Any pedal advice?

[Shonita & Los Gatos]

Hi everyone, I'm hoping you can give me some advice, everyone is so knowledgeable here!

 

I'm getting to the stage gear, playing and singing wise where I'm looking to find some decent effects for my guitar.

 

I have this set up: a recent re issue Sorrento, mini baby Orange crush as pre amp, vintage Park/Marshall practice amp. I also have a TC Helicon Mic Mechanic. I'm looking for something similar for the guitar, eq gating basic effects, similar in style to the Mic Mechanic. Any ideas?

 

Another question, I have a mini mixing desk and put both my voice and my guitar through my "stack":) would it be better if I split them and put my voice through one and my guitar through the other?

 

I do a lot of vintage music, 40s 50s, blues, classic country, classic Latin (I sing in Spanish), or if it's modern it tends to be Amy Winehouse or Adèle.

 

 

I've taken a pic and will post it asap :)

[Shonita & Los Gatos]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fv27tuaox568vu4/2014-05-19%2020.38.06.jpg

 

Not sure if this works? Can you see this?

[Kaiser Bill]

Your pic came through 5x5...nice looking axe.

[milod]

Why do you want a pedal?

 

You say you play vintage music, 40s 5s, blues, classic country, classic Latin...

 

None that I've done along those lines require more than a good amp, PA, mike and guitar.

 

Granted, I'm an antique, but I was into 40s and 50s material since... well, the 50s anyway. I never used any sort of pedal until maybe 10 years ago when I got a multi-effect box just to "thicken" things anyway from a 10-inch amp speaker with very light strings - and a rotary speaker emulator so I could "be" a Hammond B3 organ-like emulator on a guitar. As for classic Latin... again, maybe I'm old, but the "classic Latin" I think of as classic tended to use nylon strung guitars and no "added" stuff.

 

So I think the question to ask, again, is "why do I want a pedal?"

 

You have a nice and versatile guitar, a decent sort of amp - no mention of a PA....

 

So....???? Adding to the "front end" without first considering the "back end" of your sound, e.g. the PA or AE-sort of amp, seems to me to be kinda backwards 'cuz any change on the amplification line will change much of whatever it is you think you're getting from a pedal.

 

m

[crust]

I have one of these things for my small studio. It works for me, maybe not what you want, just a suggestion.

http://www.amazon.co...r/dp/B00CRT2UC8

 

http://www.donnerdeal.com/brand/nux-pedal.html

[Shonita & Los Gatos]

Thank you, not sure sure what PA and AE are? I'm not looking to change my amps as they are already quite enough for my small flat... I think I want a multibox to play around more with the sounds my guitar makes, it's versatile I want to put it through its paces. I've started playing lead guitar thanks to Rocksmith and I'd like to have some sounds I can use for solos. What is your multibox? Do you like it?

 

It's true that a lot of the Latin I can play I do on my classical guitar (and a lot I can't play....), but why not change things? I do Aguilera's Hurt on my classical and it sounds great. I have a bad a** disco version of Riders on the Storm which I do with my Farfisa keyboard which plays on its own :)

[Scott Marlowe]

The most common and versatile effects pedals for guitar are reverb and overdrive / fuzz. If you want to hear a wide variety of pedals check out popintothechemist / PrymeaxeVintage on youtube. Same guy on both channels mostly.

 

Note that it could take months to watch every video, but you can scroll through to look at the various types you like.

[Shonita & Los Gatos]

Crust, that's exactly the kind of thing I meant, thank you. That looks interesting, has any one tried the Vox mini mp3 like things? Are they any good?

[crust]

Crust, that's exactly the kind of thing I meant, thank you. That looks interesting, has any one tried the Vox mini mp3 like things? Are they any good?

 

Wouldn't you know, I also have a Vox Mini 3 modeling amp (as well as a Fender Mustang and Passport mini amps, among others) The Vox amp is OK to record and practice with. The NuX thing has stereo L & R output 1/4" jacks. I like connecting 2 amps or use a Y cable when only 1 amp is used or my mixer thing and in different combinations when recording. I think the NuX thing is better, if you all ready have an amp or 2 that doesn't have all the modeling capabilities and built in effects. It sounds OK (to me) and isn't all that expensive.

The small Fender modeling amps offer a lot of capabilities, and for recording for small $ also.

[milod]

Okay to definitions:

 

AE is an acoustic-electric guitar. All of my "flat top" guitars are acoustic electric, meaning that I can play them either acoustically or through an amp or...

 

PA is a public address system. It's what you plug a microphone into. Quite frequently one also will plug in an "AE" guitar into the PA system. I even plug in several of my electric archtop guitars directly into the PA system. That's often called "running through the board."

 

I do use a Zoom 707II multi-effect box.

 

But I got it after I had gig-capable amps and a PA.

 

m

[charlie brown]

Roland/Boss, Zoom, Vox, Line-6, Digitech, and other's all make great

mult-effects floor pedals. In all kinds of configurations, and to

varying degrees of available effects, for (most) all price ranges,

and needs.

