Starting to take shape (Pedalboard build rev0.5’ish)

[gearJunkie]

Compressors, what a massively important yet completely mind numbing event to choose one.

I’m kind of digging the new Ego76 demos, (Quayle and Tubbs videos ) and it looks pretty great compared to the Cali76’s bougie price tag, but it’s hard to know if the latter is demonstrably better and well worth it. (It has so much street cred)

I’m giving a good long glance at the Crazy Tube Circuits PHI because of Leon’s shout. Kind of cool to have those three different comp types but also hard to know if I won’t just pick one and sit and forget. (Likely)

I have the Stacked Cali76 and it is truly awesome, but I was fortunate to find a great deal for a used pedal on Reverb. I am sure there are more reasonably priced alternatives with similar performance.

 

[FuzzyAce]

Compressors, what a massively important yet completely mind numbing event to choose one.

I’m kind of digging the new Ego76 demos, (Quayle and Tubbs videos ) and it looks pretty great compared to the Cali76’s bougie price tag, but it’s hard to know if the latter is demonstrably better and well worth it. (It has so much street cred)

I’m giving a good long glance at the Crazy Tube Circuits PHI because of Leon’s shout. Kind of cool to have those three different comp types but also hard to know if I won’t just pick one and sit and forget. (Likely)

I have the big API Transzformer GT which is sweet, you may want to look into the smaller, blue box version? (at $300, so not exactly cheap).

 

[laxu]

Compressors, what a massively important yet completely mind numbing event to choose one.

That's why I prefer compressors like the Keeley Compressor Mini (Dynacomp) or Strymon Compadre ("transparent studio rack comp" + Dynacomp) with minimal controls. It's the one pedal type where the differences between settings can be so subtle that you can drive yourself crazy trying to find the best settings so I'd rather take that madness out of my hands.

 

[Whizzinby]

When you overlook that you’ll need a patch cable long enough to run all the way back across the board to the right to start the second deck of connections.

That's why I prefer compressors like the Keeley Compressor Mini (Dynacomp) or Strymon Compadre ("transparent studio rack comp" + Dynacomp) with minimal controls. It's the one pedal type where the differences between settings can be so subtle that you can drive yourself crazy trying to find the best settings so I'd rather take that madness out of my hands.

I had the Compadre once upon a time before I truly understood the use of compression. I primarily used it as a boost at the time, but I really dug the simplicity of the pedal in general.

That said I think I’m circling the drain on the Ego76 or PHI Golden Ratio. Whichever I can find the best deal on. I’ve spent too much time on compressorpedalreviews.com as-is and its not like this has to be a forever pedal.

 

[EOengineer]

I’m always amazed how frequently we see the lowly SD-1 hanging out on a board full of $200+ pedals. I sometimes catch people side-eye the one on my board.

Granted I’ve modded mine to use LED clipping and changed some of the filters. I still think about grabbing a stock one.

 

[Whizzinby]

You could always use something like the image below...
View attachment 21266
or ...
View attachment 21267

Available on Amazon for $12.

This was exactly what I needed, working great

I’m always amazed how frequently we see the lowly SD-1 hanging out on a board full of $200+ pedals. I sometimes catch people side-eye the one on my board.

Granted I’ve modded mine to use LED clipping and changed some of the filters. I still think about grabbing a stock one.

Yeah that’s generally why I ignore more bougie OD’s. The OG’s got it right and they are dirt cheap by modern pedal standards. Also frees you up to get 6 or 7 ethereal reverbatron5000 pedals.

 

[Whizzinby]

Cooking with grease now. Cioks extension rigged up so I can power everything.

Totally digging the Deco again. The $80 tone knob is proving to be very useful this go around. Cassette mode is pretty cool, I’m leaning in that direction with cleans. Compressed and darker. The chorus is as good as I remember. Modulation to taste and profit. Cranking the lag all the way to get those shorter echoes is really easy to get lost in. The double tracker side in general isnt intimidating me as much as it did the first time through a few years ago. Once you understand the lag control position sets it to double tracking, flanger, chorus, slapback or echoes, you move around easy on it. At some point midi will need to come into the equation to access presets because it’s tough to leave it in one spot.

 

[Mongillo19]

What's your favorite new pedal??

 

[Whizzinby]

What's your favorite new pedal??

Still figuring out some of them, especially stacking them etc. so I’m not sure I have a defined fave. The WOTM is kind of the surprise so far. I kind of threw it in the cart on a whim and it’s vibey as hell. It’s just an Electric Mistress with a different name, but I went from sort of confused why I bought it (lol) to this thing being kinda low key badass. It’s not leaving the board.

In terms of instant “wow” the Deco with the lag cranked to echoes with some tape saturation is spectacular for the kind of clean tones I like. Instant jaw dropper for me. I owned the v1 deco a few years ago and remembered loving the Chorus and Flanger tones but completely forgot the short delay tones you can get.

 

[FuzzyAce]

Still figuring out some of them, especially stacking them etc. so I’m not sure I have a defined fave. The WOTM is kind of the surprise so far. I kind of threw it in the cart on a whim and it’s vibey as hell. It’s just an Electric Mistress with a different name, but I went from sort of confused why I bought it (lol) to this thing being kinda low key badass. It’s not leaving the board.

