Do any of you still buy pedals?

Ben Randolph

Ben Randolph

Power User
Like the rest of you, I'm very happy with my AxeFX. The sheer depth of this thing could take up a lifetime exploring. Yet, I've lately found myself itching for standalone effects for my B-rig.

I'm in my 40s, and my band days are long past. I get out once a week for guitar ensemble night, and for that I just tote my Blues Jr. My AxeFX sits in my studio safely screwed into the rack space of my desk, serviced by an MFC and a couple of Mission expression pedals and run into a nice set of studio monitors. Its a great setup, but not one that's really practical to tote to my small, informal ensemble.

Lately I've gotten the gear bug and started doing the upgrades to my Blues Jr (BillM mods), and that led to me wanting to design a little pedalboard to go into my "B-rig". I've bought a Carl Martin Plexitone, an Xotic SP Compressor and am currently eyeing delay pedals. The past couple of weeks has found me pouring over pedal reviews like I used to before the AxeFX!

I actually found myself seriously considering a Korg SDD3000 (the new pedal Korg is releasing). I had to stop myself and assess things......I'm actually considering spending $400 for a pedal that, for all purposes, I already have inside of my AxeFX II!

Is it just a guitarist disease to never be satisfied? Constantly be on the lookout for new stuff?
 
I'll sometimes pick up a pedal if it's a hot ticket item for a good deal that I can use as trade bait (for guitars), but my pedal & amp gas is completely gone, and I had it BAD before.
...although I'd like to add something in the loop to take some pressure off the DSP for those whacked out presets with two of everything.
 
The only pedal I kept after buying the AxeFX was my Boomerang III Phrase Sampler. I just wanted a more powerful looper than the Axe provides.
 
I just but a ISP decimator II so I could free up a switch on my midi board. Since I'm switching it off/on all over the place.
 
Infinity Looper. Sadly, it arrived (new, from a dealer) with multiple issues. Hoping for a new one this week. Have good plans for it; things that I wouldn't be able to accomplish on the Axe FX. Otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered.

I've thought about picking up a Strymon Mobius, but I'm pushing forward with my quest to nail the modulation effect sounds I want with my Axe FX.
 
Only bought one pedal since I joined the Fractal fold--Strymon El Capistan. I know most of what it does can be done with the Axe-FX, but it saves a lot of CPU.

Still holding on to my OCD and Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere, but pretty much everything else is gone.
 
I just started to integrate my favorite pedals in front of the AXE (e.g., the Wampler Dual Fusion).

Short term ... pedals work amazingly well with the AXE.

Long term ... this configuration will be great for learning how to create my own drive/boost/EQ blocks in the AXE to replicate (and A/B against) my favorite pedals and then delete the real pedal from the front of my rig. :D
 
I agree about the fuzz. I've never really been able to capture a Gilmour sound with any of the AxeFX's fuzz models. Happily, there are plenty of other models that get into Gilmour territory quite nicely, like the Zendrive.
 
Bought a Boss Expression pedal last year and an FCB1010 a week ago for fiddling with - both to use with the AxeFX

Prior to those (and neither are really the thrust of the thread), the last pedal I'd have bought would be the Boss BE-5 in 1989... yeah, quarter of a century ago
blink.gif
 
Lately I've been acquiring them for my son. Started building him a pedal board to use with the Vyper I got him- kinda fun to go back in time and live vicariously through his experiences starting out as a player.

Though back when I started I had no such "stakehorse"- my "rig" was pretty much low end junk, which was all I could afford growing up where and how I did. Sure it's the same for many of you as well- do our kids know how lucky they are???
 
jlynnb1 said:
Seriously considering a Timeline and Big Sky
Click to expand...

It's nice to save the CPU, but honestly I found the Fractal delays on par with the Timeline when I had both side-by-side. Timeline might've been a tad easier to dial, but not $400+ easier IMO.
 
I have a couple dozen pedals. I will probably get more as I just like to play around with them from time to time.
 
I haven't bought any individual pedals since....1987'ish....maybe? When I switched to rack gear with the ADA MP1/Alesis Quadraverb in the late 80's, I've never looked back. The closest thing to a pedal I've bought was my GNX3, but beyond that I've stuck with modeling amps (heads and combos) or rack gear.

I'm lazy. I like to push one button to access a preset with everything already in the signal chain the way I dialed it in. I don't want to do the pedal-jig on a stage ever again.

I suppose another reason is I've only been in two cover bands in my entire life. One during high school (and used individual pedals), and the other in 2010, but I played bass and used a POD Pro XT > Ampeg SVT3 Pro > GK NEO 4x10 + 1x15. I've never needed to mimic anyone else's tone but my own. Even if I did, I'd do it in the box with my AxeFX. It can get close enough that no one will know the difference (except tone snob players, whom I don't play to/for anyway).
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom