ShortScale.org

I have a handful of pedals, but only a few of them get regular use. If I knew everything I know about gear now back when I was just starting out, I wouldn't have a lot of these pedals, but hindsight is always 20/20...

Anyways, here's what I have.



Not pictured: Boss DS-1

-I will definitely be keeping the TS-808 and the TU-2.
-The TS9 is redundant, although it does sound cool cascaded with the 808. But I'm not Trey Anastasio, so I think that it will go.
-The black big muff needs repairs (just a simple pot replacement, and then should be good to go). However, it's redundant and not as good as the Double Muff. The one thing I don't like about the Double Muff is that it has to be at the start of the chain, otherwise its tone gets messed up.
-The Danelectro effects are more nostalgic than anything else. I don't really use modulation or delay so they will probably go.
-I LOVE the sound from the Alesis nanoverb, but I HATE that it's not a footswitchable effect and that it's hard to set to unity volume without distorting the signal. I really like reverb but for playing guitar I think I'd need something more specifically geared towards a pedal board.
-Compression is for noobs (jk compression users*), I got the pedal because it was cheap.
-I think the DS-1 is a pretty mediocre pedal, but I would like to get some sort of distortion pedal eventually, because hey, it is a pretty useful effect.


I play through this


With this


(I'm also considering getting an Orange Tiny Terror in the future)

My friend uses an MXR micro amp, and I think I would like to get a similar boost pedal. The ZVEX super hard on seems to be the best of its kind, but it is awfully pricey for such a simple schematic. It does seem that their Box of Rock has a SHO AND a distortion pedal in one box, so maybe that'd be something to look into. Also I like fuzz, but I hate losing all my mids. Does anyone have recommendations for a decent fuzz that works well for wall-of-sound rhythm without getting lost in the mix as much?'

Finally, is the Holy Grail the be-all-end-all of guitar reverb pedals? I like what Ryan Adams does with his, but again, they are pretty pricey ($150 for the holier version).

Thanks everyone! I know this topic is pretty broad and rambling, but I thought I'd get a few suggestions from you all since some of you really seem to know what you're talking about.

*not kidding

If you can't get any good tonez with the great gear you have, quit and take up baseball or something.

what kinda of sounds are you going for? what kinda styles do you tend to play?

dodgedartdave wrote:If you can't get any good tonez with the great gear you have, quit and take up baseball or something.

Haha, I get just fine clean tone, or dirty with some TS808 or Double Muff. I guess this topic is more of a "what pedals should I get" thread.

Progrockabuse wrote:what kinda of sounds are you going for? what kinda styles do you tend to play?

I play alternative rock style. Ever listen to Pavement and/or Stephen Malkmus? He kinda has my ideal tone. I also love the electric tone that Elliott Smith gets, but its kind of a 180 since he uses ES-330s and Vox amps.

I also love the rhythm sounds Billy Corgan gets on Siamese Dream, which I can kinda approximate with the Double Muff.

Malkmus, you say? He used and indeed still uses a Lovetone Big Cheese for a lot of his phat fuzz tones- OLC make a clone called the Chunky Cheese.. as demo'ed by yours truly in the FX forum..

http://bestnetworx.com/uploader/files/3 ... p3%202.mp3

As far as fuzz goes, it's gonna be difficult to find something that doesn't cut mids. What I'd look into is either the Electro Harmonix Graphic Fuzz (out of production unfortunately) or a BOSS MT-2 Metal Zone. Both of these have incredibly powerful midrange EQ controls and a thick, saturated sound. The EHX also has the advantage (I believe) of being able to turn the fuzz off and just use it as a graphic equalizer.

For reverb, the holy grail isn't the end-all-be-all. People tend to go after it because of analog mojo arrows, but being that you like the digital nano-verb anyway I'd recommend the BOSS RV-5. It has a ton of sounds in it and doesn't lose volume like the Holy Grail.

