Critique my pedalboard build

[Exdeath]

I've kind of finalized my pedalboard as it's going to stand right now. I'm keeping it simple and to a Pedaltrain Jr. board for expense and portability reasons - also, it curbs pedal buying enthusiasm.

 

I mostly like to play loud, power chord heavier alt rock branching into sort-of-post-rockish/ambient, and maybe a bit of hair metal on the side - for the most of the time, think TREoS, Oceansize, Thrice, that sorta thing. Also, I'm the sort of person who really doesn't like fiddling around with too many knobs and things or unfriendly user interfaces. How do you think this setup will work, and am I missing anything crucial?

 

Diamond Compressor >

Subdecay Liquid Sunshine >

EHX Nano Small Stone >

TC Nova Delay >

BOSS RV-5 >

BOSS RC-2

 

I'll probably have some space for a couple other pedals, so I'm not sure.

 

Fuzz: I know, it's neat, but I honestly don't use it enough.

Chorus: I usually hate the way it sounds, but maybe it might sound good with delay/reverb or darker Nirvana-style? I dunno.

Second delay: I could keep my Disaster Transport and use that as a short delay into the Nova Delay, but the Nova is already loaded with a ton of settings and stuff so it might be kinda extraneous.

Second OD/dist: I'm really satisfied with my amp gain and the med-gain nasty crunch I can get on the clean channel with the LS, so.

EQ: I've been considering this, so I can have two different clean/distorted tones readily at hand for looper fun and stuffs, but it'd need to be a small one. Maybe the Varioboost?

 

Any ideas, guys?

[Don't Post]

[Exdeath]

+



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[letsgocoyote]

for playing in a band, not a big deal, but for jamming with a loop station by yourself, and octave down pedal is fun

[Flying_Milkman]

Need more dirt. Maybe a good Fuzz?

[Belt]

+1 to the needing more dirt.

[L_Z_nut]

for playing in a band, not a big deal, but for jamming with a loop station by yourself, and octave down pedal is fun

 

 

Quoted for the gods honest truth!!!

[Exdeath]

 

+1 to the needing more dirt.

 

 

I dunno. My amp covers high gain very well (for reference purposes, I play a single-hum floyd through a Mesa DC-5), and I've gone through a fair bunch of OD pedals. I've tried:

 

Digitech Hot Head (uck)

Radial Hot British (noisy - at least mine was)

Toadworks Death Rattle (neat, but huge)

Catalinbread Hyper Pak (very swank, might regrab one, just dunno if it's the right tone I need)

Indyguitarist Plexi Drive (I liked the plexi setting on the Death Rattle, but after messing with this for a while, I've found that it really isn't my bag. The Hyper Pak narrowly won out over this, though)

 

I kind of want a jangly british-sounding OD for indie-ish (Snow Patrol, Mew, etc.) tones. Maybe the Hyperpak, RAT, or something in a small box?

 

Also, anyone know any nice fuzzes that aren't too overly fuzzy or mushy? I had a LBM, but that was just way too much gain for what I'm looking for.

[SUPER VELCROBOY]

okay here's my honest opinion. You rig is nice, but you know what..? Everyone has the same rig. Overdrive --> reverb --> delay --> phase/tremolo. Your pedalboard by itself has only 1 sound the liquid sunshine. I would start there and add more dirt, even if you think your amp is enough.

 

If it was me, i would say dump the compressor and the reverb

 

i would go

wah

liquid sunshine

a distortion (ts or rat)

fuzz/octave

nova delay

small stone

tremolo

flange

rc-2

 

this will give you a flexible pedalboard for all types of sound. Oh and you have no tuner there. The tuner is the most important imo.

[Exdeath]

okay here's my honest opinion. You rig is nice, but you know what..? Everyone has the same rig. Overdrive --> reverb --> delay --> phase/tremolo. Your pedalboard by itself has only 1 sound the liquid sunshine. I would start there and add more dirt, even if you think your amp is enough. If it was me, i would say dump the compressor and the reverb i would go wah liquid sunshine a distortion (ts or rat) fuzz/octave nova delay small stone tremolo flange rc-2 this will give you a flexible pedalboard for all types of sound. Oh and you have no tuner there. The tuner is the most important imo.

 

 

Not a fan of flangers or trems at all. Maaaaybe the trem, but that's a big maybe. The wah doesn't seem like it'd get used nearly enough.

