-
Originally Posted by BFrench
Well, you can list it here, of course!
Also, I'd check The Gear Page.
And yes, they are high-priced, but seem to be well-liked!
-
06-28-2020 03:19 PM
-
Originally Posted by marcwhy
-
List it. There's lots of folks here who use tube based or tube emulating pedals like this to add a bit of warmth or grit in front of a solid state amp. I can think of one J Zucker who was using some sort of Kingsley. They make several. Just ask to get what you paid for it, or maybe slightly more. Get your money back and make a fellow forumite happy!
I'd be interested if I wasn't already satisfied with something similar. Fact is I built a nice little board and had things set so 'you hardly know it's on'. Kept turning them down and eventually ended up with them off and out of the signal chain altogether for the time being.
-
Originally Posted by Litterick
Last edited by starjasmine; 06-29-2020 at 12:03 AM.
-
Even playing rock, as most of my playing is, I generally stay away from effects unless I'm covering a particular sound that needs to be right.
Other than that, the only effects I use for rock are a dirtbox for boosting a solo, and little touches of reverb, delay, and/or chorus. Like any seasoning, a little goes a long ways.
When I play blues or jazz, the only effect I use is a bit of reverb if the song can use or need it. Otherwise, I'd rather dial in my amp and ride volume and tone from my guitar.
I do agree with a volume pedal in the chain, but I don't really think of that as an effect.
-
Although the Blues Jr is a very popular amp, it can sound a bit boxy without some of the more popular mods that are out there, especially with an hollowbody. Therefore, for the jazz tone I think you are looking for, a graphic EQ pedal (like the Boss or MXR) will give you a lot of tone shaping possibilities. If I'm doing a straight up jazz gig with my ES-175, either with a combo or in an orchestra, I'll always take a Boss GE-7 EQ, an Xotic SP Compressor, and an Xotic EP Boost. These get plugged into a Fender Princeton (12"), Fender Deluxe, or Quilter 101/Raezer's Edge amp. By the end of the first tune, I've engaged and tweeked 0 to all three depending on the room, and then I just leave them along.
Good luck!
-
It sounds like you've already got the makings of a good jazz sound. It's mostly in your hands anyway.
But if you're interested in exploring effects and you don't know where to start, you might try a multi-effects board. It will give you a taste of a lot of different sounds and you can see what you like. Even if they're not the very best high-end effects, you can always upgrade down the road when you know what you want. Boss makes some good ones that aren't too pricey. You can usually them used on Craigslist if you don't want to spend a lot of money.
-
Since I play through a Bose Compact to fill a space without being too loud for those close to the stage, I utilize multiprocessors. The Bose is very hi-fi sterile-sounding with no effects built in. A multi-processor can be very helpful for any kind of gig, from jazz to pit band backing a singer. The Bose really throws the sound a long way, sometimes the room will have enough of its own reverb, but tone-shaping needs outside help. Digitech RP-55 or Zoom A3 are very small and light, and very versatile. I abandoned guitar amps when the Bose L1 series arrived, amps are too directional; those in front find them too loud, those off to the side can barely hear them. The Bose throws the sound equally 180 degrees, working as its own monitor. As a result, I always have my sound, and I always can hear it.
-
OP:
Pedals have a habit of breeding like rabbits, especially the ones with fancy graphics. They can be a distraction from making music.
A high price tag does not always mean high quality; there are some good pedals at bargin prices.
Pedlboards are a matter of playing style and application. I play nylon strings only, and want a small (portable; many mini pedals) simple (non-multi) pedalboard for tone-shaping, practice and ambient playing. I have built the following pedalboard to suit my playstyle:
Pre-amp (inc boost)
Tuner
Compressor (usually on, but with very mild settings)
Graphic eq (to adjust for room / feedback; usually off)
Delay (for ambient improvisations)
Reverb (for depth when needed for a room and for ambient improvisations)
Freeze (for practice and ambient playing)
Looper (for practice, improv, and composition)
Think long and hard about what you are trying to achieve with pedals. What problem are you trying to solve?
-
If the Blues Junior already has reverb, you might add a delay pedel, but ever so slightly. And I too am still a fan of chorus, but not necessarily in straight jazz settings. I use it a lot for pit work and "electric-acousticy" things.
