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Doesn't anyone around here use non-boutique pedals?


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As cool as some of the boutique pedals are, I generally stay away from them unless they're something truly innovative.

I don't need to go pay big bucks because someone cloned a tube screamer or a big muff. Sure those pedals are well built, and in most cases really look nice, but being a musician on a budget, I simply can't afford most of them. I'd have better luck scoring something in a pawn shop for cheap that has already been cloned (you still see plenty of tube screamers and big muffs in pawn shops for the occaisional steal).

My pedal tastes tend to lean toward the more oddball stuff that you don't see every day, regardless of being mass produced (or at least at one time).

My current rig (running through a GCX):

TS9DX >> V-Twin >> VL SuperFuzz >> Ross Chorus >> Rotovibe >> Ibanez RC99 >> VL Tremolo >> Ibanez AD99 >> Chandler Echo

I also have a couple original Dano pedals, a few older Boss pedals, and a few others that I only occaionally use.

The only thing on there that I would even consider slightly boutique are the Voodoo Lab pedals, and even then, that's a stretch. Most of my stuff isn't exactly mass produced anymore, but once was. The Ibanez 99 series pedals are incredible, and for some reason haven't been a huge blip on the radar for all the vintage buffs out there, so they're still affordable.

I have nothing against the works of Skreddy or Keeley or any of those guys. Mainly, I've just never had a chance to try any of their stuff... The thing is though, even if I really liked it, I doubt I could afford it.

First and foremost I go after sound. If it's a mass produced DOD pedal and it sounds great, I'll buy it. My personality though... I like the stuff I don't see every day.

I think that's why all these "show me your pedalboard" threads are getting so tiresome to me. I just don't see much anymore that strikes me as "wow, haven't seen one of those in a long time, I wonder how he likes it".

I'm sure I could have organized my thoughts a bit better on this and everything... I just don't always see the need for boutique. If its someone else's cup of tea, then by all means do what makes you happy. I will have nothing negative to say about them. It just seems like another thing to get caught up in and spend a lot of money to me.

-Doc

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Originally posted by english_bob

I don't have any boutique pedals either. I have ordered a BYOC Tri-booster, but as I'm building it myself it won't be handmade so much as bodged together
:D

Most of my stuff is slightly leftfield mass-produced, but it's not that hard to find. Or afford. The honourable exception is my Cornell amp, but it's nowhere near the cost of a Victoria or an Allen in the "boutique Fender-alike" stakes.



Do BYOC have an English importer yet? I have a dickload of spare time in the summer, I fancy building me a pedal :)

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I think what boutique buyers really like are the features of the boutique pedals. Take the Fuzz Factory: what other fuzz sounds like it? Well, there's the Zoom UF. We like that too, and it's cheaper! Boutique pedals are for the kids who want sometimes a little different. The Boss DS-1 is an excellent distortion pedal, and everyone from Prince, to Cobain, to Robert Smith uses/d it. Sounds great, and it's the cheapest Boss Pedal. But do you really want their sound? Of course not. Even my FuzzFactory seems like a passe classic. Playing music today should not be about "sounding the like 60s" or "sounding like the 90s" or whatever decade or genre you like. It should be about... collecting as much gear as possible and making others envious of your high-priced unique boutique pedals!

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I use a SD-1 and dunlop crybaby for all my gigs and in the studio, sounds good to me. It's all I need. I get compliments from the guys in the studio too. The right amps help IMHO.

I also use the tremolo/reverb in my amp sometimes. I dunno if the footswitch counts as a boutique or mass produced pedal or not.

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Originally posted by fenderguitar

I mean like Boss, Digitech, DOD, MXR, Line 6, etc. I always seem to be reading about someone wanting a $200 fuzz box or a $250 phaser to get that perfect sound. I mean I just have "average joe" brands like the ones I mentioned above and I think they sound pretty good. I'm playing over 25 years so its not like I'm a beginner. Maybe I'm just not as anal about my tone as some.

 

 

I buy used Boss pedals and then upgrade them with better parts.

 

Boutique for less.

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Originally posted by joe_lechuza



Do BYOC have an English importer yet? I have a dickload of spare time in the summer, I fancy building me a pedal
:)



They used to, in Ilkeston would you believe :freak:, but he's stopped stocking them. I'm getting mine as part of a bulk order some guys from another forum are doing (Andi/Dot got me hooked up with the guy doing it).

The guy at BYOC might be inclined to ship to you from the states if you ask nicely.


Now I need a theme for my pedal so I can go in the next pedal pageant :cool:

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Originally posted by english_bob



They used to, in Ilkeston would you believe
:freak:
, but he's stopped stocking them. I'm getting mine as part of a bulk order some guys from another forum are doing (Andi/Dot got me hooked up with the guy doing it).


The guy at BYOC might be inclined to ship to you from the states if you ask nicely.



Now I need a theme for my pedal so I can go in the next pedal pageant
:cool:




Really? oh crap :(

Finally, a good use for Ilkeston! What a dump. :love:


I should know Derby more to be honest, but I usually go into Nottingham for my music bits. :freak:

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Originally posted by joe_lechuza




Really? oh crap
:(

Finally, a good use for Ilkeston! What a dump.
:love:


I should know Derby more to be honest, but I usually go into Nottingham for my music bits.
:freak:



I've never been to Ilkeston for the purposes of going to the shops, but G'n'T Guitars (inside Zebra Music, apparently) might make it worth the trip. Lots of boutique brands you'd struggle to get hold of elsewhere in the UK without a trek to London.

Derby? Well, aside from the legendary Cash Generator where I've scored a Selmer Bassmaster head and a Hohner Pianet T electric piano, it's not worth the trip. There's a Sound Control in Hockley, so no point in coming for that, Foulds is overpriced and Neville Brothers, while it has good service, isn't worth travelling from Notts for.

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