FX/rig questions for tube guys

[shreder75]

hey duders....got me a tube amp recently and I've been researching online for some FX...I'm looking into multi fx pedals/boards just for easy of use and compact nature...naturally, they all have more than I want..I don't want amp models and all that..if I wanna get into that, I'll use my line 6 gear...but now, I just wanna use the gain on my b-52 cuz I love it...

anyway, I hear alotta different things from alotta different places...and generally, I find more experienced opinions on this board, so that's why I'm askin =)

what kinda fx do you guys run for live performances? I'm not looking for much...chorus sometimes, delay on leads definetly..some other things...phaser, flange..whatever...depending on the song..but I usually don't use too many fx...

I know..'get the pedals then, dude'..lol..but if you add up the price of two or three good boss pedals you could really get a multifx pedal with some other cool things (compression, autowah, etc) with an assignable expression pedal instead..

I don't wanna go rack...cuz that gets expensive when you throw foot controllers in there...

anywho, what I'm saying is, I want something that WON'T COLOR MY TONE...I like the sound of the amp the way it is..

anywho, if you guys could lend some insight or just post your rigs or what your experiences are, that would be great..

thanks!

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: FX/rig questions for tube guys

The only two effects units I know that won't colour your tone are the Lexicon MPX and Eventide rack mounted units ... but, they are also very expensive.

Not knowing what kind of budget you are looking for, or what effects for that matter, there's not much I can advise.

I have a BOSS GT-3, that I use purely as a guitar tuner, because I'm not wild about the sounds at all.

I play with zero effects, by the way ... not even reverb. Live I use a Fulltone Full-Drive 2 and a Fulltone Fat Boost in front of my amp; that's it.

 

[shreder75]

Re: FX/rig questions for tube guys

with my budget, Eventide isn't even my vocabulary..lol...

the other guitar player in my band has a GT-3....he uses the preamps in addition to the effects....

I'm not looking for all that much, but I don't wanna drop 200 bucks on two pedals when I could get something that has a little bit more to offer...

I'm kinda torn between a few things...a korg, a boss and a rocktron...I used to have an intellifex...that was pretty good....not sure if I wanna do the whole rack thing over again..

I don't use THAT many fx either..even on my vetta, which has a ton of them...but I'd like to have a few choices of reverb, chorus, delay (probaebly the most important) and volume pedal/wah options...

k, here's a question about that gt-3 for ya then...do you have that hooked up through your rig all the time or do you just hook it up when you're looking to tune then disconnect it when you're done? I know when you go into tuner mode on those things that it also can act as a bypass..and I'm wondering if, when bypassed, if it still makes its presence known in the tone of your amp's sound or if it sounds as if it's not there..know what I'm saying? I don't wanna bypass something if it's still going to affect how my tone sounds...

 

[Chi3f]

Re: FX/rig questions for tube guys

i have a tc electronics g-major... and i control it with a behringer FCB1010. every effect you need is in that effects processor. i wouldn't get rid of it for anything else in it's price range.

it is a rack mount unit but that's the only one i use and i got an amp head case with one rack slot to accomidate.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: FX/rig questions for tube guys

k, here's a question about that gt-3 for ya then...do you have that hooked up through your rig all the time or do you just hook it up when you're looking to tune then disconnect it when you're done? I know when you go into tuner mode on those things that it also can act as a bypass..and I'm wondering if, when bypassed, if it still makes its presence known in the tone of your amp's sound or if it sounds as if it's not there..know what I'm saying? I don't wanna bypass something if it's still going to affect how my tone sounds...

Good question.
Okay, I plug into the GT-3 right into the front end of the amp. The Tuner is also the bypass setting, so theoretically it has no affect on the tone. I've found it to be very transparent, btw.
I also use the foot pedal to mute the input between songs or switch guitars. It's a simple rig and it works quite well!

I'm sure you can also use the GT-3 through the FX loop of your amp.

The other thing to note is that LIVE sound is very different for me than recorded sound. For live use, I'm more concerned with practicality and volume. I want it to be butt simple to use, and loud enough to cut. If 1% of the tone is being affected due to the tuner or the wireless I'm using, that's a minor price to pay for being in tune and free to roam!!!

