Hey everyone!
Can any pedal geeks give me some recommendations?
I'm a blues/jazz guitarist and I could need some help with my first pedal board.
I'm looking to start with:
[br]Overdrive[br]Tremolo[br]Delay[br]Boost[br]Wah wah
Any recommendations?
[br]Thanks
Hi Matthias,
The pedals I use are based on what I like to play, and how I want my guitar to sound. If you're looking to just fill in the sounds with a variety of pedals, I think most pedals these days are good enough to get the job done. The technology has really improved over the years and most pedals are pretty darn good. Here are my picks:
Overdrive: I use a tubescreamer, you can get a Ibanez Tubescreamer, a Boss Bluesdriver or an OCD Fulltone. These models can be pricey, but there are a lot of clones out there from lesser known brands that do the exact same thing.
Tremolo: I use a very simple Behringer Ultra Tremolo TP300. Gets the job done and makes really weird noises sometimes, which is great!
Delay: I'm a big fan of the MXR Carbon Copy delay, but I also use a Vox Lil Looper that has delay effects built in.
Boost: MXR Micro Amp or the TC Electronics Spark Mini Booster! The TC is a little cheaper and honestly, does the job!
Wah: Get the Dunlop Crybaby, it's the original, it's great, it's probably the cheapest wah you can find, and it's built like a tank.
In addition to the ones suggested, there are two more I use on occasion....chorus and fuzz.
I don't use chorus as often as I used to, but when I need it, it's just what the doctor ordered. Though I don't use it often, I wouldnt' want to be without it. For the typical jangly chorusy sound, think Pretenders.
Fuzz I could honestly live without, but some cover songs I do require it.
I was in the dilema of what pedals to get a few years ago. I ended up getting a multi-effects unit since it cost less that the pedals I wanted. My first MFX unit was a Zoom G5. Currently I'm using a Boss GT-100. The original intent was to experiment with the various pedals and see what I wanted to get. Now I just use the MFX unit..works for me.
I just built my board at home 6 months ag
Spray painted it and [size= 15px]Added Velcro[/size]
[size= 15px]Then added the following pedals:[/size]
[size= 15px]Tuner[/size]
[size= 15px]Compression[/size]
[size= 15px]Fuzz[/size]
[size= 15px]Boss - dist/od[/size]
[size= 15px]Flanger[/size]
[size= 15px]Chorus[/size]
Reverb
Delay
Ditto 2
Amp selection switch for two amps a Marshall and vox
I bought the pedals over a year span
Do your research because you can great prices that mimic the really pricey prdals
Originally Posted by: Matthias HornsteinI'm a blues/jazz guitarist and I could need some help with my first pedal board.
I'm looking to start with:
[br]Overdrive[br]Tremolo[br]Delay[br]Boost[br]Wah wah
Any recommendations?
I encourage you to try before you buy. Watching gear demos on YT is a great place to start. And the pedals used by players that you admire can be a helpful lead to follow. But in the end you need to know that the pedals you use work for you. That they response & sound in a way that works for you.
There are a zillion great overdrives out there! But I stick with my Boss OD2 because I know how it will react, I can trust it wrks well with my choices in guitars, amps and with my pick attack & style.
I also use a multi-effects pedal, a Zoom. There are lots of options out there & they are sometimes helpful to have if you know you are going to use certain combinations or effects & you can get them all in a single unit!
Two other recommendations sometimes overlooked:
1. Get a reliable power supply. I use a small Voodoo Lab pedla power unit. Relying on batteries is asking for trouble.
2. Get or make a board with velco so all your pedals have a place to live. I've used a piece of plywood sprayed flat black, I've used homemade metal & wood cases. I eventually got a small Pedal Train. Cheap & reliable.
Here's my pedalboard.
Hope this helps! Have fun gear hunting!