For boost, it depends of your preference. Do you want a perfectly clean boost (like the SHO), or do you want it a little dirty (like the EHX LPB, Micro Amp, etc.)? The one disadvantage with the SHO is that the transistor used is extremely sensitive to static electricity and tends to break easily. An extra one is taped inside the case now, but it can be a hassle.

Also, get a footswitch for the twin. That adds reverb and tremolo effects easy.

Doog wrote:Malkmus, you say? He used and indeed still uses a Lovetone Big Cheese for a lot of his phat fuzz tones- OLC make a clone called the Chunky Cheese.. as demo'ed by yours truly in the FX forum..

http://bestnetworx.com/uploader/files/3 ... p3%202.mp3

Wow, dirty. But I thought he used mostly a Fuzz Factory these days, especially on the last two solo albums? In any case that's a pretty cool tone, though I think I'd want something a little creamier. I use fuzz for rhythm more than soloing.

I've been looking at the RV-5 and it seems like a better option. Part of the reason for the reverb pedal is that I actually don't like spring reverb as much as a nice big lush hall sound. Spring reverb does not handle distortion very well at all.

I definitely want a clean boost... Does anyone make a copy of the SHO? I'm not sure I want to spend $150 for something that might break.

More likely the Big Cheese, I've never heard the Fuzz Factory to be "creamy", it ain't got no tone control and is generally pretty spikey.

Dunno how recent this is, but here's some live Malk setupness:

You may be right, but that fuzz tone all over Face the Truth and Real Emotion Trash is so.. Malkmus-y. And I think he's been using the Fuzz Factory lately, tho I could be wrong.

But his tone that I REALLY love is his clean. Pretty much all the Pavement albums post S&E have some of the most gorgeous, chiming single coil sounds I've heard on record. I think he was just playing his Strat and the Les Paul with P90s back then, I don't think he got his JM until later on. "Church on White" from his solo debut is probably the best clean sound ever, imo.

From your avatar it appears that you also play a white Jazzmaster. What effects do you like with it? Mine does not seem to like the TS808 as much as my $tratocaster did, but it sounds better with fuzz.

95% of the time, I just use a modded RAT2 for dirt- works for me.

malk was interviewed it the last issue of guitarist.

according to the interview he uses a big cheese and a fuzz factory. his amp is an orange custom head through a marshall cabinet.

Nobody makes a straight ahead copy of the SHO, but being that you have a schematic it would seem that you could DIY one. There's a way of putting an LED across the transistor to prevent static discharge - would probably make th whole thing more rugged.

Yeah dude, done ever pay $200 or whatever for a suepr hard on. Get a Saltbooster from OUr own MIke LIvesley. It makes your sound louder.

I'd say get a Mike's Salty Romance Explosion (boost and OD) from our own, uh, me, but it's not in production yet, and you've got Overdrive covered.


Wait, actually, you should offer to trade Mike one of your tubescreamers for a Salt booster. I bet he'll do it.

Progrockabuse wrote:malk was interviewed it the last issue of guitarist.

according to the interview he uses a big cheese and a fuzz factory. his amp is an orange custom head through a marshall cabinet.

Really? Fuck, can you scan it?

Aeon wrote:

What happened to the guts of your Russian Big Muff????

dodgedartdave wrote:

Aeon wrote:

What happened to the guts of your Russian Big Muff????

Also..... Do you notice a difference between your tube screamers???

I would first throw the Tubescreamers in a lake for immediate tone improvement.

Secondly I could make you a Super Hard On for around half the price of the ZVex one, or you could get a SaltBoost like Aen said. I was planning on making one for myself at some point anyway, it's a very simple project and I have all the parts.

Progrockabuse wrote:malk was interviewed it the last issue of guitarist.

according to the interview he uses a big cheese and a fuzz factory. his amp is an orange custom head through a marshall cabinet.

Any idea which issue? There's no mention of him in the issue blurbs:

http://www.guitarist.co.uk/?catname=/Latest%20issue

Doog stop having a fucking baby. It was like one page, so hardly cover or noteworthy, I'll scan it tonight if you're still raging horny for it.

All he did was say he likes his Big Cheese and ran it on dying batterys in the studio.