School Me on Pedals + Tube Amps

[75lespaul]

Re: School Me on Pedals + Tube Amps

If you're considering a Valvetronix, I'd suggest getting one of the blue ones, or at least get a seperate cab with great speakers to put it through. While I prefer tube (Blues Jr.) over modeling anytime, it's tough to pass up an amp that has 16 models--and a few great ones at that--plus the effects. As far as feel, that's for each of us to decide. I agree with BBill, but I can also deal with it because the Valvetronix packs so much value in one little package.

 

[James Rock]

Re: School Me on Pedals + Tube Amps

As for pedals behringer have alot of copies of more expensive pedals and should by better sounding then ur current amps effects and are cheap so you can try out many. Personally i would go for a light overdrive ( like the TO800), maybe a heavier distortion (if hard rock/ metal) or fuzz (the super fuzz looks interesting), a delay (echo machine would have lots of different sounds you could play with) maybe a wah (i have the hellbabe and find it is quite good) and some form of modulation (chorus, flanger, phaser etc).
Im suggesting behringer because they are excellent quality (sound wise) for money and would be a good starting point due to their price. Of course more expensive botique pedals (especially for dirty tones and wah's) would be better but then cost alot more and are harder to find.

 

[drpietrzak]

Re: School Me on Pedals + Tube Amps

If you think pedals, Boss has some widely used entry priced ones. SD-1, DS-1 for example. If you want to go with one that works with every amps I have the SFX-03.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: School Me on Pedals + Tube Amps

I went to the local store yesterday and tried out some OD's.

I played a $180 Strat copy thru the pedals (one at a time) into a Peavey "Delta Blues" tweed Fender knockoff.

Fulltone OCD: Best I tried - made everything I played sound better
Digitech Bad Monkey: Didn't do it for me, sounded like it killed the tone
Fulltone FullDrive2: Nope

Haven't tried the Boss Blues Driver, OverDrive, anything

 

[jmh151]

Re: School Me on Pedals + Tube Amps

I prefer a booster into a good tube amp to get overdrive...

I have an Ibanez TS-9, TS-9 DX, MXR Zakk Wylde and DOD YJM 308.

On each of them I crank the output and leave the drive at 1 or 2.

The TS-9 DX basically copies each of those pedals with different settings.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: School Me on Pedals + Tube Amps

Update:

I went to Richmond today to visit my folks for Easter and I got into a music store that has more than Peavey amps and knockoff guitars.

I was really looking to compare the Fender Blues Junior to the VOX ADxxVT, but no luck; sold out of the Blues Junior.

I plugged my oh-so-sweet MIA 1996 Fender Stratocaster into a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe: Less than inspiring! quite "flat" for a tube amp; bug disappointment here

VOX AD15VT: WAY better tone tro my ears than the Fender HRD, yikes. I tried it on the Fender amp models, and was impressed, but not enough to leave the store with it.

VOX AD60VT Blue Grille: Less impressed than with the AD15VT. I spent a long time trying to get a sound I liked out of this amp, maybe 30 minutes, and no such luck. I dialed the master wattage down to 15, and down to 1 watt, and got close, but I still wasn't quenched. I'm now sure that a hybrid modeling amp is not for me.

The productive part of today is that I now KNOW that I'm not in for a VOX Valvetronix. I know a lot of guys get great tones out of them, but I ain't one of 'em. Glad to know I can move on from these.

I listened to a bunch of clips on YouTube (search "blues junior" and listen to the clip of the guy with the Squier Strat and the blues Junior!)of Blues Juniors, and I think it is really the amp I am looking for, but of course, I haven't played one, so I cannot honestly attest to their greatness or purchase one.

Wish me luck!

-Hunter