-
While I use only a few smatterings of pedal interaction, I like them for coloring, or more specifically, to carry "the music" more forward, before reverting back to a basic guitar/amp treatment. (Soloing)
Things to be critical of: over indulging, washing out the sound of the guitar, and over use / killing the dynamics.
But have fun with the toys. Lots of good advice in this thread, I have learned something. As you can see, I have a thread asking about "smooth jazz" amps, because I am curious always.
-
Originally Posted by ronjazz
-
Originally Posted by starjasmine
-
Originally Posted by Litterick
I have to add that I totally understand the lust for cool signal processing in a rock/funk/pop or other less-jazzy setting. I love cool fx as much as the next guy for non-jazz stuff. I just happen to like a pretty straight-ahead sound for the pretty straight-ahead jazz I like to play.
Maybe I'm out of it. Kreisberg and Rosenwinkle use pedals :-)
-
It all depends on how you like your jazz!
Were electric guitars well received by everyone - back in the 30's ??? Probably not everyone.
-
Originally Posted by Litterick
-
Looks more-or-less like two camps: "traditionalists", who are happy with the 1940s-50s technology, and "modernists" , many of whom will be of a young generation that daily heard heavily processed guitars, from early Duane Eddy to Hendrix's overdriven Marshalls, and later the "Boston" school of Goodrick, Abercrombie and Metheny, using two amps and digital delays, along with tone-shaping pedals for light crunch and overdrive, etc. Having been a pro player for over 50 years, I found myself experimenting with processing as a way to modernize my sound and as a creative set of "colors" to apply to the demands of various gigs. Bop-style situations generally called for my 175 through a Polytone, but my studies with Goodrick opened me up to different sonic approaches, and my first experiences hearing Metheny live showed the future quite convincingly. Since I play nylon strings almost exclusively, my Godin Multiac Nylon 7-string benefits from multi-processors that allow me to use it in almost any setting, including Broadway-style rock musicals, or behind vocalists who may be quite versatile and will need at various times classical guitar, typical older-school jazz guitar sounds, or rocking out blues and distorted tones. It is much easier to carry a pedal or two than extra guitars or even a banjo ( the Godin has synth access), and once you've spent some time tweaking and saving your palette, you have access to what the gig may call for. Of course, none of it replaces having your chops and reading skills up!
-
Just go clean! Nice guitar, nice amp, good fingers, good ears. Thats all you need in my opinion!
-
One of the tough things is that pedals can end up being a bit overused. It’s hard to wean yourself off them once you start.
Personally I’d rather use them as a colour to make the sound more interesting over an album or a gig than a default part of my sound. So .... yes to both?
I grew up in the era of great pedal players; particularly Radiohead who use effects brilliantly. So I find it odd to deny myself those resources. There’s few things lovelier than a good delay sound.
OTOH I find the stock humbuckers through a clean fender amp type jazz sound actually quite a difficult and unforgiving sound at gig volume. I like a more acoustic tone for straightahead, if I can get it.
-
^
so true. The disease of guitarplayers: overdoing it on gear.
-
I would recommend a nice EQ plus Boost. The Empress ParaEQ or the Tech 21 NYC Q/Strip is very nice.
A nice compressor. A nice reverb. A nice valve/tube buffer. And a nice looper.
-
Originally Posted by Jabberwocky
-
I use a Hilton volume pedal and a small pedalboard with an Empress Para EQ and a Strymon Flint. (Reverb/Tremolo)
Thats pretty much it.
The Flint gives me reverb in several flavors and though I don't use the tremolo a lot its a very good one.
I rarely need the EQ with my '69 Princetons.
Frequently I'll use it to shape the tone on some of my post-war and 50's Gibson amps and a couple oddball earlier Guild amps.
The tone controls on those older amps are pretty limited and its amazing what you can get out of some of those with that EQ.
-
Bill Frisell is the jazz guy who really sold me on tasteful use of pedals to create voices that really serve the music.
-
Boss TU-3
Lucy’s Jazz Guitar Gretsch G5420 an Projects
Today, 08:13 PM in Guitar, Amps & Gizmos