Looking for pedal recommendations

[sinktylersink]

Hey guys, I'm looking for recommendations on some pedals to get. The only effect I've ever bought has been a DS-1 so I'm not really sure what I'm looking for to get the tones I'm seeking. Lately I've been into bands like Bloc Party, The Gaslight Anthem, and The Black Keys (all kind of different, but right now I'm just searching) so I'm wondering where to start for those kind of tones. Any help would be appreciated. Not really concerned about a price range right now as I'm just trying to find a starting point.

Also, I play an Epiphone Les Paul Custom through a Fender Hot Rod Deville. I also figure I will probably get the requisite delay pedal (most likely a DD-3).

Thanks for any suggestions.

[Burn That Shit]

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/MXR-M169-Carbon-Copy-Analog-Delay-Guitar-Effects-Pedal?sku=150571

Only delay pedal you'll ever need.

[The Boathouse]

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/MXR-M169-Carbon-Copy-Analog-Delay-Guitar-Effects-Pedal?sku=150571

Only delay pedal you'll ever need.

I second that.

A lot of "tone seeking" is less your pedals, and more how you've got your amp set, the tubes you've got in it, and the way your guitar is set up in one way or another. Try fucking around and using different string gauges. I use 9's on my gibson, and it gives it this sort of loose, loopy sound that I like. On your amp, actually pay attention to the knobs that say "treble" "mid" and "bass," as well as "presence," and "reverb."

These are all pretty vital little factors that a lot of people initially overlook by heading straight to pedals. For overdrives, though, I recommend Tubescreamers (obviously) as a good starting point. I'll also recommend a compressor of some kind (I like the various MXR versions) and maybe a chorus or tremelo pedal (I play EHX models of each of those...). Just to color things a bit. But it's going to rely a lot on how you play, more than anything else.

[withonevoice]

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/MXR-M169-Carbon-Copy-Analog-Delay-Guitar-Effects-Pedal?sku=150571

Only delay pedal you'll ever need.

i hear nothing but good things about the carbon copy. i just watched a youtube video on one and i think i might be sold.

anyone wanna buy my DL-4? haha.

EDIT: just watched a video for the tc electronic nova...that thing is a BEAST!

sorry for somewhat hijacking your thread.

[patrickhowell]

I second that.

A lot of "tone seeking" is less your pedals, and more how you've got your amp set, the tubes you've got in it, and the way your guitar is set up in one way or another. Try fucking around and using different string gauges. I use 9's on my gibson, and it gives it this sort of loose, loopy sound that I like. On your amp, actually pay attention to the knobs that say "treble" "mid" and "bass," as well as "presence," and "reverb."

Exactly. Tubes, speakers, amp, and pickups are more important for good tone than pedals...

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/MXR-M169-Carbon-Copy-Analog-Delay-Guitar-Effects-Pedal?sku=150571

Only delay pedal you'll ever need.

What if you need tap tempo ?

[sinktylersink]

To clarify, I by no means expect pedals to completely shape the sound of the music I play. It's just that I've been playing for a good 6 years now and haven't really looked into what effects could bring to the table. I guess I should have explained it more like that, as well as the fact that I'm not very good at picking up various effects in the music I listen to (with the exception of things like delay, wah, and overdrive). For instance, what will things like Chorus, Flange, Phase, and Tremolo actually do?

Thanks for the advice so far though, and I will definitely have to take a look at the Carbon Copy. Any other recommendations (for any type of effects really) would be appreciated.

[The Boathouse]

Exactly. Tubes, speakers, amp, and pickups are more important for good tone than pedals...



What if you need tap tempo ?

This is a pretty serious debate I've had with people before re the CC. I just don't use tap tempo. I've had units that have it before, and I just haven't felt a need. For recordings, I just sit and adjust the little guy til I'm in time. Live, I have a setting I like that works in pretty much any delay application I've got. Sure, it's not exactly in time, but I feel like it adds a little charm. Plus, the decay on that pedal is just fucking gold.

