HOW DID YOU GET PEDALS?

[Yakob]

Kind of an odd question right?

Generally speaking, the process of getting a pedal goes something like this, if I haven't missed my guess:

1) Find sound you would like to pursue
2) Attempt to find pedal category that fits sound
3) Demo some pedals
4) Do some research
5) Demo some more pedals
6) Do some more research
7) Demo a third set of pedals
8) Do even more research
9) Either buy or decide against it

Anyway, the thing is, despite this being the "normal" path to getting a pedal (in my humble opinion), often times, people will get pedals for a special occasion, stumble upon them at flea markets, etc...

So, how did you get your hands on your pedals?

I'll start with some examples:

Mosrite FUZZrite:

I was helping my Grandpa clean out his basement because he was moving into the house where he lives now. I was 12 or 13 at the time, so I had already been playing bass for a solid 3 or 4 years, and I knew a fuzz pedal when I saw one. As we continued to move boxes, I inquired as to the nature of the pedal (how old it was, who owned it, etc). I recognized the name Mosrite (I love surf music), so that made me eventually interested. At the end of the day, I asked for the pedal, and he gave it to me the for, "helping him out". I have come to realize that the last part was Grandpa slang for "being a good kid". I still have frequent conversations with my Grandpa and occasionally collaborate on electronics projects.

Electro-Harmonix BassBalls:

I got this on my 16th birthday (January 6, 2010). I had a really sucky day at school, and felt I needed to get out. I walked straight to the local Guitar Center and goofed around on the pedals for a while. I found one I really like, the EHX/ Sovtek BassBalls. Of course, my mom had to wrestle me back to the mall to "celebrate my birthday". It was just lame, kind of generic, birthday cheer type stuff. While that's great and all, I had a sucky day (as previously noted), so I wasn't in the mood. My mom, being ever perceptive, asked what she could do to help. I said the first thing that popped into my head, "Could I get 80 bucks to buy the BassBalls?" (really, it was 59.99 + tax, but I had read the sign wrong). Without another word, I was handed the money and went to get my BassBalls. Later that night, I also got a MacBook. Good birthday, very, very good birthday.

DOD FX13 Gonkulator Modulator:

Found a good deal on this. This is, so far, the only pedal I've actually bought. It's in like-new condition, and it's one of the models built in early '96. I got it for a steal, especially considering what people are charging for them on eBay and such .

DOD FX90 Analog Delay/ Ibanez BC10 Stereo Bass Chorus/ Boss FZ-2 Hyper Fuzz:

These were actually loaned to me by my art teacher. He is quite possibly one of the coolest people I have ever met. Not only is he an avid bassist, who has custom built his own instrument, but he has also built a theremin () and several other projects of similar caliber. The DOD is a great sounding delay/ noisemaker . I especially love during the "DELAY" all the way down, setting the "REPEAT" to about 2 o'clock, and setting the "MIX" to 9 o'clock. The chorus sounds great, too. Really warm with plenty of character. The fuzz, however, muffles the volume and tone beyond belief. Anyway, I recently hooked him up with some info on building his on FUZZrite pedal, as he is a fan of the Mosrite fuzz. Who isn't? Great sounding square-wave clip.

[nad]

1) Hear sound in head.
2) Research extensively.
3) Buy accordingly.

Alternatively:

1) Oooooh, shiny!
2) Buy accordingly.

[FreaqyFrequency]

Originally Posted by nad

1) Hear sound in head.
2) Research extensively.
3) Buy accordingly.

Alternatively:

1) Oooooh, shiny!
2) Buy accordingly.

Option 3:

1) Note high price tag and low availability.
2) Buy accordingly.

[SoonerMatt]

1) Read about it on TB
2) Buy it

In seriousness....

