Christmas Pedal Suggestion Box

TimmyPage

New member
Well, my parents said that, besides my other presents, I could get a smaller guitar related thing.

So I looked around... I have slides, a capo, picks, strings, I'm saving up for the hardware upgrades on my own (bridge, tailpiece, new pots and caps,)

So I thought.. what's something I don't have anything of? Effects pedals.

I have a Boss DS-1 and a Crybaby, but I never use them because the DS-1 is a little too buzzy, and takes away from my tone, and the Crybaby.. well... wah isn't my thing (except a rare Cream cover).

So what is a good pedal that everyone needs in their chain?

I like anything from Aerosmith, to Cream, to Allman Brothers, to Opeth, to EVH, to Athiest, to Zeppelin, to Porcupine Tree, to Wes Montgomery and so on.

I'm going to University next year, for music, specifically jazz.

I'm thinking maybe a delay pedal? Alot of those bands use it for some reason or another..

And nothing boutique which will destroy my parents money supply (my dad is retired, mom is retiring next year.. dad doesn't have very much money and mom just bought a 9k car plus rental fee...)
 
Re: Christmas Pedal Suggestion Box

Rocktron Short Timer. You will thank me. Your parents will thank me.
 
Re: Christmas Pedal Suggestion Box

Order an Arion Tubulator. MF has them for $10, but they're backordered till February. Cool thing about that is Xmas presents 2 months after the fact :)
 
Re: Christmas Pedal Suggestion Box

If you'd like a better distortion pedal and you're toting a Les Paul, ask for a Fulltone OCD.
 
Re: Christmas Pedal Suggestion Box

Do not read any other post except this one.

BOSS GE-7 Equalizer

Most versatile and useful pedal in the world. It will definitely be far more useful for jazz than some overpriced distortion pedal. It is a very powerful tone shaping tool, and works very well as a solo boost too.
 
Re: Christmas Pedal Suggestion Box

If your looking for distortion, go with the Boss Metalzone. Its the most versatile distortion pedal I've ever played in a stompbox design. I used to use a DS-1 and I hated that thing. I felt the same way as you, too fuzzy and too thin. The metalzone is definitely what your looking for.

If you play a lot of gigs, I'd recommend the Boss TU-2 chromatic tuner, also a stomp box.

Both pedals go for around $100
 
Re: Christmas Pedal Suggestion Box

try tremolo or something different from the usual DISTORTION path something subtle but interesting (or a flanger for a more in ur face exciting stuff)
 
Re: Christmas Pedal Suggestion Box

+1 on JB's and Rich's posts..get a Tubulator for $10/Digitech Bad Monkey for $40 (to push your amp) and a Rocktron Short Timer delay for $60.
 
Re: Christmas Pedal Suggestion Box

try tremolo or something different from the usual DISTORTION path something subtle but interesting (or a flanger for a more in ur face exciting stuff)

+1 for the tremelo it is by far my favourite pedal in my arsenal
 
Re: Christmas Pedal Suggestion Box

If your looking for distortion, go with the Boss Metalzone. Its the most versatile distortion pedal I've ever played in a stompbox design. I used to use a DS-1 and I hated that thing. I felt the same way as you, too fuzzy and too thin. The metalzone is definitely what your looking for.

If you play a lot of gigs, I'd recommend the Boss TU-2 chromatic tuner, also a stomp box.

Both pedals go for around $100
I am not trying to be a idiot now, but I have had the MT-2 and HM-2. Have you ever tried them through a stack or in a band practice? They are some of the worst pedals ever. The HM-2 can be useful, but the MT-2 is just not a thing anyone should be exposed to. It sounds like bees in a tincan. Its fuzzy, buzzy and thin as hell.

Timmy, I'd go for a Delay or a OD pedal.

I like using a BD-2 infront of a overdriven amp to just push it a bit more over the top. Other pedals could be the Rocktron Austin Gold OD, CM PlexiTone and a pedal that blew me away, Frantone Hep Cat. Dont let name or looks fool you, it sounds awesome. But its also almost OCD-expensive.

Hope it helped ya :)
 
Re: Christmas Pedal Suggestion Box

i'm liking the Rocktron Tsunami chorus/delay quite a bit after my first live use! and i can't say enough about the tone of Carl Martin AC-Tone and Plexitone!
 
Re: Christmas Pedal Suggestion Box

I'd look into a nice programmable modulation/delay pedal. Something with flange, phaser, delay, etc. I used to have an old Ibanez one, and I used it all the time. I'd still use it, but I broke it on accident. why settle for a pedal that can only do one thing? digitech looks like they have some cool stompboxes with a ton of crap on them.

it was this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/1988-Print-Ad-I...ryZ37838QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem
 
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Re: Christmas Pedal Suggestion Box

I am not trying to be a idiot now, but I have had the MT-2 and HM-2. Have you ever tried them through a stack or in a band practice? They are some of the worst pedals ever. The HM-2 can be useful, but the MT-2 is just not a thing anyone should be exposed to. It sounds like bees in a tincan. Its fuzzy, buzzy and thin as hell.

