Ampeg Scrambler. A fine pedal that probably works great for some folks. Really wanted to love it, but it just never did what I was hoping it would do.
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Pedals you wanted ...until you tried them.
- Thread starter cnltb
- Start date
oh and the Boss FB-2 feedbacker. Interesting pedal that probably has its uses, but it didn’t do what I hoped it would do.
Using the C4 and EXH monosynth now happily but the Matryoshka sits on a shelf (next to insane Miku stomp), too fuzzy or gimmicky with the arpeggiater...what setting do you like and how much of the low octave do you use?
Wow...so many of the pedals folks listed in this thread are staples to my sound (then again I dont play straight ahead rock n roll or covers...if I did, then clearly my rig would be mostly useless).
Stuff that I wanted to love (and bought and tried) but just didnt do it for me:
- mxr m81 - too clean to the point of stale and boring sounding
- broughton modulation station - the modulation sounds are nice but I like my effects to be dripping wet, this went from mild to tasteful...I was looking for more extreme.
- broughton dual drive - this was a one off custom box di w 3 circuits (H+Lpf, azure drive, transboost) w a di. Kinda like a broughton sansamp. It sounded amazing on its own, but when I ran it at the end of my chain the dynamics of my playing were too muddled from my chain that the effects just sounded weak. It would never work for me since Id likely never be going direct into it...killer little box though.
Never owned but wanted to get these but checking out in person was too big of a let down to give it a shot at home...
- sansamp yyz
- everything dirty from darkglass
Things I have and am underwhelmed by but not letting go of just yet:
- EQD Data Corrupter - I LOVE me a PLL, but this one is so limited and kinda difficult to coax a variety of cool sounds from.
- EQD Rainbow Machine - in fairness I havent spent enough time with this, but recently have been finding some cool sounds.
Theres been PLENTY I tried in shops and drew conclusions without buying...and also plenty that when I first got it, I was overwhelmed and couldnt connect but after spending more time found true love.
Stuff that I wanted to love (and bought and tried) but just didnt do it for me:
- mxr m81 - too clean to the point of stale and boring sounding
- broughton modulation station - the modulation sounds are nice but I like my effects to be dripping wet, this went from mild to tasteful...I was looking for more extreme.
- broughton dual drive - this was a one off custom box di w 3 circuits (H+Lpf, azure drive, transboost) w a di. Kinda like a broughton sansamp. It sounded amazing on its own, but when I ran it at the end of my chain the dynamics of my playing were too muddled from my chain that the effects just sounded weak. It would never work for me since Id likely never be going direct into it...killer little box though.
Never owned but wanted to get these but checking out in person was too big of a let down to give it a shot at home...
- sansamp yyz
- everything dirty from darkglass
Things I have and am underwhelmed by but not letting go of just yet:
- EQD Data Corrupter - I LOVE me a PLL, but this one is so limited and kinda difficult to coax a variety of cool sounds from.
- EQD Rainbow Machine - in fairness I havent spent enough time with this, but recently have been finding some cool sounds.
Theres been PLENTY I tried in shops and drew conclusions without buying...and also plenty that when I first got it, I was overwhelmed and couldnt connect but after spending more time found true love.
Mr Black Fwonkbeta. Only took one slap 'n pluck to realize I like my speakers way too much to have that beast in my chain.
Fuzzrocious The Demon
Creation Audio Labs Grizzly Bass
Cusack Screamer Bass
Catalinbread Zero Point
Mr. Black Tunnelworm
Red Panda Raster
Brimstone Audio Crossover Distortion
Pike Amplification Vulcan
Dr. Scientist The Elements
Mr. Black Fwonkbeta
Amptweaker Bass Tight Rock Jr.
Amptweaker Bass Tight Drive Jr.
SolidgoldFX Beta DLX
Taurus Tux
Matthews Effects The Engineer
Darkglass Electronics Alpha Omicron
DOD Rubberneck Analog Delay
Darkglass Electronics Microtubes B3K V2
Jam Pedals Waterfall Bass
Big Tone Music Brewery Maggie
Iron Ether FMeron
Meris Mercury7
Meris Ottobit Jr.
Mantic Grinch
Big Game Pedals Bedlam Drive III
Tritonlab FET Overdrive
Reiner Gasoline
Malekko Thicken
Mu-tron Octavider
Spiral Effects Yellow Drive
Mu-tron Phasor III
Swindler Effects Red Mountain Tremolo
Creation Audio Labs Grizzly Bass
Cusack Screamer Bass
Catalinbread Zero Point
Mr. Black Tunnelworm
Red Panda Raster
Brimstone Audio Crossover Distortion
Pike Amplification Vulcan
Dr. Scientist The Elements
Mr. Black Fwonkbeta
Amptweaker Bass Tight Rock Jr.
Amptweaker Bass Tight Drive Jr.
SolidgoldFX Beta DLX
Taurus Tux
Matthews Effects The Engineer
Darkglass Electronics Alpha Omicron
DOD Rubberneck Analog Delay
Darkglass Electronics Microtubes B3K V2
Jam Pedals Waterfall Bass
Big Tone Music Brewery Maggie
Iron Ether FMeron
Meris Mercury7
Meris Ottobit Jr.
