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Just how much is too much?

KsToaDangr

KsToaDangr

Apr 17, 2007
2,744
176
Columbia, SC
soundcloud.com
#1
I was hanging out with a friend of mine that plays drums, harmonica, and acoustic guitar, and I was explaining the different effects pedals I own. He noticed that I currently own 5 distortions, 3 overdrives, and 1 fuzz, all on my board. On it's way to me right now is another distortion, and I plan on buying at least 5 more after that, along with at least one more fuzz. Each of the ones I own is set to a specific sound, but he couldn't seem to wrap his brain around why I want so many gain-based effects pedals. If I turn all of them on at the same time, I can still get a signal through, but it's so distorted that it no longer sounds like a musical instrument. I have 2 noise music projects going right now that that sounds good in, but I just wanted some opinions from the effects forum. Is there a point where obsessively collecting gain effects becomes way too much?
 
#6
Sometimes chaining 2 gain pedals leads to awesome results.
More than that, I don't see the use.
In my experience, most distortion can be duplicated with a basic unit and a bit of EQing.
Now, if you like owning many pedals, more power to you. It's you money and sound after all.
 
#12
I never disappear :smug:
I start with a fat OD (my DHA VT1) and take it over the top with an active onboard pre. If I want more nastiness there's still the Fulltone waiting to pipe in. But yeah back on topic, I pretty much figured that two gains are all I need.
 
#14
It seems that I left a little bit of info out of the original post. the 9 gain effect I own right now are less than half of my total effects collection. As stated previously, each of them has it's own sound, but I do agree that the difference between some of them is so subtle that most people wouldn't notice it. The sounds range from just a touch of overdrive all the way up to an even more distorted sound than Korn's guitarists. I'm currently involved in 5 different projects, plus a 6th that is being planned, I do some session work occasionally, and that I also play guitar and keyboards using some of the same pedals. I find that keeping each of them on one setting is a lot easier to use than taking 1 or 2 distortions, 1 fuzz, and 1 overdrive and changing the settings inbetween songs.
 
#16
You do have a lot of gear. I am thinking maybe instead of having so much cheaper gear, at least your profile says that pretty near every pedal you own is a Danelectro. Maybe find a pedal that will cover several of your sounds and save for that instead of just buying so many cheaper pedals.

I would say that you are indeed overkilling on the gain department. I can get all the drive tones that I need from my Skreddy Screwdriver and TF Huckleberry. Granted there are other tones out there that are desirable. I can't see there really being much merit to having more than 5-6 dirt pedals though. There comes a point where other gear should become priority to pedals. Like maybe a nice Ampeg head or something.
 
#17
i guess the ting to ask is this: Does it work for you?
I've been getting flack from my guitard because of the pedals i want/own. You've got 9 gain stages on your board. So? If it's what works for you, then go for it. Theres really not a point where it becomes "too much" as long as you're happy about it.


Plus I think there's a little bassist racism going on. if you were a guitard, no one would say anything. They'd just say "Feh, he's a guitarist. Let him be." But since you play bass, they feel a need to criticize.

On a side note, my dad has the same problem with CAMP STOVES. he has around thirty in his collection, but only uses a few of them. My mom gives him a ton of doo-doo about it, but he doesn't care. It's what he likes.
 
#18
JoshC said:
You do have a lot of gear. I am thinking maybe instead of having so much cheaper gear, at least your profile says that pretty near every pedal you own is a Danelectro. Maybe find a pedal that will cover several of your sounds and save for that instead of just buying so many cheaper pedals.

I would say that you are indeed overkilling on the gain department. I can get all the drive tones that I need from my Skreddy Screwdriver and TF Huckleberry. Granted there are other tones out there that are desirable. I can't see there really being much merit to having more than 5-6 dirt pedals though. There comes a point where other gear should become priority to pedals. Like maybe a nice Ampeg head or something.
Click to expand...

Two things you aren't realizing, mainly because I never said anything about it:
1-About half of the pedals that I own I got for free by designing a website for a danelectro distributor.
2-I have a form of OCD that make me compulsively collect things, and one of my collections is danelectro pedals.

Currently, most of my money goes to bills since I am a single parent of a two year old, and I don't make that much money to begin with. I would love to upgrade my amp, but I just don't see it happening anytime soon.

Sidenote-I would like to thank everyone for their input. Part of me agrees with my friend, but the OCD/wierd noises part of me keeps saying "more pedals, more pedals". It seems fitting that TB would be divided into the "do what you like" and the "that's overkill" parties as well.
 
#19
Well, since you said that you do session and studio work, I guess that changes things a bit.
I saw a video of Curt Bisquera (spelling?), an awesome and in demand session drummer, where he says that he has like 20 or 30 different snares so that he can find exactly the right one for each of his sessions. Maybe this is comparable? I don't know. It all comes down to what you want to sound like and how much gear are you willing to accumulate and haul around for it.
But, beware. I am a guy who uses no effects, and my musical situation and environment are very different to yours, so my $0.02 may not be worth even that.
 

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