Building a small pedal collection

Vinylfan

Hi
Finally decided that it would be good to get a few pedals as opposed to just using the ones that are built into the amps.  To be honest, it came about as recently started using the Vox VT40+ after only using the THR10 and/or the Vox Night Train head and the VT40+ has a bunch of effects.

I've always liked some reverb, delay and chorus and sometimes the compression effect - at least those are the ones that I've used most on the VT40+.

A while back I bought some pedals randomly on Ebay (boredom more than strategic choice I reckon) and ended up with a Carl Martin Classic Vintage Chorus and Vibrato pedal and an Akai Analog Custom Shop overdrive pedal.  Haven't really used either other than to check they work ok.

So that brings us up-to-date and I'm thinking that pedals to do reverb and delay (probably separate) would be good.  Initial thoughts have run to something EHX Oceans 11 / TC Electronic Hall of Fame on the reverb side.  Haven't really got any candidates for the delay side as yet. Think I'd rather not have a mini version of things though, would prefer something more standard sized.

So really looking for some guidance as to whether reverb and delay would be good additions to what I have already or if I should look at something else.  

Following that, some thoughts/opinions on the actual pedals to consider.  Don't want to spend too much as its a first foray into the pedal world and I'm still very much at the beginner stage of playing.  Play with a strat in case that helps and have a mini looper pedal too.

Cheers

Fuengi

I would go for a digital dealy with lots of options, TC Electronic Flashback or Alter Ego or Digitech Obscura can be had well under £100 used.

A used Line 6 Echo Park would be ideal as it has digital, tape and analogue and it's a brilliant pedal. Also if you look after it it would hold its value. 

steer

 If you are not totally sure what effects you want, then you could buy a Zoom Multistomp pedal for about sixty quid, download all the free effects, try out about 100 effects (about 30 of tem will be reverbs or delays), and then buy the real versions of the ones you like most,

HAL9000

I’ve found that actual pedals are generally far better than the effects that are built into amps - even amps like the Katana where Boss make extravagant claims about how realistic they are.

I suspect because amp effects (unless you get into deep editing) simply don’t have the ‘tweak-ability’ of a stompbox.

 For what it’s worth, my small collection of pedals consists of a Korg Pitchblack tuner, MXR Phase 90, Boss Blues Driver, and an MXR Carbon Copy delay.

Since you specifically asked about delay, the Carbon Copy is an analogue delay which means it has nothing like the controllability of a digital delay. What it does have though is a warmer, more organic sound than a typical digital unit - not what you want for The Edge type stuff, but great for filing out the sound and adding a bit of interest.

Fuengi

HAL9000 said:

I’ve found that actual pedals are generally far better than the effects that are built into amps - even amps like the Katana where Boss make extravagant claims about how realistic they are.

I suspect because amp effects (unless you get into deep editing) simply don’t have the ‘tweak-ability’ of a stompbox.

 For what it’s worth, my small collection of pedals consists of a Korg Pitchblack tuner, MXR Phase 90, Boss Blues Driver, and an MXR Carbon Copy delay.

Since you specifically asked about delay, the Carbon Copy is an analogue delay which means it has nothing like the controllability of a digital delay. What it does have though is a warmer, more organic sound than a typical digital unit - not what you want for The Edge type stuff, but great for filing out the sound and adding a bit of interest.

I've never tried a Carbon Copy but they sound great on demos. 

I'd agree with your point about pedals v on board amp effects, a decent pedal sounds way better.

A few years ago I had a Fender Mustang 2 amp, it was horrible and the effects were rubbish. 

Since moving to a decent valve amp with quality pedals - Thorpy / Magnetic Effects / Boss / Strymon - the sound is vastly superior. Also my playing has improved.

But, it does cost. 

My advice would be to go slowly, buy pedals you can resell without losing much on and don't be in too much of a rush to move them on. Try all the settings and see how that affects your playing. 

The best thing about pedals is the good ones will help you to develop as a player. 

Oh, and definitely buy a looper! 

Vinylfan

Fuengi said:

I would go for a digital dealy with lots of options, TC Electronic Flashback or Alter Ego or Digitech Obscura can be had well under £100 used.

A used Line 6 Echo Park would be ideal as it has digital, tape and analogue and it's a brilliant pedal. Also if you look after it it would hold its value. 

Thanks for the pointers to something on the delay side.  Hadn't come across all of those.  Think £100 on one would at the limit right now.

