what to add to my gigging pedal board

Sounds like a phaser, flanger, or octaver would be a good addition to your current lineup, especially for soloing.

 

3 105Qs? Trying to one-up Timmy C?

Go for an EQ (they can do some cool things -- I was able to use one instead of an octaver). Maybe an EHX Tube Zipper if you're adventurous.

 

A phaser or flanger can sound great alone or matched with one of your gain pedals for that extra uhmp!

 

Boss bass chorus is really . I've had it go from adding a lot of midrange/treble doubling, to a sweep type effect.

 

I think the Planet Waves one is the best bang per buck right now. The Peterson Strobostomp is the top dog, and the Korg DT10 is well-liked too.

 

I have a Boss GEB-7 that works really well. EQs can do a lot of cool things and completely change your sound. If you put them before a distortion you could use it as a clean boost or up the mids and get feedback. Like I said, I used it instead of an octaver and got a very cool dub/deep funk sound.

A Guyatone tuner might work best just cause of its compactness.

 

Wah?

 

But I think what the guy's pointing out is that a good EQ does a LOT more than just boost the highs or cut the mids or whatever. It can color, or add character, or change the perception of your tone without radically changing your sound. Cutting the right frequency band can get your tone to sit just that much better in the mix. Of the suggestions that have been made so far, did any of them appeal to you? Do you have experience with those tones?

 

In addition, you can set the EQ up for a certain sound, say slap, and then use it as an on/off pedal for that sound. It's a very useful tool.

In my guitar rig, the EQ pedal does a ton of work - but that's because I use a tube amp, and I set it up to drive the power tubes better...i.e. boost bass and overall level with the EQ pedal through the effects loop (requiring a subtraction of that extra bass on the preamp's front end). The level and bass boost in the effects loop drives the power tubes harder vice putting all the tone load on the preamp tubes. That's a guitar example, but it serves to show that an EQ pedal really is a nice one in the old bag of tricks.

Jay

 

In addition to all of the other recommendations, I'd give some thought to the Digitech Bass Synth Wah. I continue to be pleased with the range of sounds available from this thing. The octave setting tracks better than many of the dedicated octave pedals, and the synth sounds range from subtle to wild.

 

Heh, the BSW keeps coming up and I have such a huge problem with this pedal. It seems to be about half and half in terms of people loving or hating it (maybe I'll start a pole). I hate it. I can only get a few good sounds out of it and when I do the volume changes (be they cuts or increases) are dramatic. It has actually caused me to distrust envelope filters.

Speaking of envelope filters, I don't think our friend here is interested. The BSW is very flexible in terms of modes, but only has a few synth modes. I find the octave effect on it to be terrible -- it always gives an odd squawk for each note.

For an EQ the Boss GEB-7 worked very well for me. Perhaps the EHX Tube EQ would be nice...

 

you can't go wrong with a boss tu-2 for a pedal tuner. i have never been let down by mine.