What is the appropriate number of pedals?

The answer is two.

Which two, though?

Irrelevant.

(Distortion and delay)

(the double D's)

I feared the inclusion of a chorus. Thanks for restoring my faith in humanity.

As few as you can get away with, I say. I voted for two, though. I use a tuner (does that count?) and distortion.

My delay pedal has some kind of b.s. "chorus delay" option that I never use.

I am not in Coldplay.

My friend must have over 10, but I've always settled for a more minimal set-up myself. I use a Zoom GFX-3 & a Kaos Pad KP3.

4-6, depending on number of connector cables i can find

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

As many as are required by the music. No more.

One more than is required by the music.

I voted 5. I use :

Band #1 : delay + mild overdrive + big crunchy overdrive (3 pedals)

Band #2 : delay + phaser + tremolo(sometimes) + mild overdrive + big crunchy overdrive + big muff fuzz or other distortion pedal (5 or 6 pedals)

5 or 6 is plenty, especially when you factor in the number of tones you can get by adjusting pickups/tone/volume controls on the guitars (Jazzmaster or Tele)

You people are insane. I would have voted for ten or more, but counted and found that I only use 9 on a regular basis.

1) tuner/power supply (most important in chain)
2) overdrive (light volume boost)
3) harmonic generator
4) distortion (BIG fuzz)
5) chorus
6) tremolo (prefer stereo, but currently mono)
7) phaser
8) wah-wah
9) delay
sometimes I use a reverb pedal, too, depending on the amp.

How could I do without any of those? I suppose I could take out the phaser and use a slow chorus, but I don't like having to switch back and forth. OK, Harmonic Generator is pure butter, but I like it.

The smallest number I've ever used at a gig is 3 - and that was an "acoustic" gig! Distortion, Phaser, Delay.

minimum of three. sometimes i use up to seven, but not much these days

six. tuner->wah->fuzz->o/d->trem->boost.

although i wish i used fewer because that way i wouldn't have to worry about hitting the wrong ones and pulling cords out etc.

I put three.

My reasoning is as follows: Given typical club sound reinforcement and a typical club audience's level of Giving a Shit, I need precisely three sounds: clean, dirty, and weird.

Your audiences may vary, but the audiences I'm familiar with are either not be able to discern--or, more likely, will simply care about--finer distinctions of levels of dirt and levels of weird and degrees of lushness in your clean.

Now, I can do this with two pedals--the unmitigated amplifier being the clean sound and the two pedals being distortion and a rotating weird slot (occupied by a phaser, envelope filter, delay, or something else depending on my mood and on the songs planned).

But three pedals allows for people who really do need both dirty AND dirtier, or weird AND weirder.

Sometimes I use an A-B-both box to make switching guitars easier--does that count?

um, that should be: "...either not be able to discern--or, more likely, will simply <b>not</b> care about--finer distinctions...."

Like Masonic upthread, I have a minimum requirement of nine pedals also.

1) Tuner
2) Octave, detuner, harmonic mucking about
3) fuzz/overdrive/square wave
4) Wah
5) Phaser
6) Compressor
7) Analog delay
8) Digital delay/reverb
9) Tremelo

On occasion I have more because I'll A/B into a different chain. (guitar -> different distortion -> AC30 "bright" channel)

If you are really into pedals, the correct answer is "five less than you usually bring with you".

ideally, i run something like this:

boss tuner -> homemade ampeg scrambler -> mxr+ distortion -> marshall shredmaster or boss fuzz or green/silver/black big muff (in order of preference) -> zvex machine -> boss dd-3 delay

i also have this crummy solid state reverb unit that i will sometimes put @ the end of the chain

i just bought a bunch of pedals from my buddy, (zvex fuzz factory, danelectro french toast, homemade crossover distortion, DOD compressor, some tremolo pedal, ibanez tubescreamer) so i may be heading up to that 9-10 range that some of you are already at...

i'm wary of getting into j mascis territory, though. i saw him play a show where he had something like 40 pedals going and he had to use this huge homebrew switching box to control them all. for all those pedals, i only noticed 3 or 4 different tones

I figure that if I'm still below the number that Gilmour used on the Animals tour then I'm doing OK

What I'm using right now...