[porttheman]

you should check out the boss RV-5 digital reverb,i used when i played guitar and i still use it for bass..its a really sweet pedal
also check out a ibanez TS808 tube screamer or a ZVex box of rock(its pretty expensive) both pedals are awesome as well

good luck

[patrickhowell]

what will things like Chorus, Flange, Phase, and Tremolo actually do

Chorus adds your signal to an out of tune sample of itself
Flange adds your signal to a slightly time-delayed sample of itself to create a comb filtering effect
Phase adds your signal to a phase-shifted version of itself, altering the frequency response
Tremolo turns the volume up and down

But if you want to know what they actually sound like, you should just check out samples on youtube

[sinktylersink]

Can I ask what may be a stupid question, what is the difference between different delay pedals? For instance, the MXR Carbon Copy seems pretty cool, but I notice a lot of bands using Boss and Line 6 Delay pedals. Any particular reason why?

[The Boathouse]

Just personal preference. I used a Boss DD-3 for years, and switched to the Carbon Copy this past summer. My recommendation is to go play a bunch of them, and see which one you like. For me, it came down to the warps you can do on the Carbon Copy and the way the notes decay. That decay's something you just can't find in a digital unit. But basically, you're going to buy one, and chances are good, in a few years as you get to know the effect itself (not the unit, but the effect as a fundamental thing) you'll understand exactly what it is you want in a unit that has that effect and buy a pedal that suits your tastes more.

[Qfwfq]

I've heard good things about the carbon copy, but man do I love my DD-20. Out of time delay actually drives me insane, so being able to just plug the numbers in is a godsend for me.

[patrickhowell]

Can I ask what may be a stupid question, what is the difference between different delay pedals? For instance, the MXR Carbon Copy seems pretty cool, but I notice a lot of bands using Boss and Line 6 Delay pedals. Any particular reason why?

The Line 6 delay pedal sounds GREAT, but it is known for absolutely TERRIBLE build quality. They break constantly... Check out the reviews on Harmony-Central (http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Effects/product/Line+6/DL4+Delay+Modeler/10/1)

[porttheman]

I've heard good things about the carbon copy, but man do I love my DD-20. Out of time delay actually drives me insane, so being able to just plug the numbers in is a godsend for me.

yea i have a dd20 as well,though im not a huge fan of it..ok,so i dont have the manual,but can you do tap tempo on it or is it just numeric?

[jayceeeeee]

i would highly recommend the electro harmonix english mff'n. Very versatile tube distortion, it's probably my favorite pedal i have ever bought. Also if you are looking for a delay, i would reccomend the memory man from the same company

[Qfwfq]

yea i have a dd20 as well,though im not a huge fan of it..ok,so i dont have the manual,but can you do tap tempo on it or is it just numeric?

Yes, you can tap with it! Hold the memory/tap pedal (the right one) down for 2 seconds and it changes from cycling memory banks to a tap tempo function.

You can grab the whole manual here - it's definitely worth the read (there are plenty of hidden functions with this bad boy):

http://www.roland.com/products/en/_support/om.cfm?ln=en&dsp=0&iCncd=47

It's really an awesome pedal.

[sinktylersink]

Another question, sorry for all of them, but people here no far more than I do. What is the advantage of individual pedals as opposed to a multi-effects board (such as the POD XT Live)?

[The Boathouse]

Multi-effect units are garbage! Trash! Don't buy one! Fuck.

[patrickhowell]

Another question, sorry for all of them, but people here no far more than I do. What is the advantage of individual pedals as opposed to a multi-effects board (such as the POD XT Live)?

You can get better sounding individual pedals than any of the digital models available.

[Qfwfq]

Multi-effect units are garbage! Trash! Don't buy one! Fuck.

QFT haha...

They're fun for a little, but they're mostly just gimmicky. No one actually needs 300 effects and especially not 300 really mediocre sounding effects.

[porttheman]

Yes, you can tap with it! Hold the memory/tap pedal (the right one) down for 2 seconds and it changes from cycling memory banks to a tap tempo function.

