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Vintage threads from the first ten years

Pedals vs. Processor

7/30/1999 7:29 PM
Scott	Pedals vs. Processor What are the advantages/disadvantages of using pedals versus an effects processor. What do you recommend and why. What manufacturers do you recommend? Thanks.

7/30/1999 9:15 PM
AMZ	My experience with multi-fx is that a unit may have one really good effect, and 4 or 5 others that are mediocre. With separate pedals you can mix and match until you get a combo that is magic for your playing style and sound. regards, Jack

7/31/1999 4:41 AM
Steve A.	Jack: Although what you say is often true, the downside to seperate pedals is the loss of signal and added noise from the extra cabling. About 15 years ago I made up my own table-top multi-fx box by taking the boards and pots out of my favorite stomp boxes (including an original release Tube Screamer) and mounting them all in a nice looking sloped case. At that time I was mainly playing through my board so I used large paddle toggle switches instead of foot switches (and also included a switch or two to reroute the internal cables). Steve Ahola P.S. I've been happy with the various multi-fx processors from Boss and think that they recreate the sound of their original stomp boxes fairly well. (Maybe one of these days Boss will figure out how to make a decent pitch shift effect... < g > ) BTW the new multi-fx processor from Lexicon ($1k5) is supposed to include simulations of well-respected vintage stomp boxes from a wide variety of manufacturers.

7/31/1999 4:41 AM

Steve A.

Jack:

Although what you say is often true, the downside to seperate pedals is the loss of signal and added noise from the extra cabling. About 15 years ago I made up my own table-top multi-fx box by taking the boards and pots out of my favorite stomp boxes (including an original release Tube Screamer) and mounting them all in a nice looking sloped case. At that time I was mainly playing through my board so I used large paddle toggle switches instead of foot switches (and also included a switch or two to reroute the internal cables).

Steve Ahola

P.S. I've been happy with the various multi-fx processors from Boss and think that they recreate the sound of their original stomp boxes fairly well. (Maybe one of these days Boss will figure out how to make a decent pitch shift effect... < g > ) BTW the new multi-fx processor from Lexicon ($1k5) is supposed to include simulations of well-respected vintage stomp boxes from a wide variety of manufacturers.

7/31/1999 6:53 AM
AMZ	>>the downside to seperate pedals is the loss of signal and added noise from the extra cabling. I have not found this to be a problem, in fact, with good jumpers and true bypass, the reverse is true. Separate boxes often have a better noise level than multi-fx. And while the Boss multi may reproduce the sound of their individual stomp boxes fairly closely, what if your facorite distortion sound is from a Fuzzface or Ibanez? Also, if a stompbox goes on the fritz, you can just pull it from the chain and replace it with an identical one instead of the whole thing having to be sent to a repair station 1000 miles away. For my $ .02 worth, I have tried both and went back to individual stompboxes. best regards, Jack

7/31/1999 6:53 AM

AMZ

>>the downside to

seperate pedals is the loss of signal and added noise from

the extra cabling.

I have not found this to be a problem, in fact, with good jumpers and true bypass, the reverse is true. Separate boxes often have a better noise level than multi-fx.

And while the Boss multi may reproduce the sound of their individual stomp boxes fairly closely, what if your facorite distortion sound is from a Fuzzface or Ibanez?

Also, if a stompbox goes on the fritz, you can just pull it from the chain and replace it with an identical one instead of the whole thing having to be sent to a repair station 1000 miles away.

For my $ .02 worth, I have tried both and went back to individual stompboxes.

best regards, Jack

7/31/1999 8:36 PM
Steve A.	Jack: And while the Boss multi may reproduce the sound of their individual stomp boxes fairly closely, what if your favorite distortion sound is from a Fuzzface or Ibanez? Then you spend $1500 on the Lexicon unit... < g > I wasn't disagreeing with you, but just pointing out one disadvantage to linking several stock pedals together. (I had about 15 stomp boxes linked together in this huge 3' x 2' x 2' pedalboard I built 20 years ago and with everything switched on the buzz was so loud you could shave with it...) I really don't use any fx that much any more but when I do a single stomp box will degrade the signal going to my guitar amp a lot less than a multi-fx processor (which can be very useful when plugging direct into a board if you don't want to hassle with miking your amp. If a guitar part has a lot of heavy fx, the authentic tones of a tube amp is only a small part of the total sound...) Thanks! Steve Ahola

7/31/1999 8:36 PM

Steve A.

Jack:

And while the Boss multi may reproduce the sound of their individual stomp boxes fairly closely, what if your favorite distortion sound is from a Fuzzface or Ibanez?

    Then you spend $1500 on the Lexicon unit... < g >

    I wasn't disagreeing with you, but just pointing out one disadvantage to linking several stock pedals together. (I had about 15 stomp boxes linked together in this huge 3' x 2' x 2' pedalboard I built 20 years ago and with everything switched on the buzz was so loud you could shave with it...)

