Complex Solutions to simple problems

Dave_Vader

Or the thought processes I have been through that very nearly led to me buying a Helix

Last night at rehearsal I was using my new very favourite sound of my Ibanez Roadstar (with P-rails) through the guv'nor 2 I got recently and loving it very much. It's on my new tiny board which I am also loving very much.

I then broke a string and went to my strat, like I always do. It's balanced enough to be interchangeable with the Ibanez, and is usually my main squeeze. But I was using a Rat, a tube screamer, a treble booster and loads of other on the old big board.

It sounded like a small, determined angry wasp.

Now, I know I could just fiddle with the knobs on the guv'nor to set it up right for the strat, but I only ever switch guitars in an emergency and like to just set and forget. The obvious, and immediate solution is to stick a Rat on the board as well (there is space, it is not a difficult thing to do, and I've got three Rat-a-likes that are up to the job and sound great with the strat). But...

On the way home I started thinking about putting a humbucker in my strat, then building a frankenstrat with some bits I've got in the shed (I'm doing that anyway), then buying a Charvel/Kramer/Hamer as a backup to the Ibanez.

Then this morning I thought that having a Helix would solve all of this, as I could model whole boards to fit any guitar I choose to take out with me and still sound roughly the same as I normally do.

I was quite close to doing this before I reminded myself that five minutes of fiddling will fix this non-problem by putting a rat on the little board.

Now considering different drive pedals (again) like a twat....

What is wrong with us?

Grunfeld

Dave_Vader said:

The obvious, and immediate solution is to stick a...

...Boss GE-7 on the board. 

Which is sounding a bit like my solution to everything.

But coincidentally there was video on this which popped up today and includes using an EQ pedal for exactly the purpose of balancing two different guitars. 

The daft thing is that I've kind of known this forever, and how useful EQ is, but it's so boring that I've not had one on the board till a few gigs back to answer a different problem.  It really is incredibly useful.

Dave_Vader

Yeah, but the GE-7 would solve about 3 other minor problems as well and it's just one thing...

Dave_Vader

Also, this is another 'buy a new thing' solution rather than a 'use what I've already got really easily' solution.

But I like your thinking

jonnygreentrees

I use the Durham Sex Drive on my board to help give my Tele a bit more oomph to compete with my Jazzmaster

Jonathanthomas83

"...like a twat..." - this made me laugh!

jdgm

Another vote for the GE-7. 

Very useful pedal; there is a mod kit available (try ebay) which costs about £12 - upgrades it and gets rid of all the hiss.

DannyP

I recently bought a cheap 7-band EQ and it's really opened my eyes.

It's as though one hemisphere of my brain was always aware that EQs existed.

Meanwhile the other hemisphere of my brain has spent years musing about how great it would be if I could only somehow sculpt the frequencies of my signal.

And then one day I must have got struck by lightening or something, but the two hemispheres became connected, I bought an EQ and am happy. For now.

Dave_Vader

It is making me very happy that my 'why do we always feel we need to buy something new to fix a problem rather than utilising what we already have?' thread is filled with recommendations for a new thing to buy

which I will buy

clarkefan

Another vote for GE-7.  Sorry

pintspiller

I rarely use them. But they can do a lot. 

When I saw my first EQ pedal I asked the guy what it was for. He said lead boost.

I have a couple but only used one for the intro of Copperhead Road for a couple of shows.

soma1975

Source Audio programmable EQ with presets for different guitars. 

Fishboy7

For 17 quid this could be worth experimenting with

https://www.gak.co.uk/en/behringer-eq-700-graphic-equalizer/1004?gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=Cj0KCQjwitPnBRCQARIsAA5n84k1D1cZCK2Emgz4JRwj_Kma-hZGDGhsodemR4za_j0qg-yuhj_eW5YaAnIGEALw_wcB

sgosden

It's ok, I designed a full electronic DJ/bass/guitar looping rig for a three piece band, that the other two members don't know about and haven't agreed to be in. 
Then reality reminded me that I have neither the funds, time or ability to do such project.

mart

sgosden said:

It's ok, I designed a full electronic DJ/bass/guitar looping rig for a three piece band, that the other two members don't know about and haven't agreed to be in. 
...

Well, if your name is Peter Green and the other two are Mac and Fleetwood, then I’d say you should get on with persuading them - it may lead to something. 

sgosden

mart said:

sgosden said:

It's ok, I designed a full electronic DJ/bass/guitar looping rig for a three piece band, that the other two members don't know about and haven't agreed to be in. 
...

Well, if your name is Peter Green and the other two are Mac and Fleetwood, then I’d say you should get on with persuading them - it may lead to something. 

Adultery and drug abuse ? 

ESBlonde

Dave_Vader said:

But I was using a Rat, a tube screamer, a treble booster and loads of other on the old big board.

It sounded like a small, determined angry wasp.

Less is more, and use the guitars tone, knob!  I mean tone knob.  ;-)