One pedal what would it be

[longbow]

If you only had to own one pedal for playing blues what would it be. You would be using an all tube amp etc. etc., tele or strat or LP. Ok I am listening. thanks

[Jelle]

Right now I'm very happy running a MI Audio Blues Pro into a DRRI; I add a little dirt with it and it compresses the tone somewhat, has a slight mid-hump that I like with the scooped mids on the DRRI and the tone control works pretty good. At the moment it's the only pedal I use when playing out (partscaster - BP - DRRI).
I did change the chip for a LM1458 btw.

[bosstone]

For different reasons, either a Xotic RC Booster or a Fulltone OCD version 4. I have gone through dozens of vintage, boutique and mainstream pedals and these are keepers.

[Singin' Dave]

For me, its a Fulltone Fulldrive 2 (pre mosfet version, a tuner and a nice old Fender amp.

[skeksis]

hate to be a smarta**, but I'd go with just a tuner pedal. boss tu-2 I think it is :-) otherwise, turn up the (lower power) amp & work your volume/tone knobs.

[Rumble]

I only go with amplifier distortion, no pedals for that. I prefer onboard reverb to pedal reverb as well. Same with tremelo. So I'd have to say a delay pedal because that's one thing a real tube amp can't do on its own.

[bosstone]

Originally Posted by skeksis

hate to be a smarta**, but I'd go with just a tuner pedal. boss tu-2 I think it is :-) otherwise, turn up the (lower power) amp & work your volume/tone knobs.

I always see that answer but unless you have an amp for every application and every size venue, in my experience you can't get the best sound with one amp. If you can, I would very curious to know what amp you use. Not being a wise guy, but I have been looking for an amp that can sound good in every situation for over 40 years, with no luck.

[beep.click]

It would depend on the guitar and the amp... but if someone challenged me to use just ONE pedal, I'd start the experimentation with my Fulltone Fulldrive 2.

These experiments always surprise me, though, so I cold easily see the winner being my Bad Monkey.

[beep.click]

Originally Posted by bosstone

I have been looking for an amp that can sound good in every situation for over 40 years, with no luck.

Me too. Except you're ahead of me by a decade!

[ruger9]

+1 on the Fulldrive. Comp-cut mode on the neck pickup of a tele (or strat) is heaven!

[Justinvs]

Tube Screamer, or similar overdrive. Nice dirt without sounding too artificial.

Justin

[robbysturgis]

Bluesberry

[longbow]

I have no idea what Jelle is talking about? I don't use a pedal of any sort but think I want to try one hence my question, but maybe I didn't pose it correctly.

I have a CRATE VC50 and VC20, the 50 don't think I need a pedal as it is pretty darn nice as a stand alone amp. I don't play out either and never will just play for enjoyment. The VC20 is a great little amp but would like to add depth to my sound with a bit of grit. The reverb on the amp works very well, so bottom line want a pedal that will add some presence and depth with a bit of bluesy grit.

I wish I knew what scooped mids were but don't. Don't even know what a DRRI is either and for the chip you change that is beyond my realm also. Thanks though.

[skeksis]

Originally Posted by bosstone

I always see that answer but unless you have an amp for every application and every size venue, in my experience you can't get the best sound with one amp. If you can, I would very curious to know what amp you use. Not being a wise guy, but I have been looking for an amp that can sound good in every situation for over 40 years, with no luck.

Couple quick answers... I'm not a pedal-hater, just the OP was asking about 1 pedal for a given tone, and I'd argue in that case you're talking about generally better results from an amp tone rather than a pedal tone. Nobody jumped on Rumble for his delay pedal recommendation, which is in the same spirit as my suggestion :-) use pedals for things the amp can't do...

I keep a handful of amps around and match to application/venue. Ampeg Jet (J-12-A from '64, 6SL7's + 7591's + 5Y3) seems to be covering most all of my needs right now. I keep a kit-built 5F4 Super clone on hand for anything where I need much more clean headroom. Couple smaller, larger amps, some w/ reverb (none of which are particularly high $, some a good deal less than a few pedals in this thread) round out my options.

And YES, I'll use a pedal or two with the 5F4 or the Jet when needed (eg Boss OD-3 or DOD OD/preamp 250)... but it's got nothing on using the right amp + right guitar for the situation. Granted, I don't have to cover a wide range of tones, so in my case it's a workable, simple solution. Not for everyone, for sure.

