Going analog. Advice please

naudecruywagen

Hi guys,

I've been playing with a Line 6 Pod X3 Live for a (too) long time now.

I find myself using only the delay, volume pedal and tuner.
I used to use an overdrive on it as well, but I got a good deal on a Boss SD-1 and I'm loving it.

All of this is going into a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, coming from an american strat.

Bottom line is, I'd like to replace the under-utilised multi effects unit with some stomp boxes.

The music scene I play in is mostly church/worship music but I like doing blues rock and U2-ish vibes.

So here are my thoughts for replacements, please give me your opinions:

Delay: Eventide Timefactor (I heard you can't go wrong and I've seen them used often)
Overdrive: Sticking with the SD-1. Or should I consider the Ibanez TS-9? Something else?
Volume: Ernie Ball VP JR (I see these everywhere, really, do people use something else?)
Tuner: Boss TU-3 or the Polytune 2.

Obviously I'd like to get the valves in my amp up to that sweet spot without causing permanent hearing damage, how can I lower the output volume but not lose the valve quality?

Looking forward to your feedback!

AlanRatcliffe

No real problem with any of your choices. Few things worth mentioning though:

I'd take the Polytune over the TU-3.

The TimeFactor is a powerful and wonderful sounding delay. It's also a complex beast and doesn't have the most intuitive user interface. A similarly powerful delay with an easier UI would be the Strymon Timeline. To be honest, probably more than half of the folk who buy either of those find they are total overkill for their needs and that a simpler, easier to use delay will do the job.

Overdrives - no-one else can choose your drive pedals for you and there are almost as many varieties as there are players. If you're happy with the SD-1, don't fix what ain't broke. If there is something about it you don't like, try identify what it is and then find out what will take you in that direction. It's no use just trying drives because others like them, as there's a good chance that what they like will not be what you do.

Short of modding your amp extensively (adding something like power scaling or a triode/pentode switch), there is a little you can do to to tame the volume - use less efficient speakers and/or knock down the power between the amp and the speaker with an attenuator. Ultimately though, for most the best solution is simply just getting a lower power amp.

Josh-Hayes

As a church/worship guy I think I can help a little...

naudecruywagen wrote: Delay: Eventide Timefactor (I heard you can't go wrong and I've seen them used often)
Overdrive: Sticking with the SD-1. Or should I consider the Ibanez TS-9? Something else?
Volume: Ernie Ball VP JR (I see these everywhere, really, do people use something else?)
Tuner: Boss TU-3 or the Polytune 2

Delay: I use a DD20, love it, simple and easy to use. If I could, I'd buy a Strymon in heartbeat, it really comes down to the features vs price in my mind.
OD: Keep the SD-1. I have a TS9, and really works well to beef up single coils and cut through the mix without sounding harsh. I also run a 'more transparent' Boss OD-3 into it as a bit of a boost, I am told the SD-1 is great for this as well. This gives you a nice tonal pallet to work with if you know what you're doing.
Volume: Pretty wide selection out there, beware of tone suck... ?
Tuner: I use a TU-3, can't complain.

Amp wise, Alan hit the nail on the head. I run an AC15 just over the edge of breakup with no volume trouble. Well, no one has complained........yet.

DDR4LYF

I'd give a +1 to the polytune over the boss tuner!

Also, I think you should stick with your overdrive and try out driver pedals from friends until you find something that sounds cool. I have built three drivers based on other recommendations and sound clips from the interweb and none of them have been what I expected! Some good some bad but all different. So try things first and then buy.

There is also reward in making the things that you have work for you! Getting everything you can out of the stuff that you have help to slow down the desire to just buy stuff that you don't need!

Jayhell

I agree, try many overdrives before you commit, I tried everything and fell in love with the SD-1, all I can recommend is to get another one and use it to boost the one you have ?

rikus

On the delay front keep and eye out for a second hand TC Electronic Nova Delay. Good value for the money. A very versatile delay and not as spendy as the Strymon or Eventide units.

warrenpridgeon

Rikus wrote: On the delay front keep and eye out for a second hand TC Electronic Nova Delay. Good value for the money. A very versatile delay and not as spendy as the Strymon or Eventide units.

I have one and dig it. Also... you could try ebay... can probably bring it in for less than a second hand unit. Music connection wanted close to R4k for a new one a while ago...I got it from ebay for R1800 (incl shipping) new.

AlanRatcliffe

Rikus wrote: On the delay front keep and eye out for a second hand TC Electronic Nova Delay. Good value for the money. A very versatile delay and not as spendy as the Strymon or Eventide units.

+1. Plus pretty easy to get the hang of. I used one happily for a while before upgrading to an Eventide.

rikus

Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
Rikus wrote: On the delay front keep and eye out for a second hand TC Electronic Nova Delay. Good value for the money. A very versatile delay and not as spendy as the Strymon or Eventide units.
+1. Plus pretty easy to get the hang of. I used one happily for a while before upgrading to an Eventide.

