More amps, less pedals or vice versus?

[Scott_F]

I guess this is a heavily weighted budget dependent question but:

Are you a one amp guy or multi-amp guy?

Do pedals affect this for you at all?

[stevie_bees]

Re: More amps, less pedals or vice versus?

I'm not in a position for multiple amps so I have built on a decent set of pedals over the years. Interestingly enough, with the stuff I'm doing currently, I'm using less pedals as well. I have a Dunlop Mini Crybaby->Voodoo Lab Superfuzz->SD 805 Overdrive->Marshall Regenerator modulation into my JTM45 set for loud!

I would love to be in a position to add something Vox-like to run alongside the Marshall and use the stereo ouputs of the Regenerator.

[VinceT]

Re: More amps, less pedals or vice versus?

I guess this is a heavily weighted budget dependent question but:

Are you a one amp guy or multi-amp guy?

Do pedals affect this for you at all?

I have multi-amps, and have enjoyed experiments with stereo, wet-dry, etc. setups at home. But live, I'm all about one-amp and pedals I can rely on to get what I need.

Couple of factors:

I sing lead vox in a trio, so I have to tap-dance blind a lot of the time.

My set goes from clean through to fairly heavy distortion (though not out-and-out metal) - pedal board and amp combined, I count 7 gain-stage pedals (OD,dist,boost,comp) all used for different tones and very often stacked - so it's a VERY flexible tone-set - as needed by the setlist.

Mainly it comes down to portability and setup time. We play on multi-band line-ups, often without sound-check, so guitar bag, amp in one hand, pedal case in the other - 5 minutes and I've got my tone set, and just have to work with sound engineer to mic the cab.

All that said, for fly gigs/jams, I'm more than happy enough to crank my Budda and use the vol/tone pots to get what I need.



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[Mincer]

Re: More amps, less pedals or vice versus?

I hate carrying amps. I am using a Fractal now, but still do gigs where I am not sure of the PA and bring an amp. I don't own many (2?) but they are good ones. I can do a whole show without pedals, but I prefer to have just a few, since I don't like loud stage volumes.

[jeremy]

Re: More amps, less pedals or vice versus?

i have a bunch of amps covering a wide spectrum of tones and volumes so depending on the gig i would grab the amp that i hope suits best. since i got the maverick speaker in my old dr, i havent used anything else. i like pedals just fine and have a bunch but there is something more tactile with the amp doing the work. one amp and a boost pedal is great for me these days

[Lewguitar]

Re: More amps, less pedals or vice versus?

I used to play through two Deluxe Reverbs in stereo. Even for blues gigs.

I haven't plugged into my old tube amps in over a year.

Since acquiring my Mustang III and just as importantly, learning to create my own presets, it's all I use.

[PFDarkside]

Re: More amps, less pedals or vice versus?

If I had my choice I'd have a stable of vintage and new amps with an array of boosts, fuzzes and overdrives and a warehouse/rehearsal space to let them stretch their legs.

Seeing as I have a young family and a basement, I find myself using my Princeton Reverb with various pedals a lot more recently. Not ideal but it works and is more flexible than needing to get a Plexi into the 120db ballpark...

[beaubrummels]

Re: More amps, less pedals or vice versus?

For recording or situations where the details of the sound really matters, multiple amps and only modulation, delay, reverb or wah type pedals.

For gigs that are cover songs of multiple genres, or not so important situations, a nice clean amp and pedals or rack effects to simulate a variety of amps, but with the amp itself favoring one particular sound. For example, country blues I'd bring a Fender amp and have a Marshall-in-a-box pedal. For rock or heavier I'd bring an Orange head/cab or Marshall head/cab and have pedals that 'fix' the cleans somehow (either EQs, amp sims, or boost vs not).

[Ascension]

Re: More amps, less pedals or vice versus?

Multi high gain tube amp guy here. Have some rigs that to me are special and use few pedals.
My #1 is the 25 watt Zinky Velvet combo. Had my normal Church amp at home last Sunday for tubes and such so took the little beast out for a run. Just an inspiring rig to play. Running a little delay and verb in the front as well as a Compressor use only for ebow style infinite sustain and clean sustain everything else is amp. here is a clip from Sunday.

https://app.box.com/s/sjf2ro6f1fj6bxkaeu2hzhutam9m5db1

Also have a pair of old Boogies from the early 1990's a Subway Rocket and a .50 cal + head.
Run both on the same pedal board with my time based effects in the loop and a wah/ compressor in the front. Never ever use an external dirt box anymore.
The Subway live

The 50 cal +

[Mr.Sneaky]

Re: More amps, less pedals or vice versus?

