Well, now it’s awkward

[metropolis_4]

Lately I’ve started using individual pedals in front of my fm3 and realized I am far happier working that way than trying to do everything in the box. So I’ve decided to move in that direction of putting together a pedalboard to use in front of the fm3 and just use it as an amp. And I’ve even thought about moving towards getting an amp and a load box and just using the fm3 for signal routing.

Yesterday I had a rehearsal where I wanted to bring a minimal rig so I just brought the fm3. I was planning to bring the pedalboard to the shows though.

At the rehearsal a guy who I’ve played with a ton over the years comes over and asks me about my rig. He starts going on and on about how impressed he’s always been with my compact digital rigs and how smart it is that I do everything with that little box instead of lugging around huge pedalboards like some other guitarists he knows. He’s amazed and impressed that he fm3 is even smaller than the fm9 I used last time we played together, and how I keep using smaller and smaller rigs.

By this point other people in the horn section had come over to listen and everyone is so impressed and don’t understand why other guitarists they know use so much gear and how they could learn something from me…


So… now I have to scrap the pedalboard idea for this show and figure out a way to do it with just the fm3

 

[laxu]

Maybe you just need to hook up a few switches to the FM3 for more stompability?

It's funny how nobody has truly nailed the "just an amp/cab sim" pedal concept where it's small, easy to use, versatile by covering lots of amps, sounds as good as Fractal/Line6 etc. Everything has some severe compromises whether it's Tonex's bullshit, the limitations of the cheaper boxes from Nux etc, the way Strymon covers only non-master volume amps and doesn't do high gain etc.

Similarly most complex modelers can't truly work like a pedalboard because they dont' support global block type functionality and the compact units are not suited for kitchen sink presets. Or there's severe compromises in usability.

 

[deadpool_25]

The next step is obviously going from FM3 to QC. And then a NC.

 

[FuzzyAce]

By this point other people in the horn section had come over to listen and everyone is so impressed and don’t understand why other guitarists they know use so much gear and how they could learn something from me…

 

[[Nathan]]

Maybe you just need to hook up a few switches to the FM3 for more stompability?

It's funny how nobody has truly nailed the "just an amp/cab sim" pedal concept where it's small, easy to use, versatile by covering lots of amps, sounds as good as Fractal/Line6 etc. Everything has some severe compromises whether it's Tonex's bullshit, the limitations of the cheaper boxes from Nux etc, the way Strymon covers only non-master volume amps and doesn't do high gain etc.

Similarly most complex modelers can't truly work like a pedalboard because they dont' support global block type functionality and the compact units are not suited for kitchen sink presets. Or there's severe compromises in usability.

This is what I’m hoping for out of the inevitable vp4 companion pedal

 

[AFKAEjay(retired)]

You could always disregard whatever others say and do as you please

Personally I have set course on “modular”/satelite boards to be more flexible. Make use of compact formats when I can, but have the option to easily expand.

Thought proces is not complete, but i think ill land on:
-whatever modeler
-a board with expression pedals + powersupply (for whatever, incl battery option)
-usb (powered) midi controller
-small board with pedals

Easier to combine stuff for whatever is the purpose of the day, without overhauling boards.
Offcourse the price is a little more cables, a bit messier..so a little more setup time, and possibly slightly increased risk of faults/connections going bad. If you do a couple of shows a week, that price becomes more pressing.

Midicontroller added to kpp..one usb cable and a small box adds a lot of footswiching options. I use the same controller with my QC when I play duo with a singer, to have the looper switches always available.

Satelite board with expressionpedals…that can also be analog volume+ tuner and analog wah. It’s got a battery powersupply that could also feed a board with some pedals. When I use it with the QC it’s 100% expression, when I use it with the kpp, it’s 1 expression, one analog wah.

Small pedalboard is in the making…nothing more then a piece of floorboard, cause i plan to do get the power from the satelite board with expression pedals.

