SHOW OFF YOUR PEDALBOARD!

[dronerstone]

Out of interest: How are most of you folks handling lead vs. rhythm levels?
I mean, most of the boards posted in this thread have no dedicated control over lead and rhythm levels,
Are you just using a different drive, channel or whatsoever? Or are you happy with just playing harder or pushing the front end?
I've never been happy with that, which is why I'm adding a post EQ controlling my overall lead level (and a bit of frequency shaping) since eons already. Started doing so with my very first loopswitcher based setup and continued doing so ever since. I couldn't even imagine not having that functionality anymore, it's one of the most important usability aspects for me.

Good points there!

To me, it's usually not an issue, since I'm part of a three-piece band.

If I still need to cut through more, I'll employ little helpers, e.g. slapback delay, "normal" or cocked wah, drippy spring reverb, upper octave, or an additional slight overdrive.

In a dense mix, I'd probably go for a parametric EQ to boost the mids even further. Should transparency be crucial, boxes like the MXR/CAE Line Driver help a lot.

OR: digital emulation/models of the above. Easy to pull off.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Fwiw, for me, going from rhythm to lead, unless I'm going the "organic" route (as in controlling everything from the guitar, which I sometimes really love as well), involves three things to happen:

- Adding some pre-boost
- Adding some post-leveling (and usually also a bit of EQ-ing)
- Adding some spatial FX (delay and/or reverb)

Outside of the digital realm, this usually requires 3 footswitch operations. And it's been the very reason why I went for a loopswitcher controlled setup, because ever since it's one step.

Maybe interesting enough: I'm pretty much always using a compressor as a pre-boost, adding a bit of meat and volume boost and on the post-EQ I typically boost the mids between 500Hz and 1kHz a bit and do the final lead leveling. After a bit of fiddling (the balance between pre-boost and post-EQ level is quite delicate when you mix clean and dirt) I found this to work with all of my rhythm patches, so the only variable remains the spatial effect (I gravitate to reverb for cleans and delays for dirt, sometimes I mix them).

And while digital wonderland has made all of these a piece of cake, I still stick to this very approach as I often find it to be more organic than switching to an entirely different tone (of course not exactly applicable when I want a pristine clean rhythm tone and a ripping lead one).

 

[dronerstone]

Fwiw, for me, going from rhythm to lead, unless I'm going the "organic" route (as in controlling everything from the guitar, which I sometimes really love as well), involves three things to happen:

- Adding some pre-boost
- Adding some post-leveling (and usually also a bit of EQ-ing)
- Adding some spatial FX (delay and/or reverb)

Outside of the digital realm, this usually requires 3 footswitch operations. And it's been the very reason why I went for a loopswitcher controlled setup, because ever since it's one step.

Maybe interesting enough: I'm pretty much always using a compressor as a pre-boost, adding a bit of meat and volume boost and on the post-EQ I typically boost the mids between 500Hz and 1kHz a bit and do the final lead leveling. After a bit of fiddling (the balance between pre-boost and post-EQ level is quite delicate when you mix clean and dirt) I found this to work with all of my rhythm patches, so the only variable remains the spatial effect (I gravitate to reverb for cleans and delays for dirt, sometimes I mix them).

And while digital wonderland has made all of these a piece of cake, I still stick to this very approach as I often find it to be more organic than switching to an entirely different tone (of course not exactly applicable when I want a pristine clean rhythm tone and a ripping lead one).

Wise words. I know what you mean. There's a "base tone" and everything further is built upon that. Somewhat old-school approach, but I tend to like that better than (digitally) switching between vastly different sounds - unless, like you said, it's necessary.

 

[Sascha Franck]

but I tend to like that better than (digitally) switching between vastly different sounds

Yeah. And let's not forget that FOH folks will hate you as well in case you're delivering a boatload of completely different base sounds.
For me it's typically 2 main sounds, clean and dirt. Those have their own "channels" (or in my case: two main amp units sitting in two loops) and I allow myself some variations, as in using different (but not *all* that different) drive pedals and may as well add some hair to the clean channel. The main amp core tone (and IRs, I'm completely DI, as most of you may know) stays the same all throughout. Makes live life a whole lot easier for anyone involved. And fwiw, as it always worked absolutely well with traditional cabs, I'm using the same cab IR all throughout any gig.

 

[James Freeman]

Has anyone built a clean only board?

 

[laxu]

Has anyone built a clean only board?

What would that look like? Compressor, modulation, delay and reverb? Then might as well use that for drive as well, just skip the compressor.

 

[EOengineer]

Out of interest: How are most of you folks handling lead vs. rhythm levels?
I mean, most of the boards posted in this thread have no dedicated control over lead and rhythm levels,
Are you just using a different drive, channel or whatsoever? Or are you happy with just playing harder or pushing the front end?
I've never been happy with that, which is why I'm adding a post EQ controlling my overall lead level (and a bit of frequency shaping) since eons already. Started doing so with my very first loopswitcher based setup and continued doing so ever since. I couldn't even imagine not having that functionality anymore, it's one of the most important usability aspects for me

The Bogner helps me out here, as the boost mode has a pretty significant volume jump to it. That works great into a clean platform amp.

If I’m using my 2204 or 1959 it’s just boosts into the front of the amp, pretty much my only option there.

Has anyone built a clean only board?

Yup!