Mantic Grinch
Big Game Pedals Bedlam Drive III
Tritonlab FET Overdrive
Reiner Gasoline
Malekko Thicken
Mu-tron Octavider
Spiral Effects Yellow Drive
Mu-tron Phasor III
Swindler Effects Red Mountain Tremolo
The SA Orbital modulator was also one for me - I just couldn't get any of the sounds where I wanted them, and I hated all the multifunction knob stuff. *le shrug*
Tonehammer, SD pedal that ended up to be their 3-band preamp in a box, Bartolini pedal that ended up to be an NTMB in a box, Mesa Subway DI, DG B3k, DOD & Boss Bass compressor, footswitch for my old Bass 400 head, Eden DI pedal.
Both pedals (plus an EQ pedal) I have bought so far are still on my very small homemade pedal board. But I mainly wanted to add something to this:
I use this one as an extra dirt pedal, only when a song requires it. I don't think it's a good main, always-on distortion pedal. But I love what it can do when a riff or some part of a song needs to be extra dirty. Also, I love how deep and severe it sounds on a low B down slide. Finally, this thing has nearly infinite sustain, which can be a nice tool on some occasions.
I use this one as an extra dirt pedal, only when a song requires it. I don't think it's a good main, always-on distortion pedal. But I love what it can do when a riff or some part of a song needs to be extra dirty. Also, I love how deep and severe it sounds on a low B down slide. Finally, this thing has nearly infinite sustain, which can be a nice tool on some occasions.
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Pretty much every synth pedal.
Also, DOD Envelope Filter. I had it on my board for a while and was always trying to find a use for it.
Also, DOD Envelope Filter. I had it on my board for a while and was always trying to find a use for it.
DOD Bone shaker - what a dud - Kid gets all my not wanted pedals !
Dark Glass VMT Delux V2 and the DG Microtubes X. Both sounded great but not my cup of tea.
I had a simple VMT V1 (with ERA knob) that was the bomb, sold it to get the deluxe (w/o ERA knob), totally regret getting rid of the VMT v1.
Wampler Ego Compressor too “noisy” for me.
Broughton Josh Wah. This was such a great pedal. Only regret was that I have no use for it. I play no songs that need a Wah. In fact I have owned two of these pedals. If you need a Wah buy this pedal.
I had a simple VMT V1 (with ERA knob) that was the bomb, sold it to get the deluxe (w/o ERA knob), totally regret getting rid of the VMT v1.
Wampler Ego Compressor too “noisy” for me.
Broughton Josh Wah. This was such a great pedal. Only regret was that I have no use for it. I play no songs that need a Wah. In fact I have owned two of these pedals. If you need a Wah buy this pedal.
For me, it's been the darkglass pedals. I want to love them. When I tried the B3k, I loved that it wasn't completely over the top, as I don't think that sounds great in a mix imho. But I just couldn't get along with the tone at all. Same with the alpha omicron. Desperately wanted to dig it, but it just fell flat to my ears.
B7KU. Love my B3K, but the Ultimate version just had too much grainy, fizzy, treble that I couldn’t all out. Fastest flip by far. Similar with my VMT. Good pedal, yes, but not as good as other cheaper options, so off it went.
I’ve been through plenty of pedals, and most are more than serviceable, but I find better options to replace them. Can’t think of a single pedal I found unusable.
I’ve been through plenty of pedals, and most are more than serviceable, but I find better options to replace them. Can’t think of a single pedal I found unusable.
I’ve been pretty much disappointed by everything from EHX I’ve ever purchased, with the exception of their Analogizer.
Digitech Bass Whammy.
Great at what it does. Unfortunately, I ultimately realized that don’t really want to do any of the things it’s good at.
Distortion boxes. Period.
Boost works for me. Overdrive works for me. Finally even found a fuzz pedal that works for me. Distortion does not work for me at all. At least so far.
Digitech Dirty Robot.
I really really really wanted to like this one. My guitarist SO could do really cool things with it. Some of my bass playing cronies could get it to jump through hoops for them. But despite some serious trying, I couldn’t ever get it to do anything for me at all.
Digitech Bass Whammy.
Great at what it does. Unfortunately, I ultimately realized that don’t really want to do any of the things it’s good at.
Distortion boxes. Period.
Boost works for me. Overdrive works for me. Finally even found a fuzz pedal that works for me. Distortion does not work for me at all. At least so far.
Digitech Dirty Robot.
I really really really wanted to like this one. My guitarist SO could do really cool things with it. Some of my bass playing cronies could get it to jump through hoops for them. But despite some serious trying, I couldn’t ever get it to do anything for me at all.
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Soft clip overdrives
Classic fuzz circuits
Pristine digital delays
Jet plane flangers
Chorus pedals
Synths
Reverb pedals
Classic fuzz circuits
Pristine digital delays
Jet plane flangers
Chorus pedals
Synths
Reverb pedals
