First ever (traditional) pedal board -need help

[Jacew]

Re: First ever (traditional) pedal board -need help

The TS 808 is a great pedal, but much too expensive for my budget and apication...same for the vapor trail...as for the fuzz face, I find it one of the worst fuzz effects out there...but that’s my opinion. If you make it work and enjoy it, to each their own

What is your experience with Fuzz Face? It's one of the most copied pedals with huge amoukt of variation. I'd be interested what you particularly found so bad?

[King Halt]

Re: First ever (traditional) pedal board -need help

What is your experience with Fuzz Face? It's one of the most copied pedals with huge amoukt of variation. I'd be interested what you particularly found so bad?

I played it in the shop for a bit. I feel it’s an outdated pedal that has far been surpassed by many modern pedals with more functionality. (See MXR Variac fuzz, fuzz factory, EHX octavix, and satisfaction ) even the fuzz tones on the EHX Cockfight surpass the fuzz face in terms of tone shaping and features at around the same price point. I honestly tried to like it, it’s a neat looking pedal and not too expesive...it just really underperformed in the application I was using it

[King Halt]

Re: First ever (traditional) pedal board -need help

What is your experience with Fuzz Face? It's one of the most copied pedals with huge amoukt of variation. I'd be interested what you particularly found so bad?

I played it in the shop for a bit. I feel it’s an outdated pedal that has far been surpassed by many modern pedals with more functionality. (See MXR Variac fuzz, fuzz factory, EHX octavix, and satisfaction ) even the fuzz tones on the EHX Cockfight surpass the fuzz face in terms of tone shaping and features at around the same price point. I honestly tried to like it, it’s a neat looking pedal and not too expesive...it just really underperformed in the application I was using it

[Howlermonkey]

Re: First ever (traditional) pedal board -need help

You might get lucky going the cheap route.

https://www.tonestart.com/ultimate-joyo-guitar-pedal-clone-list/

I would list the behringer TO800 but it's pretty fragile........but sounds dead on.

If you've got more than two pedals in line or a long cable, you might not want "true bypass" on all of them. Having one with a 'buffer" is a good idea.


Now "price be damned", it's hard to beat the Dawner Prince "red rox" or Digitech "bad monkey" pedal.

[Francois]

Re: First ever (traditional) pedal board -need help

The fuzzface is a extremely simple circuit that thus interacts a lot with your playing.
With the volume rolled down to 7 or less (on a Strat), if you alternate hammering on and pulling off the volume and thus the level of fuzz tone will be different for each note. The volume maybe be twice more on the hammered notes than the pulled off ones. I measured the sound peaks in Soundforge. And you can check that effect at the end of Band of Gypsies' "Machine Gun".

So the FF gives a VERY organic feeling, but it will yield messy results with typical shredd licks.

Mine is a Jim Dunlop silicon BC808 and I would love get a germanium NKT275 Sunface.

[PFDarkside]

Re: First ever (traditional) pedal board -need help

The fuzzface is a extremely simple circuit that thus interacts a lot with your playing.
With the volume rolled down to 7 or less (on a Strat), if you alternate hammering on and pulling off the volume and thus the level of fuzz tone will be different for each note. The volume maybe be twice more on the hammered notes than the pulled off ones. I measured the sound peaks in Soundforge. And you can check that effect at the end of Band of Gypsies' "Machine Gun".

So the FF gives a VERY organic feeling, but it will yield messy results with typical shredd licks.

Mine is a Jim Dunlop silicon BC808 and I would love get a germanium NKT275 Sunface.

Also really needs a traditional amp, modelers and Fuzz Face pedals don’t go together very well.

A Fuzz Face is like a 1960’s Porsche 911. Difficult to control, off putting to some, eclipsed in technology by many, but unrivaled for the interactive, visceral experience.

[NegativeEase]

Re: First ever (traditional) pedal board -need help

I’ve been playing semi professionally since I was about 16...but I always went the route of modeling amps (vox Vt+) or most recently, effects processer (line 6 Helix). Long story short, I ditched the helix for an all tube 50watt Laney combo and need to build up A board. I play in a gigging classic rock band and a stoner/ Doom project. I don’t use a ton of effects and my amp
Has built in reverb that sounds really good. I need a Overdrive to use as a dirty boost and delay.

Possible OD list-
-EHX east river drive
-EHX soul food
-boss Super overdrive

Possible delay-
-MXR carbon copy
-MXR Echoplex
-TC flashback 2

A little off topic, but since you said you are new to the pedal world, might I suggest not overlooking the most important pedal to have in my opinion (aside from a stage tuner lol) - Graphic EQ Pedal or similar EQ pedal with good access to more than just basic Treb, Mid, Bass Pot. Chances are if you don't use one you are missing out on the potential of your guitars sweetest spots, and also not mitigating any honking or naselly overtone spots -Electric guitars come alive on another level using them -example -most Telecasters and other Maple solid body single coil guitars need a 800hz cut and a 400 hz boost, and depending on the pickups a slight 1k and 3.2k boost -the difference is night and day. My center block Humbucking 335 has a different setting but you get the idea.

I think if you don't use an EQ pedal -you are missing out -and dramatically.

BTW -I like the MXR Gold Super OD Badass OD.

