(Log in to disable ads.)

  • Effects

  • Help me build my first pedalboard

The time has come to move away from multi-fx and delve into the bottomless money pit of stompboxes.

So far, all I've purchased is a Way Huge Pork Loin and a ProCo RAT 2, both dirt boxes. I am considering purchasing the following (in due time) to round up my rig:

Into the amp:

1. PolyTune mini;
2. MXR Dyna Comp;
3. Pork Loin;
4. RAT
5. Active volume pedal

Effects loop:

This is where I am pretty undecided... thinking of this for the moment:

1. TC Electronic Flashback Delay OR Electro Harmonix Memory Man OR MXR Carbon Copy;

2. Electro Harmonix Holy Grail Reverb OR TC Hall of Fame OR similar;

3. Micro POG

4. Tremolo pedal (undecided - haven't looked into this one yet).

Any feedback on recommended power supply and actual pedalboard (i.e. Pedal Train etc?).

I want to learn from your mistakes before taking an expensive plunge ?
    Hello doc-phill!

    If you've got the time, watch this Guitar Gear Tech Talk hosted by The Tone King, and Jeff Diamant (of DBZ Guitars). As a first-time pedalboard builder myself, I found this talk very useful. You'll find it here:

    All the best!
      Thanks! Long video, but looks interesting.
        https://www.facebook.com/groups/739245542817704

        or you could search for the other group, sa music store..
        too much gear, too little money..
        If you can test things out first to make sure its what you want, then do that. otherwise it will be very costly.

        Power supplies, get the biggest one you can afford.
        things change, pedals change, and rather have a supply that gives more, than needing to purchase another one later on down the line. I prefer Cioks and T-Rex meself ?

        Dont discount the Zoom MS-70CDR for an all in one unit on chorus, delay and reverb. very very very good unit.

        pedalboard.. sort your pedals first, then look at a board, or making one if you're handy.
          Bottomless money pit? Compared to buying a multifx for R5k that's worth R1.5k three years later? ? People still want to pay money for a 15 year old tubescreamer on the other hand.
            On a different note:

            Try to avoid EHX. They are notorious for their shoddy build quality. I had a Holy Grail that need fixing twice and then the LED never worked.

            And also bear in mind that modelling the chaotic reverberations that natural reverb creates is basically impossible - this is why science can't accurately predict the form taken by cigarette smoke for instance. What that means in real life is that the newer the reverb pedal, the better it is, as a rule of thumb. The Holy Grail may have been all that when it came out, but it's definitely superceded by the likes of the Hall of Fame - for light reverb duty - and by a host of pedals for drenched spring 'verb - such as the Catalinbread pedal and the Sub-delay Super Spring Theory. Don't get an old reverb pedal. And even a new one won't be as good as a real plate or spring reverb unit.

            And finally... MXR carbon copy is a really good analogue delay. It'll hold its value too, if you get it 2nd hand.

            My little Lovepedal mini tremolo sounds just like amp tremolo and is really tiny. Downsides - the depth pot is an internal trim pot. And it has a blue LED - which is THE WORST. Will be covering that with masking tape when playing live.
              singemonkey wrote: Bottomless money pit? Compared to buying a multifx for R5k that's worth R1.5k three years later? ? People still want to pay money for a 15 year old tubescreamer on the other hand.
              Good point!
                Joe Moore wrote: I'm surprised that you've gone the amp and pedal board route tbh..... Did you ever get to try a Kemper ?
                ( Its not too late to get off the 'tone merry-go-round / money pit' ) ? ?
                Dude, a whole pedal board is still WAY WAY cheaper than a Kemper (and power amp and cab) even if the Kemper can do more. Plus you know, that IPhone app that can do what a kemper does is on the way, you know it's true ?
                  Joe Moore wrote:
                  ez wrote:
                  Joe Moore wrote: I'm surprised that you've gone the amp and pedal board route tbh..... Did you ever get to try a Kemper ?
                  ( Its not too late to get off the 'tone merry-go-round / money pit' ) ? ?
                  Dude, a whole pedal board is still WAY WAY cheaper than a Kemper (and power amp and cab) even if the Kemper can do more. Plus you know, that IPhone app that can do what a kemper does is on the way, you know it's true ?
                  Ez, Doc-Phil was gonna pop over to give the Kemper a whirl , but moved back to durbs. That's why I asked. ?
                  I just like to pull your leg haha.
                    Don't worry Joe, he's coming over to my place soon to try out a kemper ?

                    But ja a kemper ain't for everyone, and certainly not for every application. Its the perfect tool for me though, and I'm certainly not missing my vintage amps and my 30 kg pedalboard.
                      singemonkey wrote: Bottomless money pit? Compared to buying a multifx for R5k that's worth R1.5k three years later? ? People still want to pay money for a 15 year old tubescreamer on the other hand.
                      +1

                      Got myself a literally new Boss GT6-B for 1k. It'll still be working when Buck Rogers finally wakes up and it'll be considered *vintage* :?
                        singemonkey wrote: Bottomless money pit? Compared to buying a multifx for R5k that's worth R1.5k three years later? ? People still want to pay money for a 15 year old tubescreamer on the other hand.
                        Excellent point. I'll probably sell my POD HD400 once I've accumulated enough stompboxes, and will probably have to let it go for a fraction of the price.

