The pedals you need.....and those you think you need
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beaubrummels
Well-known member
Actually for me, it isn't a question of needing pedals, it's a question of needing a particular sound in the chain, and pedals may be the solution depending on the gig; whether I use my own amp, or someone else's backline, or direct to a mixing board; whether I get some stage foorprint to work with, have a vehicle that can roadie the amps, or have to cram in a 2' square area. Also how good the quality needs to be. Sometimes pedals just get you in the ballpark but don't sound or feel exactly right. Sometimes you need an actual amp or rack piece of equipment to get the right sound and feel.
What I do need is: something that can do a Marshall Plexi, something that can do a Fender clean, something that can do multiple delay timings and a clean professional sounding reverb. All other things are optional or rare depeding on the music (like needing a chorus or wah). Sometimes I get all the above from pedals, but I also have other equipment that solves the same problem for different gigs. For pedals, keeping it really lean I'll use a single Zoom MS-50G. If I need bettter sounds and can't program the sounds in advance, my next larger pedal board has a RambleFX Marvel Drive, TC Electronic AlterEgo, EH Canyon, VisualSound Tap Delay and Strymon El Capistan, and a Strymon Big Sky. If I'm running direct, I replace the Marvel Drive with a SansAmp PSA-1 and replace the Big Sky with an old Roland SRV-330 studio rack reverb I have. After that, I get the Marshalls out, use a rack delay only if needed, and tell the sound man what reverb I need.
What I do need is: something that can do a Marshall Plexi, something that can do a Fender clean, something that can do multiple delay timings and a clean professional sounding reverb. All other things are optional or rare depeding on the music (like needing a chorus or wah). Sometimes I get all the above from pedals, but I also have other equipment that solves the same problem for different gigs. For pedals, keeping it really lean I'll use a single Zoom MS-50G. If I need bettter sounds and can't program the sounds in advance, my next larger pedal board has a RambleFX Marvel Drive, TC Electronic AlterEgo, EH Canyon, VisualSound Tap Delay and Strymon El Capistan, and a Strymon Big Sky. If I'm running direct, I replace the Marvel Drive with a SansAmp PSA-1 and replace the Big Sky with an old Roland SRV-330 studio rack reverb I have. After that, I get the Marshalls out, use a rack delay only if needed, and tell the sound man what reverb I need.
Francois
New member
+1
im lucky that i get that almost every time i plug in. tonally im a blues rock guy and my old deluxe reverb with a good guitar does everything i need it to, and if i feel like i need something else theres a tweed deluxe, or a handful of equally awesome amps available. im a lucky guy. doesnt mean that i didnt order a camel toe a while back
Artie
Peaveyologist
Very true. My Bogner Alchemist, (Line 6 heart), has both reverb and multi-mode delay built in. I rarely use anything else. Although, I like having them.
I rely a lot on real-time manipulation of effects (via expression pedal), so a good clean amp is what I need. I am digging my light af Fender Tone Master Deluxe for this, with a Line 6 HX Effects pedal.
I just got a Fractal FM3 for direct-to-PA use, and I will post it in this thread when connected to a pedalboard.
I just got a Fractal FM3 for direct-to-PA use, and I will post it in this thread when connected to a pedalboard.
I just got the email from Fractal on the FM3 being available. How do you like it? I am torn between it, AXE FX, Neural DSP and Kemper. I haven't went that way and I can see the benefits at times but I am on the fence.
Coming from using the AX8, it sounds better (and the AX8 was really good). The footswitching is really smart, but requires a completely new way of working compared to the AX8 or most multieffects. I am good with learning new things, so I am taking my time getting used to it. It has essentially the same sound as the Axe FX III, but you can't have as many effects at once.
Hmm...So that is the only difference? I can't see myself using a ton of effects all at once. Does it have the same options at the Axe FX? If so, may be worth saving a bit of cash and going that way. If the Axe FX has a bunch more I could see it being worth going all in and having it all. I love all my amps and don't want to abandon them to become a computer programmer just to get a usable tone. I guess that is another concern and what has kept me from going down this rabbit hole.
The sound quality and modeling is exactly the same. The III has more processing power, so you can have more complex patches. You also have to budget for a controller, too. I came from the AX8, so I understand the programming, but I'd hate to come to any Fractal device from the beginning. There are so many options that you easily program as much as you play. The presets, though, are actually great. But if you dive into programming, it is one big rabbit hole. You really have to like doing that.
Im not trying to beat you up here...
So to me, what it sounds like you are saying is the Axe and FM3 have the exact same amps, effects etc as each other but the Axe just has more ways available to utilize and route? I figure there will be some tweaking to do on any device like that but I think at this point in time I just want a lot of amp and effect options to not tweak on very much and to utilize in a simple set up (routing wise). Said simply, give me some cool amps and a couple effects and let me play.
If indeed you agree with my above thought and all things are equal aside from processing power, then it seems the FM3 is a no brainer. Would you agree with that?
Im not trying to beat you up here...
So to me, what it sounds like you are saying is the Axe and FM3 have the exact same amps, effects etc as each other but the Axe just has more ways available to utilize and route? I figure there will be some tweaking to do on any device like that but I think at this point in time I just want a lot of amp and effect options to not tweak on very much and to utilize in a simple set up (routing wise). Said simply, give me some cool amps and a couple effects and let me play.
If indeed you agree with my above thought and all things are equal aside from processing power, then it seems the FM3 is a no brainer. Would you agree with that?
sounds like the FM3 is perfect for you, the main difference indeed is processing power.
here is a more indepth comparison
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threa...us-fm3.150845/
another benefit of the FM3 is that if you only want to use 3 presets (which would be enough for me; clean, dirt and high gain) you don't need to buy a separate floor controller unit!
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Semetery
New member
I have a pretty incredible fuzz but the switch is broken so it's always on, therefore I feel as though I need another incredible fuzz that I wouldn't use much anyway. Those JHS fuzz pedals are nice from what little time I've put in with a couple of them. Anyone use any of those a lot? Or can recommend a nice fuzz that is less like the bit commander (which I do like)?
Check out La Supa Rica, especially if you like silicon-style fuzzes.
80's_Thrash_Metal
Slightly_Glazed_Believer
Need: OD, suppressor, delay.
Think I need: chorus.
Think I need: chorus.
