Going back to your original ways? (amps, effects, guitars)

[Closed Eye]

...because, while messing with the GNX3 I just got, I decided that I could actually do the cover band/effects thing with just a few pedals. I also kinda missed the control of individual pedals, where if there's a problem I can just go down an turn a knob, rather than cycling through a bank, patch, the effect, and then saving the setting. I also missed the spontenaety of the single effects units as well.

I'd owned the GNX3 for about 2 weeks but before had been thinking of just going to back to my original setup (Boss DD-3, wah, distortion...in the form of the Route66) rather than messing with a bunch of the "cool" or "trendy" effects that I'd been buying and selling over the past year due to disatisfaction or general uselessness to my situation/ears.

So yeah, after a year of going through a bunch of different delays, distortions, multi-FX, and more I turned the GNX3 in and exchanged the store credit for my original favorite delay, the Boss DD-3 Digital Delay, and picked up a Boss BF-3 Flanger because, honestly, I've been wanting to pick one up for years. To tell you the truth I couldn't be any happier with these effects because they're great!

...has something like this happened to anyone else? Where you think you like something and love the possibilities but then you realize you like the idea as it was in your head and, being disappointed with the reality of the situation, you end up going back to how you had it "back in the day"?

 

[ErikH]

Re: Going back to your original ways? (amps, effects, guitars)

Yup. It's happened to me. I went from having one or two pedals out front to a whole freakin' row and even a rackmount effects unit. Now I'm back down to one or two pedals out front, sold the rack, and using the reverb or delay that's in the amp. I enjoy playing more because of going back to that simplicity. My amp now is a Vox modeller but it's simple to use and has all the sounds I need/want.....right now anyway.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Going back to your original ways? (amps, effects, guitars)

The only effects I've ever used are a Ch1,or CE2, DD3, TS9 or Super Over Drive and a good Wah and tuner. Anything else I would have no real need for. Many years ago I used a phaser instead of a chorus, but I prefer the chorus. All other effects I would not know what to do with.

 

[Jeroen]

Re: Going back to your original ways? (amps, effects, guitars)

while messing with the GNX3 I just got

So you didn't go for the Boss GT-8 after all?
I thought you were considering one a while back?

 

[Closed Eye]

Re: Going back to your original ways? (amps, effects, guitars)

So you didn't go for the Boss GT-8 after all?
I thought you were considering one a while back?

Price was a big deal because I'm saving for a downpayment on a brand new car and I got a good deal on the GNX3, which was a bout $150-$200 less than the GT-8. During the GNX exchange I saw that they had the GT-8 in stock, but couldn't get any money off b/c it was a new item for this calender year, and then decided to go back to what I knew (single effects) and what I liked (the same pedals I sold a year back to be on the cusp of new or vintage pedals).

...I'm sure I'll pick up the GT-8 in the future though, maybe my fiance will pick on up for X-Max next year or something...

 

[spacecaptain21]

Re: Going back to your original ways? (amps, effects, guitars)

This is happening to me as we speak.

I had a Blues Junior for a long time. I got rid of it because I wanted something that did more then just a clean sound. I went for a Crate Palomino V32, which was good but too big for what I needed at the time, and I didn't LOVE the overdrive. Then after that, I got a Vox Valvetronix which broke down on me and because I needed something quickly, I got an Epiphone Valve Special (which I regret returning, but I got my Les Paul instead and Epi Valves are everywhere). After THAT, I picked up a Peavey Delta Blues. Similar to the Crate, I wasn't in love with the drive channel for my needs.

So I go into GC on Sunday. Check out the used amp wall, and a Stinger Bluesman Head is sitting there. Curious, I went over to check it out. The salesman tells me it's a Twin Reverb in a head. The best clean amp I've ever played. Just beautiful. The best part, arguably however, was the price. The amp will be mine on Sunday. It's an American handmade boutique thing, from what I've gathered, by the same guy who made the Blues Pearl amps.

This is strange, because I spent all this time looking for a versatile amp and find everything I need in a 'one-trick-pony' amp. I have my Tubulator for dirt (intend to pick up an OCD soon) which I like a lot, and I have this mindblowing clean....what else do I need?

Oh, and I've never used effects. Just drive pedals, if anything.