 

Tuner-wise, I'd go with a Pitchblack, but I play with a Floyd in standard right now, so I rarely need to retune that much to justify the cost.

 

How's the RAT work with dirty channels or stacking? Also, any good small fuzz recommendations that won't break the bank? (i.e: no Skreddy) I'd definitely need to bump the footswitch off the board to fit that stuff on (and maybe a Semaphore), or get a tinier one, too.

[IRG]

I was going to suggest the Skreddy Screwdriver, but you said no. Look for one used, that's how I got mine (still not cheap, but worth it). Mine works great with amp distortion, or clean. It can go from a slight overdrive to almost muffish sounds.

I think you need some more dirt too, maybe a Muff of some sort. Get a Big Muff NYC or the LBM, both are cheap. Don't like em you can resell them. Or try a Monsterpiece product here. Great value, will give you some very cool tones.

[attic]

You need a rat and a wah.

[Exdeath]

I was going to suggest the Skreddy Screwdriver, but you said no. Look for one used, that's how I got mine (still not cheap, but worth it). Mine works great with amp distortion, or clean. It can go from a slight overdrive to almost muffish sounds. I think you need some more dirt too, maybe a Muff of some sort. Get a Big Muff NYC or the LBM, both are cheap. Don't like em you can resell them. Or try a Monsterpiece product here. Great value, will give you some very cool tones.

 

 

Already tried the LBM. Way too gainy for me, and hueg box. I'm kind of eyeing the Catalinbread V8 Fuzz right now, actually - the NPN is kinda neat too.

[bluehuricane]

chorus pedal in front of delay sounds great for volume swells... especially when you add in that nano stone of yours.

 

i have a pretty similar set up... actually just 2 pedals are the same... but the nova and nano stone are key to my sound.

[Phillip_H]

Check out the Catalinbread Silver Kiss. It's got a ton of headroom, so you can use it as a boost, too. It's got a bunch of EQ possibilities as well.

[SUPER VELCROBOY]

Not a fan of flangers or trems at all. Maaaaybe the trem, but that's a big maybe. The wah doesn't seem like it'd get used nearly enough. Tuner-wise, I'd go with a Pitchblack, but I play with a Floyd in standard right now, so I rarely need to retune that much to justify the cost. How's the RAT work with dirty channels or stacking? Also, any good small fuzz recommendations that won't break the bank? (i.e: no Skreddy) I'd definitely need to bump the footswitch off the board to fit that stuff on (and maybe a Semaphore), or get a tinier one, too.

it's fine you don't like certain effect, but you ask us to critique your board. What particular criticism are you after?

I disagree with you on the tuner. Everyone needs a tuner. Strings go out of tune unless you have one of those self tuning gibson guitars It's just physics... the temperature changes will cause your guitar to go out of tune, doesn't matter how good a guitar you have or what tuning you are doing.

Along with power supply, tuner is one of those underrated pedalboard accessories. People are always trying to skimp on these or look for something that is ridiculous like a $200 strobostomp to get a percent more accurate. Get a tuner, like a behringer or korg for $40 and be done with. Pitch black is good too.

[rileykill]

Yeah ... +1 for the RAT I think. You need a little tonal diversity. I say keep the compressor, BTW, if you like what it does for your tone.

[Exdeath]

it's fine you don't like certain effect, but you ask us to critique your board. What particular criticism are you after?

Dunno. Suggestions, I guess. I'm a picky person by nature.

I disagree with you on the tuner. Everyone needs a tuner. Strings go out of tune unless you have one of those self tuning gibson guitars It's just physics... the temperature changes will cause your guitar to go out of tune, doesn't matter how good a guitar you have or what tuning you are doing. Along with power supply, tuner is one of those underrated pedalboard accessories. People are always trying to skimp on these or look for something that is ridiculous like a $200 strobostomp to get a percent more accurate. Get a tuner, like a behringer or korg for $40 and be done with. Pitch black is good too.

Well, I have a non-pedal tuner, which honestly suffices right now because I don't need to retune a Floyd that much. Seriously, they stay in tune for a really long time compared to normal hardtails or trems.

[Exdeath]

Yeah ... +1 for the RAT I think. You need a little tonal diversity. I say keep the compressor, BTW, if you like what it does for your tone.

 

 

Any idea where I could find good sample RAT clips, or do you know any smaller-form-factor pedals that sound like one?