 

The best thing to do, is to go to your local/area super guitar store,

and try out as many as possible. You can look at videos, all day long

on Youtube, and (possibly) figure out what you don't want, or need, but

the best way is still to TRY them, in person. Use your amp, or a similar

one, available, with your guitar, and see which one(s) do the most of

what you need, best to your "ear."

 

Cheers, and Good "hunting!"

 

CB

[crust]

There is so much "stuff" out there, where do you start ? I could spend a million bucks and not even scratch the surface...lol Good luck in your pursuit.

Let us know the outcome.

[charlie brown]

And, if I may be so bold, I'd suggest finding a good multi-effects pedal,

that you'll grow into, rather than out of! Better to have a few extra

effects, that you "might" use, at some point, than not to have them,

when you need, or want them.

 

I'd also advise against using a pedal (of any kind), to find "YOUR Tone!" Find that,

with just your guitar, and amp, alone. THEN, use pedals...just for their specific effects,

and/or "enhancements," only.

 

Again, Good Luck! The looking and demoing, is (at least) 1/2 the fun!

 

CB

[Shonita & Los Gatos]

Thank you! As to the AE, I dont have one, I have a classical guitar. I don't have a PA either, I put everything through my guitar amps, this is where the Mic Mechanic is brilliant. I was using a Zoom multi effects thing, from the 80s my partner lent me, but he's taken it back. It was a pain to use though.

[Shonita & Los Gatos]

Charlie Brown, I totally agree about having gear you grow into (which is why I'm so happy with the Sorrento it can take me to the great guitar shop in the sky :) ). I also like multi purpose things which is why a multibox thing would be good.

[milod]

I think one point that was made above is something to think about: You need an amp first.

 

Again, my question is what you plan to do for playing in public.

 

If you are solo, you need either an inexpensive PA system - Musicians Friend, for example, has a decent little outfit for $200 that you can use with two microphones, one for a acoustic guitar and one for voice, or you can run the Sorento through it.

 

Almost all of my amps through the years - back to 1965 - were purchased with an eye to running a guitar through one input and a microphone through a second input. The Fender Deluxe Reverb and Fender "Twin" are among amps that met that criteria in those days.

 

Today's "AE amplifiers" are built especially for that purpose too - although the small PA should work better.

 

I frequently use an archtop and mike through an AE amplifier that has both a guitar and "mike" input. There certainly are better solutions than an inexpensive PA or a specialized AE guitar amplifier that comes with a special mike input - but not at the price.

 

Again, you can use something like my old Zoom 707II for a lotta sounds to add.

 

But as Charlie Brown said, first find your voice, then find ways to enhance it.

 

In my old days I played classical guitars for everything except loud rock - and soon went the AE and electric route. But even on a classical guitar you can get almost all the sounds of an orchestra. Add the potential of your Sorento and its many controls, and any kind of amplifier or PA system, and it also can be an orchestra.

 

What's the goal? To prepare for performances of this or that type? or to experiment with electronic controls over guitar sounds?

 

m

[Shonita & Los Gatos]

"But as Charlie Brown said, first find your voice, then find ways to enhance it."

 

I think this is it, I'm looking to find my tone, my voice as a singer and as a guitarist are starting to come together, I have the right mic and mic set up, MP75 and Mic Mechanic, I'm happy with my amps, now I'm looking to find my tone. It's not for gigging, I don't yet play in public. I do record a lot though, and I've started to video. So the Nux type of thing looks perfect, or the Zoom chinga. If I ever do play in public it will likely be a couple of songs with my partner's gear, Telecaster, Marshall and Roland Micro Cube.

[Shonita & Los Gatos]

Maybe the answer is I buy my partner a new tuner and he gives me back the Zoom :)

[Shonita & Los Gatos]

Update, I'm now thinking of a Yamaha thr5/10c. Does anyone have one? Do you like them? I like the fact that you can play at apartment volume and still have fun with tones, at least that is said.

[Bender 4 Life]

for a multi effects unit, lots of folks swear by the Vox Tone-Lab.

like the Zoom it's several pedals in one, but built to withstand gigging.

[Starpeve]

I've got a Digitech rp255, which you could most likely get now for 100 or so dollars(350at the time I got mine) and I love it . Not only has it got an abundance of preset tones which are totally changeable and saveable, but has a pedal for wah/ volume - actually practically every effect can be assigned to the pedal- and a 20 second multiple- layerable looper which is a lot of fun. You can bypass the cab simulations to run in to an amp if you so desire and also use headphones which is pretty handy at those times when you can't make a lot of noise. Also has some drum patterns and a line in to play along with your mp3s or whatever. Great sounds and quite sturdy. Maybe a bit awkward to gig with if you changed presets a lot ( but do-able) , but hard to beat for a home set-up. Check out the you-tube demos of it and it's siblings. Also, if you have an iPhone, some of the gear available very cheaply is quite astounding ( Amplitube, for example) . I have a full complement of such ios software and use it frequently, as do my friends . Simplifies jamming together quite a lot, and stunning recreations of a lot of equipment. Actually, I use them more than my pedal! If nothing else, a great way to learn your way around effects so you can then choose which of them you will get in real form.

[Shonita & Los Gatos]

Ok, thanks Ill look into it, though it's not for gigging :P it's for my house :) So I don't want it too loud :)