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What 2 or 3 Pedals are a MUST HAVE?
- Thread starter Marius Szostek
- Start date
Hx stomp and done. Then you can do pretty much whatever you need to do, for whatever song you got, on whatever go you are playing.
I use a tuner > Empress Compressor > Tech 21 VT Bass (drive/sansamp) > Tech 21 QStrip DI. If I had to get it down to 3, I'd probably have a VT Bass/DI pedal instead of both the VT Bass and Q strip, but this is what I have on a mini pedal board, and it all fits. I own a half dozen or more other pedals and lately I have bringing along a chorus, delay and/or envelope filter for fun, (I also have reverb, phaser, octaves, distortion, etc.) but none of these are must haves.
Be safe, Jimmy. You should always keep one pedal in your wallet.
WOW! THANKS for all of the GREAT SUGGESTIONS! Now it will ONLY TAKE ABOUT A WEEK TO SORT ALL OUT AND RESEARCH THEM ALL...LOL
ALSO..."HAPPY HALLOWEEN"!
ALSO..."HAPPY HALLOWEEN"!
Tuner, overdrive, modulation...chorus would be most popular. If the tuner is not used, then a compressor. They make gigs easier to hear and feel yourself In a mix. I like them.most.at outside gigs when there ane no walls around.
If you have solos, then a boost pedal for sure...also useful when slapping.
Fulltone Fat Boost 3. My ride or die
Boss CB3 Bass Chous
Tc Electronic Spark Mini
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Compressor - I dislike the compressors within the HX stomp. I use the LA Studio compressor at the end block to just knock down 2db, and that works well. But for early compression/ before amp, I don’t like them. I do love the Darkglass Hyper Luminal I put in the effects loop, which has three types of compression to fit the set you’re playing. The MXR M87 in the photo works well too, although I find it compresses the low end too much. An honourable mention to the Laney Custard Factory which is cheap and sounds fantastic! I just wish it had metering.
HX Stomp - what can I say that hasn’t been said before? It’s a studio in a box that can and will get you through every gig possible. Get the XL version to open up more interaction opportunities.
DI Box - Optional. When the sound guy comes at your HX Stomp. With an XLR cable, plug it into your DI Box.
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I have a large pedal board, but lately have been using only my SGT DI and a clip on tuner. It’s been working well, I have some dirt on tap with it, cabsims, EQ. It’s technically a pedal but it’s really my amp - we are playing ampless, makes for a much easier setup and soundcheck when everything stays the same as rehearsals with tweaks for the room.
My board has an always on HPF, a strobo tuner, a Cat Tail, a Blumes, an older Beta, a Darkglass compressor, and a VT Bass DI, and I used to play that into a Darkglass M500v2, using the DI for FOH and in ears, and whatever cabs I’d bring with me - 2x Aguilar 210s, 2x Aguilar 112s, or an Avatar 212. I’m considering selling all of that except one cab pair, plus my Mesa D800+. I also have a whack of pedals on a shelf, some of which I’ve already listed on Reverb.
We’re doing danceable rock covers from the 80s-current. Having some variety with dirt seemed appealing for me, and I used them all, but found it was honestly not that big of a deal playing live as a lot of the dirt harmonics would get lost in the room anyway.
The HPF is great though. Our guitar player does our sound, and Saturday we were playing in a very boomy room. I showed him how he could apply a HPF to the overall mix as well as one to just my bass at around 100-120. It really made my bass tone much better and solved a feedback problem on the singer’s mic. I don’t need it in a pedal as we have it on the board, and now he knows how to use it.
I am however strongly considering the MXR Bass Synth. I see a lot of potential with it, many songs we could add.
My board has an always on HPF, a strobo tuner, a Cat Tail, a Blumes, an older Beta, a Darkglass compressor, and a VT Bass DI, and I used to play that into a Darkglass M500v2, using the DI for FOH and in ears, and whatever cabs I’d bring with me - 2x Aguilar 210s, 2x Aguilar 112s, or an Avatar 212. I’m considering selling all of that except one cab pair, plus my Mesa D800+. I also have a whack of pedals on a shelf, some of which I’ve already listed on Reverb.