Set up time is also a key issue live, since many times I'm only afforded 10 minutes to be locked & loaded, and 1/2 of that time is usually spent helping schlep the drums on stage.

Hope this helps!

 

[skyydogg01]

Re: FX/rig questions for tube guys

ever thought of a Boss ME-50? $250 and a big bag of tricks

 

[shreder75]

Re: FX/rig questions for tube guys

Chief--I would love a G major..but it's a bit too pricey for me at this point in time....I hear great things about it though....

Twilight--that's what I wanted to know! the 'transparent' quality of it when it's bypassed....as long as it doesn't color the tone when it's bypassed (cause I don't use FX when I'm playing rythm..distorted rythm anyway..unless a song calls for it)...it'll mostly be used for cleans and whatnot..and I wanted something along those lines for the wah/expression pedal too...I like to keep it simple..I don't want 18 foot boards and a gillion cables...lol

if I'm not mistaken, the tuner (at least on teh newer boss G-5 and ME-50) can either bypass the guitar altogether (no sound from the amp at all) or can bypass the fx and have the dry signal going right into the amp...

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: FX/rig questions for tube guys

if I'm not mistaken, the tuner (at least on teh newer boss G-5 and ME-50) can either bypass the guitar altogether (no sound from the amp at all) or can bypass the fx and have the dry signal going right into the amp...

That is correct, sir ...

 

[shreder75]

Re: FX/rig questions for tube guys

i'm looking into that as well, skyydog...I'm weighing alotta options and that one keeps comming up on my radar...

 

[shreder75]

Re: FX/rig questions for tube guys

that be what I'm lookin' for then, Twilight =) thanks for the info..been very helpful!

 

[aleclee]

Re: FX/rig questions for tube guys

In increasing order of price:

• Yamaha Magic Stomp
• Floor multiFX (Pod XT Live / Boss GT-6) used in the loop
• Rack Unit (e.g., Rocktron) + MIDI footcontroller

I have the first two. I used to to the rack thing but decided it was more dain bramage than it was worth.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: FX/rig questions for tube guys

Depends on the unit.
My Engl sends MIDI program changes to my Digitech processor ...

 

[shreder75]

Re: FX/rig questions for tube guys

In increasing order of price:

• Yamaha Magic Stomp
• Floor multiFX (Pod XT Live / Boss GT-6) used in the loop
• Rack Unit (e.g., Rocktron) + MIDI footcontroller

I have the first two. I used to to the rack thing but decided it was more dain bramage than it was worth.

hey..I'm checkin' out that yamaha magic stomp on the net....looks to be a pretty cool little unit..do you run it through the fx loop or right into the amp?

 

[aleclee]

Re: FX/rig questions for tube guys

hey..I'm checkin' out that yamaha magic stomp on the net....looks to be a pretty cool little unit..do you run it through the fx loop or right into the amp?

I use it in the loop. It was one of the few stompboxes that played nice in the loop of my Soldano.

 

[shreder75]

Re: FX/rig questions for tube guys

and how's it working out? the sound samples on musician's friend were really nice...

 

[milkbone]

Re: FX/rig questions for tube guys

Check out on ebay an older Ibanez unit called the pue 5(sounds funny don't it!) I haven't played one but I hear they are nice and I know one of the guys from Collective Soul used to use one. I think it has OD, Comp, delay, stereo chorus and an effects loop for other stuff and a switch so you can take it out of the signal too! Cool!

 

[aleclee]

Re: FX/rig questions for tube guys

and how's it working out? the sound samples on musician's friend were really nice...

It was a deal at $199 and is an absolute steal on sale at Guitarget for $139. Sounds good and takes up very little space on the board given all the things it does.

 

[shreder75]

Re: FX/rig questions for tube guys

guitarget?? lol..that's a new one! I'll have to scope that out...thanks for the heads up =-)

 

[shreder75]

Re: FX/rig questions for tube guys

oh, does that thing run on batteries or just a wall wart?