Essential Stompboxes?

[superpete]

Re: Essential Stompboxes?

I'm really not baggin on yah man but thats another bad analogy. By that line of thinking why are you still coddling your Les Paul along? Cars from 60 years ago are much different than they are now. Guitars not so much.. Hell most of the new stuff aspires to be like the old stuff. If we were all after "the cutting edge" we would be playing graphite parkers through modelers.

but we're not talking about guitars; we're talking about pedals. Gibson and Fender may have mastered the electric guitar in the 50s, but the same can't be said for pedals. There are new pedals that completely destroy the classic big muff, tube screamer, dd3, etc etc out there. there's no reason to stick with the tried and true when you can get a better pedal.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Essential Stompboxes?

but we're not talking about guitars; we're talking about pedals. Gibson and Fender may have mastered the electric guitar in the 50s, but the same can't be said for pedals. There are new pedals that completely destroy the classic big muff, tube screamer, dd3, etc etc out there. there's no reason to stick with the tried and true when you can get a better pedal.

I'm curious what does a big muff better than a big muff? Some pedals are obsolete and you never hear of them but there were some gems that while old are still very much relevant.

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: Essential Stompboxes?

I'm curious what does a big muff better than a big muff? Some pedals are obsolete and you never hear of them but there were some gems that while old are still very much relevant.

I've had the current production big muff and it's not that great. Most any of the boutique clones nowadays are miles ahead. Often times they're better than the originals - big muffs were known for being extremely inconsistent. Plus, the two muffs I have both have mids controls, which lets me put back in some of the mids it scoops out so I can actually be heard in a mix.

 

[Hoss]

Re: Essential Stompboxes?

I've gone pedal free for a long time now, but I feel like I'm missing out on a lot now.

So my question to you guys is, what are the essential pedals for someone who is just starting out in the world of pedals? The pedals that all others are compared to.

So far on my list is:
Ibanez TS-9 (808?)
Fulltone OCD
Electro-Harmonix Big Muff
Boss DS-1

Those are the OD's on my list, but I don't have a clue what the standards are for modulation, delay, and reverb pedals.

Thanks for the help guys!

Tough question for sure...a lot of it will depend on your style of music as well?

For example, i play kind of "ambient pop rock" type of music and my standards are as follows: A couple of different gain stages of dirt in the "transparent" vein...such as a light OD and a medium OD & perhaps something to kick in for a smooth solo here and there. An ethereal/shimmer Reverb is essential as well as having mulitple delays with at least one of them being tap tempo. I also like modulation in one of my delays and another pedal source of modulation such as a chorus or phaser. A volume pedal for swells is necessary and an octave pedal is nice.

 

[superpete]

Re: Essential Stompboxes?

I'm curious what does a big muff better than a big muff? Some pedals are obsolete and you never hear of them but there were some gems that while old are still very much relevant.

Like agile guy said, while good muffs are great, the vintage ones were inconsistent. when they ran out of parts, they used whatever they had lying around, so the quality and sound varies. Newer pedals like the earthquaker hoof, the stomp under foot ram's head, and the tym big mudd will get you the classic big muff sound PLUS more, like a mid control, ability to disengage the tone circuit, true bypass, different sounds, etc etc. Plus they are cheaper and more reliable than an original.

It's like pickups. PAFs are great, when you get a great one. But there were duds out there. An antiquity or a lollar or (insert favorite pickup maker here) will get you a vintage sounding PAF, PLUS with some modern pickups you can get one wound to your spec, with whatever magnet, etc etc. Or get it overwound if that's better for you. Whatever you want.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Essential Stompboxes?

I get that and consistancy is good. But that doesnt invalidate that the old pedals when you have a good one are still very relevant. There is no need to abandon a original TS9 for a bad monkey.

 

[superpete]

Re: Essential Stompboxes?

I get that and consistancy is good. But that doesnt invalidate that the old pedals when you have a good one are still very relevant. There is no need to abandon a original TS9 for a bad monkey.

Totally agree. Personally I'm not a fan of the bad monkey. But if you're gonna drop $100 on a TS9 reissue, you should also check out other things in the same price range. The MXR badass overdrive comes to mind. Less $$$, more tone options.

 

[SongsForTheDeaf]

Re: Essential Stompboxes?

whats wrong with the bad monkey ? I use one as a lead boost before all my other fuzzes and distortions and it sounds great and endures my heavy foot

 

[superpete]

Re: Essential Stompboxes?

whats wrong with the bad monkey ? I use one as a lead boost before all my other fuzzes and distortions and it sounds great and endures my heavy foot

If it works for you great. I just like other overdrives a lot more.

 

[SongsForTheDeaf]

Re: Essential Stompboxes?

