pedal dilemma

[adamj]

Iv been looking at a lot of online reviews of pedals recently. At the moment im using a Boss ME50 plus the two channels on my (solid state) amp, to get distorted/overdriven tones and use the me50 for FX. The t'other channel on my amp is for a bit more volume/gain on the solos.
Im playing in a covers band, at the moment things like Pink Floyd, Killers, Oasis, Led Zep, The Who.
Most of these use a similar type of overdrive which i nearly have nailed with the multifx, then there are the other slightly different bits like gilmours Comfortably Numb Solo's which i use a bit of echo for the sustain effect.

Obviously one day im going to have to give back this fx pedal and looking for a replacement. Im quite taken by the idea of a boss pedal board so i can plug them all in at once and carry them easily.

one problem is ill need a tuner and noise gate also. I have a boss chorus, amp reverb and a wah so far.

pedals iv seen are the digitech bad monkey and the Boss DS1. Price is a bti of an issue, i would want to go muchover £50 with having to get an NS2 and a tuner to go with! 

my experience with Boss is that they can be quite fizzy but is this easy to deal with, with a bit of fiddling?

if there are any alternatives, would they fit into a boss pedalboard? a little bit of handywork may be an option if they are too small etc.

any ideas people? sorry for the looong post

[Twinfan]

There are lots of pedalboard options, so I wouldn't limit yourself to that.  Boss pedals are quite fizzy, and that's my issue with them.  So I don't use them!

I don't think you need a noise gate - I never use one, and for the level of gain you're using you shouldn't have any issues.

I have a stripped down pedal board for rehearsing and can recommend the following pedals.  You've got a wah and a chorus already, so I would suggest a covers band player would also need:

An overdrive:  http://www.dangleberrymusic.co.uk/p-179-tonerider-pedals-tonerider-effects-pedal-tonerider-american-overdrive-pedal-true-bypass.aspx

A distortion:  http://www.dangleberrymusic.co.uk/p-178-tonerider-pedals-tonerider-effects-pedal-tonerider-british-distortion-pedal-true-bypass.aspx

A great tuner:  http://www.hotroxuk.com/korg-pitchblack-digital-foot-pedal-tuner-8219-0.html

For the pedalboard, you'll need:

A power supply:  http://www.johnnyshredfreak.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=12

And a daisy chain:  http://www.johnnyshredfreak.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9&products_id=52

Failing all of that, you can see the cost is rising, why not just sell your Boss Chorus and get a multi-effects if you're happy with them?

Boss ME-25:  http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/85335

Boss ME-70:  http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/79654

[adamj]

wow thanks a lot for that, ill check them out now. As for the multiFX, im struggling to find one very easy to use live. The ME50 is good sounding but you need an extra seperate stwitch to change banks, then need to press two buttons to select your sound! id rather just have my own sound which will do the job, or failing that  a pre set fx pedal and memorise which patch suited which song!

[Twinfan]

The latter is the way to do it - set up 'patches' for songs - but it's not that flexible if you need lots of options and have only 3 footswitches!

Separate pedals costs more money unfortunately, but you do get the choice of what to have and they're the ultimate in flexibility.

The Tonerider pedals are the best "bang for buck" I've come across, and put lots of more expensive pedals to shame.  If you bought the stuff I listed above, to add to your wah and chorus, you'd need about £175.  You could then knock a pedal board together with some old wood, carpet tiles and velcro.  