You can grab the whole manual here - it's definitely worth the read (there are plenty of hidden functions with this bad boy):

http://www.roland.com/products/en/_support/om.cfm?ln=en&dsp=0&iCncd=47

It's really an awesome pedal.

awesome,thanks man..ill have to check that manual out later..yea,sometimes i like my pedal and sometimes i wanna get the line 6 dl4

[Burn That Shit]

Multi-Effects boards are REALLY shitty. Don't waste your money, get the individual pedals. If you're using a lot of pedals it's kind of inconvenient but it's worth the quality of the effects.

[YouAteMyDog182]

For an all around pedal, starting with Zoom is a good idea, I've used the g1x for about 2 years now. But as with most multi effect pedals, it does get a little dull sounding after a while, buying a tubed preamp with the zoom is very recommended :)

But for an effect, I only have a nova delay pedal.
And holy balls was it expensive.

[of_the_rose]

Another question, sorry for all of them, but people here no far more than I do. What is the advantage of individual pedals as opposed to a multi-effects board (such as the POD XT Live)?

Effects processors are really limited in their abilities. It tends to have a really dull flat tone without much versatility. Plus, the majority of the effects offered on them, you won't end up using.

Individual pedals are great because you can mix and match. No matter what anyone tells you, no company is perfect across the board. They could all use improvements somewhere. For instance, my pedal board consists of:
Boss DD-6 Delay, Line 6 DL-4 Delay, MXR Phase 90, Electroharmonix Holy Grail Reverb, Boss TR-2 Tremelo, Boss DS-1 Distortion (customized), Keely Compressor, Customized Proximity Electronics distortion pedal, and of course the Boss tuner pedal.

Obviously a wide variety, but all of my preference in pedals has come through spending time and money on trying them all out. If you're not sure what certain effects sounds are, google or youtube that shit, or go to guitar center or a music store and sit down and jam on some of these pedals. Tweak the tones, don't be afraid to turn the knobs all over an see what comes out.

This thread has me jonesing for some pedals...

[YouAteMyDog182]

This thread has me jonesing for some pedals...

Me too..
Like really hardcore.
I'm looking at them now.
But i need money for college deposits and such.
God dammit....

[OveriseFan]

Another question, sorry for all of them, but people here no far more than I do. What is the advantage of individual pedals as opposed to a multi-effects board (such as the POD XT Live)?

As people have said, the major advantage to individual pedals is sound. Quite simply, you can choose which brand makes the best sounding effect in that category. You can go to MXR for delay and compressor, to Ibanez for an overdrive, and to EHX for a fuzz. Another advantage is that if a pedal breaks, you simply remove it from your chain, and don't use that effect that show. Your multi-effects board goes hay-wire and you have no effects.

However, multi-effects boards are good for some things. The negative, obviously, being that they usually don't sound that great. However, being able to switch from Wah, Flange, Chorus, and Overdrive all on, to Fuzz, Distortion, Delay, whatever on is so, so simple. A lot easier to do straight on the board, where as with many individual pedals, you'll have to have some kind of controller to switch combinations. Also, a multi-effects board is just more convienient to lug around than a pedalboard, as you don't have to worry about power supplies and all. Honestly, these are "easy" fixes with individual pedals, but it gets time consuming and expensive.

I hope that makes sense to you. I'd go for individual pedals, personally. But you have to think about your own situation in terms of money, what exactly you're using these effects for, etc.

[sinktylersink]

So I'm thinking for my first purchase I'm going to go for either the Carbon Copy or the DD-20. I'm hoping to go to Guitar Center to try both out within the next week, and I'm just wondering if there's anything that you guys recommend I look/listen for when doing so. I may also try out the DL-4, but I'd rather not take my chances with it.

EDIT: I may also give the DD-3 a try to, as it is much cheaper and would allow me to consider getting an overdrive pedal sooner(looking at the Fulltone FullDrive 2 and the Ibanez TS9). Wouldn't be able to try out the FullDrive 2 until I got back to school though.