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1149/965076377_3e65690a9a.jpg

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Well that was definitive!

Also, anyone whose list didn't include a Rangemaster needs to up their count by one...

Also, anyone whose list didn't include a Rangemaster needs to up their count by one

Negative. I don't want to sound like a beer commercial.

Or like every other clod in Los Angeles with a Les Paul and a Marshall.

That's a Vox, you heartless bastard.

Your audiences may vary, but the audiences I'm familiar with are either not be able to discern--or, more likely, will simply care about--finer distinctions of levels of dirt and levels of weird and degrees of lushness in your clean

You might be right, but I care about it. I don't buy the argument that just because every nuance won't get across, it's not worth making the effort.

Personally the levels of dirt that I use are quite different sounds and while the audience might not know or care that the guitar is 'making a different' noise at a particular point in the song, it hopefully has the effect of enhancing the overall sound and creating the right dynamic to get the song across as a whole.

The poll results look like a kickass chorus.

MORE SIX TWO NINE THREE FOUR FIVE!
ONE SEVEN EIGHT TEN ZERO!

or an outtake of "warsaw" where ian's having an in-session seizure

Nick is correct, the answer is two (bass drum & hi-hat).

what about double bass lol

Seriously though, and forgive me for the stereotype, but I feel like a lot of times when I see a guitarist with what seems like way too many pedals he also tends to be playing a Paul Reed Smith into a Mesa Boogie halfstack and the drummer has a double bass pedal and the band name is written on the kick drum in a stupid font and the keyboardist has a soul patch and the bassist sticks out his toungue when he plays and somebody has a faux-hawk.

http://a65.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/00933/46/08/933898064_l.jpg

You could have saved a lot of space there by saying "Incubus".

xpost

I have no idea where you get that stereotype. When I see a guitarist with loads of pedals he OR SHE tends to be playing a jazzmaster and using a pair of matched AC-30s and is wearing a stripey t-shirt or a black button-down shirt buttoned up tight.

and this is a VERY GOOD THING.

And MySpace is blocked for me, or I could have a load of pictures of like

mybloodyvalentine.jpg etc

Oh wait, here's one:

http://a737.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/18/l_a98337dca9fea77ece7e4c9109e682e8.jpg

I think the cruicial distinction is pedal board vs. no pedal board.

Pedal Board: St3v3's stereotype
Hour of setting up pedals on floor: MBV Stereotype
Dumped out of a suitcase and poorly wired: NOIZE

(I am of the "more pedals = more awesome" variety, though, in general.)

Hour of setting up pedals on floor: MBV Stereotype

I read that as "MBV Stereolab" and was all BEST SUPERGROUP EVAH!!!

I am suspicious of anyone with a pedalboard. But then again, the singer of TEY uses one now. I think it's one of those things that once you get signed and have to go on tour as the support band and don't get that much time to soundcheck any more, you kind of have to.

xposts

I have no idea where you get that stereotype. When I see a guitarist with loads of pedals he OR SHE tends to be playing a jazzmaster and using a pair of matched AC-30s and is wearing a stripey t-shirt or a black button-down shirt buttoned up tight.

Yeah well I think it's different in Britain.

(yeah I know MBV are Irish)

(see how I said MBV are, that's how they say it over there)

MBV are half Irish. And Kevin O'Sheilds lives in County Hampstead Heath now.

Curses, foiled again.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v39/fuzzface71/DSC_0144_11_5_edited.jpg

Peter Holmstrom

http://img113.exs.cx/img113/9199/efects1cd.jpg

oh yeah, we sell the phase 90 custom shop reissue for $120 USD, so that should be way cheaper than an original, even one thats beat to death. Last original 70's script we sold went for $325 i think?

it occurs to me that i may not have gotten the 2009 price list yet(they come out some time in march) so it might have maybe gone up slightly, but still ,it isn't going to jump to $250 or anything.

yeah i think that's about what i paid for the mxr compressor reissue (which is great btw)

yow - phase90 custom shop did stay at about $120 street, but it looks like the custom shop dynacomp is going for $175.

i think we are going to bring in the subdecay pedals - a dude i know brought in 5 of them and they are kind of genius level awesome, particularly the noise box.