For under £200 you'd be all done, and have a really nice covers band 'board to tide you over.  Next step would be a lovely valve amp, and your 'board wouldn't need changing  ;)

[adamj]

already looking  :twisted:

edit: that tonerider British distortion sounds AMAZING

[dave_mc]

tonerider pedals are pretty nice, yeah. There are slightly cheaper pedals which sound as good, or almost as good, but I've found that their reliability is patchy (things like biyang, daphon etc.). Now, I only play at home, so I'm not exactly stressing the toneriders, but then that makes you wonder how reliable those other ones I mentioned are when they managed to fail under the same conditions :lol:

I've got the distortion and chorus- they're not the best examples of either I've tried, but they're pretty darn good, they're pretty cheap, and they're pretty reliable- they feel solid. I would probably agree with dave's assessment that they're the best bang for the buck that we've both come across, if that means "the cheapest I can get a good-sounding pedal which I'd trust to use for gigging and not be worrying all the time that it was going to break!" :lol:

Danelectro cool cats are pretty nice too, if you can find version 1s (the clones), but I'm not sure if they're as sturdy- none of mine has actually died, but occasionally you hit the switch and get a bit of crackle etc.

EDIT: yeah I find boss distortions etc. fizzy too, I don't use them either. I also really dislike the buffers in them.

EDIT #2: bear in mind that the distortion's tone will be very dependent on which amp you plug into. Like most distortions (apart from the really high end boutique ones), it can get a bit bright unless you're plugged into a pretty warm (preferably valve) amp, or one dialled in to be warm. But even still, it's noticeably better and more natural than boss ones, imo.

[Telerocker]

Of course money limits the possibilities, but once you played toppedals you don't wanna go back. You keep them. Like my Emma Reezafratzitz distortion (handmade and build like a tank in Denmark). The sound is topnotch, very touchsensitive and dynamic. Loads of gain for huge solo's or Marshall-esque chords. It does the brownsound too. It's the best dist.pedal I've played and I own the Suhr Riot as well. They are expensive, but you can find them on ebay way cheaper. Alternative: the Maxon OD820 is quite a stunning pedal and easy to find for a nice price.

[Twinfan]

Just a final note from me to say that I owned a Maxon OD-9 (Tubescreamer) and my Tonerider Overdrive at the same time.  The pedals sounded identical to me, but the Tonerider was half the price.

I sold the Maxon  ;)

[adamj]

i think you may have twisted my arm Twinfan

[Mr. Air]

I have never tried the Tonerider pedals, but from clips I've heard they sound good and they're really nice priced so they would be my best bang for the buck bet as well.

But like Telerocker says, the Emma Reezafratzitz is an excellent pedal and it can cover a lot of ground. Emma also makes an overdrive pedal called Stinkbug. I have only tried the Stinkbug once, but it's a real killer.

[tomjackson]

I have the Tonerider OD and Chorus, they are pretty nice and definitely better than your average Boss pedal.
The OD is better than the TS-9 I used to have, it's a pretty plain kind of pedal that just adds some grit and light drive.
IT's not too nasal like some and the bass drop off is not too much.  I'd only change it for something like an Xotic as it's better than most drive pedal double the price.

The Chorus is nice enough but I sold a hardwire chorus pedal as I wanted analog instead of digital.  Unfortunately the Hardwire was a better pedal and I would like again but the tonerider is certainly nice enough and well worth £50.

[Twinfan]

Exactly my thoughts Tom - I have a BB Preamp and Malekko Chorus on my main board, but the Toneriders on my small grab-and-go board!

[dave_mc]

yeah, the chorus is perhaps a little too metallic sounding, something slightly more transparent would be perfect. But for the price it's pretty nice, and they're certainly nice enough, if you're a total tonehound, to have on a backup board like dave's.

[tomjackson]

I do really like the chorus though, it's just that the hardwire is very pristine and works better in a band context where the Tonerider is warm analog and is better suited for subtleness.  I've never liked one digital effect until I tried the Hardwires and have the Reverb and had the  chorus and they are absolutely amazing.  I bought the chorus for £60 but they are about £130 now!  Shouldn't of sold that but I'm programed to think analog is always better! That said I'm liking the Tonerider for what it is....

I can't afford to be a total Tonehound!

[dave_mc]

hehe, me neither. Or at least with pedals, where I only very occasionally use them. I mean, don't get me wrong, the TR one certainly sounds analogue, I just mean it'd be the best deal ever if it were slightly more transparent/natural sounding, or if it had a mix knob where you could dial in a bit of the dry sound too.