trying to re-think my pedalboard... one single pedal?

Joined: 25 Jun 2008 Posts: 4860 Location: Pennsylvania

Ok so a month ago i was asking about a cheap/quick way to figure out a volume boost for solos. I've been thinking this through more and more. Right now my board is pretty simple, i've got an OD, delay, sonic stomp, tuner, and morpheus drop tune.

well now that i'm playing with my band, I realize I don't use any of this aside from the tuner and droptune. the only time i need a different tone is for solos. its too much work to step on a pedal for a boost, and delay, and extra gain.

so i'm thinking i want a pedal that can possibly do all of that for me. basically a clean boost, with built in delay, to throw in my fx loop. i was thinking maybe other stuff like chorus/compression/whatever would be nice too, but all solos I do are harmonized so there's not really need for anything else I guess.

so, what's out there that I can use? don't want a complicated digital unit..

Joined: 21 Jul 2008 Posts: 614 Location: Yorkshire, England

cgibsong002 wrote:

the only time i need a different tone is for solos. its too much work to step on a pedal for a boost, and delay, and extra gain.

I haven't had any experience with looper pedals, but I suspect it may be a solution to this. I think you just have all 3 in the loop and activate the pedal when you want them all on, it's something I have thought about doing with my pedals in the past but never bothered to do.

Joined: 21 Sep 2010 Posts: 437

^^^

I just got a true bypass looper pedal for this exact purpose. Plus, it takes all of those pedals out of the chain and helps your tone when the loop is bypassed. There are infinite ways you could set up your loops to do what you need.

loop-master.com is where I got mine from. It takes about 6 weeks to get them in the mail but the build quality is top-notch.

Joined: 25 Jun 2008 Posts: 4860 Location: Pennsylvania

koury73 wrote:

^^^

I just got a true bypass looper pedal for this exact purpose. Plus, it takes all of those pedals out of the chain and helps your tone when the loop is bypassed. There are infinite ways you could set up your loops to do what you need.

loop-master.com is where I got mine from. It takes about 6 weeks to get them in the mail but the build quality is top-notch.

just took a look there and that would definitely work. still i'm not so sure that's what i want though. i still need to buy a clean boost as well. i don't really want to buy two new pedals, and then still have a whole mess of pedals. it seems so much simpler to just have a boost with a built in delay. and then i can sell off my old pedals.

Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 13396 Location: Earth

You can also get a used TC Electronics G Major, with a simple Tech 21 Midi Mouse pedal and put it in the loop with a programmed out patch for everything you'd need for leads or whatever and just toggle it on or off. The TC also has a tuner so you can just get rid of all your pedals and just run one midi cable to the small Midi Mouse pedal and keep it super simple. Just put the rack on top of your amp, or get one of those little single space rack bags. 2 patch cables and a midi cable of whatever length and you're done. Set up in like 2 minutes.

Here they are new with prices. Used would be really cheap.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/tc-electronic-g-major-guitar-effects-processor

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/tech-21-midi-mouse-pedal

OR just get this for about the same price as both of those and then it's really easy. Just run it to your effects loop.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/tc-electronic-nova-system-guitar-multi-effects-pedal

Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 1413 Location: Dallas, TX

This might work for you.....boost and delay in 1 pedal. I've been wondering about these for a little while.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/tech-21-dla-tt-boost-d.l.a.-tap-tempo-guitar-effects-pedal

Joined: 15 Nov 2012 Posts: 32

emunder wrote:

This might work for you.....boost and delay in 1 pedal. I've been wondering about these for a little while.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/tech-21-dla-tt-boost-d.l.a.-tap-tempo-guitar-effects-pedal

I was just going to recommend this. I have the pedal. Works as advertised, but the boost isn't super strong.....(at least not enough for me to get my solo's above the band).

