Members 6stringmenace Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 I used to be all about the amp, but within the last month or so I've started to focus on my pedalboard more and rely on a "workhorse" amp with good cleans. Currently a Carvin MTS 3200 head. Just curious to see how you guys go about crafting your tone. So, do you focus on your amp or pedals? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dolf Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 The correct answer is yes. With my current amp, I require very little in pedals to get the effect that I need. With other amp setups, I require multiple pedals. It boils down to preference, really. Honestly, I'd be just as happy with a nice Bassman and a couple drives as I am with my current head, but this one fits the bill perfectly. A workhorse amp with pedals is fine, but IMO, it still has to be a great-sounding head in its own right. I'd take just about any early 70s back Fender over anything Carvin has ever made Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ovid9 Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 I'm with dolf on the "yes" part. I'm pretty much an all around gear whore. I'm slowly acquiring a stable of amps I don't need and pedals I don't really have a purpose for just cause I like tonal variety. (And stuff...I like stuff too....) Today I was blasting a metal muff with doublebarrel's "marshal" settings through the clean channel of my amp and it was sounding pretty damn good. Other days its amp drive all the way. HOWEVER, if it came down to it and I was forced to have 1 amp (besides my Bravo, it goes nowhere) I'd keep my ACC150 and just use pedals. I like too many styles to rely on just one traditional amp that doesn't have a million channels and knobs. (I know, pedals essentially give you a million channels and more knobs...but...its...complicated and no one said I was required to make sense.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ShaneV2 Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 Amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mavesicles Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 I FOCUS MORE ON MY AMP BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A PEDAL BOARD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ovid9 Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 I FOCUS MORE ON MY AMP BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A PEDAL BOARD. Why do you and the OP have to yell at each other Mave? Fighting makes the children sad. I don't have a pedal board either. Pedals strewn across the floor FTW! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundgardener75 Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 Amp. The G System's there within the rig when I need it, I can bypass it if needed to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sleewell Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 I has no pedals, only maps. Pitchblack & mak4 channel switcher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kardula Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 always been an amp man myself, but after playing that two rock I'm giving serious thought to kickass clean amp plus pedal board. I don't think I could ever completely go with pedals for all my distortion tones, there's just something about and amp cranked distortion that I love. Also, pedals don't give me the same dirt tones amps do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Orbis_Mortis Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 Amp Especially since I got rid of all of my pedals, lol. Waiting for my Eleven Rack to come in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dolf Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 I do find myself missing the flexibility and options of having a multiple-dirt setup with a great pedal amp. Now, live, I really only need what I've got: great rock amp with a decent clean option (that I basically never use). The only downside is that my great rock amp isn't a great pedal amp. Only solution: get more amps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les-Zombie Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 Amp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Neilrocks25 Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 Both. For years I gigged with the amp using the main gain and a boost for lead or rhythmic parts I needed to "stick out" Now I use a 1 channel amp, I use that for my core sound, ie an amp just going into a light crunch. then I use pedals to push it further into a heavy crunch or a lead gain. I also love messing around with effects now and again, I want more but I am saving my monies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members charveldan Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 With a Friedman Marshall JMP i got the amp part covered. Pedals will come & go, i say amp is more important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members buddhapaugh Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 Both! Why make a choice that doesn't necessarily have to be made? Like Dolf mentioned, I love a Bassman with a nice pedalboard. I also love the tone of an Orange with nothing in between it and the guitar. I find both approaches appealing. Especially if you get into trippy distortions and fuzzes---which most amps are incapable of reproducing on their own. For instance last night I was using Death By Audio Fuzz War pedal into a clean amp and then I switched it off and just used the Oranges Dirty Channel and I could not believe how good it sounded. I guess I like contrast and too much of one thing bores me. Sort of why I don't like a lot of modern music---not eclectic or diverse enough. Seems like every band is locked into a specific and narrow genre nowadays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dolf Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 Both! Why make a choice that doesn't necessarily have to be made? Like Dolf mentioned, I love a Bassman with a nice pedalboard. I also love the tone of an Orange with nothing in between it and the guitar. I find both approaches appealing. Especially if you get into trippy distortions and fuzzes---which most amps are incapable of reproducing on their own. For instance last night I was using Death By Audio Fuzz War pedal into a clean amp and then I switched it off and just used the Oranges Dirty Channel and I could not believe how good it sounded. I guess I like contrast and too much of one thing bores me. Sort of why I don't like a lot of modern music---not eclectic or diverse enough. Seems like every band is locked into a specific and narrow genre nowadays. We should probably hang out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stompboxfreak72 Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 Pedalboard whoring is such an addiction because you can get your hands on so many things for cheap compared to amps. I pedalwhored so much for about 10 years that it was disturbing. Wasted countless hours and thousands of dollars on Analogman pedals and mods, Keeley, boutique blah blah blah and in the end I still sounded like me even though some pedals were superior to others. Get a good amp and good guitar and avoid the pedalwhoring and just play. I hate to say it but the exact same thing is true of amps. I think we sometimes turn into collectors and merchants instead of musicians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6stringmenace Posted March 26, 2012 Author Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 yeah, I have some good amps, some vintage stuff too, but after a gig I thought someone stole my 70's Goldtop Giblson LP. I was frantic looking for it. Ran outside to see if I could find the douche and there it was in the dark right next to the back door exit. Someone was getting ready to snag it. I put that baby up, bought an Epi and decided to leave my 65 blackface Fender bassman home too. This was years ago, but since then I've been using good amps/pedals that are easy to replace. for my ROCK sound I use an ovedrive throught the Carvin's clean and boost it with a Dirty Secret, for my RAWK sound I use the MTS's dirty channel and boost it with the Dirty Secret. for a weekend warrior cover band that is slowly working in originals, this works. And if things get pinched, I can somewhat easily replace them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6stringmenace Posted March 26, 2012 Author Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 Pedalboard whoring is such an addiction because you can get your hands on so many things for cheap compared to amps. I pedalwhored so much for about 10 years that it was disturbing. Wasted countless hours and thousands of dollars on Analogman pedals and mods, Keeley, boutique blah blah blah and in the end I still sounded like me even though some pedals were superior to others. Get a good amp and good guitar and avoid the pedalwhoring and just play. I hate to say it but the exact same thing is true of amps. I think we sometimes turn into collectors and merchants instead of musicians. the Epi LP running straight into the MTS3200's dirty channel with the drive at about 1 o'clock is to play, plus I can tame it down simply by . . . . wait for it . . . rolling back the guitar's volume Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarbilly74 Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 Definitely more on my amp, my pedalboard is pretty simple, just wah/boost/chorus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TU BE Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 If your amp doesn't sound good without pedals then pedals aren't gonna help it. Putting lipstick on a pig does not make it a pretty animal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ShaneV2 Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 If your amp doesn't sound good without pedals then pedals aren't gonna help it. Putting lipstick on a pig does not make it a pretty animal. /hardtail joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Valtyr Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 Amp I only deal with pedals on an "as needed" basis. The only regular pedals in my chain are volume and a TC Nova Delay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6stringmenace Posted March 26, 2012 Author Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 amp sounds good, just need variety Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members King Loudness Posted March 26, 2012 Members Share Posted March 26, 2012 At present it's pedals, but that's only because my Bogner and H&K are killer sounding amps, to the point that I don't really need to think about buying more. W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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