Thread: Guitar Pedals: Part 2

It has been a while since there was a good guitar topic on these forums. I am tired of the political arguing going on and thought I would start a friendlier topic.

Here is my most recent pedal board setup:



I decided that the '63 Fender Reverb pedal was better for gigging than the Holy Grail Reverb. Also, once I got the Hand Wired Ibanez Tube Screamer, I pulled off my Full Drive 2 and my Power Screamer. I upgraded my tuner to the Boss TU-3, and recently replaced my Boss DD-7 for the MXR Carbon Copy.

I use my Fat Boost for... pretty much that, a fat boost during my lead breaks. I also keep around the good ole DS-1 for when I want things to get really dirty for 90s rock. I am on my 3rd Small Clone (1 stolen and 1 destroyed... EHX build quality sucks ass). Still using an original Cry Baby Way... want to upgrade to Fulltone Clyde, just haven't gotten around to it. The pedals are mounted to my Pedaltrain PT-1 pedal board with a Dunlop power brick underneath.

I have also been playing through my Custom Vibrolux Reverb Reissue (Made in USA). It is all tube 40 watts with 2 x 10" Jensen special design speakers. I know a lot of people prefer 12" speakers, but these 10s push plenty of air and have great bass response.

Thats a sweet setup HeavyG.

I have never really gotten into pedals but instead use the built in effects on the Flextone. Works good for my needs.

Maybe one day I will look into a chorus and fuzz pedal.

I have been buying and selling amps and pedals over the past 2 years trying to find the tones I like best. The problem with that is that it is very expensive and every time you sell, you lose money. It is an addictive and expensive habit. I think I should be good with this setup for a few years.

I love the Dr.Z setup, Kracker. They make some great stuff. I play a lot of blues, so I try to stick to the Fender amp clean tones with a little reverb. I know you used to play on the '65 Fender Twin. I had one of those, but it was just too damned heavy. The Vibrolux gives me a similar tone without breaking my back. I also agree with you on the Fulldrive 2 Mosfet. I just couldn't get it to sound right. I would tweek it at my house before a gig, but once I got to the club, I didn't care for the sound. I think it sounds better with a Les Paul than with a Telecaster, so I pulled it off... for good this time.

Jason, if you are not playing out, the Line 6 setup you have is fine. I found that once I really started to play out, solid state amps just can't cut through the mix very well. I was playing a Fender Cyber Twin SE, which was 130 watts with a tube pre-amp, all effects built into the amp, and I couldn't cut through the mix. I was either not loud enough, or too loud. I sold that setup and went all tube and started trying different pedals. It has been a long road.

Originally Posted by HeavyG

Jason, if you are not playing out, the Line 6 setup you have is fine. I found that once I really started to play out, solid state amps just can't cut through the mix very well. I was playing a Fender Cyber Twin SE, which was 130 watts with a tube pre-amp, all effects built into the amp, and I couldn't cut through the mix. I was either not loud enough, or too loud. I sold that setup and went all tube and started trying different pedals. It has been a long road.

This, take that to heart.

If you play live, Tube is the only way to go...Yea, you are going to be loud as fuck..but you can be damned sure that you will sound 20 million times better than you ever thought.

When I first started to gig, I played a Line 6 Spyder II. For what it was, it was great, but i needed something more. So i went to the fender blues deluxe in the tweed...it was nice, but still needed more head room. Thats when I got my Twin...

Then once i got the money, I played a Z, and now Im sold for life. I doubt I will ever own another amp. I fucking LOOOOOOOOOVE my Z....

btw, under my board is a mounted voodoo lap 2 and the board is fully AC powered

Heavey, are you using George L's?

Originally Posted by Kraker Jak

btw, under my board is a mounted voodoo lap 2 and the board is fully AC powered

Heavey, are you using George L's?

No, I am using Live Wire custom patch kits. Honestly, I am not too impressed with the Live Wires. I have had some failures with the cables (once at a gig), but I finally found a secret trick to make sure they keep a good connection, even when being pulled tight.

They discontinued them and Guitar Center had them for 50% off. They are regularly $60 pack of 5 and they were on sale for $30, so I got 4 packs, which gives me a ton of shielded cable, and enough connectors for 4 straight end and 16 L connectors. They do the job. Next go around I will do the George L cables, I just couldn't pass up the Live Wire kits at that price.

If my Dunlop DC Brick dies out, I will be going with the Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 2. Right now, the Dunlop gives me all the power I need. It really only powers 7 pedals, but I am daisy chaining 2 pedals off of my TU-3 tuner.

These days I'm rocking a '59 Guild CE100D as my main guitar, and I HIGHLY suggest anyone pick one up if they manage to find one. Not a collectors guitar, but man oh man... The Franz pickups are to die for, and the guitar plays better than great. I paid $1200 for mine with an immaculate '67 Fender deluxe reverb thrown in to boot. I'd have paid that for the guitar alone any day of the week. Most under rated/priced vintage guitar imo.

Anyways, '59 CE100D -> Boss EQ pedal for signal boost -> Line 6 modulation pedal -> Digitech DIGIDELAY -> '58 Gibson Falcon (another under rated beauty)

Only time that ever changes is if I'm running the '68 deluxe reverb, and Falcon in stereo, then I run the Mod pedal last for panning effects, and make use of the stereo outs on the DIGIDELAY. Occasionally I toss in a volume pedal 1st in line.

I get enthusiastic compliments and questions from seasoned pros, and a certain famous local sound man is always stoked to see me, so it's good enough for now, I suppose! XD

I recently sold my Marshall JCM2000 DSL, and 1960TV cab due to undesired massive bulk, so I don't have a serious rock rig atm.

Originally Posted by Kraker Jak

understand at that price...but george L's is the ONLY cable for guitar boards IMO...


Nice jabber, its always a great feeling when REALLY good sound guys give you compliments...


btw heavey, where do you live? Find a Z dealer near you...I swear, once you play a mazaratti or a stang ray, you will never go back to fender...

I am in Tampa, FL. There is one place locally that sells Dr.Z and Orange amps. I have played on a few Dr.Zs before. My other guitar player had an 18 watt Z, but I don't remember the model (I think it was a Maz). All I remember is that it was loud for only 18 watts and had plenty of head room. It also weighed a ton.

I might look into getting a more expensive amp next year. I am already $1200 into the Vibrolux. I am considering a Dr.Z, Rivera, or a Juke amp. We will see. If I remember right, the Dr.Z amps are on a printed circuit board, but they are military grade, so they do not warp after hours and hours of heating like the Fenders do. Rivera also makes some great amplifiers... also expensive. I had an '83 Fender Concert amp that was designed by Rivera. I ended up selling it to get a '77 silver face Deluxe Reverb Amp. I wish I would have kept the Concert.

My band is on hiatus at the moment due to the economy... nobody was paying more than $400/night, and we were lucky to get that for 4 hours of playing. Right now I am doing a 2 man acoustic gig with a friend every other weekend. We are running straight through the PA, so no amp needed. I am also the lead guitar player for a house band at an open jam on Tuesday nights. but I bring my Roland Cube 60 to the Jam. That little cube amp is enough to cut through the mix, and I don't care of other people play on it and beat the hell out of it. It is solid state and built like a tank.

The other amp I would consider is the Fender hand wired Vibroverb. Again... very pricey.