In terms of instant “wow” the Deco with the lag cranked to echoes with some tape saturation is spectacular for the kind of clean tones I like. Instant jaw dropper for me. I owned the v1 deco a few years ago and remembered loving the Chorus and Flanger tones but completely forgot the short delay tones you can get.

I've always wanted to try the Deco. It's on my short list of 'pedals I don't need but will probably get'.

 

[Mongillo19]

Still figuring out some of them, especially stacking them etc. so I’m not sure I have a defined fave. The WOTM is kind of the surprise so far. I kind of threw it in the cart on a whim and it’s vibey as hell. It’s just an Electric Mistress with a different name, but I went from sort of confused why I bought it (lol) to this thing being kinda low key badass. It’s not leaving the board.

In terms of instant “wow” the Deco with the lag cranked to echoes with some tape saturation is spectacular for the kind of clean tones I like. Instant jaw dropper for me. I owned the v1 deco a few years ago and remembered loving the Chorus and Flanger tones but completely forgot the short delay tones you can get.

That's great! I'm sitting here envisioning some fun effects loop pedals that I don't need but still fun nonetheless

I think I have all the pre effects covered (I think I could cover the comp with the HX one) and I'd like a dedicated wah.

At the very least it's fun to do!

Have you had any regrets yet

 

[Whizzinby]

Where I left it last night for a good thirty minutes

Deco + Dig + Blackhole =

Not really tidying it up yet because I have a comp on the way and I am probably gonna throw a DMM on there. (Oddly enough I’ve been eying the fucking Cloudburst of all things too, but I’m on a play what you have for at least week before buying another friggin pedal dude ban)

 

[JiveTurkey]

(No)OCD?

 

[Whizzinby]

I've always wanted to try the Deco. It's on my short list of 'pedals I don't need but will probably get'.

It’s a weird pedal because it doesn’t really have one clearly defined use, but it does almost everything in really interesting and creative ways.

Have you had any regrets yet

Not really. A lot of these I’m revisiting from past use or knowing I’d dig from Fractal tones. I doubt the 3rd Dimension will survive the gauntlet but I didn’t buy that for this build and will keep it in the rainy day pile.

(No)OCD?

I’m rocking the Santiago settings atm until I get over the Buffer ParanoiaTM

 

[Whizzinby]

Compressor was the missing link. Makes such a massive difference for the clean tones I like. Everything gluing together nicely. Makes everything downstream pop now.

Only an hour or so with the initial play through but I’m digging the optical for cleans. I tried the FET as an overdrive on the Crunch Orange on the JVM and really nice snappy rock stuff. Coming together now, current setup:

 

[Whizzinby]

DMM in the house.
24v can go to hell, but toanz

Need a reverb pedal. Blackhole is great but very specific. Flirting with the idea of the Flint which would get me some standard verbs + Tremolo. Clouburst still intriguing. Maybe a Fathom.

Need the Do Something challenge to resume so I can go back to digital for a few months.

 

[dronerstone]

DMM in the house.
24v can go to hell, but toanz

View attachment 21838

Need a reverb pedal. Blackhole is great but very specific. Flirting with the idea of the Flint which would get me some standard verbs + Tremolo. Clouburst still intriguing. Maybe a Fathom.

Need the Do Something challenge to resume so I can go back to digital for a few months.

If it's the top left spot that's reserved for reverb, I'd try and pick something with side jacks, to fit snugly after the DMM.

Only spring reverb needed? Look at these:
- Source Audio True Spring
- Mr. Black Super Swell
- Catalinbread Topanga

A Flint alternative?
- Fender Tre-Verb

Need more than just spring?
- a used Digital Polara, Digiverb, Supernatural, or Hardwire RV-7

 

[Whizzinby]

If it's the top left spot that's reserved for reverb, I'd try and pick something with side jacks, to fit snugly after the DMM.

I just threw the DMM there out of convenience. I need a stack flex cable to power it from the Cioks and then I will probably move it ahead of the Blackhole, (reverbs) though in a past life I ended up preferring verbs before delay.

Only spring reverb needed? Look at these:
- Source Audio True Spring
- Mr. Black Super Swell
- Catalinbread Topanga

I’m actually not a big Spring verb fan. I like it here or there, but I am generally more into Plate, Hall, ethereal verbs.

A Flint alternative?
- Fender Tre-Verb

Added to research list.

Need more than just spring?
- a used Digital Polara, Digiverb, Supernatural, or Hardwire RV-7

Will look into these.

 

[la szum]

Congrats! Everyone needs a DMM of one variety or another.

Maybve put the DMM lower left, after the SD-1, and then move the Deco and WOTM to the
top row.

Also, maybe try flip-flopping the OP Amp Muff and the SD-1 soo you can slam the piss
out of your Muff.

 

[Whizzinby]

Latest revision, with a couple changes.

First impressions with a couple of the EHX classics.

Bad Stone = Solid. Sounds good. I’m not a huge phaser guy but it has a nice vibe to it after a quick play through.

Small Clone = Absolute dog shit. It’s too early to draw definitive conclusions, (probably not) but I’m confident to say there is no way I’d ever engage that pedal over the Deco. (Which is my favorite chorus pedal)

I’d imagine the SC is going to have a quick exit when the Reverbatron5000 lands later in the week.

As usual the Goldent Ratio > Deco > Dig > Blackhole stack gets shit done. Excited to dig back into analog land.