 

[joelap]

Re: Going back to your original ways? (amps, effects, guitars)

I was heavily influenced by Tom Morello when I first started playing, so since I can remember, I was always into pedals and weird noises. I nver ended up using them much however. Anyways, about a year and a half ago I decided I wanted quality intead of quanitity: sold all my Ibanez/DOD pedals in the hopes I'd replace them with good quality pedals. Well, I never did and got used to playing with just an NS-2 in front of me. Then I learned how to build pedals from kits and online projects. Now I'm going back to my old ways of actually having a pedalboard in front of me.

Its really a constant ebb and flow. Next year I'll be running straight into the amp, and the year after pedals again. Its the glory of it all.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Going back to your original ways? (amps, effects, guitars)

So I go into GC on Sunday. Check out the used amp wall, and a Stinger Bluesman Head is sitting there. Curious, I went over to check it out. The salesman tells me it's a Twin Reverb in a head. The best clean amp I've ever played. Just beautiful. The best part, arguably however, was the price. The amp will be mine on Sunday. It's an American handmade boutique thing, from what I've gathered, by the same guy who made the Blues Pearl amps.

If you ever want to know anything about Robert Hudson and Blues Pearl/Stinger amps, let me know. I had an endorsement deal with them in the 90's, and used about 4 Blues Pearl amps. They're the best Fender clones, IMO, but they went out of business around 2000. Superb amps. Buy the Stinger! The reason Blues Pearls were so great is because Robert Hudson was a tube audio designer for General Electric in the 70's.

 

[Dr.Mavashi]

Re: Going back to your original ways? (amps, effects, guitars)

Well, before I quit playin in 2000 I had JCM 2000 and digitech 21/20 with morely bad horsie ......... never was happy with the tone, it drove me nuts together with my band mates and I just gave up ..... Starting this year I am back and let me tell you, with Invader in my MIA strat, STRUTDELAXERS TS9, Morely Bad Horsie and 50 watt Laney AOR Pro-Tube into JCM900 1960A cab I have a skeleton tone that I never dreament off, really, I could not imagine that this tone was possible without much talent-in-the-fingers and top of the line vintage stuff. I am now just in search for the icing on the cake, a reverb - which I think is going to be danelectro Sprink King and a chorus/flange with a EQ and i am done. I just can't imagine why would I need anything else .....

 

[Rich_S]

Re: Going back to your original ways? (amps, effects, guitars)

Back when I was playing out in the mid 80's, my rig was a MArshall 2203 and a pedalboard with 4 or 5 Boss pedals on it. It always worked great for me. After that I went through the whole rack thing - multiple SPX90's, rackmount EQ - I even had one of those "Adrien Belew" model two-Rats-in-one-rack-space distortions. I never really heard any sonic improvement over my little board full o' Boss.

Now that I'm getting back into playing, I bought a bunch of Boss pedals on eBay: CE-3, BF-2, etc... just like the old days.

And I just re-created the Schecter PT that I sold long ago. Hopefully, I've learned my lesson, and will hang onto this gear for good.

 

[junior]

Re: Going back to your original ways? (amps, effects, guitars)

If you use your amp, guitars volume control, and overdrive properly, you have a 3 channel amp. I even use batteries in my pedals (overdrive, the rare use of phaser, and booster) instead of wall wort-power supplies. Batteries sound better and I only have to plug my amp in. Batteries last in most pedals for a long time if you unplug them between sets- except delay pedals and things like that. I can't stand the tone out of processers. It seems that people who use processors or racks try to get their tone from those things, instead of the amp/ guitar. You need to get your amp and guitar sounding good before you put stuff on it. In my humble opinion of course.

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: Going back to your original ways? (amps, effects, guitars)

Simplify... works for me

I have my rig in HYBRID mode - I have digital FX (TC Electronics G Major, etc) and MIDI and everything, but I can just grab my amp and a Boss BCB6 and go out and rock if needed. I think BOTH have their uses.

 

[CoolRails420]

Re: Going back to your original ways? (amps, effects, guitars)

I've been into rack mounted effects quite extensively for about the last 5 years, but the more time passes the more articifial and thin they sound to me. I especially can't stand the Line 6 stuff - I just cannot dig the sound...Now I am very into running just my guitar into my SFX-03 then directly into the amp. Much cleaner sound, much more texture, much more feel.

I'm starting to think the longer the signal chain, the worse the sound.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Going back to your original ways? (amps, effects, guitars)

It seems that people who use processors or racks try to get their tone from those things, instead of the amp/ guitar. You need to get your amp and guitar sounding good before you put stuff on it. In my humble opinion of course.