Edit: I find that pedals are another variable that has to be well-matched to both guitar and amp to get workable results. I've tried several options mentioned in this thread with lackluster results... but other folks like what they hear. Nothing right or wrong about that. My point is, I don't think you can't just stick a pedal in between a guitar and amp and make all the other application/venue variables less relevant... it adds another variable. IMHO is all I'm saying....

[bingy]

Wah about the Wah?

[Keith S]

I use my Hot Rod Amp for everything... of course "everything" means clubs and bars and the occasional outdoor stage. I mic the amp and we always use a board anyway,

The only pedal I use is a dunlop crybaby.

[Jahmbie]

Originally Posted by Justinvs

Tube Screamer, or similar overdrive. Nice dirt without sounding too artificial.

Or even just a good boost pedal to push your tubes.

[Colin Johnston]

I'm loving my Zendrive into a DRRI, but I was more than happy with the Boss SD1 I used for years.

[bosstone]

Originally Posted by skeksis

Couple quick answers... I'm not a pedal-hater, just the OP was asking about 1 pedal for a given tone, and I'd argue in that case you're talking about generally better results from an amp tone rather than a pedal tone. Nobody jumped on Rumble for his delay pedal recommendation, which is in the same spirit as my suggestion :-) use pedals for things the amp can't do...

I keep a handful of amps around and match to application/venue. Ampeg Jet (J-12-A from '64, 6SL7's + 7591's + 5Y3) seems to be covering most all of my needs right now. I keep a kit-built 5F4 Super clone on hand for anything where I need much more clean headroom. Couple smaller, larger amps, some w/ reverb (none of which are particularly high $, some a good deal less than a few pedals in this thread) round out my options.

And YES, I'll use a pedal or two with the 5F4 or the Jet when needed (eg Boss OD-3 or DOD OD/preamp 250)... but it's got nothing on using the right amp + right guitar for the situation. Granted, I don't have to cover a wide range of tones, so in my case it's a workable, simple solution. Not for everyone, for sure.

I assumed, maybe wrongly, that the OP was referring to some type of booster, overdrive, or distortion pedal to get a blues type sound out of "an all tube amp". I just wanted to point out that I haven't ever been satisfied with the sounds of any one amp, used in a variety of situations from playing at home to playing medium/small gigs. Even a 5 watt amp can be loud by the time it starts sounding good to me, when played in my living room and it isn't very usable in a room of more than about 25 people, depending on noise and room acoustics. My early 80s Marshall JCM 800s didn't sound good (even for blues) until they are fairly loud. Master volume helps but only within certain limits. Attenuators help but also only within certain limits. Size and weight of the amp are considerations also. It has been a very long and expensive journey to try to find a good compromise and I have found pedals to be the most practical solution. When I see so many people saying they do it without pedals, I naturally am very curious to know how.

I'm not jumping on anyone but I still don't know of a practical answer to avoid pedals and I do feel that there are pedals out there that sound great, when you find the right pedal for the right amp and are a good solution to the problem. Some of the newer amps, equipped with "Power Scaling" will be the answer for some but the price for those start at about $1,500.00+ and not everyone will want to do that.

[DMace]

Boss tuner.

[Rumble]

Originally Posted by bosstone

I assumed, maybe wrongly, that the OP was referring to some type of booster, overdrive, or distortion pedal to get a blues type sound out of "an all tube amp". I just wanted to point out that I haven't ever been satisfied with the sounds of any one amp, used in a variety of situations from playing at home to playing medium/small gigs. Even a 5 watt amp can be loud by the time it starts sounding good to me, when played in my living room and it isn't very usable in a room of more than about 25 people, depending on noise and room acoustics. My early 80s Marshall JCM 800s didn't sound good (even for blues) until they are fairly loud. Master volume helps but only within certain limits. Attenuators help but also only within certain limits. Size and weight of the amp are considerations also. It has been a very long and expensive journey to try to find a good compromise and I have found pedals to be the most practical solution. When I see so many people saying they do it without pedals, I naturally am very curious to know how.

I can use my 50-watt Marshall JMP with a PPIMV thru two V30s when the family's sleeping two rooms over or in a large venue. For distortion I don't need anything else. The same goes for my AC15 and 2x12 Blues Deville, although their ranges are narrower (lower volume range for the AC15, higher for the Blues Deville). The Marshall can be quieter than the AC15 and louder than the Deville and still sound sweet. The only thing the Marshall can't do is reverb, tremelo, or delay, so I may use a pedal for those. I've got a Boss reverb/delay pedal so that does it. I like wahs as well, but those aren't really used in straight blues (and I don't play the blues).

