How we use the pedals we build

[PapaBear]

This came up in another thread, so tell us how you use the pedals you’ve built.

In the other thread I stated I like to set my drive pedals with the gain on the lower edge and push that with the volume control.

How do use your drive, distortion, flange.,,,.?

 

[Giorfida]

I’ll play
First I use different pedals with different setups differently.
In front of DrZ, I like a Klon as classic boost, low dirt for lead boost. In front of Princeton I like to set up a pedal as a distortion (high dirt, unity gain volume) such as ODR-1 or OD-3 (pedals like TS that have clean mixed with dirt no bueno). I then boost with various pedals (Ts, Zen etc)
Marshall type amps always have a TS as a boost.
Fuzzes are all dependent on amp or guitar. But so far my favorites seem to be Si FF, or one of the MUFFS (which Muffs are amazing for grunge!!)
Modulations always go after dirt fir me, except vibes which sound better to me before

That’s a start but with as many pedals as I’ve built I could write a book with all uses

 

[jimilee]

When I was gigging in a cover band, I used them pretty straight forward. In the original band, I used mostly chorus and delay with an always on compressor. Now, I use them in a box to hold up other boxes of pedals.

 

[joeyd]

For me it depends on what I'm doing. I usually play black metal. I'll always have at least one delay on (usually a hydra delay) with the delay time set between 100-250ms, medium-ish repeats, 30% mix running into a reverb (extra wet; usually a gravitation reverb). Since I'm trem picking for minutes at a time it washes the sound out a bit and smoothes out my technique as I get lazy.

I don't like the really tight, ultra high gain sound of modern metal. I prefer a single coil guitar into an amp with a ton of headroom (jcm 800, dr504). The jangle and grind contrast really sharply with the music I'm playing. I usually build drive pedals to function as pairs. With one providing light distortion and the other medium. Ex. dingo boxed up with a mercurial boost, cattle driver boxed up with an uber dirve, or a precipice boxed up with a chop shop. As I go through a song I'll use either or both drive circuits as needed. Sludgey parts get maximum distortion. Slower, clean sections usually get treated with chorus or phaser, depending on how much dissonance I'm trying to achieve.

 

[kristopher]

Twin Reverb occasional user here. Master vol at 10, volume maybe 2. It’s loud and clean. I haven’t gigged with it in years. Too heavy and overkill for the Patios and small bars I play. Back when I ran an open mic, it was fun hearing different guitars and players plug into it.
My set up now is Two Traynor Darkhorse’s. If you aren’t familiar with these Canadian beauties, check ‘‘em out. They have either a 2 watt 12au7 or 15 watt 6v6 setting. I use the 6v6 most often. Great versatile lunchbox amp.
I enjoy looping a rhythm guitar part into one amp, then playing lead in the second. When I was only using the one amp, I found that frequencies would cancel each other out.
Most pedals are DIY. And I’ve crammed 2 or 3 circuits into enclosures to save space and power supply’s.
My amps are set to a subtle edge of break up. Always on MOSFET boost for signal clarity. When I use OD it’s provided by dirty boosts. Currently the Distortion 250. Or a SHO. I have two Sho’s at the end of the chain. Before a Sproing, always on, medium reverb.
Fuzz foundry is first, followed by octaves. Then dirty boost. Delay before the tremolo. Than into a phaser. I like the phase effecting everything.

 

[PapaBear]

Twin Reverb occasional user here. Master vol at 10, volume maybe 2. It’s loud and clean. I haven’t gigged with it in years. Too heavy and overkill for the Patios and small bars I play. Back when I ran an open mic, it was fun hearing different guitars and players plug into it.
My set up now is Two Traynor Darkhorse’s. If you aren’t familiar with these Canadian beauties, check ‘‘em out. They have either a 2 watt 12au7 or 15 watt 6v6 setting. I use the 6v6 most often. Great versatile lunchbox amp.
I enjoy looping a rhythm guitar part into one amp, then playing lead in the second. When I was only using the one amp, I found that frequencies would cancel each other out.
Most pedals are DIY. And I’ve crammed 2 or 3 circuits into enclosures to save space and power supply’s.
My amps are set to a subtle edge of break up. Always on MOSFET boost for signal clarity. When I use OD it’s provided by dirty boosts. Currently the Distortion 250. Or a SHO. I have two Sho’s at the end of the chain. Before a Sproing, always on, medium reverb.
Fuzz foundry is first, followed by octaves. Then dirty boost. Delay before the tremolo. Than into a phaser. I like the phase effecting everything.

Speaking of dirty boost, before I got into building pedals I would modify stock pedals, for a dirty boost I'd clip the diodes out of a DS-1.

 

[Passinwind]

This came up in another thread, so tell us how you use the pedals you’ve built.

Mostly to enhance the rigs of other people I'm jamming with, and hopefully separate the occasional one from their cash.

 

[vigilante398]

This came up in another thread, so tell us how you use the pedals you’ve built.

I'm confused. Use? Pedals are for building, not for using. The input/output jacks are for decorative purposes.

 

[Coda]

My main amp (and only functioning amp, currently) is a 1972 Acoustic Control Corp. 134. It’s a SS Super Reverb, basically. It rips, volume wise. Tone wise, it’s a steaming pile of bland. The tone stack is incredibly transparent. Therefore, I use a pedal at the very end of my chain as my ‘amp’ tone. Muamp- based pedals act the most traditional, from what I have seen so far. Of course, you get a lot of interaction between the tone of the pedal, and the tone controls on the amp. It can take a while to dial in, but when it’s good, it’s very good. I paid $299 for the amp.

 

[coltonius]

My base lineup is settled, but I like to sub in builds to add a little spice and variety. For instance, square wave fuzz is my guilty pleasure- I have little to no use for it when playing out.