We’re doing danceable rock covers from the 80s-current. Having some variety with dirt seemed appealing for me, and I used them all, but found it was honestly not that big of a deal playing live as a lot of the dirt harmonics would get lost in the room anyway.
The HPF is great though. Our guitar player does our sound, and Saturday we were playing in a very boomy room. I showed him how he could apply a HPF to the overall mix as well as one to just my bass at around 100-120. It really made my bass tone much better and solved a feedback problem on the singer’s mic. I don’t need it in a pedal as we have it on the board, and now he knows how to use it.
I am however strongly considering the MXR Bass Synth. I see a lot of potential with it, many songs we could add.
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I’m in the same situation between two bands. My chain is bass -> tuner -> dirt -> Genzler Magellan Pre. My dirt pedal (ground and pound) goes from subtle drive to 60s fuzz to modern clank. I may add an always-on overdrive and dedicate the g&p to heavier distortion. The Magellan Pre gives me two contours, a flexible eq, and a HPF.
Personally? A SansAmp. Para or Bass Driver. Currently using the Para but had the Bass one for 20 years.
It’s got a DI. An amp sim. An EQ. It sort of compresses your tone a bit.
You end up at a gig and the amp sucks? You use the SansAmp straight into the PA as an amp sim.
The amp is great though? You can use the SansAmp with barely any blend or no blend at all, as a clean preamp so that you can tweak your EQ if needed.
It’s so versatile, so indispensable for me.
It’s got a DI. An amp sim. An EQ. It sort of compresses your tone a bit.
You end up at a gig and the amp sucks? You use the SansAmp straight into the PA as an amp sim.
The amp is great though? You can use the SansAmp with barely any blend or no blend at all, as a clean preamp so that you can tweak your EQ if needed.
It’s so versatile, so indispensable for me.
These are my must haves: TC Spark for some OD & EQ tweaking, Edison to add tubey boost, & HPF/LPF to narrow or widen the signal.
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I can live with: HPF > Comp > Tuner > Chorus > OD / "character" w/ EQ > DI for my C&W gig. Bonus points if you can incorporate 2 or more into one pedal. Case(s) in point:
*Compressor has a tilt-EQ
*Tuner has a DI...could stick it at end-of-chain if desired
*Chorus has a cab sim
*Character pedal (OD) has a DI, EQ, and an optical comp
Now, forget everything above and snag a used mid-tier multi-FX. You can find an older platform for $100 and change...I use a Zoom B3n. I'm a bit of a Luddite but still able to navigate the programs without frustration. Word of caution: 80% of the patches & FX are less-than-stellar but the balance includes any number of "gems" which should get you up & running. 30% of the money buys 90% of the sound or so sayeth my brother.
Riis
*Compressor has a tilt-EQ
*Tuner has a DI...could stick it at end-of-chain if desired
*Chorus has a cab sim
*Character pedal (OD) has a DI, EQ, and an optical comp
Now, forget everything above and snag a used mid-tier multi-FX. You can find an older platform for $100 and change...I use a Zoom B3n. I'm a bit of a Luddite but still able to navigate the programs without frustration. Word of caution: 80% of the patches & FX are less-than-stellar but the balance includes any number of "gems" which should get you up & running. 30% of the money buys 90% of the sound or so sayeth my brother.
Riis
I'm old school... just the basics. (my amps have a built in DI)
Tuner (TC Polytune) --> Comp. (Walrus Mira - Optical) --> 10 band EQ (MXR M108) - my board has a Joyo JP-05 rechargeable power supply. It's nice as works well if power is not easily accessible. Usually not an issue, as the board stays by my amp. It's set it an forget it.
Tuner (TC Polytune) --> Comp. (Walrus Mira - Optical) --> 10 band EQ (MXR M108) - my board has a Joyo JP-05 rechargeable power supply. It's nice as works well if power is not easily accessible. Usually not an issue, as the board stays by my amp. It's set it an forget it.
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