1) Get an idea
2) Read about potential manifestations
3) Listen to sound clips
4) See if I can afford it (optional)
5) See if I can find it at a local music store
6a) Can't find it, wait for more sound clips
6b) Demo it through a similar rig
7) If I like it and feel that I can use it, I buy it, saving the receipt
8) See how it sounds through my rig and with my other pedals
9) Decide if it stays or goes

[OriginalCrash]

Option 3:

1) Note high price tag and low availability.
2) Buy accordingly.

I see you noticed my Cream Pie and my desire for a Blueberry and Woolly Mammoth (not so much the low availability on that one)...

[Deluge Of Sound]

Impulse, always impulse.

[cheapbasslovin]

I bought my first pedal because I was playing rock and wanted a more rockin'er sound. ODB-3. Then my wife bought me a Zoom 607. I couldn't ever get anything other than a real light chorus out of the Zoom in any real setting.

I got a ME-50b after doing some research and trying one out in store. That one took some time to dial in. It didn't help that I was hyper-ignorant to the processes that were supposed to get those tones.

Then I got in a jazzish gig and found talkbass. The jazzish gig needed less 'wall of sound' and more 'interesting sound.' Since then I've done everything from exhaustive research to 'that seems like a good deal' to 'ooh, shiny' to 'need something, buy without trying .'

Now it is either A) Fills a need and it's a good price or B) Will be fun and it's a good price.

[bassteban]

1. Impulsively snag *deal*
2. Dislike/fail to fall in love with it
3. Sell/trade away foe some other *deal*
4. Repeat- one out of ten ending up *keepers(for awhile...)*

[seamus bass]

find lying on floor in rehearsal studio, give owner a week, owner doesnt comeback or ask for it. play through rig, if me likes me keeps. if i dont like it gets added to

the island of misfit toys

[jmattbassplaya]

1. Hear something
2. Research as to what it is
3. See if I can find a use for it
4. Research similar pedals/learn everything I can about it/them
5. Read reviews extensively from multiple sites
6. Check bank account...
7. Listen to similar pedals in use to compare
8. Research more
9. See if I can still find a use
10. It just goes on and on
X. If I find it on sale, I buy it

[champbassist]

1. Hear a cool tone (generally a guitarist's)
2. Research as to what's gone into it
3. Check out the price/availability
4. Research/consult TB about it
5. Buy it.

[Bassmike62]

Originally Posted by nad

1) Hear sound in head.
2) Research extensively.
3) Buy accordingly.

Alternatively:

1) Oooooh, shiny!
2) Buy accordingly.

+1

[Stempelloos]

Getting an offer on a used pedal, knowing the sound it makes, buy it accordingly.

[Yakob]

I was thinking more along the lines of hearing how you got one of your pedals, but this is good too, so IDC .

[Deluge Of Sound]

Originally Posted by Yakob

I was thinking more along the lines of hearing how you got one of your pedals, but this is good too, so IDC .

Originally Posted by Deluge Of Sound

Impulse, always impulse.

[warwick.hoy]

It's funny,...you go to the store and give the nice man behind the counter a plastic thing with a black strip on the back (a magical goodies creator I believe it is called),...he swipes it and in return he gives you a sparkly (or not) new pedal,..*ding*. There is also this green paper that they will accept but I haven't seen any of that around these parts in a coon's age (that's raccoon you judgmental jerks).

I guess I just don't have any cool pedal acquisition stories. I would learn about a pedal through TB or would see something cheap come up on CL and research it,...on TB and decide whether the benefit outweighed the risk (it usually does).

[donut]

1) I hear something I like
2) I think "I want that"
3) I buy it
4) I don't sell it (even if it's never used), just in case I end up regretting it or find a use for it at some point in the future.

[Kromwarp]

Bought all the pedals I have/have had used, did a lot of experimenting before I found a combination I can stick to

[Whaaaapsh]

I saw a good post about this on bass fuzz, I would add to the decision making process. "Get sick of whatever you bought a year ago and buy something else almost like it."

[ReMmy]

Buy one of each.