My Adventures in Effectsville, Part 1

After years of simply plugging a guitar into a tube amp, I decided to finally, really try finding effects that I liked and wanted to work with.

It started last year buying a Danelectro Cool Cat Fuzz v1. Nice fuzz, cheap. Being a novice to effects, I thought it might be best to just get some kind of multi effects unit. Being strapped for cash at the time, I bought a Zoom G1.n. It got used for about 2 hours then found it's way back into the box. I hated it! Awful sounding, hard to edit/configure. But you get what you pay for!

I then decided I would start buying analog pedals. I loved my newly acquired MXR Dyna Comp & MXR Phase 90, so I thought "Hey, why not build a pedal board with JUST MXR pedals!"

My first design via Adobe Illustrator that included the Cool Cat.

My next edition succeeding with ALL MXR.

The boards were cut according the template & I routed the edges with a roundover bit to give it a bit of finish.
This is before I drilled the cord holes in the top.

These bolts and finish washers were later replaced with plastic cap style washers.

Here is the painted piece with the fender amp handle mounted on the back for easy carrying.
Velcro applied and I used these nice little plastic "washer" rings for the cord holes to give it a finished look.

Only two pedals away from realizing my MXR goal.

This is the point that the whole MXR pedal board fell apart. I could easily spend another $150 for the Chorus and Flanger, but I love playing with Tremolo and Vibe sounds now too. No more room for that on the board. What to do?

The MXR classic distortion just wasn't cutting it. I really wanted a ProCo RAT2 but found an MXR Distortion + came highly recommended and it was cheap. I also at this time bought a EHX Big Muff Pi (NYC Big Box) used and LOVE IT!

I fell in love with a NYC (huge box) Big Muff Pi, so I thought I'd try getting the smaller unit and an electric mistress for that flange/chorus vibe-y thing. Dave Gilmour used them, and he sounded great, right? ha ha

Well, that led me down a long drawn out and expensive road. I splurged and bought a pro-style switching/multi effects/sound management system from TC Electronics called the G-System:

It's a gorgeous beast. Here I had it on my desktop while I attempted to program it.

The G-System is a fairly impressive bit of kit. Running a retail price of $1499 (I only paid $1099 from Guitar Center). It's heavy, built to withstand a tank (which the TC guys ran it over with on their site!) and well done. I liked the idea of a MFX unit not having any OD/Dist/Fuzz onboard at all. I could use my Big Muff, my MXR OD and then get that RAT, etc. But have all the creamy luscious chorus, trems, wahs, mods, reverbs, delays (hey, the Edge uses TC stuff, and he sounds good, right? ha ha).

But the problem is ... It's just too complicated for chrissakes! ugh. It's noisy. Apparently after spending that wad of dough, I came to understand that I would have to spend an additional $300 or so just to get it hooked up to my amp using a "4 cable" method that would eliminate the AC ground loop hum noise, blah blah blah. 

One of the main reasons that I splurged for this unit was it had a superior computer based (and Mac compatible as well) software editor. Unfortunately I couldn't get the unit to use this without wiping the entire memory each time. One of the unit's loyal followers loved his so much and found the original manual lacking (duh!) wrote his own 85 page "white pages" to help others solve their issues, but I only found it make my life more complicated trying to follow his advice.

Then I tried to simply hook up an expression pedal. Apparently if you unplug it while the unit is on (btw, it has no power switch, you have to unplug it!), NO EXPRESSION PEDAL WILL WORK AGAIN until you reload the firmware update 4.02!! Seriously.

So after resetting the unit 4 times, reloading the firmware 2 times, trying my very best to figure it out without spending the extra dough I began realizing this unit was just either too smart for me or too dumb. (hold judgement on me please!)

So back it went to Guitar Center.

Next up, almost feeling like giving up, I thought, maybe I should try a less expensive type of MFX unit. Something that will fit on my current pedalboard. Something that would allow me to have many more effects at hand for fun and experimentation but also allow me to program some "songs" into.

I opted for the Line 6 M9 Stompbox Modeler. It took two tries and a about 10 days to sort it out. The first unit I got was an old stock item at my local Guitar Center. It had the serial number that had volume problems. I returned it and they ordered a new one. The new one works great, updated via MIDI right away and I was able to connect an expression pedal for Wah and Volume effects. The thing requires practically NO learning curve. It works like having individual pedals. The expression pedal is soooo easy to set up. You simply kick your heel down, set that level, then kick it up to toe position, set that level... and then bob's your uncle, fanny's your aunt! :) Super simple!

So here is my "final" board. Or at least the one I'm at now. With the savings from the G-System, I got the M9, ProCo RAT2, Line 6 G30 wireless system and the expression pedal. It all fits on my pedal board even WITH the big big big muff!! :) PLUS the M9 has a looper! A good one too! I'm probably having the most fun with that of all!

So in conclusion, this is what I learned: THERE IS NO ONE SETUP THAT IS PERFECT. You have to try many different things to find "Your" sound. I'm still searching but feel that I've gotten closer. I really appreciate Guitar Center allowing me to return so many items. All the other analog pedals I bought were used and now I have to get them back on ebay or craigslist to sell before christmas. I hate that I had to return the G-System, it's a sexy beast but one that I just could not tame. Maybe they will make some improvements someday, maybe I'll get more gear to compensate for it's "failings", maybe I'll find one dirt cheap someday and hang it on the wall as art....who knows about that...

What I do know is I'm sure these are not the last pedals I ever buy. Ask anyone, pedals are addictive!