Pedals reviewed!

Hello everyone. I went to the local music store and tried my Risa electric with a bunch of pedals on a Marshall solid state amp and wanted to share my research to add to our collective knowledge. Please share what pedals worked for you and what ones you tested to build a database.



The worst: Ibanez tube screamer mini. Tried many settings and all sounded fizzy and thin. No growl like guitars get with them.

Solid: Electro Harmonix mini POG. Many impressive settings to add bass to accompany the uke. Also is a polyphonic device so works well with playing chords, unlike the Boss OC1(worked with melody lines only).

Weak but some good points: Electro Harmonix B9 organ synth. I liked the 1-3 settings but the rest were quiet with a weird delay in the signal. There was also a slow fade in with the notes that I didn't like. Different string attacks made no difference for the tones that it produced.

Favorite: MXR chorus. Made everything more full and expansive between notes. Likely to be the first pedal I buy. Pure joy.

Great pedal: TC electronic Flashback tape delay. Was really fun to play some Pink Floyd on this one. A winner.

Quality and value: TC electronic Hall of fame reverb: Worked very well for reverb, but this isn't my favorite effect. Will likely get eventually.

I was pedaled out at this point and didn't try the Ditto looper or the TC electronic Spark mini clean boost.

Thanks for sharing.

I'd consider buying a multi effects pedal. Boss, Zoom or Line 6 all make great pedals for reasonable money. Another advantage is that 99% of them have a headphone amp built in, and several have USB outputs and ASIO drivers.

The Big Kahuna said:

I'd consider buying a multi effects pedal. Boss, Zoom or Line 6 all make great pedals for reasonable money. Another advantage is that 99% of them have a headphone amp built in, and several have USB outputs and ASIO drivers.

Click to expand...

Meaning you could use it as a digital interface?

librainian said:

Meaning you could use it as a digital interface?

Click to expand...

I think so. My Zoom box has both a USB out and a 1/4" jack out. I have always used a standard guitar cord to go from the 1/4" to a digital interface, mainly because the Zoom box does not have a level control on it. But I bet you could use the USB direct. Maybe I will try that later today.

Thanks for starting this thread. I've been looking at pedal tests on YouTube. My Pono TE sounds fine through the amp but I'd like the option to make the sound a bit ummm nastier(?).

I know what you are saying pritch. I would also like a different voicing for variety of personalities on different songs. I was really hoping the tube screamer mini would hold up but it didn't IMO. Sounded like a fizzy AM radio sound. Eventually I will try a cleaner pedal like the Tone City Sweet Cream, but can't try before buying since they have one mail order company for the entire US market.

librainian said:

Meaning you could use it as a digital interface?

Click to expand...

Yes, exactly. If you plug directly into a sound card, you suffer massively from latency issues. ASIO reduces latency to the point where it's unnoticeable.

New pedal day! Found a winner in the MXR M69 Prime distortion pedal for 40 dollars at guitar center. This one had more mids to the sound that came from it compared to the tube screamer. I was surprised at the result. Sounds more like a fuzz than a distortion pedal. for the demonstration I had the output knob up all the way, tone at 10 o'clock and the distortion at 11 o'clock.

Or, depending on whether you are going to gig or not, you could buy a Yamaha Audiogram Interface USB (3 or 6 inputs depending on which model ...ummm 3 or ...6).

This example shows the 6 :

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Yamaha/AUDIOGRAM-6-COMPUTER-RECORDING-SYSTEM-1274115033279.gc

These come with a free copy of Cubase which is usable up to Windows 8 . (8.1 not so sure) and that software is loaded with effects on each track . So if recording is your bag then you can record a straight track in , and in the edit assign the recording to many different tracks and "effect" away .

Cubase AI 4 upwards (depends what comes with the Audiogram)is pretty much load and play but does have a slightly infuriatingly tricky activation process ....patience and reading of the support page is required my Padowans.


Other wise I would go with the Big K and get a multi effect pedal ...they are cheaper , you get more bang for your buck and need only ONE power input ...unless you buy a pedal board ,which aren't cheap .Nor indeed are the individual pedals.


Oh and if you put this on a laptop or tablet you can still use it at a gig....just out put from the audiogram into an amp ....it lacks the immediacy of a stomp box pedal but mouse driven a sound man would change ...or simply keep the tablet next to you ......not ideal in a fast and frenetic thrash metal situation ,but We are talking Ukes aren't we ? :biglaugh::cheers:


PS No affiliation to Yamaha other than I have used an Audiogram 3 since about 2009/10....Would I change it ? Only for the 6 ...and as there is currently only one of me ....I don't need it .

Oh and by the way ...the input numbers is a bit misleading it is 3 CHANNELS ...
one mic/instrument 1/4 " and/or XLR input .I channel ...and a Stereo Input L/R 1/4 " or phono inputs......so TWO CHANNELS making 3 the 6 is similarly misleading to those who think in a straight line , but this does seem to be industry standard speak and appears to be the same regardless of manufacturere.

Cheers

sounds like a good deal CeeJay. Shame I already have an interface and DAW though . I bought those about 6 weeks ago.

I know how to split the sounds so different sections could have different effects later, but I am looking to produce something that will prepare me for open mics(with my uke ). I planned on making my own pedalboard out of scrap wood and having a power strip under it so it will need only one plug if everything goes to plan.

My next effect pedal will be a multi pedal actually, but will likely buy that after I get my amp around christmas time. The pedal I am now sold on after research is the TC Electronic full sized Flashback pedal. It has USB connectivity and a programmable setting to change the delay to produce a chorus effect and also has a setting for working as a looper as well.

After all this my gear acquisition syndrome will lead me deeper into microphone territory and I also would like to get a spinet to learn keyboards? Only the future knows.