Pedal/Rig Observation - Question

[ErikH]

With the crappy weather we had this past weekend I decided to go minimal on the pedals since I don't have a bag for my board yet. So, I only took my overdrive and the amp footswitch. The tuner is always there now regardless. Just tossed 'em in my cable bag and went.

That sure made for a little quicker setup/teardown but what I noticed afterwards is that I didn't necessarily miss not having the other two pedals, those being an MXR Phase 90 and Wah. I was perfectly content with just the overdrive. Sure, my amp (Vox AD50VT) has some built-in effects but all I use is the reverb and on rare occasion the delay.

So now I'm pondering whether I really need those other two at all, but at the same time there are a few songs where they may be needed. I use the Phase 90 during the VH stuff and part of the lead in Hotel California. The wah I sometimes use at the end of Born to be Wild (just for something different) and will need it for a few others. But still, that thought of just going minimal enters the mind.

Has anyone else had this kind of thought before?

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Pedal/Rig Observation - Question

I've certainly had that thought. In fact, I was thinking the other night as I was playing direct from my Les Paul into my AD100VTH, "I really don't need anything in between to get a great tone." The head goes into a Mesa 2x12 cab, but that's it. A bit of reverb is all I use for effects on the AD100.

I don't recommend that you just toss the pedals, but gig for a bit longer without anything else and see what you can find. Going minimal forces you to be more resourceful and get more from yourself, not the pedals.

- Keith

 

[ErikH]

Re: Pedal/Rig Observation - Question

Oh no, I wouldn't "toss" them as in sell them off. That's not happenin'. I don't see myself adding anything other than what I'm using right now.

Lately the wah hasn't seen any use and the Phase 90 just on the stuff I mentioned. Everything else I'll just kick on the OD if need be.

In fact, like you, when I'm practicing stuff at home I'm plugged straight in to the amp most of the time. I might do that next weekend just for kicks. Well, the tuner will be there but that would be it, and tuners don't count anyway.

I remember my rig in college. Peavey Special 150 and my Phase 90. That was it. I just kept it on the dirty channel and rolled back the volume for cleans. The Phase 90 came on for leads. So, simplicity is nothing new to me.

 

[MartinSixStringCustoms]

Re: Pedal/Rig Observation - Question

Erik, I've been down this road a few times myself. I went from having a ton of pedals to nothing and now back to a ton of pedals. The only time I play out is in Church. I'll say this - I'm glad to have a variety of pedals on tap. Even though I don't use them all that frequently, its still cool to have the option. Same idea with OD's. I made the mistake of buying the flavor of the month in the past, and sold off the old one(s) to get it. Now, I have a few different ones on my board and love them all. Each has its own character and purpose.

Hope that helps.

 

[joeydude]

Re: Pedal/Rig Observation - Question

yeah most of the time at home im just guitar-cord-amp, but i use wah with my band and i could seriously do with a reverb pedle.

 

[RW James]

Re: Pedal/Rig Observation - Question

I was playing in church Sunday, when my pedal board went dead. I still don't know what happened, but it happened right in the middle of a song. We finished the song a capella.

But I still had two more songs to play. I did a quick check of a couple of suspected trouble spots (all this in front of 300 people watching me and waiting for the next song) but nothing worked. So I pulled the input plug out of the pedal board and plugged straight into the amp. The next song was clean anyway. The last song needed some distortion, so I went back to the amp and cranked up the gain, and away I went.

It wasn't as much fun as what I had originally planned, but it was nice not to worry about all that stuff. And it's nice to know I can do it if I have to.

I carry everything in a pedal case, so only taking what I need is more trouble than it's worth.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Pedal/Rig Observation - Question

I am down to using a comp, drive and little else most of the time now.....I am trying to loose my delay addiction
I like the more direct sound alot, always had....I like the nuances you can make and hear this way!

 

[ErikH]

Re: Pedal/Rig Observation - Question

Thanks for the responses, guys.

RW, that had to suck big time, and that is one of my fears too. Hence why I was trimming down how many I used to begin with. I used to run like 6 pedals and it was nuts. I got tired of tapdancing so I trimmed it down.

I do remember the one rehearsal with the band before this one where I plugged right in to the Vox without anything in between and really liking it. I felt free from being stuck in one spot having to step on something. The channel switcher was the only thing on the floor.

Matt, I have so many OD's/boosters/distortions that I wouldn't know where to step if I had them all out there....LOL. I'd be switching DURING the song rather than when I need to. Hence why I limit myself to one in a band situation but I do see your point.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Pedal/Rig Observation - Question

Erik.... only FXs left in my pedalboard besides Distortion is Chorus for clean tones...

 

[Dirt123]

Re: Pedal/Rig Observation - Question

90% of the time, I can get away with just a wah & the channel foot switch. I like the have the other gizmos for the other 10%.

With age comes lazyness.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Pedal/Rig Observation - Question

Erik.... only FXs left in my pedalboard besides Distortion is Chorus for clean tones...

I can't remember the last time I used my Chorus pedal. What amp do you run those through?

90% of the time, I can get away with just a wah & the channel foot switch. I like the have the other gizmos for the other 10%.

With age comes lazyness.

I'm about to try the same thing at the next rehearsal. I'll have the others with me but I might put the wah there. Last rehearsal I had it on the floor I used it more as a footrest....LOL.