[stupidtyonparad]

im gonna pick up a wah at some point here, they all have different names, do they effect the sound or are you basically getting the same sound from each one? like is a crybaby wah completely different from a power wah or an inductor wah or are they the same idea just different variations?

and to the conversation about multi-effects or single pedals, i built my own pedal board with a built in power strip, velcro for the pedals and a daisy chain power supply, makes life easy and saved some serious cash doing it myself

[patrickhowell]

im gonna pick up a wah at some point here, they all have different names, do they effect the sound or are you basically getting the same sound from each one? like is a crybaby wah completely different from a power wah or an inductor wah or are they the same idea just different variations?

All wah pedals work the same way, but they're all voiced a little differently. Essentially the same circuit path with slightly different value resistors and capacitors.

[The Boathouse]

Wah's have unique voices, but they're the same effect. If you're going to mod one to get a different voice out of it, be patient. *shakes head*

[of_the_rose]

So I'm thinking for my first purchase I'm going to go for either the Carbon Copy or the DD-20. I'm hoping to go to Guitar Center to try both out within the next week, and I'm just wondering if there's anything that you guys recommend I look/listen for when doing so. I may also try out the DL-4, but I'd rather not take my chances with it.

EDIT: I may also give the DD-3 a try to, as it is much cheaper and would allow me to consider getting an overdrive pedal sooner(looking at the Fulltone FullDrive 2 and the Ibanez TS9). Wouldn't be able to try out the FullDrive 2 until I got back to school though.



As for Delay pedals, listen for the cut off. When you're playing and switch from delay to your clean signal, listen to if the delay carries over after you hit the footswitch. Depending on what you're going for, you may or may not want it to carry over, but generally it's cleaner. Also listen to the volume of your signal. Some pedals have a tendency to really cut your signal, like the DL-4 for instance, some settings on it have a shitty signal. Also, the DD-3 cuts off when you switch, but the DD-6 carries over.

Otherwise, just find something that's easy for you to use as a first delay pedal. Don't just get something because it looks awesome or people say its awesome. Make your own, informed opinion on it.

Also, try to hit up a local guitar shop rather than Guitar Center. They're a bunch of creeps over there.

[mylastflight]

MXR is a great analog delay pedal but doesn't have a tap tempo I dont think


Good tremolo: Voodoo Lap Tremolo
Good Chorus: Visual sound h20
Good OD: Screaming Eagle, Ibanez Tube Screamer or Maxon Tube Screamer 808 mod versions
Good Phaser: Phase 90 MXR simple to use and it sounds good : )

And then there are a lot's of other effects but these are basic FXs.

[YouAteMyDog182]

Nova Delay pedal, ftw.
Best...EVER.

[Qfwfq]

awesome,thanks man..ill have to check that manual out later..yea,sometimes i like my pedal and sometimes i wanna get the line 6 dl4

They're way different but (IMO) equally as awesome. The DL4's loop function is pretty sweet.

[patrickhowell]

They're way different but (IMO) equally as awesome. The DL4's loop function is pretty sweet.

DD30 has the loop function too... So does the DD7

[porttheman]

They're way different but (IMO) equally as awesome. The DL4's loop function is pretty sweet.

yea i do agree, i use to have the dl4 but sold it for bass equip..im pretty happy with the dd20,it fits well with what i do

[johnh5304]

Wow.. I'm going to have to check out this Carbon Copy pedal. My Boss DD-20 is ok but I find myself just using the analog setting the most and it is no where near a true analog delay. It's a good pedal but I really want to move on to something that masters what it's meant to do. I do highly recommend the Voodoo Labs Tremolo and a Keely modded Ibanez Tube Screamer though.

[patrickhowell]

Wow.. I'm going to have to check out this Carbon Copy pedal. My Boss DD-20 is ok but I find myself just using the analog setting the most and it is no where near a true analog delay. It's a good pedal but I really want to move on to something that masters what it's meant to do. I do highly recommend the Voodoo Labs Tremolo and a Keely modded Ibanez Tube Screamer though.