ahhhhh pedals

standard dynacomp looks like its about $70, btw

noise box is indeed awesome, also prometheus and the liquid sunshine od. plus brian marshall is a righteous dude

you might look into catalinbread as well - great crew there and they're kinda on a tear right now.

ps afaik the '76 dyna comp is worth the scratch

I'm currently doing direct in recording and am looking for an overdrive or amp modeler- any opinions on the Fulltone Fulldrive 2 or the SansAmp stuff? the Fulldrive is no doubt best with an amp but that's pretty much out of the question right now.

any other recommendations appreciated- I don't need any multi-effect gear

fulldrive 2 is going to suck direct in. yer pretty much stuck with sansamp or something with a specific amp/cabinet modeling out. The digitech Tone Driver ($70) and Bad Monkey ($50) both have this option, if you are looking for overdrive specific stuff.

too bad about the fulldrive - my budget is 200. I've never really heard a decent amp modeller (i've only heard a few though).

thanks for the answer

you're not really missing anything with the fulldrive - it's a nice toobscreamer, is all. Bad Monkey will cover you + give you the direct out you need for cheepz.

SansAmp GT2 would be the call though if you're going direct to board or PA. If you're going direct to PC/DAW, you'll want something different entirely.

The Bad Monkey is absolutely fantastic - worth much more than it's price. It pushes tubes really well, especially for a just-broken-up or light/medium crunch sound. It's got none of the fizz that you'd expect for a pedal in this price range. The natural mid hump sounds a bit odd unless you max the treble and bass controls (at least with single coils), but if you do that it's a really rich and smooth o/d.

If you're going direct to PC/DAW, you'll want something different entirely

this is what I'm doing - into a digital tascam recorder. Why would a sansamp (or any amp modeller) not work in this case?

anyway, all is moot now that i've just bought the sansamp "Blonde" pedal. I'll report back with some findings.

Why would a sansamp (or any amp modeller) not work in this case?

Well, for PC you'd probably want something with a USB/Firewire out, is all. I'll admit I hadn't considered the digital tascam recorder scenario.

yeah, I thought you were referring to pc recording.

After screwing around with the sansamp for two days my mind isn't totally made up yet. It does clean and full on overdrive pretty good but I'm having trouble with the in-between sound. It breaks up and not in a good way. I've actually begun to experiment with the tone and volume knobs on the guitar (something I've rarely done) which helps and since there are six knobs on the pedal I think it's only a matter of time before I dial in something I'm happy with. 2/3 so far.

oh and the Blonde pedal is supposed to recreate the sound of Fender amps (Bassman, blackface etc). Since I've never played through a Fender amp I can't comment on the authenticity.

i'm in the market for pedals! maybe! i've got a fender deluxe amp and i want some kinda things that'll make me sound like Galaxie 500/Feelies. What say you, I Make Music peeps.

Just turn it up! You just need to get it breaking up a bit (more for Galaxie 500). No pedals reqd really.

I think I've nearly got my main setup down to two. I'm sure it'll bloom into a few more but lately I've been messing around with

this...http://images.pedalheaven.com/Images/3921210154506.jpginto http://www.proguitarshop.com/images/products/1087_01.jpg with all knobs turned to 10. Boost maxed out into the les lius (also dimed) and just shape my drive with my volume / tone knobs. Switch between overdrive and fuzz with that center button on the BB1. It's like Neil Young on fire + godzilla noises w/ the fuzz kicked in (sounds great w/ reverb up, thinking of tracking down one of those old oil can echo things down the road).

I'll probably need a volume pedal after it all cuz the signal is like ridic loud and if I'm playing into a tube amp (just my practice amp at the moment) I'll probably be frying that first 12ax7 or whatever the signal hits first.

Sry, just pumped cuz I think I might have found "my sound" or whatever. Lord knows that'll take.

if you want to spend an unfathomable amount of money and are willing to hunt for vintage, nothing beats a mosrite fuzzrite

For like 100 USD I'd recommend the Ashbass Fuzzbrite which is a good clone of the old Mosrite Fuzzrite. I think it's pictured above in that pedal setup of mine I posted a while back. I love the thing.

i seriously can't begin to imagine the holy hell you get diming both of those in series, but neil young on fire + godzilla noises sounds about right.

i once ran four rangemasters in series. i lived to tell the tale but my preamp toobs did not.