 

[fingerace]

Re: Pedal/Rig Observation - Question

For me it's just a wah pedal, and the guitar's volume knob. (or a boost or an OD of some sort).

I think it makes me think less, care about them less, tweak less... and play and create more!

but SOMETIMES I wish I had more toys to play around with. Just for a few minutes...

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: Pedal/Rig Observation - Question

I played a bunch of gigs with an Overdrive and a tuner pedal.

Then one time I forgot the Overdrive. I got panicky for a bit but halfway through the set I realized that it wasn't going to be a problem.

Since then I've become a huge advocate of just hauling things out of the chain to see if you can sink or swim.

 

[Bezmotivnik]

Re: Pedal/Rig Observation - Question

I have a lot of stomps, but never use them for my own music; I just find them interesting as circuitry. I'll use multi-effects and modelers for recording.

I don't work in a cover or tribute band, nor would I, but I've been very surprised and impressed by the way intelligent and professional lounge/casino/cruise cover guitarists do their whole acts with nothing but high-end modeling amps programmed for their set lists and a footswitch.

Bam-bam-bam right through the guitar patches appropriate to the song, with about three seconds between numbers. I'd say they had the sounds about 85% right on average, and that's good enough for any liquored-up cover audience.

The difference between these full-time guitar operator guys and me is of course vast, but if I was ever in that job, I'm sure that's the way I'd do it. Man, those guys just knock it out.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Pedal/Rig Observation - Question

It's nice to see I'm not the only one on this road. Since it snowed here today and my daughter's daycare was closed, I stayed home. Got to play some this afternoon while she was napping. Just went straight to the amp from the tuner, no other pedals. Then I went about my normal practice routine and band homework. All I had to have was the amp footswitch.

There's enough built in to my amp that I can work with. I messed with the patches some more and got it to where I can pull some pleasing tones with what I saved. My Valvetronix has 2 stored presets plus the manual mode. There's 3, but I can get some variations of each just by rolling back the volume on the guitar.

This coming weekend I'll see how this flys. Like Skarey said, haul things out of the chain to see if you can sink or swim. Well, I was swimming pretty darn good last weekend with just the OD. Let's see what it's like with nothing at all.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Pedal/Rig Observation - Question

My pedalboard with all the Line 6 stuff was needed in my last band, and for some sessions, but seems to be overkill for me now. I only use the Klon, FDII, Clyde Deluxe wah, and tuner. I'm going to keep the big board around, in case I want to put those back on it, but I'm going to make a cheap simple little black plywood plank to put about 4 pedals, power supply, and tuner on it, and start using that everytime I'm at the rehearsal studio.

Right now, we're just auditioning singers anyway.

 

[jony]

Re: Pedal/Rig Observation - Question

I echo the view that we can all do it really simply actually.

Just that with more pedals come more options which can be used. We dont have to... but it'll be really nice... As is with all things gear.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Pedal/Rig Observation - Question

Joe, with the gear you have, seeing you say "overkill for me" just doesn't seem to make sense....:laugh2: Then again, with the amps you have (especially that Valvetronix head), you shouldn't need anything at all on the floor.....maybe a wah. My board is in the closet at the moment. Good thing it cost all but $20 to put make.

jony, it can be quite fun having a pallete of pedals in front of you, I agree. Unfortunately, it can be combersome at the same time. I've got close to a dozen pedals and could easily fill up a double row board (a few which are DIY), but I don't because for me that's WAY overkill. I tend to mess with most of the pedals at home just to tinker with them. I still don't know how Gilmore does it. He's got the largest pedalboard I've seen.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Pedal/Rig Observation - Question

I can't remember the last time I used my Chorus pedal. What amp do you run those through?

If i'm using the 5150 stack i only have a Boss Chorus in the FX Loop and turn it on and off with the amps footswitch.... Odd time i will use a Flanger in it's place, not often...

My larger Pedal Board is for my Classic 30 combo or my Classic 50 head and cab.... I have a few OD's and Distortions but the only time based FX is the Chorus.... a Boss Line Selector pedal and a Boss Chorus.... And a Morley A/B box so i can switch my cord off to change guitars and switch to a tuner..

Signal path is A/B Box, Line Selector with a DS1 on loop A, and a Danolectro Fab Tone in Loop B, Tube Screamer-(for adding punch to the amps own dirt channel), then the Chorus and out...

Between using the amps own distortion and these FX units i have a multi amp like set up that can get me any tones from blues to metal in an instant... Most amazing set up i have found yet.

I have enough FX boxes to make a 2nd back up pedalboard.... just need another Line Selector pedal..... I swear by those things.. You can use one Distortion in one loop for a rythym tone, and switch to a different distortion in the other loop and get a large volume boost for solos at the same time!!!!!

PS- a very interesting Clean tone is my C50 head into a 4x12, my Godin with the neck humbucker and piezo's mixed, and the Boss Chorus!!!!! OH MY! Lush!!!!

 

[fingerace]

Re: Pedal/Rig Observation - Question

I was thinking of Eric Johnson. What if he went directly in the amp? Then it wouldn't be HIS sound anymore. He uses tons of signal processing but that's what makes him stand out from the rest. (+ his playing)

My point is that whatever floats your boat and makes you satisfied as far as the sound that you output is the RIGHT thing for you...