Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

At The Back => Time Out => Topic started by: richard on January 13, 2013, 09:40:30 PM

Title: First effects pedal.
Post by: richard on January 13, 2013, 09:40:30 PM
What was the first one you bought ? Did you like it ? Still got it ?

Mine was a Coloursound Tonebender in 1975. I saved my part time job money for weeks until I'd raised the price of £17, seven shillings and sixpence. When I went to the music shop they told me I didn't want one of those but one of these which was about £50 and way out of my price range. I wish I could remember what they tried to sell me.

What I also can't remember is why I wanted a Tonebender. I don't remember anyone suggesting them to me, I don't believe that I was aware of any top players who used them and I didn't know anyone else who owned one.

I was in my first band and was sharing a Selmer Treble and Bass amp with the bass player. We were too young for pubs so we played youth clubs and village halls. I was so proud of my new distorted sound. I don't remember what happened to my Tonebender but I would like to revisit that set up and see what it sounded like. I was playing an 'Avon' LP copy with a bolt on neck and really terrible single coil pickups disguised as humbuckers.

Old times.......

Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: TheyCallMeVolume on January 13, 2013, 10:35:19 PM
When I first started I bought a Boss Metal Zone that sound absolutely terrible. Sold it for something else, which I sold for something else, etc.
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: Elliot on January 13, 2013, 10:42:33 PM
I bought a Tokai Distortion and Compressor from Macaris in 1984, along with a Les Paul Studio.  The LP was a pig and is the only guitar that I have sold, but the pedals I still have.
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on January 14, 2013, 03:54:19 PM
Back in 1983/4 I bought a Boss HM2 and a Boss CS2

Had fun for a while but didn't deliver the sound I liked which was more amp based tones
Traded them away within a few years
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: Twinfan on January 14, 2013, 04:51:31 PM
I bought a CryBaby and a Marshall DriveMaster in 1992 (I think).  I still have the DriveMaster, but I gave the CryBaby away to a family friend who was learning guitar a couple of years ago.
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: gwEm on January 14, 2013, 05:55:11 PM
First was a SansAmp GT2 which took years of abuse and isn't quite right anymore though I still have it. I liked it so much I followed up with a SansAmp British.

Second was an Arion stage tuner, which still works and is now on my fiancee's pedal board
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: sgmypod on January 14, 2013, 08:48:31 PM
original gov'nr looooong time ago
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: Toe-Knee on January 14, 2013, 09:14:35 PM
DOD Octoplus & Boss HM3

No idea why as i didn't even really play guitar at the time i played drums and just strummed a few chords on the guitarist in my band at the times guitar and eventually ended up with a vintage superstrat whilst still not playing really.

This was all back in erm 2003. I didn't really start playing until 2005/6 and then it was on and off for a long time until 08/09
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: JJretroTONEGOD on January 14, 2013, 09:54:41 PM
my first pedal was a marshall jackhammer, it's was a really great pedal and I kept it for years
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: Telerocker on January 15, 2013, 12:13:35 AM
1980/1981 Ibanez AD9 and TS9. Still have them. My brother plays the TS9. The AD9 is on my board. Shortly after those two an FL9. Sold that one after while, should have kept it.
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: Philly Q on January 15, 2013, 12:35:50 AM
Around about 1982 I bought an Ibanez TS9 and a Locobox (distributed by Aria) Stereo Chorus.  Can't remember which came first, but I still have them both.

Haven't bought very many pedals since, to be honest.
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: dave_mc on January 15, 2013, 12:58:38 AM
does it have to be a single pedal or do multifx count? i think my first was a korg ax1g. I actually can't remember what my first single pedal was :oops:
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: TheyCallMeVolume on January 15, 2013, 02:35:35 AM
Around about 1982 I bought an Ibanez TS9 and a Locobox (distributed by Aria) Stereo Chorus.  Can't remember which came first, but I still have them both.

Haven't bought very many pedals since, to be honest.

More than make up for it with guitar parts though huh?
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: blue on January 15, 2013, 05:07:50 AM
in about 1989 or '90, along with my Columbus strat and my Bullet VM10 amp, i got a little orange distortion pedal.  for the life of me i can't remember the maker, although i'm pretty sure it started with "A".  not Arion. and i've just looked and i can't find the pedal!  i do still have it, and i'll have a proper look tomorrow.  it was presumably a copy of the Boss DS1.  it has a proper metal body and all.  if it actually sounded like one, i have no idea.  i haven't tried it in years, and i've never owned a Boss.
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: Philly Q on January 15, 2013, 08:34:33 AM
Around about 1982 I bought an Ibanez TS9 and a Locobox (distributed by Aria) Stereo Chorus.  Can't remember which came first, but I still have them both.

Haven't bought very many pedals since, to be honest.

More than make up for it with guitar parts though huh?

