Do I have too many pedals on my pedalboard?

[Jericho]

Hey guys. I recently bought a slew of guitar F/X units from a friend, and I’m in the process of putting together a new pedalboard that I could use onstage.

Here is a complete list of my F/X stompboxes:

01. MXR M-151 Doubleshot Distortion (for distortion)
02. Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer (for overdrive)
03. Line 6 DM4 Distortion Modeler (for distortion modeling)
04. Boss PW-2 Power Driver (for more overdrive)
05. Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler (for delay modeling)
06. Boss DD-6 Digital Delay (for echo/delay)
07. Boss CS-3 Compression Sustainer (for sustain)
08. Durham Electronics Sex Drive (for boosting low-end signals- Sex Drive)
09. Line 6 Verbzilla Reverb (for reverb and the built-in ‘shimmer’)
10. Austone Vibro-Stomp (for tremolo and vibrato- Austone)
11. Boss CE-5 Chorus Ensemble (for chorus)
12. Boss PS-5 Super Shifter (for pitch shifting and harmonist functions)
13. MXR M135 Smart Gate (for noise reduction)
14. MXR 10 Band EQ (for EQ)
15. Psionic Audio Triad (for preamp and boost- Psionic Audio)
16. MXR Micro-Amp Preamp (for adding gain- Micro-Amp Preamp)
17. Korg DT-10 Tuner (for tuning)

As you may have guessed, my new pedalboard is perhaps becoming bulky and cumbersome. But I think all (if not most) of the above are essential.

Do any of you guys feel that I have some pedals that are unnecessary and/or excessive for live performances? If so, please let me know how I could streamline this new pedalboard.

What do you guys think? Can anyone give me some advice?

P.S. I don’t have any pictures of my pedalboard yet, so I had to describe it in words.

[T.A.Z]

I personally would be slimming it down considerably.

Probably take out the Line 6 DM4 Distortion Modeler, the Psionic Audio Triad (for preamp and boost- Psionic Audio), the MXR Micro-Amp Preamp (for adding gain- Micro-Amp Preamp). Probably one of the delays and maybe the
reverb unit too.

But saying that it depends. I mean do you actually use ALL of these on regular songs?? Is the pedal board a nightmare when your performing live?? A bigger question would be, why not just buy a multi-f/x unit, eg POD XTL/Boss GT??

[Jericho]

Originally Posted by T.A.Z

I personally would be slimming it down considerably.

Probably take out the Line 6 DM4 Distortion Modeler, the Psionic Audio Triad (for preamp and boost- Psionic Audio), the MXR Micro-Amp Preamp (for adding gain- Micro-Amp Preamp). Probably one of the delays and maybe the
reverb unit too.

But isn't a preamp unit useful?

Originally Posted by T.A.Z

But saying that it depends. I mean do you actually use ALL of these on regular songs?? Is the pedal board a nightmare when your performing live?? A bigger question would be, why not just buy a multi-f/x unit, eg POD XTL/Boss GT??

No, not all the songs. The board is cumbersome.

I usually stay away from muti-F/X floorboards b/c (to me) they don't sound as authentic live as single units do.

[Jericho]

Originally Posted by T.A.Z

Probably one of the delays and maybe the
reverb unit too.

How could I do without a reverb unit?

[Jericho]

Also, I have a feeling that the Boss CS-3 and the Sex Drive have the same function- so I could eliminate one of those.

In addition, the Boss PS-5 Super Shifter and the Austone Vibro-Stomp sound similar- so one of them could go.

Plus, the Psionic Audio Triad and the MXR Micro-Amp Preamp seem like the same thing- so having both looks redundant.

Any feedback?

[guitarkirkster]

My question to you is: How well can you tap dance or Irish jig? That's a lot of stomping. You should probably find what units are always on and go with those. There is some kind of overkill by looking at that list.

I think (IMO) that a person forgets about the guitar in their hands if they are constantly thinking about their feet.

[rob_on_guitar]

If i had those, I would take out the Boss pw-2 overdrive (you already have distortion and another overdrive pedal), Mxr microamp (loop it through the preamp/head), Even the smartgate you could probably loop through the head so its still there but sitting on your amp instead. Your Line 6 d44 id probably do without and use the other delay and reverb pedal to do the same job.

[lornemusic]

my question is what Amp are you using and why aren't you getting the tone out of the amp you want at first and then using the peddles to color that tone. If something goes down on your board, can you plug straight in and keep going?

