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A sad realization

EricF

EricF

Habitual User
Sep 26, 2005
7,829
536
Pasadena, CA
www.myspace.com
#1
As much as I love cool and colorful noise-toys, I'm realizing that in my band setting, most of them don't really fit. My pedalboard is being whittled down to just what I need for the songs I'm playing. As of now, I'm down to four (or three if you don't count the tuner)...

Demeter Compulator
EHX English Muff'n
EHX Little Big Muff
Boss TU-2

Even then with just those, most of the time I'm playing straight into my SVT-CL set for just a hint of tubey warmth.

I'm afraid that my EHX Bass Micro Synth, Analogman Mini Chorus, Boss BF-2, Guyatone MD3, Digitech BSW, PE COB, and MXR Bass Octave are going to start feeling neglected and rise up against me.

I think I definitely need to put together a 2nd board just for the fun toys...


...or find another band ;)
 
#2
I'm with you on this one, Eric... I've been finding that I haven't been using my EHX BMS beyond my apartment. The other pedals on my board do see some significant use in jam sessions, though...

I'm not sure what to do with it yet... but I might start with getting a smaller board for now. Or maybe two smaller boards.

...it's a tough decision!
 
#4
Definitely. My board is huge, and I've definitely been thinking of trying to get my pedals down to what I use the most. Would probably only consist of about 6-8 pedals, with most of them being gain.

Korg DT-10
Tech21 Comptortion
Tonefactor Hellbaby
Crowther Prunes and Custard
Aphex Punch Factory
Barge VFB-2
Chunk Brown Dog possibly.

Not sure yet anyway.
 
#5
This is part of the reason why I only do solo stuff these days, I utilize all my effects and if one gets buried, I'm in full control of the mix. :D

Okay well actually it's because I was tired of too many egos and decided to do my own thing for awhile, but that is definitely one benefit. :smug:
 
#6
I think 2 boards is the way to go too. One for normal gigging and one for other. You can then put everything on board #2 in a bypass loop pedal and add the whole 2nd board anywhere into the signal chain of your 1st board when needed.

I right now the only pedals I don't get much use in setup 1 is my envelope filter and my fuzz but they are small so the stay.:bassist:
 
#7
Eric, I don't see that as a sad realization! But that's just me :) I have had a ton of effects as well and a board that would beat the crap out of most guitarplayers'

When I joined my current band I put them all on the shelf, preamps, synths, octavers, overdrives and all that, just going p-bass -> cable -> Ashdown ABM500. I can safely say that I have never been so happy with my tone as I am now! Although, the ABM500's tube section is set to overdriving on my hardest notes, such a cutting, warm tone!

Anyway, don't know if you can use this for anything at all, just wanted to tell you that what you're doing now is just all cool! ;)
 
#8
I love my band's I use everything on my board, and nothing goes to waste. I end up using all my effects (that includes the feedback loop) in each song sometimes with bongripper (granted a song can last for over 20 minutes) but I also recently did a Bass and Drums only Guaime set in which I incorporated effectivly each effect on my board where all I used on the recordings was distortion
 
#9
EricF said:
As much as I love cool and colorful noise-toys, I'm realizing that...
Click to expand...
Hilarious - I was almost about to start a similar thread!

A couple days ago I took my pedal setup to a studio for another musician to use. I'd left it in my car, and feeling lazy, for the first time in I don't know HOW long - plugged right in to my GK700RBII head...

..Gain 11:00; boost full-up; tones 11:00, 5:00, 12:30, 11:30 (highs, high-mids, low-mids, lows). What a nice sound! A medium dose of that GK 'boost distortion' is killer - growly and burpy.

I feel better than ever being an Effects Freak, knowing that truly: I don't need any effects. I gotta buy something new now... A delay. Yeah - a DELAY: that way, instead of changing my 700RBII, I'll get to hear that great tone TWICE with every pluck.