Even better, when I use my midi rig, I don't even use a guitar amp, so of course I get my tones from the processors.
its not an either/or thing with me. Lots of people use different guitars for different sounds, why not some different setups?
I have a fairly extensive midi guitar/looping rig that isn't suitable for some situations. So I grab an amp and my pedalboard for those other times.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Going back to your original ways? (amps, effects, guitars)

Only 2 FX boxes i use with my insanely huge set up, as well as my smaller set ups is a Boss Chorus and a cheaper Dunlop wahwah

I have been toying with Multi FX's for years on and off but they seem like such toys to me.. First thing i did when i tried out Multi FX's was to take all the Delays, Chorus's and other stuff off so i could hear what the simulated amp sounds are like.... and i'm never really happy with any multi FX units amp sounds alone.... the Pod 2.0 was the first one to come along that i said this is OK, not amazing but much better then the others.... I wish to try out the newer Boss GT-8 as i have always liked Boss stuff.....

For playing in a band it has to be my real amps, and few FX's... once in a blue moon i'll add a delay pedal but after a while i find i use it too much.... I do use an older Boss Flanger a fair bit... but i find i take the Chorus off the board when i'm using the Flanger..

A few local pro players who have been on the road for 20-30 years, done huge tours and gigs, had big record contracts with lots of sales, are still out there with stuff like a Marshall amp and a few Boss pedals... if it works for these guys then that is all i need as these guys rip!!!

With my Classic 30 setup i use a few Distortion boes as well as i don't use the amps OD channel that much..

I do use one 17 year old multifx unit once in a blue moon thru my Classic 50.. it's a 1989 Roland GP8 rack unit.... bought it for $20 at a garage sale... it is like having a huge pile of Boss pedals as the sound banks are analog but has a digital controll system... the unit can be midi controlled and all that stuff... since it is a Roland and has a lot of Analog goodies inside it sounds just like a bunch of Boss units..... i will buy another one of these GP8's if i can find one.... Instead of going all digital with the next model the GP16 they should of stuck with the Analog sounds!!!!

 

[neosadist]

Re: Going back to your original ways? (amps, effects, guitars)

...because, while messing with the GNX3 I just got, I decided that I could actually do the cover band/effects thing with just a few pedals. I also kinda missed the control of individual pedals, where if there's a problem I can just go down an turn a knob, rather than cycling through a bank, patch, the effect, and then saving the setting. I also missed the spontenaety of the single effects units as well.

That's why I bought an ME-50: knobs. I can run 3 individual effects on/off-style. Add the dual footswitch and I can on/off two more effects in manual mode.

But as for my original equipment, I'm using it right now lol.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Going back to your original ways? (amps, effects, guitars)

That's why I bought an ME-50: knobs. I can run 3 individual effects on/off-style. Add the dual footswitch and I can on/off two more effects in manual mode.

But as for my original equipment, I'm using it right now lol.

i heard great things about the ME-50.... what years were they produced? I saw one sitting used in the local store but couldn't afford the $100 at the time and had to let it go.... GP-8 rack unit, ME-50 and a few others are all on my shopping wish list

 

[neosadist]

Re: Going back to your original ways? (amps, effects, guitars)

i heard great things about the ME-50.... what years were they produced? I saw one sitting used in the local store but couldn't afford the $100 at the time and had to let it go.... GP-8 rack unit, ME-50 and a few others are all on my shopping wish list

Still being produced as far as I know. Musiciansfriend has new ones. I would've bought an ME-50 for $100! Too bad you didn't have the cash....

But yeah, ME-50 is like $300-ish brand new I believe.

 

[pinto79]

Re: Going back to your original ways? (amps, effects, guitars)

I've been using a Line6 AX2 for about 7 years now. It has the ability to sound great, but I've found in recent ties that the Marshall tones I crave are not as good as they could be. So I got a Marshall JMP-1 preamp and I split my signal and run into both units along with a few pedals on the Marshall side and make complimentary patches, so that when I switch patch on the AX2, is changes the patch on the Marshall via midi. so far, so good but I'm still setting it all up.

This also allows me to simplify by removing the AX2, picking a good patch on the Marshall and colour with pedals/guitars/pickups whatever and run it into my power amp and out to a cab.

 

[Jackson Distortion]

Re: Going back to your original ways? (amps, effects, guitars)

Check the sig. I've been going 'pared down' for 13 years. Of course, my rig's been varied but remains rather pedestrian.