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Cool pedals that are too big....
- Thread starter bassbrad
- Start date
this gets on my nerves too. I hate it when a pedal has side mounted jacks, but the power jack is located on the top. That expands the actual required board space in 3 directions. If the power jack was located on the side besides an input/output jack than the actual required space is expanded in 2 directions. The best pedal layout is all jacks and power cords located on top so extra space is only required in 1 direction.
Example: SansAmp Deluxe. Takes up significant space on it's own, but it's great, I love it, it's worth all the space. If the effects loop send/return and parallel out were located on the top with the rest of the ins 'n outs it would take up even less pedalboard space. And if the XLR were located on the top aswell it would be even more pedalboard friendly.
whammy, big muff, micro synth. if i can find a cheep downsized vertion of each one then ill buy em. still keeping my bigger ones however
I look at it two ways - a pedal is too big if it has a circuit that only really needs a fraction of the enclosure size. A lot of vintage pedals (EHX in particular) were really guilty of this. But of course, at that time no one conceived of the notion of a "pedalboard" or musicians having a large number of effects in their signal chain.
The second viewpoint is how big a pedal is relative to how much I use it. I know it's a weird notion (I've accepted my oddness) but I always think of the sensory homunculus and how the body is represented when showing the amount of cerebral cortex area used to process different sensory inputs:
If I had a diagram of my pedalboard with pedals drawn bigger or smaller based on how much use they get my octaver would be enormous, followed by my filter and then fuzz, overdrive etc with pedals like a pitchshifter, wah or chorus (when I had them) being tiny.
In fact, I think my goal is to build a board where the pedals are the right size based on my use of them. Hence I wish there was a tiny version of the AKAI Headrush, which (for me) is way to freaking big.
The second viewpoint is how big a pedal is relative to how much I use it. I know it's a weird notion (I've accepted my oddness) but I always think of the sensory homunculus and how the body is represented when showing the amount of cerebral cortex area used to process different sensory inputs:
If I had a diagram of my pedalboard with pedals drawn bigger or smaller based on how much use they get my octaver would be enormous, followed by my filter and then fuzz, overdrive etc with pedals like a pitchshifter, wah or chorus (when I had them) being tiny.
In fact, I think my goal is to build a board where the pedals are the right size based on my use of them. Hence I wish there was a tiny version of the AKAI Headrush, which (for me) is way to freaking big.
Wow, that thing is freakin' pristine!
Also, I have 2 SA pedals, one Moogerfooger, 2 EPs, a Crybaby Wah, and a POG2, all big mothers, but the only one I'm even thinking about selling is the wah, because the BEF Pro allows me some pretty nice wah action. Of course, every time I pack them up and start putting them down and plugging them in again, I wish they were a bit smaller, but hey, they make the sounds I want to get...
I only have the two foogers plus a MP201, I need to get more becuase I'll be danged if they dont just sound great on any source. Drum machine, vocals, bass, synth, pizza, guitar etc.
I look at it two ways - a pedal is too big if it has a circuit that only really needs a fraction of the enclosure size. A lot of vintage pedals (EHX in particular) were really guilty of this. But of course, at that time no one conceived of the notion of a "pedalboard" or musicians having a large number of effects in their signal chain.
The second viewpoint is how big a pedal is relative to how much I use it. I know it's a weird notion (I've accepted my oddness) but I always think of the sensory homunculus and how the body is represented when showing the amount of cerebral cortex area used to process different sensory inputs:
If I had a diagram of my pedalboard with pedals drawn bigger or smaller based on how much use they get my octaver would be enormous, followed by my filter and then fuzz, overdrive etc with pedals like a pitchshifter, wah or chorus (when I had them) being tiny.
In fact, I think my goal is to build a board where the pedals are the right size based on my use of them. Hence I wish there was a tiny version of the AKAI Headrush, which (for me) is way to freaking big.
I totally feel you on that.
- Sep 4, 2010
- 3,304
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- Disclosures
- Endorsing: Martin Keith Guitars
Don't get me wrong here I love the big old pedal board meets surf board daze and still have several in storage, but the days of hauling one out to a gig, trying to find stage space are over for me.
I am totally diggin' the F16 trying to do as much with less is an interesting challenge but there ain't gonna be a one board fits all. Having several variations or several small boards works better these days.
I am totally diggin' the F16 trying to do as much with less is an interesting challenge but there ain't gonna be a one board fits all. Having several variations or several small boards works better these days.
Here, here! I've designed two analogue effects controllers (ABY box and relay w/mute out) and both have at least 2 sides bare. The ABY has all the connectors on the top only. The best way to go. Power jacks on the top with signal jacks on the side is my least favorite design. Although, some of my favorite pedals are set up that way... oh well...
Oh yeah, Ashdown James Lomenzo Hyperdrive. I really like that effect, but it is huge! I sold mine when I thought I was replacing it with another drive pedal. Now I miss it, but not its footprint. I tried designing a rehousing, but the circuit board is as big as the enclosure, so no go. Saving up for a much smaller (and much more expensive) overdrive pedal now.
Some people may debate as to how cool they are, but I those Line 6 Delay/Filter/Modulation modelers are crazy huge.
- Dec 21, 2007
- 15,233
- 45,120
- Disclosures
- Lark in the Morning Instructional Videos; Audix Microphones