    I really don't use any fx that much any more but when I do a single stomp box will degrade the signal going to my guitar amp a lot less than a multi-fx processor (which can be very useful when plugging direct into a board if you don't want to hassle with miking your amp. If a guitar part has a lot of heavy fx, the authentic tones of a tube amp is only a small part of the total sound...)

Thanks!

Steve Ahola

8/5/1999 7:57 PM
MJ Harnish	I've tried both routes and think that alot depends on the tone you want and what kind of amp(s) you're using. If you're using an amp w/o a FX loop, processors generally don't work, the exception being floor processors. The quality of your FX loop also plays a role since some amps fx loops don't work very well. Pedals offer more of a low-tech feel which I like; they tend to sound warmer and part of this is due to the fact that you have high frequency roll-off; it also doesn't hurt that most are purely analog. The Rocktron Replifex, which most people really like, sort of illustrates this point since it purposely rolls off the high end. Also, while digital effects can sound great, I find for guitar they tend to be a little too hifi-ish for my tastes. Things just sound too processed, especially for chorus and flange. Again this is IMO and YMMV. EVH went from a pretty straight analog signal to a BIG rack of digital stuff. I still like his tone but it's radically different than on VH1... For me rack gear does have a distinct advantage for gigs since it can be packed and unpacked easily and is protected. My solution since going back to pedals was a DMC GCX which lets me switch my pedals via midi and keep everything permanently in place in the rack. I also get to mix & match so I can use my Boss CE-2 with a Marshall Guv'nor and anything else in between. It also eliminates the issue of bypass so I can use even the most heinous tone-suckers (wahs are notorious for this). This isn't the cheapest approach but it saves me a lot of time and hassles so it was worth it in the end... BTW - I've known a couple of people who were thrilled by the Lexicon G2 initially but ended up returning them b/c they just didn't sound right after they had played with them for a while; they ended up buying the TC Electronics processor instead. Again, YMMV As far as floor processors go, I've heard good ones and bad ones. The other guitarist in my band has a Digitech RP-6 which can sound heinous if he goes crazy on the effects, but otherwise sounds really great and gives him a million different sounds. For my style I just really want a few good tones though; everything else is mainly for a splash of color here and there. MJ

8/5/1999 7:57 PM

MJ Harnish

I've tried both routes and think that alot depends on the tone you want and what kind of amp(s) you're using. If you're using an amp w/o a FX loop, processors generally don't work, the exception being floor processors. The quality of your FX loop also plays a role since some amps fx loops don't work very well. Pedals offer more of a low-tech feel which I like; they tend to sound warmer and part of this is due to the fact that you have high frequency roll-off; it also doesn't hurt that most are purely analog. The Rocktron Replifex, which most people really like, sort of illustrates this point since it purposely rolls off the high end. Also, while digital effects can sound great, I find for guitar they tend to be a little too hifi-ish for my tastes. Things just sound too processed, especially for chorus and flange. Again this is IMO and YMMV. EVH went from a pretty straight analog signal to a BIG rack of digital stuff. I still like his tone but it's radically different than on VH1...

For me rack gear does have a distinct advantage for gigs since it can be packed and unpacked easily and is protected. My solution since going back to pedals was a DMC GCX which lets me switch my pedals via midi and keep everything permanently in place in the rack. I also get to mix & match so I can use my Boss CE-2 with a Marshall Guv'nor and anything else in between. It also eliminates the issue of bypass so I can use even the most heinous tone-suckers (wahs are notorious for this). This isn't the cheapest approach but it saves me a lot of time and hassles so it was worth it in the end...

BTW - I've known a couple of people who were thrilled by the Lexicon G2 initially but ended up returning them b/c they just didn't sound right after they had played with them for a while; they ended up buying the TC Electronics processor instead. Again, YMMV

As far as floor processors go, I've heard good ones and bad ones. The other guitarist in my band has a Digitech RP-6 which can sound heinous if he goes crazy on the effects, but otherwise sounds really great and gives him a million different sounds. For my style I just really want a few good tones though; everything else is mainly for a splash of color here and there.

MJ

7/31/1999 4:21 AM
Mark Hammer	Of course it varies from unit to unit, but I find that many processors don't have enough parameters to tweak for my tastes. That can also be true or pedals as well, but at least there you can get in and tweak with part substitutions and mods what you can't do with controls. When it comes to processors, you either like what's on your plate or not. I have a little Korg Pandora, and while the distortion voices are interesting, I find very little dynamic variation in distorted or overdriven sounds, compaed to analog pedals. Naturally, this complaint may be irrelevant when dealing with a digitally controlled analog/tube distortion element.

7/31/1999 4:21 AM

Mark Hammer

Of course it varies from unit to unit, but I find that many processors don't have enough parameters to tweak for my tastes. That can also be true or pedals as well, but at least there you can get in and tweak with part substitutions and mods what you can't do with controls. When it comes to processors, you either like what's on your plate or not.

I have a little Korg Pandora, and while the distortion voices are interesting, I find very little dynamic variation in distorted or overdriven sounds, compaed to analog pedals. Naturally, this complaint may be irrelevant when dealing with a digitally controlled analog/tube distortion element.

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