Guitarists - Show me your pedalboard!

[nedorama]

Originally Posted by gregovertone

small board


big board

I like the pedal markings on the white tape -good idea. I now just take a few pictures with the camera of my settings and tape those to the inside of my pedalboard case.

Is the big board about 3 1/2 feet wide?

[mdsmith64]

O.K., I'll play. I'm a pedal slut anyway so this post is right up my alley!

In truth, I only regularly use the DD-6, the Peterson tuner, the Valvulator and either the Big-D or the Power Screamer (and not always either -depends on which amp I'm using mostly). I suppose the Medicine Bawl Wah gets used somewhat regularly as well. All the others are used for effect only when called for.

Mike.

[nedorama]

Originally Posted by enroper

I just have to throw my humble setup in the mix here..

From left to right ::

BOSS CS-3 Compressor
Boss DD-6 Delay
Boss DD-3 Delay
Boss BD-2 blues driver w/ keeley mod
BOSS AW-3 Auto Wah w/ roland expression pedal
MXR Phase-90
Boss EQ
Boss TU-2 Tuner.

The TU-2 is the start of the chain though. I mainly use the EQ to help a crappy solid state practice amp which is muddy as all hell sound a bit better. I turn it off when plugged into the nice fender tube amp...

How does the compressor work at the end of your chain - have you tried it before the delays? I had heard either before or after overdrive/distortion, but before modulation, but if it works, great. Same with the phase 90 - I have mine after, but looks like you've got it before your Blues Driver - have you swapped it around?

[enroper]

Originally Posted by nedorama

How does the compressor work at the end of your chain - have you tried it before the delays? I had heard either before or after overdrive/distortion, but before modulation, but if it works, great. Same with the phase 90 - I have mine after, but looks like you've got it before your Blues Driver - have you swapped it around?

I use it at the end of the chain to make things real ugly :) I haven't used it much actually only got it about 2 weeks ago.

I'll try swapping the phase & blues. Just like to experiment.

[nedorama]

Originally Posted by enroper

I use it at the end of the chain to make things real ugly :) I haven't used it much actually only got it about 2 weeks ago.

I'll try swapping the phase & blues. Just like to experiment.

Try also to see if you like the compressor before or after your blues driver. I have the Keeley compressor and have it in front of my other pedals; I like having the guitar compressed before hitting overdrive/distortion, but may try it the other way around.

I've seen a pedalboard that had a cool switch that let you put effects in any order, so you could swap compression with overdrive, or delay and chorus. I'll see if I can remember the link. Pricey, but cool.

[Space Nugget]

My camera sux so heres a list...all BOSS except where noted
TU-2 Tuner, PH-3 Phase Shifter (Might get the boot for an MXR Phase 90), Crybaby 535Q Wah, MXR DynaComp, PQ-4 Parametric EQ (Pre-Distortion EQ is KEY!!!!), Maxon OD-808, EH Big Muff Pi, OS-2 OD/Distortion, MZ-2 Digital Metalizer, DC-3 Digital Space-D, 1978 EH Deluxe Electric Mistress, CH-1 Super Chorus (TO be replaced by CE-2 Chorus), Ernie Ball VP Jr. Volume Pedal, DD-3 Digital Delay, ROland Re-201 Space Echo (not shown)

I put the DynaComp after the Phaser and Wah to tame them a bit...they can get a bit nasty sometimes...

[jamsmith]

If I used most of any of these pedal boards, I would trip over myself and forget everything I learned about playing over the last 38 year. My worst nightmare is one of those rack systems with the MIDI foot controller!

Don't get me wrong. Sit me in studio with a patch bay, racks up racks, and huge console and I go to town. But when I play the guitar, is usually the axe and the amp. When I do a Hendrix show, I use a Cry Baby, a Roland Fuzz, a Digitech Hendrix, and a Dunlop Univibe. I have a foot pedal to the Marshall. And thats too damn much. Bought a Blues Jr last week. No plans for any pedals for that rig!

Maybe I am getting old. 30 years ago, I had about ever ElectroHarmonic box and use to string them all up. Look, no offense to anyone, but for the most part, there is a compressor, a distortion box, a wah, a chorus, a flanger, and delay. After that it;s just weird shit like ring modulators, etc. If you think you need to have 6 distortion units to have a variety in your sound, you need to stop. Play straight and work on using your fingers for tone. I guarantee Jeff Beck can coax more great tones from a guitar and amp than any of you can with the biggest pedal board.

