minimalistic pedalbaord journey

samzadgan

so...a few months ago I got a marshall super bass amp...and i decided that as a result i would reduce the number of pedals on my board to get closer to my amp and for that to be a bigger part of my sound. 

Today, i took the final step on that journey, and hardest one, by taking off the compressor. This was the hardest, because i've had the compressor on my board for about 3yrs and also its always been on...but today i let go and i feel better for it!

the best part is that now i can hear the amp in my base tone and even with the gain engaged, its still maintains the amp and guitar tone, which is wonderful. The other by-product is that with less pedals on the board, i don't find myself switching on and off pedals to play around with different sounds,I just play guitar, and it just feels actually quite refreshing to not have a bunch of stuff to click on.

so...pictorially, this is whats happened...

now i'm considering getting a smaller pedalboard...so i never go back to those first boards!

smudge_lad

i'm also trying this...........it never works for me, lol.

Well done!

Drew_TNBD

You? A minimalist? Piss and poo to you good sir!

meltedbuzzbox

I have dropped from 14 to 7 recently and I am glad of the change. 

I had to buy a bigger board though (I was using 2 kinsmanns), just for space between the pedals so I dont clobber something undesired when I engage my delay etc. 

samzadgan

to be honest...i could even lose the Ghost Echo and be down to 6 pedals and i will be fine.

but i need to get a smaller board...today I found myself looking at that empty spot on the board, thinking...i could do with a overdrive pedal...<insert face palm gif>

allicio

Ever time I try to go small, I always end up going large again a few months later. I can't help myself!

fretmeister

What's the big 2 button black pedal in the 1 st pic?

samzadgan

fretmeister said:

What's the big 2 button black pedal in the 1 st pic?

Black Arts Sarcophagus...its a Pharaoh and LSTR fuzz in one box.

mike257

I went from a monster board down to two drive pedals, two delays, reverb and my amp's boost switch. Definitely sound better for it and am tempted to scale back further!

paulnb57

I now only have a Polytune mini, a HOF Mini and an EHX Signal pad, works for me, I've gone right off pedals, always fucking and faffing with them, not any more, now I just play.....still badly....

digitalscream

mike257 said:

I went from a monster board down to two drive pedals, two delays, reverb and my amp's boost switch. Definitely sound better for it and am tempted to scale back further!

Not far off mine, really:

I deliberately try to keep it simple. I don't  even particularly need the boost or the Flashback, to be honest; they're just there for an extra bit of flexibility should I feel the need during a song. The point of my board is to add to what the amp does rather than replace it. That's why there's no distortion or overdrive on there.

samzadgan

digitalscream said:The point of my board is to add to what the amp does rather than replace it. That's why there's no distortion or overdrive on there.

@digitalscream mate, you nailed it with that comment...thats my intention...to Add to what my guitar and amp is doing.

 

since last night, i'm also thinking of getting rid of my pedaltrain 2 and all the surplus pedals and get a smaller pedalboard...i feel like if i do that, then i also restrict myself and remove temptation of going big again...without significant cost.

I might hit the smaller smorg boards with a riser...just not sure if my wah and volume would fit with a riser on it...

mike257

That's pretty much how I approached it - I stashed my big board in the garage (have since traded it on) and built a DIY board to fit a small case I had lying around. It's pretty similar in size and layout to digitalscream's board with the riser on the back row. Forced me to limit myself. I could probably fit a few more on there but I'm resisting so far!