Wimpy Amp Owners Need Cool FX,Too!!

[HosMan]

This is going to sound really stupid or like some full blown raging Holidaytime GAS but: I am a beginner and,so I have beginner`s gear.I play my `02 Squier Affinity P through my new Orange Crush 20B mini-combo.Honestly,I`m very happy with my both the amp and the bass and it suits my situation.

Are there any FX which could be used in conjunction with a low wattage amplifier? No,I am not trying to change or "improve" the Crush`s tone but it would be fun (and pointless) to a few tricks up the old wimp-amp sleeve.

Well,it would be neat-o to be like the big guys,I guess. Promise,no more than a 3 cool FXes plugged in at one time,k


Anything cheap that is safe for minor league wattage amps?

Thanks!

[Deluge Of Sound]

Well, what do you want, as far as effects go? Aside from something like an octave pedal, I can't think of many effects that wouldn't sound good on a practice amp.

[Chronicle]

Check out the TB wiki and just go through some soundclips and find ones you like. Or go to a GC and try them out.

[HosMan]

That`s it? Just like that? It`s really that simple? I thought there had to be a majority vote or something?

Cool! I`ll check the wiki and do some homework.

Had an octave pedal before but I think you are right: not a good fit with smaller amps.

I listened to flanger,phaser and compression/limiting wavfiles earlier.

[ACRX]

You might consider a reasonably priced multi effect unit so you could have your options open. I have a Z-cat Q mod that sounds great on chorus, phaser, tremolo, and reverb. Less love for the flanger but the whole small pedal was about $145 shipped. I know Behringer makes a multi fx (FX600) pedal with chorus, flange, phase, tremolo, delay and pitch shifter for $29. Some people are not fans of Behringer, but for that low price, the fun to dollars ratio seems very favorable.

[nad]

Just get any fuzz you think looks/sounds cool. With a small combo like that I wouldn't even worry about the low end disappearing, since it likely wouldn't be there anyhow.

Some of my greatest memories (from the past few weeks) involve insano fuzz into a 20W practice amp. Crazy feedback without going deaf, what's not to love?

[RickenBoogie]

+1 for a multi-unit. It'll give you a good idea of what each effect does, and whether or not you'd like it. After playing around with it for a while, you could then trade it in on the 2 or 3 fx you really want.

[HosMan]

Keep it coming,gang!

Thanks,ACRX,that sounds like a good idea about the multi-fx unit.

Stop it,nad! I`m getting the checkbook jitters here! The nad-ster gettin` he freak on with fuzzy fresh feedback out da twizzy watt! Sounds like good clean neighbor-irritating fun!

Thanks,RickenBoogie. Now I get fun of learning about the differnt multi units.Never even considered them before.

(a fellow H.P.Lovecraft fan?hmmm) got cthulhu?

[Lynwood James]

Sure, buying a multi-effects unit is probably the most *responsible* thing to do...

But if I can make a suggestion, Buy A dirtbox of some kind. Preferably something that gets pretty distorted. I had my first amp for about a year before I bought my first effect, and let's just say, when that thing came in the mail, I didn't leave the basement for a couple weeks. If there's one effect that's just more fun solo than all others, it's a solid overdrive/fuzz/distortion/gain/face-melting pedal.

[Mobile Sprout]

Another +1 for a multi-FX unit. This way you'll learn which types of effects you like/don't like and a few years down the road you can come back and buy some boutique boxes. You will probably find that some effect types out there are more useful for your playing style than others.

I remember for a while I decided I wanted to branch out and get better at guitar, so I bought a Boss DS-2 distortion.. these days it is literally collecting dust on my shelf as the sound is not appropriate for what I want to do. I should have gotten a multi FX.

On a related note anyone want to buy a dusty Boss DS-2?

[P-oddz]

another +1 for a multi-effects unit.
It just makes sense

[warwick.hoy]

I have a cheesy Chinese made Ashdown 30 watt glorified practice amp for home use. I run my full compliment of pedals (OC-2, Moog Bass MuRF, 2 Envelope Filters, a Fuzz and a Disto/OD) through it and it can take it. Granted since I live in an apartment with paper thin walls; I don't push the amp's gain or output volume very hard.

[cheapbasslovin]

I heartily endorse the zoom B2 or B2.1u for your low cost multi needs. You'll want more nastier pedals later, but this is a good start.