fave *small* FX?

[derrico1]

I'm thinking about putting together an alternative board based on the PT mini.

In that spirit, what would you recommend as your favorite small-footprint-but-great-sounding pedals for overdrive, distortion, phaser, flanger, synth, chorus, and tuner?

Extra points for pedals that have all jacks on the top to save pedalboard space (was I the only one disappointed that Korg's Pitchblack takes every bit as much pedalboard space as the physically larger DT-10?)

[Jared Lash]

Overdrive: DOD 250 (cheap option) or BJFE Blueberry (expensive option)

Synth: Outside of the Chunk (which does have a surprisingly small footprint) the only small one that I've like the sound of is the Boss SYB-3 though it tracks terribly. I haven't tried the SYB-5

Phaser: A lot of people dig the MXR, but for me it's the Nano Stone hands down. The old DOD 490 is an option too if you can find one.

Chorus: Can't get much better than the Analogman Mini.

Flanger: I actually like the Guyatone FL-3 a fair amount. I played them months apart but it sounded (to me anyway) a lot like the super rare Musitronics Flanger my old guitar player let me fiddle with.

[Jumbotron]

Despite the fact that I'm getting rid of my fuzz, I really like guyatone's stuff. As small as can be, and really bass-friendly. Top jacks all the way, too.

[colicab]

any and all of the catalinbread bantam boxes!

[Happynoj]

Originally Posted by derrico1

I'm thinking about putting together an alternative board based on the PT mini.

In that spirit, what would you recommend as your favorite small-footprint-but-great-sounding pedals for overdrive, distortion, phaser, flanger, synth, chorus, and tuner?

Extra points for pedals that have all jacks on the top to save pedalboard space (was I the only one disappointed that Korg's Pitchblack takes every bit as much pedalboard space as the physically larger DT-10?)

I don't think that you will get all of those different things onto a PT-Mini.

[derrico1]

Originally Posted by TheBigO

Overdrive: DOD 250 (cheap option) or BJFE Blueberry (expensive option)

I have an ancient DOD250 (bought it new ~ 1980), and it is smaller than my HBE Hematoma. But because of the side jacks, it takes more board room than the Chandler Tube Driver or MXR Overdrive. The DOD also takes as much space as the physically larger Sparkle Drive, but the tie goes to the Sparkle, as it has a built-in blend.

Originally Posted by TheBigO

Synth: I haven't tried the SYB-5

I currently have an SYB-5; I like it a lot, but only in a Barge looper with Sans Amp Classic and Maxon AF-9. Obviously, that whole mess won't do on a small board. I was thinking about an XO BMS, but I might need to reconsider the Chunk or an Akai.

Originally Posted by TheBigO

Phaser: A lot of people dig the MXR, but for me it's the Nano Stone hands down. The old DOD 490 is an option too if you can find one.

Nice. I haven't tried the Nano Small Stone, and I'd forgotten the 490. Side jacks, right?

Originally Posted by TheBigO

Chorus: Can't get much better than the Analogman Mini.

True. It's tasty.

Originally Posted by TheBigO

Flanger: I actually like the Guyatone FL-3 a fair amount.

Originally Posted by Jumbotron

I really like guyatone's stuff. As small as can be, and really bass-friendly. Top jacks all the way, too.

I'll admit to having been put off by Guyatone's toyish looks and never trying them. I'll give 'em a listen.

[derrico1]

Originally Posted by colicab

any and all of the catalinbread bantam boxes!

Hmm. Time to talk my wife into a second mortgage? ("Honey, rates are at historic lows!")

[The Ethanator]

if you have 2 or more consecutive pedals that are the same brand, say digitech or boss, then you can use a pedal coupler to link the pedals right next to each other without having to mess with cramming a patch cable in between them
http://www.zzounds.com/item--MUPPC304
this will probably help with some space issues, as well as organization issues. and i notice that when i use a patch cable with my pedals really close together, the cable sometimes gets moved under the footswitch of one of the pedals, so when i go to turn the pedal on i cant because of the cable. if the jacks arent exactly linear, they also offer an angled model
http://www.zzounds.com/item--MUPPC305
which looks more like this: _|-, if you get my drift. an offset line, sort of an 's' bend in the actual wiring itself. when i need to buy an actual board, ill probably invest in a few of those

[Mudfuzz]

There are lots of good small pedals, this is one of the smallest I have and one of my favs.
Guyatone TZ-2 The Fuzz

[LuvMusic]

Here's what I'm running on my Mini right now:



Maybe this will give you some visual perspective on your project.

To directly respond to your request for info:

Overdrive / Distortion:

Right now I'm running Bogdan's Polish Love and I'm pretty happy with it, not totally satisfied. IME it is a high gain pedal and does lose a little on the bottom. I'd like to try a Blueberry and an Electronix Hybred+. The Hybred+ is more of a fuzz pedal and does produce a nice distorted effect. Not as dramatic as the PL. The Blueberry and Hybred+ would have about the same footprint as the PL.

Phaser:

Nano Small Stone. Works great. IME a nice watery effect. Does a good job of maintaining the bottom end. I'm sticking with it.

Flanger/Chorus:

EBS UniChorus. A great chorus pedal and also has a flanger setting so you get two-for-one. I removed my CEB3 after using the UniChorus. No loss in bottom end.

Tuner:

I use a TU2, but, keep it off my board so I can have more pedal space and allow me to "grab and go" without taking my board. For small I'd probably check out a Korg Pitch Black.


Synth:

No experience

FYI, the VT Bass is a GREAT tone shaping tool. There are enough posts on this pedal within these forums to keep you reading for days.

Hope this helps!

[Nyarlathotep]

For synth I guess I would recommend the Bass Synth Wah in a pinch. It drops vol in most modes tho, and spikes it in others.

[Valerus]

If you ever look for fuzz, Electronix MessDrive Hybrid is a thin, multi-functional fuzz.

The Polish Love is a compact overdrive.

[lowbass68]

Originally Posted by TheBigO

Flanger: I actually like the Guyatone FL-3 a fair amount. I played them months apart but it sounded (to me anyway) a lot like the super rare Musitronics Flanger my old guitar player let me fiddle with.

+1
I just bought a used FL-3 and am quite impressed with it, and it is really small. Plus has top mounted jacks.

[B.C.]

Well, synth is a very varied term. Maybe you would like the Subdecay Noisebox for synth. Check it out.

[The Ethanator]

and if you decide to look for a delay, the mxr carbon copy is a good option. the mxr el grande bass fuzz is pretty small, but some of its reviews are kinda shaky. devi ever puts out alot of great effects, and the cases are the same size as mxr cases. the pedals that guyatone puts out arent exactly the fanciest or greatest sounding for the money from what ive read, but theyre nice, small, and square, and the plugs are on top. so from the looks of everything, you shoul dbe able to fit 5, if not 6 guyatone pedals on there with few issues

[dancehallclasher]

Remember that you can stagger pedals with sidejacks so they overlap and that saves a lot of space -- you don't have to rely on top jacks. It's when you alternate side jacks and top jacks that space is really lost.

[machell]

crowther audio Hot Cake.

[IPS]

If your looking for something that can give you a synthy sound check out devi evers bass fuzz and bit, they both get a great gated fuzz sound, and the bass fuzz sounds very interesting when you put it before phasers, chorus or envelope filters.

[Joe Gress]

Musicelectronix GeminiDrive.

[IPS]

are those actually available to buy if you email Os, or was there a limited run and he isnt currently making them?