn't know if you have a multi fx cheap digital unit or $3k in boutique pedals.
When you're playing by yourself, sure you can tell a finely crafted / tuned pedal. Live... Not so much!
|
|
|
Post by Paul (TRANE) on Jul 27, 2015 10:58:52 GMT -7
I use a Plexi at church.... a JTM 45 type or a JMP50 type depending in desired tone. Run through a 2x12. Pedals are a tuner and a wah and a noise gate. I do have an Analog Alien Rumbleseat (Drive/Delay/Reverb) that I have used a couple of times.....when delay is needed.
Sent from my SM-N900V using proboards
|
|
|
Post by The Bad Poodle Experience on Jul 27, 2015 13:40:06 GMT -7
Lefty..... you asked "are we over thinking it?" I'd ask "what part of the signal path DOESN'T every guitarist over think?"
Now, if you'll excuse me I have some cables I need to A/B for comparison.
|
|
|
Post by rcrecelius on Jul 27, 2015 17:48:04 GMT -7
Lefty..... you asked "are we over thinking it?" I'd ask "what part of the signal path DOESN'T every guitarist over think?" Now, if you'll excuse me I have some cables I need to A/B for comparison. And make sure you test those in both directions :-)
|
|
|
Post by BritInvasion on Jul 27, 2015 18:06:47 GMT -7
I use 2 non-boutique ( at least I think they are ) pedals - An MXR Carbon Copy and a Boss Multi-Overtone. Very happy with both.
|
|
|
Post by rcrecelius on Jul 27, 2015 20:14:12 GMT -7
I use a Boss Tuner, a stock TS9ri and a RT20...boutique stuff is a Keeley modded BD2, 19Sixty3 boost pedal and an Analogman comp. So I'm about 50% bouttique/Stock.
|
|
|
Post by The Bad Poodle Experience on Jul 28, 2015 11:47:32 GMT -7
Lefty..... you asked "are we over thinking it?" I'd ask "what part of the signal path DOESN'T every guitarist over think?" Now, if you'll excuse me I have some cables I need to A/B for comparison. And make sure you test those in both directions :-) I heard Jane just filed for divorce because she found out Tarzan was swinging both ways. (thank you, ladies and germs. i'll be here all week.)
|
|
|
Post by Eddie on Jul 28, 2015 17:30:01 GMT -7
I could be happy the rest of my days with an SD1, and a DD3.
Although, I might mod the SD1 for the bleed issue that Boss has never bothered to fix. 15 minutes and $3 in parts. The SD1 is a great pedal.
Eddie
|
|
|
Post by KeithA on Jul 30, 2015 9:44:16 GMT -7
My favourite pedals are my MXR pedals...especially the ones with the heavier, steel cases. They feel solid and sound great for my needs.
|
|
|
Post by Righty on Jul 31, 2015 9:33:47 GMT -7
Never really liked the SD-1 that I had for a short time. Thought it sounded a bit too bright through my Fenders. Didn't own a Z at the time so can't say if I would have liked it better. Thought about having it modded but gave it to the next door neighbor kid instead.
I'm currently using a few "off the shelf" pedals on my PT Jr. An old Boss DD-2 for longer delays and a n MXR CC for slap back. Not sure if a TC HOF reverb is off the shelf or boutique. I'm going with off the shelf. This week I picked up an MXR CMBAOD which I think will finally kick my OCD v1 off the board. So far I'm really liking it. Lots of gigs coming up in August so I'll know for sure pretty soon.
The rest of the board consist of a Turbo Tuner, Tone Press, Timmy, and Eventide ModFactor.
|
|
|
Post by zed on Jul 31, 2015 10:24:23 GMT -7
I have some off the shelf fx, a few BOSS utility pedals, a modded BD2 that I really like and the latest flanger. There's a few TS9s, one modded and a TS808 enroute.
My MXR Phase90 stays on the board at home and I use the five knob analog chorus on the band board. As much as I love my CosmiChorus, that MXR works well, with a small footprint.
|
|
|
Post by Righty on Jul 31, 2015 12:59:21 GMT -7
Well heck... that didn't last. I'm not saying the CMBAOD won't get some use at some point but I just so happened to come across a boutique drive that's going to change things for now. I ran over to our local Music Go Round a little while ago looking to see what rack cases they has in stock. While I was there I happened to see a Greer Lightspeed.
Last week our band opened for Kristian Bush (the dude in Sugarland) up in Golden CO. His guitar player (can't remember his name right now) was scary good and we got to talking after the show. He had a Greer Lightspeed on his board and raved about it. Told me I'd love it with my Stang Ray. For this show he had backline provided so he was playing though a DRRI. He made it sound real good. I was hesitant to try a new one at $190 since I like my Timmy for low/medium gain stuff. I'd give it a whirl at $130 though.
I really have no need for any high gain sounds and I always like the sound of the Tim/Timmy for my needs. The OCDv1 with the gain at 11:00 was always more than enough for what we do. I'll be using the Lightspeed for low gain push and the Timmy for the medium gain (set at 2:00). Light speed into Timmy bumps thing up a notch and sounds real nice. I don't stack much since a lot of times it sounds to me like you lose some definition but this is a combo I'll get some use out of.
To my ears the Lightspeed allows be to play my Stang Ray (non-attenuated) on 2 or 3 but actually give me a sound like it's on 6. I'll take that for what i do.
Thought I was done with drives... Could be... now.
|
|