[Stratgirl]

Originally Posted by jamsmith

If you think you need to have 6 distortion units to have a variety in your sound, you need to stop.

That's like saying you only need one preamp to record everything. You know the name of the forum you're on, right?

[cramseur]

Originally Posted by jamsmith

If you think you need to have 6 distortion units to have a variety in your sound, you need to stop. Play straight and work on using your fingers for tone.

I find it strange that people have any concern for what's on someone elses pedal board. What difference does it make to you how many distortion pedals I have?
(I have 24 OD/Dist/fuzz pedals).

Oh, and by the way, I'm no Jeff Beck. Perhaps if I was I'd get rid of some stuff. ...nah...who am I kidding, I'm a gearslut!

[Space Nugget]

Good to see some fellow Long Islanders here....

I live in Germany but Im from Valley Stream...

And yeah...you can never have enough distortion/Od's or effects for that matter.

The more colors on your palette...the better. Thats my philosophy.

____________
"The answer is none....none, more black...."

[the_Chris]

This has been my current lineup for the past few months or so. I went through various periods of messing around with lots of different effects, different buffers, etc. until I found this setup and I've been happy with it ever since. I'm not a huge effects nut, but there are times every once in a while where wah, delay or trem is useful. I use my two overdrives for different lead tones and my clean boost pedal for a volume boost for solos (my Bogner is older, so it doesn't have the boost volume mod done to it - this is a nice workaround).

I play either a Fender '62 AVRI Strat, PRS McCarty (w/ Wolfetone A5 Marshallheads) or Gibson Firebird V (Lollar FB-mini in the bridge, Lollar 50's wind neck P90 soapbar) through a Bogner EL-34 Shiva w/ Reverb half stack.

Long cables are Lava Tweed ELC, pedalboard cables are Bill Lawrence, speaker cable is Mulder Audio.

Effects chain is as follows: -> Pro Analog Supaquack -> VHT Valvulator [Telefunken 12ax7 loaded] (output 1): Planet Waves Tru-Strobe Tuner (output 2) -> Clay Jones OD -> Lovekraft Mojo Drive -> (out to amp input)

FX loop send -> GoudieFX Crystal Boost -> DLS Echotap -> Red Witch Pentavocal Trem -> FX return

My pedalboard isn't the prettiest since things have moved around so much on it and it has seen a lot of live playing, so the pedals aren't mint, but

Enjoy!

[cramseur]

Originally Posted by cramseur

I find it strange that people have any concern for what's on someone elses pedal board. What difference does it make to you how many distortion pedals I have?
(I have 24 OD/Dist/fuzz pedals).

Oh, and by the way, I'm no Jeff Beck. Perhaps if I was I'd get rid of some stuff. ...nah...who am I kidding, I'm a gearslut!

Oops, forgot the pedalboard photo:


(Crybaby 535Q>Ibanez CP9>ZVEX BOR> Blackstone Appliances Mosfet OD> Ibanez CS9> MXR EQ> Van Amps Reverbamate Sole Mate )

[nedorama]

Originally Posted by jamsmith

If I used most of any of these pedal boards, I would trip over myself and forget everything I learned about playing over the last 38 year. My worst nightmare is one of those rack systems with the MIDI foot controller!

Don't get me wrong. Sit me in studio with a patch bay, racks up racks, and huge console and I go to town. But when I play the guitar, is usually the axe and the amp. When I do a Hendrix show, I use a Cry Baby, a Roland Fuzz, a Digitech Hendrix, and a Dunlop Univibe. I have a foot pedal to the Marshall. And thats too damn much. Bought a Blues Jr last week. No plans for any pedals for that rig!

Maybe I am getting old. 30 years ago, I had about ever ElectroHarmonic box and use to string them all up. Look, no offense to anyone, but for the most part, there is a compressor, a distortion box, a wah, a chorus, a flanger, and delay. After that it;s just weird shit like ring modulators, etc. If you think you need to have 6 distortion units to have a variety in your sound, you need to stop. Play straight and work on using your fingers for tone. I guarantee Jeff Beck can coax more great tones from a guitar and amp than any of you can with the biggest pedal board.