JMO: but peddles are to enhance your amps tone. With four distortions / overdrives and a microamp and amp modeler it sounds like your covering for your amps shortcomings. If you need to have serveral tones to cover varrying material then I would agree that a Floor Podxt or other such until might be in order. If you are looking for one solid tone to build around, start with the amp.

Unless you really like your tone the way it is now. Then rock on. Or are you a gear junkie that thinks because you have it you've got to use it. Personally I think you have to look at the tone coming from hands to guitar to amp before starting to think about peddles.

[rob_on_guitar]

Originally Posted by lornemusic

my question is what Amp are you using and why aren't you getting the tone out of the amp you want at first and then using the peddles to color that tone. If something goes down on your board, can you plug straight in and keep going?

JMO: but peddles are to enhance your amps tone. With four distortions / overdrives and a microamp and amp modeler it sounds like your covering for your amps shortcomings. If you need to have serveral tones to cover varrying material then I would agree that a Floor Podxt or other such until might be in order. If you are looking for one solid tone to build around, start with the amp.

Unless you really like your tone the way it is now. Then rock on. Or are you a gear junkie that thinks because you have it you've got to use it. Personally I think you have to look at the tone coming from hands to guitar to amp before starting to think about peddles.

Actually thats a bloody good post!

[Splonky]

Yes.

It really depends though, if you need to have like 10 different distinct tones, or basically a clean and a dirty sound. It seems like you could get by with less though.

[Jericho]

Originally Posted by lornemusic

my question is what Amp are you using.

I'm using a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo Head with 4”X12” Standard Rectifier Slant and Straight Cabinets. I have other Mesa Boogie heads at my disposal, too.

I also have a Rocktron MIDI foot controller.

Am I at a disadvantage?

[T.A.Z]

DUDE!! God damn!! Get rid of the lot and sit down with your amp and work on it!! Those amps are fantastic!! The most you'll probably need out of all those pedals is probably, a reverb, a delay, maybe a noise gate and possibly an overdrive for a bit of boost with solos.

[lornemusic]

I agree with Taz. I might keep the tube screamer but everything else you probably don't need. Unless your trying to get your Mesa to sound like a Fender champ.

Don't take it personally, but you just might have to utter these words....

"Hi, my name is Jericho and I'm a gear junkie."

[Jericho]

So I don't need a preamp unit, a compression unit, a bottom-end booster, a pitch shifter, a tremolo unit, a chorus unit, an equalizer, or a tuner on my board if I'd just fiddle around with my amp?

I don't want to be a gear junkie. I just don't know what's really essential when playing U2-type music live with a Mesa Boogie (The Edge uses a Vox).

[lornemusic]

Originally Posted by Jericho

So I don't need a preamp unit, a compression unit, a bottom-end booster, a pitch shifter, a tremolo unit, a chorus unit, an equalizer, or a tuner on my board if I'd just fiddle around with my amp?

I don't want to be a gear junkie. I just don't know what's really essential when playing U2-type music live with a Mesa Boogie (The Edge uses a Vox).

If your looking to cop the Edge's sound start here http://guitargeek.com/rigview/594/

First off I do think its curious you have a bottom end booster since if your going for the Vox sound like the Edge has. The Vox has an open back which doesn't have the same low end like a closed back amp would.

I don't think you need all the preamp, distortions, overdrives and modeler. The Edge's sound isn't very heavy and you can probably get a good roar out of amp and / or the overdrive. With the EQ and your amp you probably won't need the bottom-end booster. Chorus, termolo and pitch shifters are all fun pedals to add spice here and there. As a general rule if you use 3 or more pedals a compressor is a good idea to keep a solid signal. And unless your Joe Perry and change guitars after every song, always keep a tuner in your chain.

And it goes without saying if your really trying to get The Edge sound a delay is a must.

I think the more you add into your chain the harder it is to cop the tone you want. While you may add something you want chances are it's at the expense of something you didn't want to change. While some famous guitar players are known for racks of effects that look straight out of Star Wars, more than you would believe have a very simple set up. (Zakk Wylde, Stevie Ray, ZZ Top) Of course you never answered the question: are you happy with the tone your getting? If so then don't change a thing.

Other than that the only thing I can tell you is if you want the Vox sound, nothing is going to be a substitue for a Vox. I know it's a duh but I've read plenty of posts where guys want to get a Marshall sound out of a fender twin. No matter how you cook fish, it's never going to taste like steak. Know what I mean?