Pedals for the Jazz Guitarist?

[fep]

I'll try... this would be my priority

1st an overdrive pedal, you have that with the tube screamer

2nd - a delay pedal

(2b - a reverb pedal if your amp doesn't have reverb or you don't like your amps reverb)

Tie for 3rd (thru 7) - compressor, phaser, chorus, wah, volume

Tie for 8th - a 2nd overdrive, fuzz, envelope filter, tremolo

[Doctor Jeff]

I am glad I just play jazz cause I can't keep up with all the pedals. I saw Nels Cline with Wilco recently, and it makes me lightheaded just to think about putting the pedalboard(s) together, much less using them!

Anyway, sounds like reasonable advice above. Good luck!

[Spook410]

The goal for most of us is to have fun playing music. For me, the gear is part of the fun so I tend to just enjoy pedals rather than overthinking what I absolutely need to progress and perform.

So, rather than getting into all the fun stuff available to screw around with I'll just answer your question on what to add next for not much money. My first choice in a cheap pedal (from China or anywhere else) would be the Joyo American. Great Fender blackface sounds. Nice tonal controls. Some even like it for overdrive.

[zdub]

Here's the one you want:

[neatomic]

well you have the overdrive/distortion. the clean boost. the tone filter wah and the looper...only thing you are missing is some kind of time modulation effect ie delay, reverb, phase/chorus type effect...since you seem to like tc...check out their flashback mini delay

also a nice isolated power block for powering the pedalboard is always a good thing..check out voodoo labs power blocks...not an expense to be overlooked when putting together a quality pedalboard


cheers

[zdub]

I’ve accumulated a few items over the years with no real plan in mind and I am thinking about assembling a small pedal board.

I’ve got a Tubescreamer, a TC Spark, a mini Crybaby, and a TC Ditto.

The Poly/EQ thread has me looking at cheap-like-borscht Chinese pedals.

Any general advice as to what, if anything, I should add?

I'm pretty happy with the $22 pedal tuner from Monoprice: Monoprice Chromatic Pedal Tuner

[Spook410]

Wandering a bit off topic...

I used to like Voodoo power blocks and still have one. The design comes from a time when pedals only needed 90 mA. Now it seems you can't put a board together without three or four pedals needing 300ma. That and we've transcended the amp and voltage doubler cables in later designs.

I'm liking the MXR M239 better because it offers enough power, it's cheaper, and has a detached transformer. Also it's small and light. If one isn't enough, they can be chained. Also there's the Strymon Zuma for really power hungry boards. Not overpriced considering what you get and built like a tank. However, it is on the heavy side.

[neatomic]

^ yeah absolutely s410..there's a lot more power options available these days...it blossomed quickly!!..my main point being an isolated power block is something to be considered when first putting together a pedalboard...op's needs are still fairly basic level! hah..for now!!! till the pedal bug bites!!!

cheers

[JaxJaxon]

Definately a EQ ( I am useing Dan electro Fish and chips ) And a Tuner. Optional on other pedals I would suggest a modulation type like Reverb or a chorus or a Phase shifter.

[gmek]

tubescreamer and delay are my essentials.

i've been using the carbon copy lately and it's great!

another really cool pedal is a freeze/super ego... an infinite sustainer. great to play a chord and then solo. different than a loop. more like a keyboard pad.

oh! and a tuner is essential. mini polytune is perfect.

[Bach5G]

Thanks for all the great suggestions.

I think ditch the looper and add a delay and a chorus. So: clean boost, overdrive, delay, chorus, and wah.

[vintagelove]

Thanks for all the great suggestions.

I think ditch the looper and add a delay and a chorus. So: clean boost, overdrive, delay, chorus, and wah.

For the delay, definitely check out the Caline blue ocean. It sounds TOO good for $20. Seriously.

[Jehu]

Another awesome cheap delay option: Donner Yellow Fall (Do a search to find universal acclaim for this one... I believe it's a Carbon Copy clone.)

And get yourself a Rat! The Mooer Black Secret is the best cheap clone option for that one.

[Ray175]

Great advice so far. I would add that if you spend a lot of time playing alone and don’t have BIAB for accompaniment, then a Electro Harmonix Trio+ might be a useful addition. I received one for Xmas, and am sold on it. Great diversity of bass and drum parts, built on the BIAB software engine.