Still very happy with my one. When I got it I saw it as a stepping stone to the "better" delay units. I was gassing for a Strymon Timeline for the longest time... Nowadays I'm actually leaning more towards something a bit simpler, like an El Capistan, as I find that I don't really create presets for songs, but rather that I stick to a couple of general delay sounds...

billionairebum

Funny thing is I have/had a similiar set up. Strat+Fender blues deluxe+line 6 x3 live. I have moved over to analog but I am still struggling with the amp volume. If I put my pedals volume up and my amp volume low or the other way around it is still seriously loud. I play hillsongs/planetshakers type music with some John mayer. Delay and amp volume is something I struggle with. Great thread and I look forward to see what you do!

Lfan

I use a Nova System with an external WAH/Vol at church. The drive is analog and as good as a TC Nova Drive. The delay is awesome, as good as a Nova Delay. And u get the presets which makes it easy to use for church sets, less tap dancing between songs.

ezietsman

billionairebum wrote: Funny thing is I have/had a similiar set up. Strat+Fender blues deluxe+line 6 x3 live. I have moved over to analog but I am still struggling with the amp volume. If I put my pedals volume up and my amp volume low or the other way around it is still seriously loud. I play hillsongs/planetshakers type music with some John mayer. Delay and amp volume is something I struggle with. Great thread and I look forward to see what you do!

I don't get how you can have volumes too high with a volume control on your guitar, on your pedal(s) AND on your amp.

DDR4LYF

http://swartamps.com/night_light_attenuator.htm

I've heard this thing once and it seemed to work really well. Check it out!

Shibbibilybob

ez wrote:
billionairebum wrote: Funny thing is I have/had a similiar set up. Strat+Fender blues deluxe+line 6 x3 live. I have moved over to analog but I am still struggling with the amp volume. If I put my pedals volume up and my amp volume low or the other way around it is still seriously loud. I play hillsongs/planetshakers type music with some John mayer. Delay and amp volume is something I struggle with. Great thread and I look forward to see what you do!

I don't get how you can have volumes too high with a volume control on your guitar, on your pedal(s) AND on your amp.

The problem is, if you turn down your volume on your guitar, then the amplitude of the signal it sends out is smaller, and so the amplitude of the signal received by amps/pedals is smaller, and so things like distortion effects come across more like gain effects, because the wave is not clipping. So it's a bit of a balancing act between volume and tone.

As for delay pedals,my money is on the T-Rex Replica. It's actually digital, but it's the most analogue delay you'll ever find : http://www.t-rex-effects.com/replica/

naudecruywagen

Wow I am overwhelmed by all the responses, thanks so much!

I love it when choices boil down to personal preference cause it means I'm asking the right questions ?

In terms of the delay I'm definitely looking for something that makes it dead easy to switch between a dotted eighth delay and an echo-like delay. A tap tempo is also a must. I know the Timefactor is cable of this, so is the Timeline. Are any of the smaller pedals capable of this?

It also makes sense that I'd need to go from clean to overdriven to a lead (louder, more overdriven) sound. Has anyone tried their amp's overdrive channel to achieve something like this, or is another od/distortion pedal the route to take?

AlanRatcliffe

Most of your smaller delays give you one sound or bypass. For two or more sounds you need something with patches.

The two big boys are a necessity if you need discrete dual delays or a variety of other effects in the feedback loop. If you don't know what I'm talking about, they're probably overkill for your needs. Both do good jobs of everything, both are ambient soundscape/ shoegazer dream machines. Go Eventide if digital delays are your main thing, go with Strymon if analog and tape are.

Aside from the big boys there are also a few mid-range units that would do the job:

Boss DD-20. Four patches and, as with most Boss stuff, it has a nice balance between usability and functionality. Real nice modulated and reverse delays.

TC Electronic Nova Delay has nine patches and a nice, pristine sound quality. Nice variety of modulation. However it needs it's own dedicated (included) power supply unless you have a pedal multi-power unit capable of 12V, 400 mV.

The smaller Strymon units like the Brigadier and El Capistan can be used with a switch to access one preset (effectively giving you two sounds on tap). If you're chasing analog or tape delay tones, these two are both stellar sounding.

Norman86

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: The smaller Strymon units like the Brigadier and El Capistan can be used with a switch to access one preset (effectively giving you two sounds on tap). If you're chasing analog or tape delay tones, these two are both stellar sounding.

They can also be used with an expression pedal, assignable to any of the knobs or secondary functions - Really cool function this!
Not sure of the Brig, but I can tell you that the El Cap definitely has tap tempo ?
Another bonus of the El Cap is that is has a built in Spring reverb function too, if you ever needed it.

DDR4LYF

No one has mentioned the Line 6 DL4 or is that old hat?

naudecruywagen

I do think the timefactor/timeline might be a bit overkill for me.

How about the TC Electronic Flashback X4? The price is very appealing.

AlanRatcliffe

I don't know the X4, but yeah, that would do the job.

The L6 DL4 is a pretty good delay too.