Blues jam pedalboard

[JB_From_Hell]

Just found a local blues jam I'd like to start attending. I haven't played out in a long, long time, so I'm a little nervous about it. Figured bringing some gear I'm comfortable with would help, but I want to keep it a small footprint with quick setup.

My plan is to put together a little board with my D'Addario tuner, Crybaby, Tube Screamer mini, and Donner Revecho (on the way). The host said bringing amps is always encouraged, so my new Orange Micro Dark with a 12" cabinet I'm building (haven't decided 1 or 2x12 yet) seems like it'd be handy. It's a pretty low key environment, so I'm thinking about putting the MD head on the pedal board. That way I can put the Revecho in the MD's loop, but still only have one cable going from the board to the cabinet.

My question is two parts:

1) Is any of the above a dumb idea?

2) Is this decent etiquette for a jam?

 

[Mincer]

Re: Blues jam pedalboard

When I used to go to blues jams, the players generally frowned upon someone showing up with a whole bunch of gear. Real estate is generally at a premium, and I generally saw people bring a small 20 watt combo amp with no pedals.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Blues jam pedalboard

Thanks.

I’m gonna go watch tomorrow night and see how it operates. In the meantime, I guess I’ll spend some time going straight into the amp. Hauling that Super Reverb a few times will probably motivate me to build the cabinet.

Building the cabinet today, found an Eminence Legend GB 128 12" for $50 near work that I'm grabbing tomorrow.

Think I'm gonna cheat a little, since I don't turn the TS or reverb off, I'm gonna velcro them to the top of the cabinet with the amp head. Won't be any different than if the Orange had an OD and 'verb built in.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Blues jam pedalboard

ive been running a blues jam for 18 years. i dont encourage people to bring amps since the stage is pretty tight and i dont want to waste time watching someone fiddle with their gear. that said, as long as someone shows up and sets up quickly i dont really care what they bring. i always have amps and pedals setup and ready to go but if someone wants to swap something out and can do it quickly then its fine. it should be fun and easy for everyone and i understand wanting to use what is comfortable and familiar but no one wants to watch someone fuss with gear while they are waiting their turn to play

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Blues jam pedalboard

I spent a hour earlier with my PRS plugged straight into the Orange. With their awesome coil split and working the knobs, I may not worry about the TS. The Micro Dark has plenty of gain on tap, and sounds killer with the guitar’s volume rolled back for clean. Depending on how loud the drummer is, I might even be able to get away with the little 8” Orange cabinet. It’s not my dream tone or anything, but sounds pretty good for blues and rock stuff.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Blues jam pedalboard

A lead boost, a ts9-ish pedal and a delay; Batteries!

Cable in, cable out, done!

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Blues jam pedalboard

Put 10 different tubescreamer variants on the pedalboard. One for every version of Mustang Sally you'll play over the night.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Blues jam pedalboard

at least at my blues jam, there is a hard "no mustang sally" rule. also you cant sing born in chicago unless you are actually from there. when someone hollers freebird, you extend your middle finger and tell them no charge though the mic. proper blues etiquette

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Blues jam pedalboard

Bring the Super and Green Rhino!

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Blues jam pedalboard

Bring the Super and Green Rhino!

Since I moved, I have a room for all my guitar stuff, which is awesome. Unfortunately, taking the Super anywhere requires going up stairs now... so yeah, the Orange lunchbox is very appealing.

Also, I sold Jeremy the Green Rhino, but when I bought the Micro Dark, it included a Tube Screamer mini.

Made arrangements to buy the Eminence speaker tomorrow, so I'm looking forward to the Orange being a 1x12 in time for that jam next week. Should be pretty sweet.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Blues jam pedalboard

Since I moved, I have a room for all my guitar stuff, which is awesome. Unfortunately, taking the Super anywhere requires going up stairs now... so yeah, the Orange lunchbox is very appealing.

Also, I sold Jeremy the Green Rhino, but when I bought the Micro Dark, it included a Tube Screamer mini.

I understand, the Road King (98 or 102lbs or something) hasn’t left the house in 8 years.

 

[NegativeEase]

Re: Blues jam pedalboard

Bring a small open back 1x10 or 1x12 Combo and mount an OD and a light Delay inside of the cab on the bottom wired up to the input like normal.

That way you got the always on solo tones without the mess on the floor and people will just be looking at you like -WTF, what going on with this dude?

 

[blueman335]

Re: Blues jam pedalboard

For a blues jam, which often involve other genres, a delay/tape echo pedal, wah, & rotating speaker pedal work for me, provided the amp has decent overdrive and reverb. The wah should be true bypass.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Blues jam pedalboard

I can't imagine going to a "blues jam" and needing more than my favorite guitar and my volume knob. Nobody cares about your echos or how rich the midrange is during your solo at those things. They're there to drink and cut loose and give no ****s.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Blues jam pedalboard

I can't imagine going to a "blues jam" and needing more than my favorite guitar and my volume knob. Nobody cares about your echos or how rich the midrange is during your solo at those things. They're there to drink and cut loose and give no ****s.

Don’t care what anybody else thinks. It’s easier to play if I like the sound.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Blues jam pedalboard

thats pretty much always true. i can show up and plug a strat into a fender reverb amp and be fine but you never know what you are going to get. if you are too loud at my jam, i let you know very quickly and will turn ya down myself if you dont respond so having a dirt box isnt a terrible idea

 

[chadd]

Re: Blues jam pedalboard

Don’t care what anybody else thinks. It’s easier to play if I like the sound.

Seeing any musician say that about playing with other people, or in public, is so disappointing

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Blues jam pedalboard

Seeing any musician say that about playing with other people, or in public, is so disappointing

Do you swap pickups and choose pedals based on what others think of your guitar sound?

I obviously care enough to use an appropriate tone and play stuff that fits in a bluesy context, but if I use an OD, it’s for my benefit, not everyone else’s.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Blues jam pedalboard

Well, I think in the end, we have to like our own sound, and play things that make ourselves happy. I don't think I'd play at all if I was doing it for other people first.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Blues jam pedalboard

I think you summed up the requirements perfectly in the first post - "small footprint with quick setup."

If taking an amp I personally wouldn't take anything bigger than a 1x12 combo, but I'd try to find out in advance what (if any) amps will be available, and maybe not take one at all.

Where pedals are concerned I would just take an overdrive (and might not need it) but I see no issue with taking a small pedalboard. The setup time should be no different to a single pedal apart from plugging in the board's power.

Enabling fast hassle-free changeovers and not obstructing the route to the bar with 4x12 cabs are the key points.