First pedal

I am a worship leader/Minister of Music who is just starting to use a guitar in worship leading. What would be your recommendation for a starting chorus for an acoustic electic guitar?

Thanks

Sorry, should be starting chorus pedal for an acoustic electric guitar.

I use the DigiTech Multi-Chorus (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/DigiTech-XMC-Multi-Chorus-Digital-Multi-Voice-Chorus-Pedal?sku=150205) in my acoustic-electric rig at church. I don't have experience with many other chorus pedals, but this one does a lot for me. For the moment, it's the only pedal I use, but I may add some others as cash permits (maybe a delay or compressor).

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/8/2/9/238829.jpg

Fishman has a line of pedals designed especially for acoustics. Their Chorus (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fishman-AFX-Chorus-Guitar-Effects-Pedal?sku=150564) costs $250! It had better be pretty darned good for that!

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/1/7/9/534179.jpg

Sorry, should be starting chorus pedal for an acoustic electric guitar.

When you use the term "acoustic electric", what exactly are you talking about? I have heard this term used for everything from a standard acoustic with either a saddle or sound hole pickup all the way to something like a Gibson 335. And, what you are trying to do with the pedal is a little different if you are using it for a hollow bodied electric vs. an acoustic.

Indeed, if you are looking to just thicken your acoustic sound, I might suggest a digital delay set for very short time with a lot of repeats rather than the chorus. However, for electric, the chorus might be the better choice.

Either way, it would be hard to go wrong with either the Boss pedals (CE-5 chorus would be a good start, the CH-1 has more functions, but probably for what you are after, the CE-5 is fine and the DD-3 for delay would probably be satisfactory; again the DD-6 or DD-7 are probably more than you need) or you could go with the Digitech Hardwire series (the CR-7 for chorus and the DL-8 for delay). Both have great cases, and are really road worthy. The Boss pedals have been used forever by everybody, and really do give great performance for the buck. The Digitech Hardwire pedals basically give some features that folks have wished Boss had offered for years, and have the same ease of use as the Boss. Both have hard to kill cases.

You will be spending ~100 to 150 per pedal for any of these.

If you are doing only acoustic with an under saddle pickup, then the Fishman would be nice, but it is expensive.

If you're playing an acoustic, I would really recommend to stay away from any effects. At least to me, I rarely like anything on the acoustic... especially not chorus, as it is often very cheesy sounding. If you must have something though, I would second the idea of a delay pedal (much more versatile than chorus), or maybe even a light phaser or a tremolo. The sound guy should already be putting a touch of reverb on it if the venue is flat-sounding.

I've been playing with worship bands for 11 years and have gone through many phases myself---everything from relying on effects (acoustic and electric) to going completely minimalist. I think you're better off spending that money on a few lessons and concentrating on your playing.

If you're playing an acoustic...
I've been playing with worship bands for 11 years and have gone through many phases myself---everything from relying on effects (acoustic and electric) to going completely minimalist. I think you're better off spending that money on a few lessons and concentrating on your playing.


Anything but concentrating on playing. And lessons and practice!!! :shock::lol:

an ibanez session man bright pink .

I like a Danelectro Cool Cat. They are very solidly built, and have a very smooth sound.

I like a Danelectro Cool Cat. They are very solidly built, and have a very smooth sound.

The Cool Cat is nice, but I think it has a very limited application. I used to have one. I think the warmth is much nicer than any Boss chorus and gives it a more natural sound; however, it is a very wet effect with no mix control. Because of this, you can't use it all the time.

If you end up getting a chorus pedal to add a bit of depth to your acoustic though, start with the depth and speed at the complete minimum settings and turn them up only very judiciously. For this type of application, chorus will work the best if you almost don't notice it at all.

(Sorry if my previous post was a little discouraging to start with!)

I agree with Callaway:

A little bit of reverb is all thats needed on an acoustic guitar. Too much (or any?) chorus will make you sound like an overproduced 80's album...or any contemporary Christian album from the last 25 years.

