Self Isolation and too many drive pedals....

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JalfreziJalfrezi Frets: 55
I'm one of those unfortunate to have to isolate myself for the foreseeable future, so in my breaks from working I've been trying to make sense of a pedal board that covers most bases, and is nice and simple. 

I've decided to use an HX Effects for most mods, delays and verb, but keeping an AquaVibe as it sounds much nicer than the ones in the HX.  But drive pedals are causing me some consternation, I have a Throbak ODB that's very versatile, a Hudson Broadcast that I really like, a Hudson Sidecar that I also like in spite of its TS roots (I normally don't like TS type pedals), and a Paul Cochrane Tim.

It's a great place to be, and when trying to stack them, there are quite a few overlaps, depending upon how they are set.  However, I I know that I will just spend too much time playing with settings, and not enough playing for my own good.  Also, I want a nice simple life, with a small pedal board, 4 drives is too many I feel, but I do love them all, and am struggling to decide what gets cut. 

Also, I do use a few different amps, from SF Fenders to JTM45 and 5E3 (Tweed Deluxe), and some pedals suit different amps better I feel.  Where I am currently, it's just a 5E3 .

Anyway, I'm writing this in the hope that someone else who has this somewhat obsessive problem with drive pedals will talk some sense into me :) 
my trading feedback HERE
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Comments

  • stickyfiddlestickyfiddle Frets: 26754
    edited April 2020
    Sorry, I'm confused. Too many drives? Doesn't compute.

    I wouldn't usually have more than 4 on any board, and no more than 2 (plus maybe something distorty like a Rat or Revival Drive) on a gigging board. In that scenario switching things out and trying new combinations and limitations becomes a nice way to keep things fresh and keep yourself inspired.

    But owning too many doesn't seem possible without having literally one of everything and then starting on duplicates. 
    The Assumptions - UAE party band for all your rock & soul desires
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  • smudge_ladsmudge_lad Frets: 653


    I'm in the same boat as you mate....here was my self-isolation photo from last week's noodlings!

    Too many drive pedals you say? ;)

    I'm currently deciding on which one' s will make the cut. As you can see, once my Stomp, MIDI controller and wireless are on my board, I don't have much room to play with. I also need to add one of my wah pedals!


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  • hotpickupshotpickups Frets: 1813


    I'm in the same boat as you mate....here was my self-isolation photo from last week's noodlings!

    Too many drive pedals you say? ;)

    I'm currently deciding on which one' s will make the cut. As you can see, once my Stomp, MIDI controller and wireless are on my board, I don't have much room to play with. I also need to add one of my wah pedals!


    OMG those cables are triggering my OCD off LOL
    Link to my trading feedback:  http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/59452/
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  • FuengiFuengi Frets: 2849
    Get yourself a nice little bench shelf for the pedals you are not using and get used to the idea it's ok to swap them in and out. 

    I've currently got a Frederic Effects Accomplished Badger and a DOD FX50B sitting on the sidelines, both mighty fine drive pedals. 
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  • agibboagibbo Frets: 102
    I use a Timmy going into a tubescreamer, and that gives me a good range of tones on my small board. Your Tim and Sidecar should sound glorious together!
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  • JalfreziJalfrezi Frets: 55
    Thanks for the comments, and I'm gonna go with the suggestion of pick two, and keep a few to swap in/out.  Now onwards to buy, or make a decent board...
    my trading feedback HERE
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  • slackerslacker Frets: 2216
    All imho ymmv etc

    The point of drive pedals is to either make an amp overdrive where limited volume is an issue or when using a clean amp, dirty amp system is impractical. For multi channel amps they are effectively using inbuilt over drives.

    So, having too many over drives is a good thing. Some pedals work well with a clean amp, some don't. Some pedals work nice with one amp but not with another. Some pedals sound great in a band and not solo. 

    So build two or more boards or have two slots on one board with enough space for your largest pedals.

    For home use the following pedals are excellent...king of tone, Friedman be, dude and model h both not mine. Stay away from ts or Klon (e) circuits at low volume and or solo/bedroom playing.

    Finally during the lockdown do not watch demos from Mike Hermans Andy Martin and Pete Thorn .



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  • FuengiFuengi Frets: 2849
    slacker said:
    All imho ymmv etc

    The point of drive pedals is to either make an amp overdrive where limited volume is an issue or when using a clean amp, dirty amp system is impractical. For multi channel amps they are effectively using inbuilt over drives.

    So, having too many over drives is a good thing. Some pedals work well with a clean amp, some don't. Some pedals work nice with one amp but not with another. Some pedals sound great in a band and not solo. 

    So build two or more boards or have two slots on one board with enough space for your largest pedals.

    For home use the following pedals are excellent...king of tone, Friedman be, dude and model h both not mine. Stay away from ts or Klon (e) circuits at low volume and or solo/bedroom playing.

    Finally during the lockdown do not watch demos from Mike Hermans Andy Martin and Pete Thorn .



    That's all very good advice! I personally do like a Klone for home (studio) especially on low gain stacked with other drives, but I'm probably missing out what it can do at volume.

    Over the past year I have grown to appreciate drive pedals much more, to the point now that, like reverb, I find it hard to play without having one. Current favourite is probably the Fredric Effects Grumbly Wolf, just the right amount of interplay between sparkling clean and fizzy overdrive depending on pick attack. 
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  • stickyfiddlestickyfiddle Frets: 26754
    I gotta say I love the Klon circuit at low volume, but I'm using it with gain at 9 o'clock, so ymmv if you use it for higher gain. In that case it's much better the louder you have it.
    The Assumptions - UAE party band for all your rock & soul desires
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  • PolarityManPolarityMan Frets: 7273
    slacker said:
    All imho ymmv etc

    The point of drive pedals is to either make an amp overdrive where limited volume is an issue or when using a clean amp, dirty amp system is impractical. For multi channel amps they are effectively using inbuilt over drives.

    So, having too many over drives is a good thing. Some pedals work well with a clean amp, some don't. Some pedals work nice with one amp but not with another. Some pedals sound great in a band and not solo. 

    So build two or more boards or have two slots on one board with enough space for your largest pedals.

    For home use the following pedals are excellent...king of tone, Friedman be, dude and model h both not mine. Stay away from ts or Klon (e) circuits at low volume and or solo/bedroom playing.

    Finally during the lockdown do not watch demos from Mike Hermans Andy Martin and Pete Thorn .



    Or use them as a filter like a tube screamer 
    ဈǝᴉʇsɐoʇǝsǝǝɥɔဪቌ
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  • monquixotemonquixote Frets: 17485
    tFB Trader
    I really like having a very stripped down board.

    If I have loads of pedals I just fart about with sounds and A/B overdrives rather than play.

    That's cool, but I like to do one or the other so all the pedals only come out when I'm in that kind of mood.
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