To each their own, I find the bad monkey a good tubescreamer but with more versatility EQ wise and you can't beat the price.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Essential Stompboxes?

Nice work, guys. We reached a consensus on all these pedal questions with astonishing alacrity.

The best advice I can offer is that at least half of what people say about pedals is opinion. The other half is complete bull****.

 

[GregJr]

Re: Essential Stompboxes?

MXR 10-band EQ!
I'm surprised no one suggested it already.

 

[jacksontrader]

Re: Essential Stompboxes?

The pedal market is huge, it's gonna take yah awhile to find all the ones that please your ear. Good luck with your challenge and don't settle for almost, the exact ones you want are out there.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Essential Stompboxes?

Nice work, guys. We reached a consensus on all these pedal questions with astonishing alacrity.

You talk so sexy sometimes...If you were your avatar I'd grab you by the back of your hair and knock the bottom out it!

 

[Aceman]

Re: Essential Stompboxes?

I'm doing a horrible job at making my point. ONCE UPON A TIME -

There was a Distortion pedal that was made to be sent in the front odf an already pushed amp, the DS-1. It was awesome for that. But now, amps have so much gain it's stupid and there are way better stand alone tones, and way more flexible/ tweakable boxes.

There was this OD unit, the TS-9 that had a certain mid push that really worked nice to slap preamp tubes in a good way with some more output (and maybe a bit of grit). But again, amps got grittier, eq's got more range, we came to not love the massive mids if using it for just the dirt, and wanted more grit, more bottom, etc.

Yes, those are great pedals for what they were. I just really think that unless you are trying to recreate classic sounds, neither of them is on my "A" list for must owns.

That said - I DO own a TS-9. Of course, it's 20-30 years old. And I use it with a Pro Jr for classic rocking.
I also own a MXR Micro amp from the freaking 70's. Because it does exactly what I want plain and simple.

But I also own a Digitech Chorus, because I'm not trying to recreate 1976. I want a lot of different chorus tones and flexibility. So you can buy 7 classic pedals, and be semi-happy with each, or you buy one pedal that can do 7 great sounds and is more tweakable than any of them.

As for the TS-9; Overpriced. Just because it's a TS-9. Get a TS-7. Same damm pedal in Tonelock form. And has a more dirt switch to boot.

Crybaby Wah is a "classic" but we all know way flavors vary and tastes change. I really can't see why anyone would buy that over a 535Q at all. Unless you knew that was the one and only Wah sound you wanted/needed.

I love and respect the classics - but they are just not what I would recommend today unless you knew you needed that sound. DS-1; No way. There are a million dirt boxes. I guarantee almost everyone will find one they like better. For me; BOSS HM-2, DOD American Metal, and the Catalinbread Supercharged Overdrive are all WAY better than the DS-1.



So if you want to get the classics, just to have the classics, go ahead. But if you want great sounds and flexible tools - they ain't it anymore.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Essential Stompboxes?

If you were your avatar, I'd grab you by the back of your hair and knock the bottom out it!

Dangerous talk. You know that Jessie changes his avatar pic every month or so. If the pictures of cute actresses are replaced by pictures of, say, Rob Halford of Judas Priest or Freddie Mercury, your comment is gonna look silly.

As for effect pedals, I certainly have my favourites but they are only appropriate for sounding like me. I am not interested in replicating sounds from chart singles or pub rock favourites.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Essential Stompboxes?

You talk so sexy sometimes...If you were your avatar I'd grab you by the back of your hair and knock the bottom out it!

My money would be on Hope. That woman's downright vicious.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Essential Stompboxes?

I wish someone would make a better HM-2 set to chainsaw clone. Other than that most of thes boutique dudes can lick ace's finger.

What's wrong with a TS9 anyway?

 

[Aceman]

Re: Essential Stompboxes?

I wish someone would make a better HM-2 set to chainsaw clone. Other than that most of thes boutique dudes can lick ace's finger.

What's wrong with a TS9 anyway?

DEPENDING ON YOUR TASTE:
- Not enough distortion
- Not enough bass
- Too much mid boost (mostly a mid booster is what a TS-( is anyway)
- Not enough EQ control
- Need true bypass

That's why almost all later generations tend to have more of most of those things, and why TS-9 mods abound. Check out the BAd Monkey, the Green Rhino, Maxon, etc...

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: Essential Stompboxes?

DEPENDING ON YOUR TASTE:
- Not enough distortion
- Not enough bass
- Too much mid boost (mostly a mid booster is what a TS-( is anyway)
- Not enough EQ control
- Need true bypass

That's why almost all later generations tend to have more of most of those things, and why TS-9 mods abound. Check out the BAd Monkey, the Green Rhino, Maxon, etc...

Not one of those reasons is a "problem" with the TS-9. The only problem would be a player picking it when it doesn't meet their specific needs.