Have fun

[Gtrjunior]

Re: First ever (traditional) pedal board -need help

A little off topic, but since you said you are new to the pedal world, might I suggest not overlooking the most important pedal to have in my opinion (aside from a stage tuner lol) - Graphic EQ Pedal or similar EQ pedal with good access to more than just basic Treb, Mid, Bass Pot. Chances are if you don't use one you are missing out on the potential of your guitars sweetest spots, and also not mitigating any honking or naselly overtone spots -Electric guitars come alive on another level using them -example -most Telecasters and other Maple solid body single coil guitars need a 800hz cut and a 400 hz boost, and depending on the pickups a slight 1k and 3.2k boost -the difference is night and day. My center block Humbucking 335 has a different setting but you get the idea.

I think if you don't use an EQ pedal -you are missing out -and dramatically.

BTW -I like the MXR Gold Super OD Badass OD.

Have fun

My issue with EQ pedals is that I’m just not that good at using them. I’ve got a MXR 10 band that I’m not using right now but after reading your post I think I might want to give it another go....
Any suggestions on where to start?

I really like my current tone but I can’t help but think I can make it better.
Typical guitar player mentality. Lol

[Jacew]

Re: First ever (traditional) pedal board -need help

My issue with EQ pedals is that I’m just not that good at using them. I’ve got a MXR 10 band that I’m not using right now but after reading your post I think I might want to give it another go....
Any suggestions on where to start?

I really like my current tone but I can’t help but think I can make it better.
Typical guitar player mentality. Lol

I've never used EQ pedals, prefering to dial in my guitar to not need that.

I'm perfectly happy with the way my rig and #1 guitar sounds now so I'm dialing in second right now and have plans to build third. And need to mod my pedalboard to accommodate newest addition.

It's never ending...

[Gtrjunior]

Re: First ever (traditional) pedal board -need help

I hear that!!

[Francois]

Re: First ever (traditional) pedal board -need help

Also really needs a traditional amp, modelers and Fuzz Face pedals don’t go together very well.

A Fuzz Face is like a 1960’s Porsche 911. Difficult to control, off putting to some, eclipsed in technology by many, but unrivaled for the interactive, visceral experience.

Thanks. You put it into words better than me

[NegativeEase]

Re: First ever (traditional) pedal board -need help

I've never used EQ pedals, prefering to dial in my guitar to not need that.

I'm perfectly happy with the way my rig and #1 guitar sounds now so I'm dialing in second right now and have plans to build third. And need to mod my pedalboard to accommodate newest addition.

It's never ending...

No doubt it's never ending -and I agree dialing in at the source is always the first approach but no guitar produces everything perfectly on multiple rigs and the problem even arrises even more with using multiple guitars through a rig and through multiple rigs and with a pedal board (which was the OPs interest) -where they interact with the downstream path differently -and also EQ pedals are perfect for needing flexibility in the studio where dialing in and matching rigs on the fly isn't realistic from a guitar tinkering perspective.

an EQ pedal is the best way to make both creative decisions and mitigate issues on the fly -it's an essential tool for me if I'm working with lots of kit.

[NegativeEase]

Re: First ever (traditional) pedal board -need help

My issue with EQ pedals is that I’m just not that good at using them. I’ve got a MXR 10 band that I’m not using right now but after reading your post I think I might want to give it another go....
Any suggestions on where to start?

I really like my current tone but I can’t help but think I can make it better.
Typical guitar player mentality. Lol

Set all bands flat a just work one band a time in large increments to first understand the band and small increments to dial in the nuances of tone.. I prefer to run my EQ pedal at Unity in and out (Not as a boost or cut) -so managing the output gain to match the pass through is important. but lots of people use them as a boost -personally I have other pedals that do that better.

The times I don't use an EQ pedal are when I'm NOT using a a large amount of pedals, multiple guitars, or a pedal board with an known/established amp. -but for lots of variables (like a pedal board)-I think an EQ pedal is essential for me.

[Gtrjunior]

Re: First ever (traditional) pedal board -need help

Set all bands flat a just work one band a time in large increments to first understand the band and small increments to dial in the nuances of tone.. I prefer to run my EQ pedal at Unity in and out (Not as a boost or cut) -so managing the output gain to match the pass through is important. but lots of people use them as a boost -personally I have other pedals that do that better.

The times I don't use an EQ pedal are when I'm NOT using a a large amount of pedals, multiple guitars, or a pedal board with an known/established amp. -but for lots of variables (like a pedal board)-I think an EQ pedal is essential for me.

Cool. Thanks. I’ll give that a shot this weekend.

[Jacew]

Re: First ever (traditional) pedal board -need help

No doubt it's never ending -and I agree dialing in at the source is always the first approach but no guitar produces everything perfectly on multiple rigs and the problem even arrises even more with using multiple guitars through a rig and through multiple rigs and with a pedal board (which was the OPs interest) -where they interact with the downstream path differently -and also EQ pedals are perfect for needing flexibility in the studio where dialing in and matching rigs on the fly isn't realistic from a guitar tinkering perspective.

an EQ pedal is the best way to make both creative decisions and mitigate issues on the fly -it's an essential tool for me if I'm working with lots of kit.

Different approaches. I prefer one versatile guitar and rig approach. Just feels more intuitive and easier.