Which MIAB pedal do you prefer?

[Nightburst]

Re: More amps, less pedals or vice versus?

Multi amp and speaker cabinet guy since recently. The Bogner for shows and band rehearsals, a Jet City JCA22H for home and smaller/shady gigs. Same story with 4x12 and a 2x12.
Pedals do not change or affect this at all, I find pedals fun and like to have a variety to choose from depending on my mood that day. Nothing crazy though: a bunch of od's, distortion, wah, tuner, compressor and multi-fx.
I really don't need all of this but its too much fun to give up on it.
Then there is still Amplitube, but I barely use it these days anymore.

[Diego]

Re: More amps, less pedals or vice versus?

I currently use my Tweaker 15 with my V30/K100 loaded 2x12 as my main rig.
If I won't play "heavy" music, I have an open back 1x12 with an Eminence Wizard.
Doesn't sound as big as the 2x12, but it's crazy loud and I like it better for vintage-flavored sounds.
And if I don't wanna carry the tube head I'll use my Blackstar, which fits in a backpack.

I'm only using three "pedals" these days: A Jet City Afterburner OD pedal, a Boss GE7 and a Line 6 M13 which is a small-sized pedalboard on it's own.
So in short: I don't know.

I'd love to have a Tech21 Fly Rig around for even more portability and efficiency. I'd use it with my M13 and I'd be so set.

[Kruspe]

Re: More amps, less pedals or vice versus?

I think you can have whatever pedals, the best pedals ever, but the truth is, that if you dont have a good amp to plug those pedals into, you are going to have ****ty tone.

So i say, invest in amp rather then pedals, good amp will always sound better than expensive pedal in front of a ****ty amp.

[Surgeon]

Re: More amps, less pedals or vice versus?

Ironically, I have a basement filled with pedals I've built (more than 50) and still I barely use pedals at all. Boost, OD maybe but that's pretty much it. I have 5 amps though and that's what I really enjoy, the differences and nuances in the base-tone... that's also why I pretty much stopped building pedals and started building amps too, although I had to slow down due to space concerns.

*edit* woah, that was my 5000th post...

[Boogie Bill]

Re: More amps, less pedals or vice versus?

I have nine Mesa amps. Total overkill...I know.

I bought my first Mesa in the mid-'90s when I was doing more hard rock. I'd used my SUNN Solos II for years doing a single act, but with the band I wanted to move back to tubes. Couldn't find my sound with vintage Fenders or Marshalls, but the Mark III half-stack was perfect! I then added a DC-3 for jams, practice and small gigs. That band broke up and I moved to Portland.

Starting in 2002, I started picking up more Mesas whenever I found a good one at a great price. Found a couple of Mark III combos, a Mark IV, a Maverick. I got my Mark V when Guitar Center closed out their Mesas. And then a used V:25 and a V:35.

So as amps go, I'm set. I'm totally comfortable with any of them. I can handle any venue. I'm not using the half-stack much any more; this band is definitely softer...both in genre and volume. And it's one guitar and keys (and bass and drums) versus a two guitar band. I'm a firm believer in having an amp to match the gig/band/venue/genre. The Mesas are so versatile I can handle almost anything. But I do understand that should things change, and I could find myself in a band where a Marshall might be more suitable. Doubtful these days, but it could happen.

I also have several cabs...112, 212, and 412...but I stick with the stock Mesa speakers, the V30, C90 and EVM.

My pedal array has been relatively stable since the mid-'90s: preamp, wah, OD, Chorus, reverb, phasor. I then added a pedal tuner, then a compressor, and about seven years ago delay and a harmonizer. I've swapped a few, but I am not a "pedal of the week" spender. Some might only get used two or three times a night. Nothing exotic or even boutique. I like to have the colors of an artist's palette, but I try very hard to not over-use them or be dependent on them.

I very rarely use my pedal OD, relying on the Mesas, but I'm kinda looking for a low-gain MIAB pedal. I'd love to have a vibe pedal too...but after a while space becomes an issue. I use a Furman SPB-8 pedalboard and its power supply.

Every guy has different needs, so I would never say my way is the best way. This is what works for me. I have a variety of amps to handle different venue sizes, and a variety of effects to help me recreate popular songs.

Bill