The Digigdelay is hands down the best first pedal for several reasons... you have 7 different options in one pedal. Most importantly though is the #5 position is called modulate or modulated which is a pitch bending chorus. I had 2 in my train for a while because they are that versatile. You can use the #1 position add time and keep the feed back low and you a good reverb effect. Most bang for you buck... and the kicker is you can find these all day long for 40-50 used and they are built like a tank. Experimenting with a single pedal like this causes appreciation for versatility. When I had 2 I would use them together and set the time shorter on the first and slightly longer on the second... causing a very cool galloping effect... much like a U2 setting. Also great for a huge full never ending note or chord that just goes on and on...
Hope this helps and good luck... and all the best

I'm with callaway and GoldieLocks, a little bit of reverb is all you need to start with. I play acoustic when song leading and don't need effects. Just this morning there's only the keyboard, drums and me on acoustic guitar and singers of course. It was awesome.

too much (or any?) chorus will make you sound like an overproduced 80's album...or any contemporary Christian album from the last 25 years.

:lol:

Today I used my Gibson 185ec with just a hint of reverb. fbcmusicmark, once you've got that down THEN would be the time to start adding effects. Blessings on ya!

I agree with Callaway:

A little bit of reverb is all thats needed on an acoustic guitar. Too much (or any?) chorus will make you sound like an overproduced 80's album...or any contemporary Christian album from the last 25 years.

:lol:

Today I used my Gibson 185ec with just a hint of reverb. fbcmusicmark, once you've got that down THEN would be the time to start adding effects. Blessings on ya!

I'm with these guys...............

You might look for a good delay pedal that can go from almost nothing to "ambience" (reverb) to some long delay. Probably more useful than just reverb, unless you've got that on the board "for free." Lots of times that is what you really want, I think, instead of chorus, which is best in small doses. It has its place - I have a chorus pedal, but it gets almost as much use as the wah-wah, which is like every other month, maybe. Delay and reverb nearly all the time.

Chorus? Why?

Oh, that is a bit to short. Me and my enter bar...

Do you want one cause you love the sound? Or do you wan't a "bigger" sound?

Cause than I should go for them up her in the trend of delay...

I would recommend you pick up either a Delay or Reverb pedal.
They add great fullness to your sound and even better when used together.

After those two...distortion, then chorus flanger or tremolo.


=]
Dm

I would recommend you pick up either a Delay or Reverb pedal.
They add great fullness to your sound and even better when used together.

After those two...distortion, then chorus flanger or tremolo.


=]
Dm

Distortion on an acoustic straight into a soundboard? I mean, you might be onto something, but... :smile:

Distortion on an acoustic straight into a soundboard? I mean, you might be onto something, but... :smile:

Lol...don't knock it til you try it. I have done that with my acoustic yamaha, my squire '51 and my Boss DS-1 and BD-2 pedals. It sounds a little thin but it works!

lol,
Dm

Lol...don't knock it til you try it. I have done that with my acoustic yamaha, my squire '51 and my Boss DS-1 and BD-2 pedals. It sounds a little thin but it works!

lol,
Dm

How do you know that I haven't heard it or done it just screwing around? There is no way that I will ever think that will sound good in any practical application.

I've done it before. You know how sometimes you try something unexpected, and it just works, in a way you can't explain, but which sounds totally, completely, and incredibly awesome?

That wasn't it.

-jm

I always just go straight into the board with my acoustic. What type of DI are you using? That can make a difference in the sound of the guitar, we switched to Radials at church a couple of years back and they do sound very nice.

How do you know that I haven't heard it or done it just screwing around? There is no way that I will ever think that will sound good in any practical application.

Well, based on your previous post and this one quoted above, it suggests that you haven't based on your proliferous usage of "I THINK".
:wink:

If you KNEW...it would be worded differently.


Deuces,
Dm