How do you choose?

smudge_lad

How do you guys decide which pedals make the cut and get used on your boards? I have quite a lot of really great sounding drive pedals, all excelling at more than one purpose, and I find it almost impossible to decide which one's I'll put on my board and which one's are left out. I'd love to have them all on there, but at the same time I don't want a board that's too cluttered. Bound to be a few of you out there in the same boat? How do you make up your mind?

joeyowen

Buy a bigger board

If I'm in a band, it's what the set list needs, if not, what I enjoy the most

My board changes all the time

monquixote

I tend to operate a "Winner stays on" policy. 

Anything off board gets sold. The only time I've had problems is when I've bought a load of really good similar pedals to A/B them often the answer is that they all sound good, but different.

meltedbuzzbox

I generally have my main stays then one or 2 that get sold to be replaced by something new once in a while

GavRichList

^ this.

Fazer

squad rotation

hugbot

Whichever one sounds best with the band. It's impossible to objectively judge a pedal in a vacuum IMO. Lots of stuff I've had had sounded great at home but not mattered live.

monquixote

hugbot said:

Whichever one sounds best with the band. It's impossible to objectively judge a pedal in a vacuum IMO. Lots of stuff I've had had sounded great at home but not mattered live.

This is very true. 

I've had loads of pedals that sounded amazing at home and then just completely sucked balls in a band mix. It's why the relatively humble Badass OD has been kicked then come back about half a dozen times. 

DrJazzTap

I think you know when you know.

I'd never sell my wah as my dad bought me that 20 years ago when i first started playing.  I went through a bit of a process with OD/Drive pedals (still flutter with them today) but once I picked up my wampler pedal I knew that was a keeper.

I sold a Flashback recently, it's a great pedal but I just didnt use 99% of the functions and I wanted something else. I have regretted selling a few though, namely a Boss PH1-r. I loved that thing, but I really needed the money

57Deluxe

Our ears play daily tricks on us... better to buy spare ears and keep the pedals you already got

DesVegas

Yep, its a toughy. If ive written a song using that pedal then it'll stay on as long as we still play that song.

the others i see what sound best in a chain and if one doesnt add spice to the overall sound it will go.

drjazztap is right. . . you should know in your heart if a pedal is not working out.

but there have been plenty of times ive regretted selling so i now have a drawer of pedals which i try out when a new pedal arrives.

mike_l

monquixote said:

I tend to operate a "Winner stays on" policy. 

Anything off board gets sold, usually to Mike.

:P Ain't that the truth......

Teetonetal

I have my set pedals that are required certain songs in the set list, mostly these are the modulation ones. Because I am happy with them they don't really get changed.

OD's is much harder, and I do change fairly regularly. I've been through a lot but my current soul food has been on the longest by far... nearly a year now,  mainly because it just works. Will probably change it only when I get bored with it. 

Recently I have struggled to find things that improve my sound, so lots of pedals have been in - out. I also always carry a spare od, and a spare delay in my gig bag, as these two alone are essential to me.

My unloved list is currently

JHS colorbox

TC Corona Chorus

Moore Green Mile

Red Panda Context Reverb (although this needs more time)

I normally keep them 6 months to really give them time, then shift them on. Will be selling this lot soon no doubt.

smudge_lad

Well I've spent a good couple of hours comparing the pedals side by side, and I genuinely don't have a favourite pedal. One doesn't outshine the other greatly enough for it to be a clear winner. They all sound great for what I use them for in the band.

Eeny-meeny-miney-mo then??

p90fool

I just changed my main OD pedal this morning!

I tend to rotate them if I get bored, but I always keep one core sound OD on the board with three-band EQ.
The thing I need most control over with different venues and varying volumes is midrange - if I can't tweak it it can be frustrating and hard to work around.

DesVegas

Buy a fuzz, that will give you a favourite pedal

If they all sound great then you are on to a winner .. which is the prettiest colour?

smudge_lad

DesVegas said:

Buy a fuzz, that will give you a favourite pedal

If they all sound great then you are on to a winner .. which is the prettiest colour?

Already did.....Paul Trombetta Mini Bone from this very parish  

Colours.....that doesnt even help, ha ha - I've got purple, blue, bright orange, red, yellow, green/purple......They all look great!

Heartfeltdawn

smudge_lad said:

How do you guys decide which pedals make the cut and get used on your boards? I have quite a lot of really great sounding drive pedals, all excelling at more than one purpose, and I find it almost impossible to decide which one's I'll put on my board and which one's are left out. I'd love to have them all on there, but at the same time I don't want a board that's too cluttered. Bound to be a few of you out there in the same boat? How do you make up your mind?

When I can't choose what to keep, I put all my pedals in a big house together for six weeks and let the general public decide. 

I've now got Katie Price on my pedalboard. She sucks tone dreadfully. 

Fazer

Heartfeltdawn said:

When I can't choose what to keep, I put all my pedals in a big house together for six weeks and let the general public decide. 

I've now got Katie Price on my pedalboard. She sucks tone dreadfully. 

silicon transistors

d8m

I don't like hoarding stuff that's not on my board.

If its good enough that I use it then it stays.

If I don't like it they normally get flipped.

Then rebought

Then flipped again.

Teetonetal

smudge_lad;513321" said:

Well I've spent a good couple of hours comparing the pedals side by side, and I genuinely don't have a favourite pedal. One doesn't outshine the other greatly enough for it to be a clear winner. They all sound great for what I use them for in the band.Eeny-meeny-miney-mo then??

Then sell on the one that loses the least investment!