[gaddis]

ProCo Rat

[bosstone]

Originally Posted by Rumble

I can use my 50-watt Marshall JMP with a PPIMV thru two V30s when the family's sleeping two rooms over or in a large venue. For distortion I don't need anything else. The same goes for my AC15 and 2x12 Blues Deville, although their ranges are narrower (lower volume range for the AC15, higher for the Blues Deville). The Marshall can be quieter than the AC15 and louder than the Deville. The only thing the Marshall can't do is reverb, tremelo, or delay, so I may use a pedal for those. I've got a Boss reverb/delay pedal so that does it. I like wahs as well, but those aren't really used in straight blues (and I don't play the blues).

I have had three JCM 800s 50 watters, one head from 81, one American market combo from 83 and one Canadian market head from 1983. These amps are essentially the same as your JMP with PPIMV. Yes, these amps are usable at lower volume, without a pedal but for me, they sound much more satisfying, either cranked up much beyond what could be used with people sleeping 2 rooms away or when used with a pedal. You can chalk it up to personal preference but those amps sound so much better the more you push them that it is hard to resist twisting the volume knob. I tried them with many different speaker and cab configurations from a Hiwatt 4 X 12 loaded with vintage Rola Celestion G12-65s down to a single 10" detuned cab with a Celestion G10S-50 in an attempt to have truly satisfying sound at low volumes but it just didn't happen. Currently, I am using a 1994, Lee Jackson designed Ampeg VL 502 with an early incarnation "Power Scaling" type of tube voltage limiting attenuation. I can get below 5 watts and up to 75 watts and closely cover the cranked sounds of most vintage Marshalls, through hotrodded JCM 800s while listening to radio or TV. For me, the sound I am getting this way is much preferable to just using the JCM 800's master volume. Of course, as they say, individual results may vary.

[adifferentbreed]

Originally Posted by gaddis

ProCo Rat

+1 it works on all three of my amps really well.

[Rumble]

Originally Posted by bosstone

I have had three JCM 800s 50 watters, one head from 81, one American market combo from 83 and one Canadian market head from 1983. These amps are essentially the same as your JMP with PPIMV.

Not according to this: http://www.harmony-central.com/Guita...evolution.html

"6. 1970's Marshall Master Volume-> in--> G1 --> volume --> G2--> G3--> EQ--> master volume--->

Marshall, taking ideas from amp techs who were already modifying their amps, and from Mesa's new Boogies, decided it should manufacture a master volume amp. Guitarists wanted more distortion from their amps, and they wanted it at lower volumes. Marshall's solution was to add one extra gain stage, which gave its 1970's Master Volume amps a lot of crunch. Not the super saturated gain demanded by metal players in the late 1980's, but perfect for crunchy 70's riffing.

Notice that Marshall didn't simply clone the Mesa-Boogies. They kept the EQ at the end of the preamp, not the beginning, like in Boogies. They also didn't use as many gain stages.

7. Early JCM-800's with diode clipping
in--> G1--> EQ--> gain--> G2--> DIODES--> volume--> G3--> loop--> Phase Inverter--> master volume--->

This complex circuit was Marshall's first attempt at mixing tube and transitor distortion in its larger amplifiers. The mix of tube gain and diode clipping produced more distortion, but some players thought the sound was too "buzzy" and "thin" and "cold" compared to Marshall's all tube designs."

Mine is a 1976 model and doesn't have any solid state diodes so it probably sounds quite a bit different than the ones you had.

[popthree]

i'd go with a tubescreamer type pedal that does something 'more'. right now i'm using a sparkle drive and its cool with the clean blend variable. i used to use an ibanez ts-7 which is really a good sounding and cheap $$ wise but well built pedal..it has a regular ts808 and a 'hot' mode that gets in the territory of the old green 'sonic distortion'. another good one would be a visual sound route 66...someday i'll find a deal on one and give it a go.