Parts and guitars, parts and guitars!
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: AndyR on January 15, 2013, 08:36:50 AM
About 1981/82, an H/H Flanger, powered by the socket in my amp, an H/H VS-Musician 100W combo. Liked the sound but didn't use it much.

When I switched to valves, about 83, I got DOD's Chorus and 6-band Graphic EQ, and a Crybaby. These were my only pedals for years. Graphic conked out and I replaced it with one of the first Guv'nors. I replaced the Chorus with a Digital Delay that could do Chorus (can't remember the name) - it was a better Chorus, but I never really used Chorus live after that.
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: HTH AMPS on January 16, 2013, 12:49:47 PM
My first pedal was a Crybaby wah, that will have been around 1988.  It's long since been gutted and is currently a volume pedal; and sprayed silver.
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: darkbluemurder on January 16, 2013, 02:13:33 PM
I believe it was a 6-band graphic EQ from Ibanez with a level control. I used to crank everything on the EQ, i.e. I (ab)used it as a boost to push the transistor radio I played through into submission. Both the EQ and the radio are long gone.

Cheers Stephan
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: richard on January 16, 2013, 08:28:35 PM
I had the 6 band Ibanez EQ and I used it for a little more mids and gain for solos. It worked very well and had a lovely warm tone but it was noisy. I replaced it with a Boss GE7 which was a lot less noisy but didn't have the warmth of the Ibanez.
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: 38thBeatle on January 16, 2013, 10:38:33 PM
Mine was a cry baby...which I used for bass! Probably sounded really naff though I thought it was cool.
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: AndyR on January 17, 2013, 10:30:11 AM
Mine was a cry baby...which I used for bass! Probably sounded really naff though I thought it was cool.

Hey wow! Never even crossed my mind to use it on a bass... interesting idea... especially now I've been playing a fretless for 2 or 3 months... just wait til I get home from work!!! :lol:
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: gwEm on January 17, 2013, 12:03:09 PM
Mine was a cry baby...which I used for bass! Probably sounded really naff though I thought it was cool.

Hey wow! Never even crossed my mind to use it on a bass... interesting idea... especially now I've been playing a fretless for 2 or 3 months... just wait til I get home from work!!! :lol:

Bootsy Collin's action!
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: Mr. Air on January 18, 2013, 11:29:09 AM
My first pedal was a Crybaby wah that I got for Christmas in 1996 (I think). First pedal I bought was a used Boss SD-1 and both pedals have been sold.
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: TheyCallMeVolume on January 18, 2013, 02:08:40 PM
Mine was a cry baby...which I used for bass! Probably sounded really naff though I thought it was cool.

Hey wow! Never even crossed my mind to use it on a bass... interesting idea... especially now I've been playing a fretless for 2 or 3 months... just wait til I get home from work!!! :lol:

That is quite a deadly combination. Jury's out whether that's in a good way or not  :lol:
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: blue on January 18, 2013, 06:52:25 PM
i found the orange overdrive!  it was my first pedal, i said the maker started with "A", but i was wrong  :oops: it was Rockson.  i was going to try it out again, but the 9v socket doesn't seem to be working.  i'll have to find a battery.  i found it along with my second pedal, a Dunlop Crybaby.  i long since got new wahs, and hadn't thought of this one in years, but it sounds great!  bit of a scratchy pot though
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: AndyR on January 21, 2013, 07:03:45 AM
That is quite a deadly combination. Jury's out whether that's in a good way or not  :lol:

I haven't actually tried it yet - but I suspect it will take a lot of practice to get it to do anything more musical than "wooooo-er-ahhh wacka-wacka woooo-er-zzz"... BUT, that will be quite satisfying in its own right for ten minutes or so (assuming the speakers survive it!!)

... a Dunlop Crybaby.  i long since got new wahs, and hadn't thought of this one in years, but it sounds great!  bit of a scratchy pot though

I dug mine out just over a year ago and found the same thing. It reminded me that NONE of the wahs I've used since have beaten this baby, but it is SO noisy now!! :lol: (Actually, I suspect this one feels so good/right because it's the first one I learnt to use).
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: MrBump on January 25, 2013, 08:18:59 AM
Good thread!

Mine was an Arion Distortion pedal back in - possibly 1985/6?  Haven't got it anymore, although I can't for the life of me remember what happened to it...

Bit of a cr@p pedal, I guess, although interestingly if you plugged headphones into the output, the sound you could hear was very similar to Tony Iommis tone on the first Sabbath albums...
Title: Re: First effects pedal.
Post by: Andrew W on January 25, 2013, 09:13:01 AM
I'm pretty sure that my first pedal was an Arion Metal Master in, at a guess, about 1990. I obviously had no taste being 15 at the time, but I'm pretty sure that I was delighted that it made my solid state, budget, low watt, fuzzy fabric covered first amp sound nastier. I have neither the pedal nor the first amp and I don't remember what happened to either.