The best way to go about acheiving what you want is buy an amp with a foot-switchable loop ( I know, I know) or get one of the many loop pedals available out there on the market. This one is a pretty simple, pretty affordable alternative to the ones suggested above:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/boss-rc-3-loop-station

Edit: One of the many reasons I love my XXX (foot-switchable loop)

Joined: 25 Jun 2008 Posts: 4860 Location: Pennsylvania

ok, so I found a few different delays with boosts that can all be had around the $100 price range used. I'm definitely not buying a new amp or any expensive units.. just not necessary for what I'm doing.

but now I'm questioning just as much if I even need any effects at all in my solo tone. like I said, there always a Lot going on at the same time as our solos.I'm not sure if additional effects would just make it sounds sloppy. any of you guys have any input in what sounds best with harmony type leads? I don't really have the money to be able to buy a bunch of pedals and experiment.

Joined: 15 Nov 2012 Posts: 32

imo....

I have cut back drastically on effects over the years (cover band).

My most used effect is a morely wah. I use to spice up a couple of leads.

Every once in a while I throw some delay on a lead if there is room in the mix.

Otherwise, I have found a simple volume boost is pretty much all I need.....and I get compliments on my tone all of the time.

It really just depends on what style of stuff you are doing.

In a live environment I subscribe to the "simpler is better" theory. But when I record it's a totally different thing.

Joined: 25 Jun 2008 Posts: 4860 Location: Pennsylvania

i just put together an lpb-1 pedal that i had built the circuit for a while ago as a practice. just threw it in the loop on the marshall and it just about has double the volume on tap. completely transparent.. AWESOME.

as long as it works the same in my Engl's loop

Joined: 13 Feb 2004 Posts: 5598 Location: phoenix az.

[quote="cgibsong002"]Ok so a month ago i was asking about a cheap/quick way to figure out a volume boost for solos. I've been thinking this through more and more. Right now my board is pretty simple, i've got an OD, delay, sonic stomp, tuner, and morpheus drop tune.

well now that i'm playing with my band, I realize I don't use any of this aside from the tuner and droptune. the only time i need a different tone is for solos. its too much work to step on a pedal for a boost, and delay, and extra gain.

so i'm thinking i want a pedal that can possibly do all of that for me. basically a clean boost, with built in delay, to throw in my fx loop. i was thinking maybe other stuff like chorus/compression/whatever would be nice too, but all solos I do are harmonized so there's not really need for anything else I guess.

Ive been using an american loopers pedal for 2 years now they are top notch true bypass ultra quiet switching just great pedals.mine has 2 effects loops put an mxr micro amp in one loop and whatever in the second.you could put your booster and a delay and whatever else u want for your leads all in one loop and switch it all on in one switch.mine has taken practice 5 nights a week and shows on weekends for 2 years now and has no problems!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/American-Loopers-2CH-Looper-Guitar-Pedal-Board-True-Bypass-Master-Effects-Loop-/170880231591?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item27c94168a7
or just get an line 6 m13 and have all ur stuff in one pedal.
I have an m13 in one band and a pedal board in the other.

Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 3:40 am

Most of my pedals are the same as mentioned already, but remote controlled. So you can put your boost in your poop at your amp, and simply have a footswitch on your board. it's another option.

Joined: 21 Sep 2010 Posts: 437

www.DropD.net wrote:

Most of my pedals are the same as mentioned already, but remote controlled. So you can put your boost in your poop at your amp, and simply have a footswitch on your board. it's another option.

Had I seen these before I had mine built I would have went this way. Your stuff is freaking bad ass man. Someday in the future, we are gonna do some business.

Joined: 25 Jun 2008 Posts: 4860 Location: Pennsylvania

the wireless switching sounds awesome if you have a complicated loop.. that's pretty cool.

I am now getting frustrated with this. so like I said, built myself a clean boost. through my Marshall it was perfect and had serious volume. I go to practice and hook it up to my engl rig.. it does nothing but give a slight volume cut! further, my pedals volume knob does nothing. I'm completely confused. I put the pedal in front of the amp and it worked like normal. so I'm thinking the engl has some type of level regulation through the loop. but cutting the volume on the pedal off, where it would normally kill sound, and it makes no difference. does this make any sense to anyone?