                        Thanks for your other feedback. I'm really not sure at this point whether I need to go big on the delay and reverb (i.e. get the units with hold, tap tempo and looping functionality) or keep it simple with smaller pedals.
                        Joe Moore wrote: I'm surprised that you've gone the amp and pedal board route tbh..... Did you ever get to try a Kemper ?
                        ( Its not too late to get off the 'tone merry-go-round / money pit' ) ? ?
                        I am still intrigued by the Kemper.. but I fell in love with a pure tube amp and the rest is history ?
                        Danny B wrote: Don't worry Joe, he's coming over to my place soon to try out a kemper ?
                        Ya we must organise dude!
                          How many boutique pedals do you need to buy to get just this one fuzz/octave tone?

                            I would start by enjoying the whole process. Buy pedals, sell pedals get better ones. Start with a daisy chain until it doesn't do the trick and then get a proper power supply. Build a small board, then a bigger one and a bigger one, until you come to a place where you are aware of the real estate you are going to use then buy one. Don't jump the gun and buy a moerse board with a big power supply, it looks dumb to have a meter by meter board with two pedals on it. This money could have been used to buy pedals. Don't underestimate substituting your dream pedals with Boss ones for now. I've spent a lot of money on effects I ended up never using. But when push comes to shove the stuff you need to invest in is a good power supply and a decent tuner, they will last you a life time and are the building blocks for a good board.

                            Support local and get a local maker to clone all your dreams. My bank account hates me after meeting Leon from Pop Effects, because now when I see something cool, I mail him and he builds it for me. Resale value might be bad, but spending R700.00 on a pedal instead of R3000.00 for the original is an economic way of finding out what you want. He's quality is really good. My pedal board is slowly becoming overtaken by clones.

                            BTW, the Boss tremolo is an awesome tremolo, best one to my ears for what I do.

                            It's a process not instant gratification and that is half the fun. All pedal boards are always a work in progress. How many pedals do you need?

                            One more, just one more, always one more....
                              Jayhell wrote: I would start by enjoying the whole process. Buy pedals, sell pedals get better ones. Start with a daisy chain until it doesn't do the trick and then get a proper power supply. Build a small board, then a bigger one and a bigger one, until you come to a place where you are aware of the real estate you are going to use then buy one. Don't jump the gun and buy a moerse board with a big power supply, it looks dumb to have a meter by meter board with two pedals on it. This money could have been used to buy pedals. Don't underestimate substituting your dream pedals with Boss ones for now. I've spent a lot of money on effects I ended up never using. But when push comes to shove the stuff you need to invest in is a good power supply and a decent tuner, they will last you a life time and are the building blocks for a good board.

                              Support local and get a local maker to clone all your dreams. My bank account hates me after meeting Leon from Pop Effects, because now when I see something cool, I mail him and he builds it for me. Resale value might be bad, but spending R700.00 on a pedal instead of R3000.00 for the original is an economic way of finding out what you want. He's quality is really good. My pedal board is slowly becoming overtaken by clones.

                              BTW, the Boss tremolo is an awesome tremolo, best one to my ears for what I do.

                              It's a process not instant gratification and that is half the fun. All pedal boards are always a work in progress. How many pedals do you need?

                              One more, just one more, always one more....
                              Brilliant words! I'm building a pedalboard soon, think I'll follow this to the T ?
                                Thanks Jayhell, sounds like good advice!

                                I'm having a look at Pop Effects' page, looks interesting.
                                  Clones are a great way to go. The South African guitar player's obsession with Boss is, on the other hand, weird. Like many pedal makers they make some great pedals. But the whole point of a pedal board is that you hand-pick effects that are great, or specifically attuned to your needs. For most of what Boss makes, there are better options. Why people should consider them the default option, I have no idea.
                                    doc-phil wrote: Thanks Jayhell, sounds like good advice!

                                    I'm having a look at Pop Effects' page, looks interesting.
                                    I'm going to order a Frankenscreamer from Leon soon. A TS808 based overdrive with a whole lot of other clipping settings and it is cheaper than the original product.
                                      Hey man. I went down this route myself and stopped midway. It became a very expensive exercise very quickly. My board now consists of a GT-8 and 4 stompbox pedals powered by a T Rex Junior. The GT-8 can do almost anything stompbox pedals can do, though I use external drive pedals. It's not my ideal solution but it works well for my needs.

                                      Singlemonkey, my opinion is that the Boss pedals are generally cheaper and in higher circulation on the 2nd hand market, therefore the apparent "craze".
                                        I'm currently using my POD HD400 in conjunction with my 2 overdrive pedals. I will most likely sell the POD once my board has all the basics.

                                        I picked up a Polytune (new) and a MXR Dyna Comp (used) as well now, so things are moving along.

                                        The plan will be to pick up a reverb, delay and Micro POG then stop there... although I have my eye on the TremoSoul by Craig Amps.