Pedal board/rig advice

[tt0511]

I just got my first tube amp, ...and I'm loving it! Tone baby! Anyway, ...my previous amp was a line6 flextone III, so I was used to having quite a bit of versatility at my disposal, ...but honestly didn't use more than 4-6 presets. In looking at pictures of people's rigs on here, I gotta admit that some of them scare the pee outta me!

For effects I currently have:

-digitech Whammy
-boss DS-1 (would like to try a tube screamer as I hear it is awesome on the Classic 30 amp I have)
-Ibanez CF-7 chorus/flanger
-Bad Horsie wah

I know I want a delay unit, and a compressor for those sustained notes and smooth tone. A guy at a local big box guitar store told me I needed a Boss GT-8 and that would take care of pretty much everything. He seemed to dislike the Pod X3 pedal board for some reason. I figured it would be better, but what do I know. He said he uses the Boss GT-8, and was saying that in response to me buying a good compressor pedal and delay unit which would cost about the same thing as one of these Boss units. His angle seemed to be that adding a decent amount of stomp boxes was going to cost a lot more than something like that boss unit.

I'm confused as to whether I should just get a few more pedals and make a pedal board or buy a prefab one, get one of these multi-effects pedal board deals, or go rack mounted stuff. I'm new to all of this "rig setup" stuff. I've played guitar for a while, but don't know a lot about this stuff. Always played through a line6 GuitarPort, ...then the Flextone, and then added the TonePort (this one I actually like). Now that I've got a sweet sounding tube amp, I need to dress out my effects.

I don't do many gigs, but I hope that changes so I wanna be prepared for that. I don't like the idea of hauling a rack around, that's for sure. I wouldn't even know where to start with rack stuff, if it sounds better, etc. I've heard that it is expensive though.

I don't know if these multi-effects pedals like the Boss and Line6 are worthy sound wise and durability wise or not. I've never run one through my sweet new tube powah either, lol. One thing that concerns me about them is, ...if it breaks, ...everything is broken until it is fixed. That's kinda scary.

I've looked at Rob Balducci's effects setup on his website and it seems fairly simple to me (well, in comparison to some of the rig setups I just saw on this forum that scared the pee outta me), with only two rack mounted units, and not much more than what I currently have other than the compressor and delay units I want to get.

I like versatility, but I think a big part of me is also attracted to a "simple" setup. I don't like spending 90% of my time tweaking gear. I wanna play, not tweak. Any advice, pointers and help is greatly appreciated. This kinda seems overwhelming because there is a tremendous amount of stuff out there for sale.

[yoyo1299]

i use a boss gt-8 for effects. great thing. i don't use it for distortion (tho i like it's tubescreamer model!!) or much for it's amp modelers. mainly for it's effects, chorus, delay, reverb, flanger, phaser, tremelo, slicer, compression you name it. the effects are very good quality IMO, much better than digitech's stuff and line 6. (IMO of course...) i bought the gt-8 cuz it would be a) cheaper b) easier to lug around (i'm building a case for it right now with my dad) and c) it looks cool. lol jk about hte last one. but it does look fancy!! plus it has a lot of options. it's wah's are not bad, but i mainly use it as a volume pedal. it's great live, easy to switch around etc.

wna save money? get the gt8. want slight more rich effects, and willing to spend the money? get individual pedals. but i think the gt-8 gives you a great band for the buck

[richard1973]

One thing I think is handy about an FX board is you can quickly go from a distortion to a clean sound that may have chorus, delay on it, to do that with individual pedals you'd have to stomp on 3 boxes at once, and if the song demands a quick change your not going to be able to do it. Where as an FX board it's just one click.

Though I do like the idea of seperate effects to add and remove partial effects each time such as remove delay but keep it clean with chorus, or keep the same clean but remove chorus and add flanger. Where as an FX board your genereally swithcing from one set up to another (e.g. pedal 1, 2, 3, 4) after that you then start having to go through the 'banks' and going back and forth through them again is an impossible task if you need a quick change.

So in a way you kinda need both. Unless you use your Banks for one set up for one style of song, then another set of Banks for another kinda song, least that way you can stay within 1 Bank to have all your effects for each song.

[markg5150]

Originally Posted by yoyo1299

but i think the gt-8 gives you a great band for the buck

+1. The GT8 is a great bit of kit. Fantastic value IMHO

[Rotti]

I would stick with the pedals you have and add a delay, a compressor, maybe an EQ and make a nice board for it. Probably all the effects you'll ever need.

[Algiman]

Originally Posted by Rotti

I would stick with the pedals you have and add a delay, a compressor, maybe an EQ and make a nice board for it. Probably all the effects you'll ever need.

I'd agree with that, though it all depends what it is you want your rig to be able to do.

[tt0511]

Originally Posted by Rotti

I would stick with the pedals you have and add a delay, a compressor, maybe an EQ and make a nice board for it. Probably all the effects you'll ever need.

I think this is the way I'm leaning. The GT-8 does sound cool in the regard that you can chain multiple delay units (get that U2 sound) and things like that, but I've been told that digital units like that don't quite sound as good as individual boxes.