Joe
 
#11
I also find myself using varying numbers of effects. Less is almost always better. Of course, you don't have to use everything on your board!

I still travel with my large board (10+ pedals) when I don't have to fly & very occasionally lug it to a session if I know it's going to be more "loose" or creative production-wise.

I do have some staples that I prefer not to gig without (EBS Octabass & ValveDrive, tuner & mute) but it is pretty rare to use everything on my big board at every show. I also never bring out more than a pedal or two when working with a new employer the first gig out.

The two-board setup has worked well for me too. It's nice to have everything when I want it (in case inspiration hits), but usually my board is more of a "tuning station" than anything else!

I've also found that I'll bring certain pedals for certain gigs. In the Jazz trio gig, all I want is a tuner and a preamp. For the regular "pop-rock-country" or "crunchtry" ;) gig that I have, the singer likes a litle Mu-Tron occasionally and I use a Frantone Thunderhead to satisfy his craving for massive low-end glissandos.

Maybe I'll get hired by an acid-jazz outfit someday & will have to call on the whole armada. Or maybe I'll just grow up & bring only a bass, cable, and amp!.......... Nah.
 
#12
Maybe it's time to start writing new songs.............ones that are full of effects.:D Effects pedals can definitely get the creative juices flowing so why not get creative? Your bandmates will just have to understand that you have to make your mark, too. Good luck.
 
#14
i've got more than 70 pedals right now, and i'm always switching things around on my board. it keeps the creativity going and keeps things fresh.

i do like how the board i have is somewhat limiting. i only have so much space, which forces me to be really picky about what effects go on there and which ones don't.

that being said, i like the idea of multiple boards. the main one (my favorite oft-used boxes), a "fun" one, and a Noize one. it's definitely something i'm considering...

also, when i do a session, i try to find out how direct and clear the producer's/band's vision is. if it's straighforward and they know what they want, i'll bring my Sansamp RBI, and maybe one or two others just in case. if it's to be more of a "loose" session, i'll bring the main board and some other toys along.

who knows? maybe i'll be noodling with some really weird sounding stuff, and someone'll just start recording... and maybe that sound will become an integral part of the song apart from the bassline. it has happened!

http://[malware url removed].net/vicious-smiley-1815.gif
 
#15
Ive found use for all the pedals on my board.. I play with 2 bands and in both of them I get plenty of use for everything..

Then again.. I aint got that much pedals.. Just a redicolusly big board.. :eyebrow:

Multiplexer - LBM - Qtron - Tuner - Chorus..
(amp switch with Chan select, Eq and Comp)

The first 3 is getting into a TB loop pedal chain.. they create a kickass Synthy moog sound.. More so with the fretless.. to add/remove the gnarly, trashy edge to it.. just hit the LBM.. and your back in Bootzyland.. .. It sits between the Multiplexer and the Q-tron cus thats the way my setup triggered the best..

Yesterday I fiddled around with the LBM and Volumesettings..
@ 20% volume rolled off from max on the bass.. it sounded so great I got goosebumps.. and.. this is the kicker.. The Multiplexer triggered flawlessly all the way down to loose E-string.. :eek: :eek:
I was blown away.. This pedal is marketed for guitars.. but its the best Bass octaver ive ever tried / heard of.. Is never ever ever going off my board.. if you get the chance.. try it.. :hyper:
 
#16
I find my delay and reverb being set aside during band gigs, as well as my ridiculously powerful modded Big Muff sounds (for band gigs, I run it through a blender instead). However, any solo work I do sees plenty of use for these pedals.
 
#20
Our band plays 2 guitar heavy rock so I find a lot of the fx pedals really have no use in that environment. About a week ago the I unplugged the 2 pedals I was using and now just have a rack mount tuner and a Tech21 RBI preamp going into my GK 1001RB-II. I can switch between pure GK sound, a blended sound or pure RBI sound pretty quickly. So far this set up is giving me all the range of sounds that I need. The pedals I was using just sucked the life out of my bass sound.
 

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