All purpose fx/amp sim/direct box pedal advice wanted.....

[Notes_Norton]

I'm currently using a Zoom G1X pedal and I am reasonably happy with it. It gives me a few effects/simulations that I really like:

 

1) Twin Reverb Simulation (clean sound with 'verb)

2) Light Fuzz

3) Wah

4) Pedal Controlled Pitch Bend

5) Tremolo - speed controlled by pedal

6) Acoustic guitar emulation

 

But what it doesn't do well is give me sustain. I would really like some looooooooong sustain without too much fuzz (think Santana playing "Black Magic Woman"). It's an inexpensive unit, so I guess I can't expect it to do everything.

 

I've worked and worked with the compressor and I can't get it to do what I want it to do (could be pilot error).

 

So I think it is time to step up from the entry level pedal to something better. What I require is:

 

1) Direct to PA output level

2) Twin Reverb emulation (or close)

3) Light fuzz

4) Wah

5) Pitch Bend

6) Tremolo

7) Long sustain

8) Acoustic guitar emulation would be a plus but if it doesn't have it is isn't a deal breaker.

 

Small footprint would be also helpul because I have a rather large pedal that I use for my wind synthesizer.

 

Any suggestions with all of the above?

 

My wife wants to buy this for me for Father's Day, so I want the least expensive that will give me all of what I am looking for. Besides, I'm only an adequate guitarist, so the most advanced effects would be wasted on me (my main instrument is saxophone/wind synthesizer and I double on Guitar).

 

I don't know if this matters, but my guitar has P90 pickups and my duo plays songs from the 50s on up, a bit of country, and some light jazzy things for a crowd that ranges from 40 to nearly dead (mostly yacht clubs, country clubs, semi-private clubs, condominiums, etc.)

 

Thanks!

[Thundergod]

As always my recomendation will be the vox tonelab LE. You can do with it what you can't with most fx units: take the OD down and completely clean the sound with your guitar's volume control.

 

Some other members have tried it only to end up buying it (as I did too after AXE gave good word on it).

 

Also, have you tried tweaking your current fx board's noise supression module? If it does have one, they often come set for high gain from the factory, so they usually take down sustain, I'd try turning it off to see what happens.

 

[Thundergod]

If size is of importance, you could check the tonelab ST, it's smaller and has most of the features of the LE in a small package with only 2 pedals + expression pedal (and it's prety cheap too!)

 

[milod]

In the olden days <grin> a lot of sustain came from a volume pedal... It can also be used to control attack pretty well.

 

Just a thought.

 

I use a Zoom 707II that was pretty inexpensive. It's set on "acoustic" or "clean," then I found an preset that, with the fancies turned off, functions like a bit of chorus, a bit of reverb and a bit more sustain - all of which basically are to make up for the lighter strings and small solid state amp I use.

 

In the olden days again, I used the Deluxe Reverb with the floor volume pedal. Put the amp higher than I wanted, mostly used the volume pedal about half way, cranked it up for sustain, started at 0 and cranked up to my normal "half way" to change the attack. Nowadays all that stuff seems to be done with electronics that determine the degree of control rather than the picker having the control... But that's just me...

 

m

[Notes_Norton]

Thundergod:

 

1) Thanks for the tip on the noise suppression. I'll check that out this week.

 

2) Does the Tonelab LE come with a pedal controlled pitch control? This is an important effect for me, since I don't have a whammy bar, I suck at slide, and I like the "steel" effect in a few country songs that we do.

 

3) Does the Tonelab ST have a pedal controlled pitch control?

guitarest:

Does the X3 live have a pedal controlled pitch control?

 

milod:

 

Thanks for that tip. I'd rather have the electronics do it. I haven't gotten to the point where I think I could manage that yet, but I do have a volume pedal, so I'm definitely going to try it.

 

-- -- -- -- -- --

 

Actually, I was thinking of $200 or less, so the Tonelab ST fits that bill.

 

The Floor Pod Plus is about the same price, but I don't see the pitch control in the promo. I tried the "contact us" link to ask, but I got a "do not have permission to enter" error. :-(

 

Leilani is very generous, but it's summer and the work always slows down here in the Summer, plus Father's day is not a major holiday (we don't even have any children) so I'm trying to stay at $200 or under.

 

I guess I can get a sustain pedal and hook it up in series with my G1X, but I'm already taking and/or hooking up: Saxophone, Mic, Wind synth with a large pedal and 3 sound modules, flute, guitar, guitar pedal, PA Mixer/fx cabinet, PA amp, speakers, and stands. One "does it all" pedal seems to be the best solution for me.

 

Thanks,

Notes

[Notes_Norton]

Feature wise I'm now thinking about a DigiTech RP 355, so I'll start a new thread with that one.

 

http://forums.gibson.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=32460

 

Notes ?