I agree that technique is the first thing to get right/work on, as if it's not there, pedals, guitars, amps don't help (although as a young kid learning guitar, pedals do help mask that inadequacy while learning).

Jeff Beck is probably the wrong guy to think of when it comes to straight tone; he was a early adopter of fuzz, wah, etc. and was one of Roger Mayer's first customers. Now someone like a Roy Buchanan, totally agree there. But, sadly I will never be as good as either of them.

Also, many of these pedalboards I'm guessing are used in the studio, but also live where you do need to have sonic alternatives depending on the song. If you have good cables and true bypass pedals, you're not losing that much of your tone from the guitar through to the amp. On my pedalboard, I had my wah modded with true bypass, and it goes through true bypass pedals into the effects loop, which keeps the noisier pedals out of the loop until I need them for lead, effects, etc.

And yes, just as this website helps fuel my G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) for studio gear, I'm always looking for different pedals for different sounds, or swapping things in and out.

To each his own.

[nedorama]

Originally Posted by nedorama

Pedalboard as of 12/18/07. Works for me. Will sometimes add an MXR Distortion II for the heck of it; for Univox-like Super Fuzz tones, a Guyatone TZ2 occasionally.

Amp is a '77 pull boost Princeton Reverb that I had completely overhauled with new caps, etc to make it a sweet sounding amp. Also swapped in a Deluxe output transformer and a Jensen reissue speaker to have a Deluxe Reverb in sheep's clothing. Blackface faceplate is on there not to masquerade as a blackface amp (I'm happy to tell people how cheap I got the amp and what it really is) but the old one was scratched and grim beyond use, so picked it up on eBay. As long as you don't engage the pull boost, it sounds great.

It's loud enough for the small gigs we play, and if not, I bought a matching 1x12 closed cabinet off eBay that sounds great. Occasionally a mic in front through the PA does the job.

Here's the signal path:
Dunlop Wah, modified by Keeley Electronics with a Fasel inductor and true bypass
Boss Tuner
Keeley compressor, on all the time
Keeley Katana for clean boost
Barber Electronics Direct Drive
Mike's Tone Garage No Suck True Bypass Loop Pedal

Loop A (Lead):
Ibanez Tube Screamer, modified by Keeley Electronics
Original Ibanez AD9 (bought in '83) for short, slapback

Loop B (effects)
Phase 90
Boss DD6 Delay - longer delays for volume swells, etc.
Ibanez Super Stereo Chorus

I know most folks run delay after chorus, but I've found I like to have the chorus on the delays instead of the other way around. I used to use the chorus a lot when I bought it in '86, but the only pedal that gets used primarily in that loop now is the delay.

[seaneldon]

my pedal board is really simple:

[Lerxst]

I'm building flight cases for them now. All switching of pedals/amps etc done at the rack.

~Lerxst

[jamsmith]

Originally Posted by nedorama

Jeff Beck is probably the wrong guy to think of when it comes to straight tone; he was a early adopter of fuzz, wah, etc. and was one of Roger Mayer's first customers. Now someone like a Roy Buchanan, totally agree there. But, sadly I will never be as good as either of them.

You are thinking of an earlier Jeff Beck. And you forget he may have been the first with a voice tube and ring modulator. But we are talking an true innovator second only to Hendrix. But he most definitly the right guy because he demonstrates how you can wean yourself off the eletronics and go straight. Funny you mentioned Roy Buch. Beck was a huge fan of his and I imagine his the wide sonic pallet Roy had probably was a huge factor in Becks moving toward a straight tone. Good god! Talk about an over the top muthafvcka! I cried like a baby the day he died.

And I would never say to not use any effects, but I have observed a bad trend. Back when I had the huge EH collection, I was obnoxious. 20 years ago it was rare to see anyone with more than 2 or 3 pedals. Now I see cats showing at a jam night with a dozen. And a lot of these guys flat out can't just plug in and play.

[Sounds Great]

Originally Posted by jamsmith

You are thinking of an earlier Jeff Beck. And you forget he may have been the first with a voice tube and ring modulator. But we are talking an true innovator second only to Hendrix.

Robin Trower and Pat Travers also come to mind.

[jamsmith]

Originally Posted by Sounds Great

Robin Trower and Pat Travers also come to mind.