The Carbon Copy sounds great, but make sure you've got another delay on your pedal board if you need tap tempo...

[of_the_rose]

Wow.. I'm going to have to check out this Carbon Copy pedal. My Boss DD-20 is ok but I find myself just using the analog setting the most and it is no where near a true analog delay. It's a good pedal but I really want to move on to something that masters what it's meant to do. I do highly recommend the Voodoo Labs Tremolo and a Keely modded Ibanez Tube Screamer though.


Haven't heard the Keely moddded Tube Screamer but i'm sure its absolutely amazing. I'd like to get a keely modded DL-4.

[sinktylersink]

Does anyone have any experience with the Fulltone FullDrives'. I've been checking out the FullDrive 2 Mosfet and it seems pretty neat, but I'm wondering if it's worth the extra $70 more than a TS9.

[eriklipson]

I just bought a BBE Two Timer Delay off of Ebay. 90 beans!

[sinktylersink]

Another question, what is the advantage of having multiple delay pedals on your board? I thought that I read something about them reversing signals, but I wasn't sure what this meant.

[patrickhowell]

Another question, what is the advantage of having multiple delay pedals on your board? I thought that I read something about them reversing signals, but I wasn't sure what this meant.

If you have two pedals, you can have them set for different effects / different songs so that you don't have to change settings during a show.

[of_the_rose]

Another question, what is the advantage of having multiple delay pedals on your board? I thought that I read something about them reversing signals, but I wasn't sure what this meant.

for the most part its just a convenience thing. using different delay times in the same song or having to kind of "standard" delays you use throughout the set. i'm sure there's more depth to the options presented when two delays are running through the same board.


it just looks cool alright? there's not always a purpose!

[eriklipson]

CHECK OUT THE TWO TIMER!

All analog, great housing, true bypass.. plus it is basically two delays built into one! Google it, read a review, you won't be dissappointed.

[guitarguy100487]

Exactly. Tubes, speakers, amp, and pickups are more important for good tone than pedals...

Well he could just use an effects processor to keep the setup he has and it would change his tone and everything all at once (except it will not give that meaty humbucker tone if you aren't using something with humbuckers in it because single coils as a whole just fucking suck.)

What if you need tap tempo ?

Instead of individual pedals though a lot of awesome tones and pedal options can be found with an effects processing unit and not just effects though you can change your entire sound with one of em. Personally I don't use them but i know a lot of guitarists actually prefer these multi-effects units. As far as I know Line 6 is the best in this area, the have modulation pedals and processors like the Pod x3 Live pedal.
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Line-6-POD-X3-Live-Guitar-Multi-Effect-Pedal?sku=150377

or the M13 stombox modeler
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Line-6-M13-Guitar-Multi-Effects-Pedal?sku=482675

or even just the effects processor which a lot of pros use in their rig
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Line-6-POD-X3-Guitar-Multi-Effect-Processor?sku=150374

[guitarguy100487]

To clarify, I by no means expect pedals to completely shape the sound of the music I play. It's just that I've been playing for a good 6 years now and haven't really looked into what effects could bring to the table. I guess I should have explained it more like that, as well as the fact that I'm not very good at picking up various effects in the music I listen to (with the exception of things like delay, wah, and overdrive). For instance, what will things like Chorus, Flange, Phase, and Tremolo actually do?

Thanks for the advice so far though, and I will definitely have to take a look at the Carbon Copy. Any other recommendations (for any type of effects really) would be appreciated.

well a good example of what chorus and a little bit of delay can do together is to listen to December by Collective soul. when it comes to a compression pedal listen to under the bridge by the red hot chili peppers. flanger and phase can be heard in a lot of van halen stuff.

[porttheman]

so im thinking about getting a line 6 MM4....a good idea or not?

[The Boathouse]

I've only heard about the green delay model they have, which basically is supposed to be totally unfit for longterm use, use on the road, etc. I'm not sure if this is supposed to be any more durable than that one. Either way, I always advocate for individual pedals. Easier to tweak and keep what you want the way you want it.