 

[Stone]

You Know Met you can always have all the Options at your disposal for whatever you need at any given moment

1 FM3
1 AXE FX + FC12 (Studio)
1 QC
1 TMP
1 Pedalboard Rig and Amp

 

[aflynt]

Lol. Now you're 'the guy who gets great sounds out of a super compact rig.' I was that guy for a few years just bringing my guitar, a cable and my Pro Jr. and nothing else. The other musicians in the bands I played with used to rave about how I don't need a big pedalboard like the other guitarists.

Then I got bored and wound up building pedals and amps and amassing ever more complex rigs...

Now I just use an FM3 with a little EV2 expression pedal and a dual momentary foot switch... I don't get bored anymore with my pedal/amp rig. I just get bored with my guitars.

-Aaron

 

[ragingplatypi]

I would do one gig with just the FM3 and then go balls out for the next gig just to keep them guessing.

It’s rare, but I love it when I can make rig choices that are inside jokes or messages to the band.

 

[Jarick]

Aside from nailing the amp+cab in a box, another gap in the market would be a multi-effects unit with more powerful switching. That way you don't need to get half a dozen pedals and a programmable switcher.

Thinking of a next generation HX Effects, but add in a big color touch screen, a couple more switches, ability to do 8 scenes/snapshots, more DSP, etc. Then you could combine that with either a Friedman IR style pedal, other amp/cab pedals, or even a tube amp and load box.

Maybe that could be the Fractal VP8

 

[metropolis_4]

You could always disregard whatever others say and do as you please

Wait, you’re saying I could just not care so much what other people think about me? I didn’t know that was possible

 

[dk_ace]

What pedals have you been using with the FM3?

D

 

[Hush]

While playing in a cover band, for the first 7 years I was content with just the Helix. Then I started jamming regularly doing ambient type things. So I added the SY-300. Then I added a little more and needed a 2nd board. This is what I brought to the last jam...

 

[Baba]

Aside from nailing the amp+cab in a box, another gap in the market would be a multi-effects unit with more powerful switching. That way you don't need to get half a dozen pedals and a programmable switcher.

Thinking of a next generation HX Effects, but add in a big color touch screen, a couple more switches, ability to do 8 scenes/snapshots, more DSP, etc. Then you could combine that with either a Friedman IR style pedal, other amp/cab pedals, or even a tube amp and load box.

Maybe that could be the Fractal VP8

Albeit expensive, you're talking about a Helix, lol.

As far as the amp in a box thing, I wonder if that is because it's kind of already been done, and maybe it's not as big of a market, or yields as much of a profit margin to make it worth it?

You have the Tech 21 character pedals, which, not only get you one amp, but a couple of amps in one pedal, AND the "in-between" amp sounds as well. With digital modelers, it's always going to be, "which amp(s) do we choose for this, and not many guitar players will agree on which ones, and round and round we go . . .

Kind of a losing proposition.

 

[metropolis_4]

If I only played electric I would’ve just bought a UA Lion or gone back to amps a long time ago. A good Plexi or AC30 would be the only amp I would ever need.

The only reason I’m still using a big modeler is to handle all the routing, switching, and signal processing for all my other instruments.

 

[GuitarBilly74]

keep bringing the FM3 for rehearsals. Then on the day of the show....

 

[metropolis_4]

What pedals have you been using with the FM3?

D

Right now just a 30th Anniversary ODR-1 and a GE-7. But I’m in the middle of building out a board with a few more.

 

[banned]

My course is absolutely set on modelers. There are many amps that I really want - Fryette Aether, Trainwreck Express etc.....but honestly, with where modeling is at today, I'm set.

My only 'bulk' item is that I insist on still playing through is a guitar cab because few "FRFR" solutions sound good to me. There's always something in the tone that just isn't right - this plasticky pokiness - don't know how to describe better.

 

[newpedals]

Everything has its place. If one doesn't mind menu diving and has patience, multi effects/ modelers are the way to go.

My friend uses Helix while recording and practicing at home. However, she uses a small pedalboard (tuner, overdrive, chorus, delay+looper, reverb) for playing live.

 

[dk_ace]

Right now just a 30th Anniversary ODR-1 and a GE-7. But I’m in the middle of building out a board with a few more.

Interesting. Are the additional pedals useful because the FM has so few footswitches or are you unhappy with the counterparts in the FM?

D