Now you wanna make me brag. I opened for Travers once. We put on such a killer show he didn't want to come to the stage for an hour!

The think I loved about doing Travers' shows is that his audience loves the shit out outright wailing on guitars. I don't think I have ever been more well received than by his audience.

[Sounds Great]

Originally Posted by jamsmith

Now you wanna make me brag. I opened for Travers once. We put on such a killer show he didn't want to come to the stage for an hour!

The think I loved about doing Travers' shows is that his audience loves the shit out outright wailing on guitars. I don't think I have ever been more well received than by his audience.

Travers is probably the most unappreciated guitarist ever. I've loved his playing from many years ago. Finally saw him live about 2 years ago and was totally blown away.

[enroper]

Originally Posted by jamsmith

If I used most of any of these pedal boards, I would trip over myself and forget everything I learned about playing over the last 38 year. My worst nightmare is one of those rack systems with the MIDI foot controller!

Don't get me wrong. Sit me in studio with a patch bay, racks up racks, and huge console and I go to town. But when I play the guitar, is usually the axe and the amp. When I do a Hendrix show, I use a Cry Baby, a Roland Fuzz, a Digitech Hendrix, and a Dunlop Univibe. I have a foot pedal to the Marshall. And thats too damn much. Bought a Blues Jr last week. No plans for any pedals for that rig!

Maybe I am getting old. 30 years ago, I had about ever ElectroHarmonic box and use to string them all up. Look, no offense to anyone, but for the most part, there is a compressor, a distortion box, a wah, a chorus, a flanger, and delay. After that it;s just weird shit like ring modulators, etc. If you think you need to have 6 distortion units to have a variety in your sound, you need to stop. Play straight and work on using your fingers for tone. I guarantee Jeff Beck can coax more great tones from a guitar and amp than any of you can with the biggest pedal board.

I couldn't disagree more.

But I think it's just a matter of preference and a bit of a generational thing

You grew up under hendrix. i grew up under 'The Edge'.

[octatonic]

Originally Posted by jamsmith

After that it;s just weird shit like ring modulators, etc. If you think you need to have 6 distortion units to have a variety in your sound, you need to stop. Play straight and work on using your fingers for tone. I guarantee Jeff Beck can coax more great tones from a guitar and amp than any of you can with the biggest pedal board.

Whilst agree that it is important to be able to play, it is pretty hard to make a ring mod sound with just your fingers.

I use quite a few effects but quite sparingly.
I guess 80% of the time it is just guitar -> amp but there are certain things I want to hear when I am playing- things like octavers in solos, delays lines and such are just tools. They support the composition.

We can't all be Jeff Beck- we each have to follow our hearts in this.
Devin Townsend is a genius guitar player who uses a bit of rack gear.
His music is complex and heavy as f*ck- Jeff Beck never approached that level of intensity.
The equipment just supports the ideas.

[Lerxst]

Originally Posted by enroper

I couldn't disagree more.

But I think it's just a matter of preference and a bit of a generational thing

You grew up under hendrix. i grew up under 'The Edge'.

I agree with you. For me it is not nesessarily generational as I am probably older than Jamsmith and I also grew up with Hendrix. But I also grew up with Alex Lifeson(hmm), Alan Holdsworth, Steve Vai, John Petrucci etc.

Letting myself get stuck in an era is my worst nightmare.

:Mullet off:


~Lerxst

[enroper]

Originally Posted by Lerxst

I agree with you. For me it is not nesessarily generational as I am probably older than Jamsmith and I also grew up with Hendrix. But I also grew up with Alex Lifeson(hmm), Alan Holdsworth, Steve Vai, John Petrucci etc.

Letting myself get stuck in an era is my worst nightmare.

:Mullet off:


~Lerxst

I hear ya. I'm a bit different than the average player I think. I look at guys like Vai and Sattriani, I can appreciate it, I nod my head approvingly, and then I go back to my simple major chord arpeggios shrouded in delay. I don't know for some reason being super fast or having an encyclopedic knowledge of scales doesn't appeal to me. I aim for technical proficiency in the simple stuff I do play ( and that can be very subjective as well ) , and am happy with my "low key" playing.

[coheed56]

heres mine, its pretty minimal till i get cashed up





sorry about hte bad image quality, I had to cut the size from 8 meg