[Bbmaj7#5#9]

Today I'm an owner of twelve different pedals, but I just use them for practicing and to "boost" my musical creativity at home. Otherwise, my tone is completely unprocessed. Amp reverb is my only effect for live performances. Modulated delay, volume pedal and maybe a bit of flanger are the only pedals I can imagine to use if there comes a situation that requires it.

[Alter]

Latest one is this for electric gigs, with an extra wah/volume/boost dunlop pedal on the floor. When playing anything else, jazz or acoustic guitar, i love the simplicity of a guitar straight to an amp. I'm really a guitar-neck pickup-amp only player basically , never cared much for modulation sounds (except tremolo), and i think any kind of boost/overdrive/distortion from a pedal pales in comparison to getting it naturally from a suitable tube amp.

[Bebop Tom]

My pedalboard is identical to the one used by Wes Montgomery, Grant Green, Kenny Burrell, Charlie Christian, and Joe Pass. I find it essential to getting a classic jazz guitar sound.

[mr. beaumont]

I don't usually at home, as my usual practice amp is a modeling amp.

Live, I usually do, a reverb and Fender-y preamp.

[Jehu]

Yeppers!

[takefive]

For my bluesy psychedelic rig I use a Rotovibe, Fuzz Face, Octavio and wah with a Strat. For jazz it's mostly straight into the amp, but I keep a wah, OD and phaser handy in case I play some funkier tunes.

[Litterick]

I have a looper.

[BBGuitar]

I don't like or dislike pedals. I don't use any.

I thought of getting a volume pedal to use with my ES175 but never wanted to spend the money.

I use a clip on microphone with my Eastman and don't have the need.

I guess using the words of Si Kahn " I'm too old to change and too young to die. "

[Joeontheguitar]

This is my pedalboard for my Beatles tribute band. In the right order: tuner (also a mute for when I don't play), a straight 6 overdrive (which has a tube), the Aclam Dr. Robert pedal, which emulates the hybrid Vox UL 7 series amps that The Beatles used on Revolver and Pepper (Zeppelin used them too I heard). Then a Leslie effect (it's a cheap but good one), the Strymon Deco for tape saturation/compression and ADT (still learning with this pedal) and the last one is a booster for solo's.

Recreating a tone is often a challenge, but also part of the fun.

For the early Beatles it's just the Deco for a bit of saturation and compression. On Revolver things get a bit crazy, for example the solo on Taxman. A real fuzzy sound, perfect with the Aclam. A sound where I spend hours tweaking and tuning is the solo on Something. There I use the Deco in it's more extreme setting, plus the Leslie, a touch of overdrive and the neck element with the tone rolled off. Brilliant tone and solo.

I'm a noob with jazz, but I found out the Deco can thicken up your tone if you feel the need. Plus with a bit of saturation it's easier to cut through the mix.

[ccroft]

I started using pedals casually in about 1971. Clyde McCoy was my gateway. By the mid 80’s I had developed a full-fledged pedal problem, though I couldn’t see it in myself at the time. In the 90’s I sought help and I finally got clean in ’95. I lived a pedal free life for the next 28 years.

Then about a year ago I picked up again. Started out with a ParaEQ. Seemed harmless enough at the time. I mean, it’s just a tone control right? I took delivery of a JRockett Blue Note a couple days ago. Yesterday I lost a few hours of my life looking at the latest in pedal boards and power supplies, and I’m really starting to worry about where this is going.

I know, I know... people, places, and things. I really shouldn’t be hanging out here. I freely admit that I’m powerless over my addiction.

Would someone here please be my sponsor?

[Alter]

Its a slippery slope indeed! I spent maybe 12 years gigging just fine with 2-3 cheap basic pedals, then discovered the gear page! Now have a few dozens of pedals in boards, gigbags and drawers..! They have their uses however.

Everyone has their own taste of course, but my advice is don't fall for the boutique and exquisite thing, go for the basic, tried pedals that have some music history behind them. Boss, Ibanez, Mxr, Ehx. etc.. That's my opinion after going both routes over the years.