[sinktylersink]

Yeah, I think I'm seriously looking into a DD-20. Of course I'm going to go try it out and everything, but does anyone have any good/bad experiences with them?

[porttheman]

Yeah, I think I'm seriously looking into a DD-20. Of course I'm going to go try it out and everything, but does anyone have any good/bad experiences with them?

ive got one...its an okay pedal..i do like the numeric tempo..the only thing i dont like about it is,on the SOS(sound on sound) you only get maybe a minute of recording before it starts to play what youve recorded..the line 6 dl4 doesnt as far as i know..but its not a BIG deal..i would recommend gettin the dd 20

[patrickhowell]

The DD20 can record 23 seconds, the DL4 can only do 14 seconds.

[porttheman]

The DD20 can record 23 seconds, the DL4 can only do 14 seconds.

you are right..i need to do more research on my shit..haha
hey have you ever tried the line 6 mm4? i kinda want to get one.but idk if its worth $250

[sinktylersink]

So I'm back at this now. I got a Fulltone FullDrive 2 for Christmas and got some funds to spend at Guitar Center in the form of gift cards and some money. Basically, I'm looking for a Delay pedal now. I think I'd like something that has a looping function too (even though they won't work simultaneously) so I think that rules out the DD-3 and the Carbon Copy. The DD-7 and HardWire DL-8 are both right in my price range, but I could also consider the Akai Headrush E2 (if it's worth the extra money) and even the EHX Memory Man (since it comes with a power supply). So, any opinions?

[patrickhowell]

The DD-7 is really nice, especially if you get a footswitch for tap-tempo.

[sinktylersink]

Changed my plans once again (been happening a lot lately) and ended up buying an EHX Holy Stain instead of worrying about a delay with a looper. I realized I really had no need for a looper right now and I'd rather have the reverb and be able to play with tremolo and pitch shifting as well. Anyway, I'm on the hunt for a cheaper delay now. I'm mainly looking at the Line 6 Echo Park, Ibanez DE-7, Boss DD-3, and Digitech Digidelay, but mainly the first two (and maybe the DigiDelay) because of their longer delay times. I'm sort of leaning towards the Echo Park right now because of the amount of features it has (including tap tempo), but I've also heard good things (except for the build quality) about the DE-7 and it's pretty inexpensive. Anyone ever used either of these?

[nick_kloss]

Hey guys, I'm looking for recommendations on some pedals to get. The only effect I've ever bought has been a DS-1 so I'm not really sure what I'm looking for to get the tones I'm seeking. Lately I've been into bands like Bloc Party, The Gaslight Anthem, and The Black Keys (all kind of different, but right now I'm just searching) so I'm wondering where to start for those kind of tones. Any help would be appreciated. Not really concerned about a price range right now as I'm just trying to find a starting point.

Also, I play an Epiphone Les Paul Custom through a Fender Hot Rod Deville. I also figure I will probably get the requisite delay pedal (most likely a DD-3).

Thanks for any suggestions.

if you're into the black keys, i'm pretty sure that dude is using a maestro fuzz tone. at least when i saw them play back in the day in akron i thought he had one. there's some originals from the 60's still floating around in ebay but i think they reissued them a few years ago. you can get real grainy tones almost to the point it's crapping out the guitar (there's a smashing pumpkins song called "hummer" you can hear this in the intro) or a more mellow fuzz tone which like you probably want.

if you're real serious about fuzz / distortions, the fender blender is also a good choice. i have this box. fender re-issued in a few years ago. it's kind of like the maestro with more options and a little ringmod / octave effect added in on some of the settings. if you want to really peel paint off the walls this is the one.

[dietoseeyoufail]

Avoid Boss
(but the Giga Delay is pretty dope)

[patrickhowell]

Avoid Boss
(but the Giga Delay is pretty dope)

Yeah, the DD20 is nice, and it's especially good as a buffer right after your volume pedal. It's always on, like all Boss pedals, but it's got the cleanest sounding buffer of any Boss and it will help save you from signal loss as your turn your volume down.