I'm ready to pull the trigger on a Grand Orbiter Phase Machine:
http://www.proguitarshop.com/product.php?ProductID=1598&CategoryID=22

Any users out there?

I like the bubbly space tremolo sound about 3/4 through that video. Most effects like this are kinda oil on water to me but that was just cool.

i once ran four rangemasters in series. i lived to tell the tale but my preamp toobs did not.

hahaha oh god. That's why I'm gonna need some way to take the signal down before it hits my amp. Can anyone suggest a good volume pedal or something for this? I've never fucked with any, or anything like that, I kinda don't know where to start.

dude, the EH signal pad is perfect for what you're trying to do:

http://www.ehx.com/products/signal-pad

also it is $43 USD

Yeah that's near perfect, but is there something like this in wah pedal form??? Or is that not how volume pedals work? I might wanna push those tubes from time to time.

Or I wonder if I could just gut it and wire it into a wah casing and swap out that pot or...probably a little overcomplicated.

I mean yeah there's the on/off switch but I probably want some gradation / don't wanna TOTALLY blowtorch my amp. Need some control to toggle the gray area between an attenuated safe signal and complete nuclear death where my amp dies after one practice.

well, the problem with volume pedals is that they're fairly hard to consistently set in a half cocked position, although it occurs to me that the boss FV-50 has the ability to set the minimum sweep with an attenuator on the side (IIRC) so maybe that would work?

Or fuck it I'll just tape pennies under the pedal! Or something. Well I got time to figure it before I move back to MN anyway, and I gotta get a new amp head before I can do anything, really.

What a 147 pedal board looks like: http://www.whatsthatdudeplay.com/2009/07/namm-the-worlds-largest-pedalboard-again/

s/n ratio on that must be, er, interesting. Like you hit a chord but can't hear it through all the hiss.

the appropriate number of pedals is less than 147

Finally we can all agree on something...

not sure what's supposed to be about "besting" their previous record of 143 pedals...congratulations, you plugged in four more things

boy i sure regret not going to namm this year i could have totally seen that hueg pedal board wooooo

ha i am so nonplussed i cant even pull off fake enthusiasm

so guys should i just go plug all the pedals in the store together so i too can be a famous record breaker?

do one better, link all the delay pedals you have and set to maximum time between played note and delayed note and set the record for longest time between playing the note and the arrival of said note!

OH MAN GUINNESS BOOK HERE I COME

^^^ that is a hilarious way to spend a saturday afternoon

dog has the day off, gotta pass the time somehow

I sold almost all of my pedals ;_;;;;;;;

I think ... didn't David Byrne do an installation type of thing where he made a "carpet" of pedals, so you'd walk across it as something played and each step would switch different ones on or off?

http://journal.davidbyrne.com/2008/05/05022008-pedal.html

'hey, what happened to you?'

*rubs calf-high cast on broken ankle ruefully*

'i was over at David Byrne's and...'

It's more likely that at the end of the evening DB had a whole load of broken pedals.

Anybody have any experience with Biyang pedals? They're super cheap, and someone compared them to Danelectro, whose overdrive pedal has been fine for me.

A lot of them are knockoffs of Righteous Tones stuff I hear, though RT have been in some sorta 'transition' mode for several months now so I dunno if you can get 'em anymore/yet. I've had a couple RT pedals and liked 'em a lot. Never used any Biyang stuff, personally. Which pedals are you lookin at specifically?

Dunno, really. I've only been playing guitar for a few months, and so far so I've got one overdrive pedal (Danelectro) and one delay. Was thinking i'd like to play around with a phaser and/or some distortion. I was looking at the Rat distortion pedal originally, which was what led to binyang, as they do some kind of imitation, or so i gather.

I was looking up BYOC pedal kits on ebay and came across this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/PORTABLE-CHURCH-CONFESSIONAL-BYOC-CONFESS-ANYWHERE_W0QQitemZ280335070559QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item414545b55f&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14