Opinions on a compressor? I've never used a compressor other than in Line6 stuff. I was considering Keeley, MXR, Maxon (another red box). I don't know if the keeley is worth the hefty price. I watched a you tube video on the mxr and it seemed like it was obviously killing a pretty good bit of tone to me, but maybe that's unavoidable with compressors?

On the delay, ...I've heard that the Green Line6 Box (DL4?) is to die for, even from people who hate Line6 gear. Opinion? These are nice and pricey too, lol.

Thank you very much for your help!

[yoyo1299]

the gt-8 IMO sounds just as good as most analog pedals. Digitech's digital stuff doesn't sound good, but the gt-8? i was amazed at the quality.

BTW richard. On the gt-8, you don't have to change patches to just put off a delay or chorus. You cna put it on manual mode to make it just be 7 stompboxes. so then you can just put off one thing at a time.



What I actually plan on doing is this: Eventually i want to have TWO signal chains. Something like this. Guitar > A/B box (now we have two signal chains)

First signal: guitar > A/B box > Boss gt-8 > Two amps
Second signal: Guitar > A/B box > A bunch of analog pedals etc > Different amp.

I would probly run 3 different amps. Just because i could get a ton of sounds. The analog sounds and my gt-8 sounds on two different amps. This way I can have soooo may tones it would be pretty cool.

[Rotti]

Originally Posted by Algiman

I'd agree with that, though it all depends what it is you want your rig to be able to do.

Very true. This setup would be good for most typical rock, hard rock stuff. If you want to get more experimental then yeah a gt8 or something gives you more options.

[Rotti]

Originally Posted by tt0511

I think this is the way I'm leaning. The GT-8 does sound cool in the regard that you can chain multiple delay units (get that U2 sound) and things like that, but I've been told that digital units like that don't quite sound as good as individual boxes.

Opinions on a compressor? I've never used a compressor other than in Line6 stuff. I was considering Keeley, MXR, Maxon (another red box). I don't know if the keeley is worth the hefty price. I watched a you tube video on the mxr and it seemed like it was obviously killing a pretty good bit of tone to me, but maybe that's unavoidable with compressors?

On the delay, ...I've heard that the Green Line6 Box (DL4?) is to die for, even from people who hate Line6 gear. Opinion? These are nice and pricey too, lol.

Thank you very much for your help!

Compressors all sound very different to me. I don't like a subtle comp. When I use one I want that squishy sound, or insane sustain. You'll just have to try some and see what you like.
I personally like all the old Ibanez "10" series pedals. They are a good value and most sound excellent.

[richard1973]

'BTW richard. On the gt-8, you don't have to change patches to just put off a delay or chorus. You cna put it on manual mode to make it just be 7 stompboxes. so then you can just put off one thing at a time.
'

Cool

[tt0511]

Honestly, the reason I was considering the GT-8 or a Line6 Pod X3 is because the cost of a good compressor (depends on what you mean by good, ...going by good reviews), plus the line6 delay unit, plus a noise suppressor, plus an in-line tuner is more expensive/same price as a GT-8. Still, that kinda makes it a hard choice. Hitting one button is mega-cool. I've also been told by someone that since I have a tube amp, ...analog pedals are going to sound better and that you can hear the difference in digital on my amp. I wish I could go to the store and just get them to pop open about 7 pedals, chain them together, run it through a peavey classic 30 on the floor, and then a/b it against the GT-8.

But, if I ask them to do that with that many pedals, ...they may just laugh. I still may ask and see what happens.

[Tank]

Originally Posted by tt0511

Honestly, the reason I was considering the GT-8 or a Line6 Pod X3 is because the cost of a good compressor (depends on what you mean by good, ...going by good reviews), plus the line6 delay unit, plus a noise suppressor, plus an in-line tuner is more expensive/same price as a GT-8. Still, that kinda makes it a hard choice. Hitting one button is mega-cool. I've also been told by someone that since I have a tube amp, ...analog pedals are going to sound better and that you can hear the difference in digital on my amp. I wish I could go to the store and just get them to pop open about 7 pedals, chain them together, run it through a peavey classic 30 on the floor, and then a/b it against the GT-8.

But, if I ask them to do that with that many pedals, ...they may just laugh. I still may ask and see what happens.

If it is a serious store, they wont laugh.
I even would consider to take your current rig or at least your guitar with you to the store (make an appointment) and try the stuff.

Or as an alternative (like I do it):
Just ask if they let you take home a few pedals (of course you have to give them somekind of insurance, most of the time for me it was 200 bucks if I take a few) and try them and just return those you do not like.

However any serious store owner will understand that you want to test this stuff seriously before you add anything to your sound you do not like. If they do not understand it, they are wallmart types and should be avoided.

[bpd111]

Originally Posted by yoyo1299

wna save money? get the gt8.

I've skimmed these posts and haven't seen the learning curve mentioned. If your time is valuable, you'll need to consider it. I had the GT-8, and I have a friend who has the GT-6B, and we were both frustrated by how tricky it is to use and time-consuming. I sent mine back, and went with individual pedals.

[ibanez777vbk]

boss gt8 all the way.the boss gt6 is good aswell but the distortions are fizzy sounding.