Individual effects pedals or pedalboard?

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Permalink Reply by Hiram K Hackenbacker on December 17, 2010 at 6:33

My view is that individual pedals are a better choice as they can be more precisely tailored to your requirements and additionally you will have to pay an awful lot of cash for a programmable multi effect if you want a half decent one, and you may end up with a lot of stuff you will never need or use.  Plus analogue rules digital for most effects.  Or maybe I'm just a luddite.

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Vox/GuitarPermalink Reply by Graham Hunt on December 17, 2010 at 16:41

So I used a POD for some years - largely I was using it at home although it did get live outings, I used to plug it into my 80w PA which I had set up like a mini stack!  Anyway... now I've a Hughes and Kettner Dual 6L6 Statesman combo and a selection of Boss pedals.

Why?  Well I only used 4 sounds on the POD and often thought I'd prefer to just tweak something or switch an effect in or out and it defeated me in the heat of playing.

So now it is amp and pedals and tapdancing rather than recalling a patch - however it sounds so much better and I feel much more in control and getting more out of the equipment

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BandPermalink Reply by The Krypts on December 17, 2010 at 17:36

I'm in the same boat.  I have 4 pedals: Tuner, Fuzz, Distortion, compression.  But really want an easier set-up.  THe one I'm considering is the Vox Tonelab ST http://www.dv247.com/guitars/vox-tonelab-st-guitar-multi-effects-pe... just want to try one out before buying.  Back in the early 90's I had a Boss multi FX, I've also got a Pod with pedalboard, but neither worked for me.  The Boss was quite complicated (for me) and the Pod I find cumbersome and bulky.

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Permalink Reply by Jimmy Hargreaves on December 17, 2010 at 19:58

Thanks everyone! At last a site where you get a response to your questions!! I will look into all your suggestions, and get back. A very grateful JH

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GuitarPermalink Reply by Paul Englefield on December 19, 2010 at 21:00

I so like the idea of a multi FX with presets - easy to carry, easy to set up, easy to switch live. But I still stick with an a bunch of separates velcro'd to a couple of old floor tiles. Bottom line: my pedal board lets me use quirky analog stuff like a Carbon copy and a Sparkle drive; it sounds richer; makes less digital noise; and lets me separate out FX that go before the input jack and those that live in the loop.  What really does help is a Pedal Snake to tame all those cables and move the power supply to the backline.

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Permalink Reply by Colin Baxter (AKA Sam) on December 20, 2010 at 14:28

Hi Jimmy,

For what it's worth, I would stick with your separate pedals for live work. Tried a multi effects set up a few years back but found it too complicated when playing a gig. A quick stamp of the foot and you're done is so much easier. Maybe they have improved over the years, but at least if a stomp box fails you won't have lost all your effects, as would be the case with an all singing, all dancing effects board.

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Permalink Reply by Jimmy Hargreaves on December 20, 2010 at 15:19

Thanks everyone. It's all very helpful advice. Jimmy

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Permalink Reply by Martin Rider on December 28, 2010 at 14:50

Have a look at my website; http://www.wix.com/martinrider/martinrider pages Equipment 1 and Equipment 2.  My advice is put your own thing together or you will end up sounding like everyone else.  Best of luck, Martin

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Permalink Reply by Jimmy Hargreaves on December 28, 2010 at 15:45

What a great site! Thanks, Martin. JH

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Permalink Reply by Michael Fleck on January 3, 2011 at 11:02

I prefer to use indvidual pedals.  I find multi effects boards complicated to program.  They have too many variables and sound more clinical than stomp boxes. 

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Permalink Reply by Jason Scott on January 11, 2011 at 22:57

A few years back i decided to try the Didgital/ Modeling rout . I got a Vox Valvetronix . This amp sounded great in the shop. and in my bedroom, but was crap live. Then the whole thing crapped out on me, and Vox [ Korg] were not helpfull at all. Now the Valvetronix is in my studio ,it makes a great potted plant stand, and I'm playing through a hand wired Marshal clone by Retro King, and a simple analog pedal board. Will never look back.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Fleck on January 12, 2011 at 1:30

The Retro King clone sounds interesting.   Are they expensive and where do I find out about one?

Jason Scott said:

A few years back i decided to try the Didgital/ Modeling rout . I got a Vox Valvetronix . This amp sounded great in the shop. and in my bedroom, but was crap live. Then the whole thing crapped out on me, and Vox [ Korg] were not helpfull at all. Now the Valvetronix is in my studio ,it makes a great potted plant stand, and I'm playing through a hand wired Marshal clone by Retro King, and a simple analog pedal board. Will never look back.

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