 

[la szum]

View attachment 48607

Pulled my Deluxe Reverb out of the closet today and the Klon was just not happening, at least not at home levels.

I swear the Bogner Blue and the Deluxe have a peas and carrots thing happening. The bogner sounds so amplike and all the tone knobs are straight up. I just cranked the drive and turned the volume up a touch, perfection.

Sweet! That Blue is too legit for me to quit. "love

Probably the most amp-like pedal I have tried, and that includes a
bunch of tube-based options like the Kingsley stuff. I love goosing
it with an SD-1!

Also, the Mini version is a bit meaner and slightly more gained up than the
big box version (I have both) and also has a parametric Mids control the big
boy doesn't.

Kind of ridiculous you can find them used for around a Hundo. Dumb not to
own a couple.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Sweet! That Blue is too legit for me to quit. "love

Probably the most amp-like pedal I have tried, and that includes a
bunch of tube-based options like the Kingsley stuff. I love goosing
it with an SD-1!

Also, the Mini version is a bit meaner and slightly more gained up than the
big box version (I have both) and also has a parametric Mids control the big
boy doesn't.

Kind of ridiculous you can find them used for around a Hundo. Dumb not to
own a couple.

I need to offload a bunch of pedals, and the Bogner Red/Blue pedals I own will likely be among those. I like the blue more, but I have other stuff that covers those sounds or gets close enough.

 

[James Freeman]

What would that look like? Compressor, modulation, delay and reverb? Then might as well use that for drive as well, just skip the compressor.

 

[JiveTurkey]

View attachment 48640

 

[HotRats]

New iteration, added TC HoF, JHS Harmonic Tremolo and replaced a custom made pedal with MXR CAE line driver as volume boost in the loop.

TC pedals are nice but they really look like shit.

I think I'll replace them just for the look.

 

[the swede]

New iteration, added TC HoF, JHS Harmonic Tremolo and replaced a custom made pedal with MXR CAE line driver as volume boost in the loop.

TC pedals are nice but they really look like shit.

I think I'll replace them just for the look.

View attachment 48770

Flashback and HOF are workshorses. While they’re fugly and maybe not as fancy algos as the most luxurious stuff, they’re pretty darn good. Awesome dry through, switches, operation and free from digital hiss/white noise. And the mash thing is supercool to have.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Flashback and HOF are workshorses. While they’re fugly and maybe not as fancy algos as the most luxurious stuff, they’re pretty darn good. Awesome dry through, switches, operation and free from digital hiss/white noise. And the mash thing is supercool to have.

I liked the Hall of Fame a lot. Wish I'd kept it. The mod algorithm was really cool.

 

[HotRats]

Flashback and HOF are workshorses. While they’re fugly and maybe not as fancy algos as the most luxurious stuff, they’re pretty darn good. Awesome dry through, switches, operation and free from digital hiss/white noise. And the mash thing is supercool to have.

I liked the Hall of Fame a lot. Wish I'd kept it. The mod algorithm was really cool.

I know, had them in the past: Hof mini e the black flashback called Alter Ego that has only vintage style algos.

I enjoyed them all.

But that blue flashback is oh my god ugly!

 

[the swede]

I know, had them in the past: Hof mini e the black flashback called Alter Ego that has only vintage style algos.

I enjoyed them all.

But that blue flashback is oh my god ugly!

I view them in the same way people view Boss “classics”. I have the ol Trinity T2, a hof spinoff with absurdly modulated reverbs it’s almost disgusting… but… it’s a sleeper pedal, and I might be the only one in the world thinking that. But I just love it as a first in chain reverb (pre dirt/fuzz).

 

[James Freeman]

New iteration, added TC HoF, JHS Harmonic Tremolo and replaced a custom made pedal with MXR CAE line driver as volume boost in the loop.

TC pedals are nice but they really look like shit.

I think I'll replace them just for the look.

View attachment 48770

I really like how the MXR Univibe sounds on youtube demos, IDGAF about it not being a true bulb.
I like the swoosh to be EVEN and not too deep (throbby), this fits right in.

 

[LemonBurst&OrangeCrush]

Something like this is my ambition over the next couple of years.

I'll use a Rockboard Quad 4.4 with two Rockboard ISO Power Block V6s underneath (and the Memory Man powered separately).
The 4.2 would suit my plan better but it's not available at the moment and, anyway, this gives me room for the future.

The top row would go in the effects loop of my Orange Crush 35RT:

Deluxe Memory Man XO
TC Electronic Plethora X1
Boss RV-6
Boss GE-7
Boss RC-3

The Bottom row:

Cry Baby Mini
Boss TU-3
Warm Audio Warm Bender
Boss OD-3
TC Electronic Spark Booster

I'll probably have to swap the fuzz and wah around but I'd like to give this way a go before I do. The tuner is meant to help with squealing.

 

[LemonBurst&OrangeCrush]

I like the TC Electronic pedals designs! I love the Flashback's blue.

They're not too busy and they don't have sexual joke-names, so they're doing pretty well.

 

[HotRats]

I really like how the MXR Univibe sounds on youtube demos, IDGAF about it not being a true bulb.
I like the swoosh to be EVEN and not too deep (throbby), this fits right in.

I honestly like it a lot, much more than the voodoo labs I had before and more than the helix vibe.

It's a pedal that makes me want to play more.