Vinylfan

steer said:

 If you are not totally sure what effects you want, then you could buy a Zoom Multistomp pedal for about sixty quid, download all the free effects, try out about 100 effects (about 30 of tem will be reverbs or delays), and then buy the real versions of the ones you like most,

I've got a bunch of effects on the Vox and while I like the idea of a multistomp, I'm trying to get away from things that you have to fiddle about with or use a pc/mac to control.  I've never downloaded any settings on the THR10 for example, apart from a couple right at the beginning.  Its a good idea though and a friend did suggest one of those too.

HAL9000 said:

I’ve found that actual pedals are generally far better than the effects that are built into amps - even amps like the Katana where Boss make extravagant claims about how realistic they are.

I suspect because amp effects (unless you get into deep editing) simply don’t have the ‘tweak-ability’ of a stompbox.

 For what it’s worth, my small collection of pedals consists of a Korg Pitchblack tuner, MXR Phase 90, Boss Blues Driver, and an MXR Carbon Copy delay.

Since you specifically asked about delay, the Carbon Copy is an analogue delay which means it has nothing like the controllability of a digital delay. What it does have though is a warmer, more organic sound than a typical digital unit - not what you want for The Edge type stuff, but great for filing out the sound and adding a bit of interest.

Fuengi said:

HAL9000 said:

I’ve found that actual pedals are generally far better than the effects that are built into amps - even amps like the Katana where Boss make extravagant claims about how realistic they are.

I suspect because amp effects (unless you get into deep editing) simply don’t have the ‘tweak-ability’ of a stompbox.

 For what it’s worth, my small collection of pedals consists of a Korg Pitchblack tuner, MXR Phase 90, Boss Blues Driver, and an MXR Carbon Copy delay.

Since you specifically asked about delay, the Carbon Copy is an analogue delay which means it has nothing like the controllability of a digital delay. What it does have though is a warmer, more organic sound than a typical digital unit - not what you want for The Edge type stuff, but great for filing out the sound and adding a bit of interest.

I've never tried a Carbon Copy but they sound great on demos. 

I'd agree with your point about pedals v on board amp effects, a decent pedal sounds way better.

A few years ago I had a Fender Mustang 2 amp, it was horrible and the effects were rubbish. 

Since moving to a decent valve amp with quality pedals - Thorpy / Magnetic Effects / Boss / Strymon - the sound is vastly superior. Also my playing has improved.

But, it does cost. 

My advice would be to go slowly, buy pedals you can resell without losing much on and don't be in too much of a rush to move them on. Try all the settings and see how that affects your playing. 

The best thing about pedals is the good ones will help you to develop as a player. 

Oh, and definitely buy a looper! 

Thanks chaps.  I think I definitely bought the Carl Martin Chorus and Akai overdrive on a whim so thought I'd get some advice this time round.  Think the main use / set-up would be to have them plugged into the Vox Night Train head or maybe the Yamaha every now and then.  The less I have to move things around the better as it just gets in the way.

At the moment, I like the idea of both the reverb and delay pedals to have lots of options - but ones I can try by simply twisting a control knob.  I have considered just getting ones that simply do the effect in an analogue way (like the Carbon Copy) but not sure on the best route for me yet.

This is great though, thanks.

Vinylfan

Oh just seen that Bax have a sale on and there are some pedals included - will have a look to see what's in there.  If anyone spots a particularly good deal, could you let me know?

Of the ones I initially thought of, what do people think of them?
EHX Oceans 11
TC Hall of Fame

Thanks

fastonebaz

I didn't like the carbon copy I had but really like the flashback I have now.   Also check out the HOF mini as you can use their toneprint patches to trial numerous sounds to easily get a feel for what you like.  Cheap too

viz

There’s a thread about the ‘definitive’ pedals for each effect somewhere on here that might be useful.

Edit:

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/43745/the-definitive-pedal-collection/p1

Vinylfan

fastonebaz said:

I didn't like the carbon copy I had but really like the flashback I have now.   Also check out the HOF mini as you can use their toneprint patches to trial numerous sounds to easily get a feel for what you like.  Cheap too

viz said:

There’s a thread about the ‘definitive’ pedals for each effect somewhere on here that might be useful.

Edit:

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/43745/the-definitive-pedal-collection/p1

Thanks.  Will take a look at the HOF mini and the thread.

Vinylfan

Quite interested in the Line 6 Echo Park off the back of this thread. Anyone here use one? Anything to look out for when buying used?

Fuengi

Vinylfan said:

Quite interested in the Line 6 Echo Park off the back of this thread. Anyone here use one? Anything to look out for when buying used?

I did have one, ideal first delay because it does everything from clean digital delays to soupy ambient delays.

The one thing I would say is make sure you give it a good power supply because when I tried to daisy chain it was noisy. With a good supply it was silent.

If you can get one for around £85 you won't lose any money if you do sell it later. 

Designed by Jeorge Tripps, top quality pedal.