Timmy, I'd go for a Delay or a OD pedal.

I like using a BD-2 infront of a overdriven amp to just push it a bit more over the top. Other pedals could be the Rocktron Austin Gold OD, CM PlexiTone and a pedal that blew me away, Frantone Hep Cat. Dont let name or looks fool you, it sounds awesome. But its also almost OCD-expensive.

Hope it helped ya :)

At the time I was using the MT-2, I was playing through a Marshall 2x12. I'm not sure what model but it was my dad's from the 70's and it only had clean. I don't use the metalzone through my stack. The reason I bought my marshall tsl 100 is so I could use a tube amp's overdrive, and not a stompbox. But if you have a setup with a not so adequate amp for distortion, the MT-2, IMO, is the way to go. I've played a lot of stomp box distortion pedals and I honestly think your not going to find one much better and versatile. I'm sorry to hear that you had a bad experience with it. I found that it did take me some time with adjusting the pedal (as it has so many differen't EQ's), amp, and my guitar but once I got it right, the sound was amazing.
 
Re: Christmas Pedal Suggestion Box

So what is a good pedal that everyone needs in their chain?


I'm going to University next year, for music, specifically jazz.


And nothing boutique which will destroy my parents money supply



Nothing expensive, and no board should be with out it . . .


. . . three things come to mind :


1) FUZZ

2) Overdrive

3) Delay



OK, so fuzz is not a Jazzer's best frined, but i can not get my sound without it !

Look at the all-round fuzz like EHX Big Muff, at $80.00 USD :smokin:


Overdrive - BD-2, top od, and extremely underrated IMHO !

Delay - Ibanez DE7 - best delay under $150, and they go for about $65.00 USD !!!
(...and they sound sooo analog and warm with the best tube tape vibe i have heard, this side of the real thing !)

Hope this helped !
 
Re: Christmas Pedal Suggestion Box

I am not trying to be a idiot now, but I have had the MT-2 and HM-2. Have you ever tried them through a stack or in a band practice? They are some of the worst pedals ever.


Timmy, I'd go for a Delay or a OD pedal.


I like using a BD-2 infront of a overdriven amp to just push it a bit more over the top. Other pedals could be the Rocktron Austin Gold OD, . . .


+ 1000 on everything he said !!!



He knows what he's talking about !!!
 
Re: Christmas Pedal Suggestion Box

At the time I was using the MT-2, I was playing through a Marshall 2x12. I'm not sure what model but it was my dad's from the 70's and it only had clean. I don't use the metalzone through my stack. The reason I bought my marshall tsl 100 is so I could use a tube amp's overdrive, and not a stompbox. But if you have a setup with a not so adequate amp for distortion, the MT-2, IMO, is the way to go. I've played a lot of stomp box distortion pedals and I honestly think your not going to find one much better and versatile. I'm sorry to hear that you had a bad experience with it. I found that it did take me some time with adjusting the pedal (as it has so many differen't EQ's), amp, and my guitar but once I got it right, the sound was amazing.

I tried desperately to like this pedal . . . and there are some good metal sounds that you can get from it. I definitely wouldn't say that it's versatile though. The lowest gain setting is very heavy distortion with no dynamics (although you can get a sort of Satisfactiony-fuzz tone out of it), and you can only add gain from there. The EQ is almost too flexible, the slightest change can take a good setting and turn it to crap . . . which was a big PITA if you wanted to use the pedal for more than one sound in a gig. Live you can make it cut through, but I definately don't think that the pedal is for everyone.
 
Re: Christmas Pedal Suggestion Box

if you're handling a whole lot of jazz, a little chorus pedal might be worth a look? a lot of the pure jazz guitar tones have just a sprinkling of chorus, just to fill things out sonically :)

either way, check out the used market for boss stuff.. this website should help:

http://www.bossarea.com/ ---compact pedals

great site!

tom

edit- +1 on not going for a distortion pedal - you wont cover much ground the DS-1 doesn't already give you!
 
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Re: Christmas Pedal Suggestion Box

There are thousands of pedals out there, so it really depends on what you're looking for. In general, I am a big fan of Boss effects, and the MT-2 is one of my favorites. But I am aware that a lot of people don't like the sound of it, and for them I usually recommend the Mega Distortion. But even more than that, I always recommend the BF-3 Flanger. To me, this is the ultimate modulation pedal.
 
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