[bosstone]

Originally Posted by Rumble

Not according to this: http://www.harmony-central.com/Guita...evolution.html

"6. 1970's Marshall Master Volume-> in--> G1 --> volume --> G2--> G3--> EQ--> master volume--->

Marshall, taking ideas from amp techs who were already modifying their amps, and from Mesa's new Boogies, decided it should manufacture a master volume amp. Guitarists wanted more distortion from their amps, and they wanted it at lower volumes. Marshall's solution was to add one extra gain stage, which gave its 1970's Master Volume amps a lot of crunch. Not the super saturated gain demanded by metal players in the late 1980's, but perfect for crunchy 70's riffing.

Notice that Marshall didn't simply clone the Mesa-Boogies. They kept the EQ at the end of the preamp, not the beginning, like in Boogies. They also didn't use as many gain stages.

7. Early JCM-800's with diode clipping
in--> G1--> EQ--> gain--> G2--> DIODES--> volume--> G3--> loop--> Phase Inverter--> master volume--->

This complex circuit was Marshall's first attempt at mixing tube and transitor distortion in its larger amplifiers. The mix of tube gain and diode clipping produced more distortion, but some players thought the sound was too "buzzy" and "thin" and "cold" compared to Marshall's all tube designs."

Mine is a 1976 model and doesn't have any solid state diodes so it probably sounds quite a bit different than the ones you had.

They don't have their "facts" straight. The early JCMs (1981 through late 83, very early 84 do not have diode clipping. I don't agree that early Marshall JCMs cloned the Boogie circuit either. Those boogies had two controls for preamp gain and the Marshalls only had one, which is a huge difference and they sound almost nothing alike. I have owned several early Boogies from an original MKI, 2 MKIIC+s and a MKIII red stripe.

[Tim73]

MXR Micro amp for boost or possibly a tuner pedal

[scoots]

i'd go with a volume pedal, use the tube amps natural breakup for od, then you can use both the vol and tone knob on your tele for tone/od control.

[Ns10Fan]

Desert Island, I'd bring a tuner.

If I were allowed one more, I'd do a Fulltone OCD. I am generally a one-pedal pony, and I used to use the Boss Super Overdrive...which is still a great pedal imo, but the OCD is way more versatile. It's a great tone without having to push your amp to the breakpoint, and with the amp jacked it's even better.

As a straight boost pedal with no gain, it breaks up ever so slight, and really lets your amp sing. Dial in drive to taste, and mess with the peak setting. It's a fun pedal. And using it with your guitar's volume is great...it's nice and responsive to that as well.

[Rumble]

Originally Posted by bosstone

They don't have their "facts" straight. The early JCMs (1981 through late 83, very early 84 do not have diode clipping. I don't agree that early Marshall JCMs cloned the Boogie circuit either. Those boogies had two controls for preamp gain and the Marshalls only had one, which is a huge difference and they sound almost nothing alike. I have owned several early Boogies from an original MKI, 2 MKIIC+s and a MKIII red stripe.

Well, I guess we can just say that my JMP w/ PPIMV does it for me even at low volumes and your JCMs didn't. Shrug. Okay...

[Pinball_Wizard]

Honestly if you have a tube Amp, go for the Tubescreamer.
the only reason mt Poor Man's 808 has asymmetrical clipping, is because I'm using solid state. If I had tubes I'd go full blown 808.

[Mojotron]

All you need is a Fuzz Face for great overdrive, distortion and fuzz.

They are awesome.

[Jeffscreamedcorn]

My vintage DOD250. Loving my zendrive too....

[cband7]

Seymour Duncan SFX-03 Twin Tube Classic. I don't have a tube amp and this pretty much fills the bill. I'm guessing a good tube amp would be the same but this is ~ $200 !

[bosstone]

Originally Posted by Rumble

Well, I guess we can just say that my JMP w/ PPIMV does it for me even at low volumes and your JCMs didn't. Shrug. Okay...

Of course it is okay. There is no reason to be offended. I doubt that we like the same amount of salt on out steaks either. I am happy for you that you are are are satisfied with the sound you get. You may not like the sound I get either. I am only giving one person's opinion on the subject.

[morroben]

ZVex SuperDuper

[JDaveG]

FD2. I love the OCD, and I'll be getting a nice tuner and compressor, but if I could only have one, it would be the FD2. Great, versatile, incredible pedal.

[frankus]

Tricky.. I'd say me Zendrive as I'd tune up with the strobostomp before I left home

[Yoni]

Originally Posted by bingy

Wah about the Wah?

I'll say wah, just cuz I love making the guitar honk when I'm cutting it up.