least favorite effect?

Swift713 · #1 08-03-2009, 07:57 PM

I was listening to a certain disk today and thinking there was just too much chorus (80's) and then I thought I should ask the folks here what everyone's least favorite effects are.
So for me, I'll say flanger is my least favorite because it tends to make my skin crawl but chorus and reverb are close behind because they are so often so heavily abused.

OptimusPrime · #2 08-03-2009, 07:59 PM

Chorus and delay.

bigchiefbc · #3 08-03-2009, 08:03 PM

I said this in a previous thread, but a really thick fuzz with a clean blend. Something about the sound of that nice wooly fuzz mixed with the CLANK of your clean strings just makes me want to

Swift713 · #4 08-03-2009, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nad

Soloed single coil bridge pickup.

+1,000,000 I hate those things!

nad · #5 08-03-2009, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swift713

+1,000,000 I hate those things!

Well, so much for my ninja delete.

I don't like envelope filters, compressors, and the above-mentioned abuse of a particular variety of soloed pickup in one specific position, but at the same time I've heard plenty of people using all said tools amazingly well. I'm picky about my tone sure, but the tone of others, not so much. I don't know if I could point out a single instance where I've listened to a song/album/group and thought "oh wow, that guy's tone is terrible, I wish he wouldn't have used __________." Well, as far as the bass goes at least. I'll nitpick bad guitar tone all day long for whatever reason.

**Bryan R. Tyler** · #6 08-03-2009, 08:14 PM

Chorus. Strangely, I just used it in my last song. There's a place for everything.

Swift713 · #7 08-03-2009, 08:21 PM

Oh, I'm not speaking absolutes and I mean this purely as entertainment. I've just heard more soloed bridge pup w/chorus than I wanted to. But really what got me started on this was a certain guitar tone, and I will tell you it was my all time favorite guitar player who was responsible. We all have our off moments I guess.

bongomania · #8 08-03-2009, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bryan R. Tyler

There's a place for everything.

Agreed completely. I could try to come up with whatever effect sound bugged me the most, and I guarantee somebody else used (or could use) that sound with great results, in the right musical context.

Even those horrible Metasonix or "challenging" DBA pedals have their place, with industrial, noise, and wall-of-sound musical types.

theory028 · #9 08-03-2009, 08:27 PM

I used an EHX Clone Theory for a while (sent it back because the battery didn't work) and it had some weird settings. It's supposed to be a chorus box but it had a tremolo mode. It's not something I'd ever use; I like to play in tune. Maybe I was using it wrong, though.

**Bryan R. Tyler** · #10 08-03-2009, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theory028

I like to play in tune.

Reminds me that I also don't like ring modulators on bass except when used with subtle settings- they usually sound whackadoo out of tune otherwise, and not in the fun way that vibrato pedals can.

RCCollins · #11 08-03-2009, 08:41 PM

i can't stand bass overdrive. i mean seriously, make up your mind, kids! CLEAN TONE or FUZZ. none of this "grey area" nonsense!

naturalkinds · #12 08-03-2009, 08:41 PM

CHORUS.

Past 11 · #13 08-03-2009, 08:57 PM

Envelopes/wahs. Most of the time they just sound ridiculous on a bass.

The Lurker · #14 08-03-2009, 09:11 PM

For me, definitely chorus, especially the 80s splishsplash sound.

SoonerMatt · #15 08-03-2009, 09:14 PM

I want to say chorus, but to be fair the only one I've used is a Boss CEB-3.

TOOL460002 · #16 08-03-2009, 09:19 PM

foot-controlled wah pedal. i really dont like those.

i seriously had to think for a while to come up with an effect i dont like. i dont currently have a phaser... other than that i think i got all my bases covered.

oh, i also dont like things that should have a tap tempo but dont. delay without tap tempo equals hit with hammer, light on fire, and throw in a garbage can inside of a larger garbage can.

Fishyfan · #17 08-03-2009, 09:34 PM

depends. I find beatsynced effects in the background to be annoying. I also find the tone of many modern players to be abominable. See Victor Wooten in the studio, Fieldy, and anyone with scooped mids. I find subtlety also to be totally stupid. If I pay for an effect, I want it to be something that I can use to make a drastic change to the tone.
I use a Moog MuRF to do an approximation of the main keyboard part to Baba O'Riley by The Who. I stumbled upon the sound one day, and I have yet to change the settings on my MuRF since then. At times that part of that song is in the background, but it actually is serving a purpose at that point.

BrennP90 · #18 08-03-2009, 09:45 PM

I've got this thing called a Pitchblack. Every board I see seems to have one, but I don't get it, I can't hear any change in my tone when its on.

On a more serious note.. I've never liked Chorus pedals very much.

Swift713 · #19 08-03-2009, 09:55 PM

[quote=BrennP90;7769628]I've got this thing called a Pitchblack. Every board I see seems to have one, but I don't get it, I can't hear any change in my tone when its on.

Really, I sure do.

warwick.hoy · #20 08-03-2009, 09:57 PM

I used to despise auto tune,...than I heard Chromeo.