General Music Chat

Tuner, chorus, clean boost.

While I'm comfortable with just a guitar and an amp, if I had a choice:

Reverb, Compressor, Treble Booster

While I'm comfortable with just a guitar and an amp, if I had a choice:

Reverb, Compressor, Treble Booster

I read your profile and could relate to what you were saying. But I can't listen to music on Bandmix. I did download your slide clip. It seems to be just the opposite of what you were saying. It sure didn't sound very country.

Slap back echo, reverberation. Since I design and build my own amplifiers I have no need for a treble boost. dammit, ... I can't even come up with three FX I would actually use, other than what is on the guitar. I do have a vibrato tailpiece on my Strat that I use incessantly, so I guess that counts as an effect. I guess I do have three!!

Neanderpaul - I had a Rat distortion at one time, screwed up and sold it because I found it too trebly and went back to the Ibanez SD 9. Wish I had kept it now, I've found out since then it's not too difficult to modify them for a little better tone. The distortion was great, plenty range from light distortion to almost a metal pedal, if I remember correctly pretty quiet too, but no tone control. Now I know I could have just swapped out one capacitor and toned it down a bit, I'd probably be still using it.

I also have a Boss distortion, SD 1 I think, modded it a bit to make it work as either overdrive or distortion, I normally just use it as a spare. Also have a 3rd distortion pedal, never can remember what it is, Rocktron I think, use it now and then but not often, more of a metal rig and hard to get a good sound I like. I keep it on hand mostly so I'll have a different sound if I need it for recording.

Id have to say... Distortion pedal, Delay and either a chorus or flanger

Delay, reverb, and chorus on my effects chain.

I use the amp's own overdrive for distortion.

wow, 2 pages and so far only one person has mentioned a compressor!

these days that's the ONE "effect" i use. of course most of my guitar gigs are playing jazz these days. and usually i'm just as likely to leave that at home and instead "man up" ( pretty ridiculous the things we take pride in and puff our chest up about!) and go gtr>cable>amp.

when i was using more effects, my board would include a Rat or Tube Screamer, Line 6 delay (w tap function), and a chorus pedal.

Planet - I find that I just plain don't like the sound when a compressor is used. Could be my choice of guitars but I doubt it. I like a fatter sound.

I think the best fat sound one can find is a clean sound over driven but I'm not that picky.

My favorite jazz player was Larry Coryell when 'fusion' hit the scene. Part of the reason I liked him (and McLaughlin) so much was the thicker sound than what I heard from guys like Wes Montgomery.

Talbot

compression is a tricky animal. you have to dial it in just right or it can really suck. literally. too much and you get that god awful tone suck and "pumping".

dialed in just right it can actually make things sound fatter (to my ears anyway). and like any other pedal....a good quality unit really makes a difference. i use a DBX MC6 Mini-comp. sounds real good and very easy to dial in for both gtr and bass.

funny you mention larry coryell, i just finished Gary Burton's new autobiography "Learning To Listen" (excellent read) and he talks about when LC was playing in the original Gary Burton Quartet 67-68/69.

it's funny, everyone credits Miles as the architect and originator of Fusion music w "Bitches Brew" but Burton was actually mixing rock and jazz back in 1967!

back to the tone thing....as re. "fat" jazz tone....have you ever checked out any kenny burrell? now that's a some a fat-a greasy-a tone-a!