What's your "underdog" pedal?

When I think underdog I imagine pedals that folks might scoff at but are actually quite good. For guitar, two of mine are the Mooer Mini Comp and the Ibanez TS9 mini. Both were extremely cheap but they sound great and add quite a bit to my sound.

 

I'm mostly a K.I.S.S. set-it-and-forget it guy: often one tone per gig, though for hard rock I might switch between different dirt levels via multiple pedals. My underdog pedal is a compressor. I don't use it as an effect per se: it doesn't change my tone or limit my dynamics. I mainly use it for better presence in the mix via parallel compression, i.e. lots of dry signal that lets peaks through. I call it underdog because it's subtle, which is why I don't often bother to gig it (and I never use it at home), but then I'll play a gig and think "wow, that subtle enhancement took me from great to perfect".


I don't use it every gig because I'm an awkward pedal user. I often switch out dirt pedals from gig to gig (just for variety's sake), and also own a few great compressors from which I can't pick a favorite. So, I don't have a pedalboard, which is why I don't always use comp... for me, dirt is a must-have, comp is a nice-to-have.

 

Way Huge Green Rhino.

I don't even use it as an overdrive, drive turned all the way down, but it will break up just a little bit if I dig hard enough, and the mid it provides makes me cut through almost any guitar effortlessly.

 

Rusty Box

 

For me it is the EHX Bass Balls. Since getting one oh so many years ago we just connected, those twin dynamic sweeping filters and that unique fuzz is an extension of my personality and voice on bass. I can play that pedal from subtlety to extremes and love the way it stacks with others to create synthesized sounz. I've collected several vintage originals, NYC reissues, a modded NYC as well as several adaptations like the Mooer Sweeper, Rocktron Heart Attack and Rocktron Reaction Dynamic Filter. I'm still trying to get a good model on my SA C4.
I must always have one on my board, it would incomplete without one.

 

My Maxon BD-02

 

The Markbass Super Booster is a must-have for me. Just with the VLE and VPE knobs I can get a wide range of tones from it.
The VLE cuts the fizzy highs really well, especially after the drive pedals when giging with DI. No other cab emulation needed and it gives me the fat and deep sound of a big cabinet, and has some range of tweaking from the knob.
The VPF also brings more low ends but in more aggressive way. It also cuts the low mid and boost the presence, which takes out the muddiness and make the tone cut through the mix.
It's a really handy tone shaper!

 

I have a TC BodyRez that I use to take the edge off my piezo pickups so they don’t squawk over the mags. No illusion that it’s making them sound “acoustic”—there are IRs for that! But it really does make the piezos sound better on everything from solid bodies to Godins to EUBs.

 

Boss LS2, for me. Aside from a better-than-onboard clean blend, it opens you up to parallel processing. If you've never tried parallel gain-stacking, you're in for a treat.

 

Compression. The Keeley comp. pro is my always on Pedal. (Well except for practice or campfire jams)

 

My MXR Phase 100. I know the 90 is more popular and cheaper, and recently
i tried to replace it with an Aguilar Grape Phaser because of top-mount jacks.

But those are way too chewy and intense for my taste. I'm just not that funky.

...most of the time.

Nah seriously, I don't know what it is about the phase 100. I just love the chunky
orange box with the weird little diagrams on it. It's a keeper!

 

My Darkglass Hyper Luminal compressor is my favorite pedal that is always on. It really gives my tone a little fattening and tightening.
I've had four compressors and this one is the best one I've ever played through.
Of course the sansamp VT DI is always on also. Lots of secret sauce between then both.

 

EHX Black Finger.

Yes it's designed as a comp. And it works well for that. But, I can also goose the gain and get a very nice tube mild dirt from it. Or I can even turn down the comp and gain and simply use it as a tube tone "warmer". It works great for all three.

 

NUX melvin lee preamp. Inexpensive, great routing options, IR loading, preamp options, OD

 

I can't live without my DBX 160A rack. Sorry it's not a pedal

 

Saturn works custom loop selector with momentary switch with a level control.
Hooked up to a bass whammy and a mooer thunder ball bass distortion. Set the whammy an octave up......hit the momentary and instant “distorted guitar” sound stabs whenever I want it.
JB