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Conference napalm::guitar

Title:GUITARnotes - Where Every Note has Emotion
Notice:Discussion of the finer stringed instruments
Moderator:KDX200::COOPER
Created:Thu Aug 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3280
Total number of notes:61432

2226.0. "More effects stuff - what do I need here?" by WELCLU::GREENB (Go Home Bible Mike) Wed Jun 05 1991 12:25

    Help, please, I am a bit of an FX virgin!
    
    At the moment, I am using a collection of borrowed effects, namely a
    couple of old distortion boxes (an MXR turned down for that edgy rhythm
    sound and a 'Big Muff' for the searing lead stuff), a Boss chorus, a
    Boss digital delay and a Schaller volume pedal. All these, apart from
    the delay unit, are mounted on  some kind of pedal board, with plugs
    and cables all over the place.
    
    Now, out of all this gear, I can get most of the sounds I am after
    (apart from I'd really like some sort of compression effect too); my
    question is - is there one box of tricks which will do some (or even
    all) of these things for me? Also, can I get hold of something that I
    can pre-program my sounds into? Finally, how much is this going to cost
    me? Presumably, I'm going to need to retain a volume pedal also.
    
    FWIW, I use a Squier Strat and Roland Super-Cube 100w amp - the amp is
    switchable, but I only use it on clean setting. I use the FX for any
    distortion I need, which tends to be either for the rocked-up rhythm
    parts or the more flowing lead lines (as opposed to speedo
    fret-shredding, which I can't do), which means I have a basic need for
    some good clean sounds but with better sustain than I get at the
    moment.
    
    Any recommendations, etc?
    
    Cheers,
    
    Bob                                                             
    
    Cheers,
    
    Bob
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2226.1WELCLU::GREENBGo Home Bible MikeWed Jun 05 1991 12:264
    As you can see from the last few lines of my base note, the
    delay/repeat is my favourite toy!!!
    
    Bob
2226.2Lots of Information In Other NotesRGB::ROSTJimmy Blanton's love childWed Jun 05 1991 13:3219
    Bob,
    
    You should poke around the directory in here, there are quite a few
    notes on multi-effect units.  Try doing a "dir/title=" for GP8, SGE, A5,
    Rack, effect, verb to get started.
    
    As for what you have now, except for the Roland GP8 and GP16 units
    (and maybe the Boss ME5) there are no multi-units allowing direct
    volume control.  Some do have loops which you can patch your Schaller
    pedal into.  The chorus and delay are easily handled by most multi
    boxes, but the distortions in them are often a matter of personal
    taste.  However, the two you are using are already pretty "non-tube"
    sounding, so you might find something you like in a multi-box.
    
    My *personal* taste would be to keep the Big Muff and volume pedal, and
    junk the rest.  
    
    
    							Brian
2226.3Beautiful CurveSCOAYR::SROBERTSONWed Jun 05 1991 17:366
    Just a little side-line question here - anyone know why the pedal "big
    muff" is so called - there's a John Martyn song by that name I like -
    I suppose there's no connection so what does this pedal do?
    
    
    				stuart.
2226.4Fuzz Box!DNEAST::GREVE_STEVEGreee Veee KingWed Jun 05 1991 17:529
    
    
    
    	It's an eeeeelctro harmonix fuzz tone... I had one back in 74 and
    loved it!  Jimi used to use them so I guess that's why they're so ummmm 
    "vintage" and cool today.
    
    
    Gree Vee King
2226.5RGB::ROSTJimmy Blanton's love childWed Jun 05 1991 17:588
    Re: .3
    
    The Martyn song postdates the pedal.  I think it's a pun, as Martyn
    was starting to get into fuzztone use around then and also was being
    produced by Muff Winwood (Steve's big brother).  The solo on that tune
    certainly could have been played through a Big Muff.
    
    						Brian
2226.6WELCLU::GREENBGo Home Bible MikeThu Jun 06 1991 09:0617
    Brian,
    
    You are quite correct about John Martyn - he does (or at least did) use
    a Big Muff. They have a quite wonderful sweet fuzz tone when the tone
    knob is pushed all the way towards the bass end, otherwise they can be
    a bit thin and scratchy. Wonderful sustain, too; only trouble is, as
    the sustained note starts to die, the unit tends to get noisy as you
    would expect I s'pose.
    
    Re my gear - I use the MXR for a kind of 'fake tube' sound - I'd like
    to improve on this a bit; it's quite good, but a bit thin at times, so
    if there's a multi-effects processor that can get nearer a tube sound
    I'd be interested.
    
    Thanks for the info/pointers.
    
    Bob (going into dir/tit mode)