Cheaper and better pedal alternatives for me.

[Kevin1202]

Hi I am new in this discussion. I have been doing a great research on building pedalboard for worship guitarist.

First of all, this started 1 year ago when I moved to the US and given an opportunity to serve as a rhythm guitarist. As the year passed by, I start to enjoy playing lead guitar more, and from then on I start to learn scales and pedals.

Currently I have this pedal that I recently built.

Pedal chain:
Polytune mini tuner 3 --> Xotic SP Comp --> JHS MG --> Tumnus Wampler mini --> Dunlop mini vol --> MXR Carbon copy Deluxe --> TC Flashback mini --> BOSS RV 6 --> ditto looper.

I would like to get some insights, are there any alternatives for my pedalboard, so maybe I can use something cheaper with the same quality of sound or even better?

Thank you

 

[SBClose]

Yes.
There are some things you can do.
Thanks for the smiles this morning.

 

[CapnCrunch]

Hey @Kevin1202 Welcome to TDPRI and to the Worship service forum. Happy first post, and Welcome! What amp are you playing through? I'm guessing it is not the baby Marshall in your picture. I can't tell what your guitar is, but it appears to have at least one PAF style humbucker. Guitar pickups and your amp will have a significant impact on effects choices (in my experience). For instance, and again this is just my personal take, if you have a relatively dark sounding pickup like most Gibson Style humbuckers and you have a relatively dark sounding British voiced amp, then your "transparent" OD will serve you very well as most "transparent" OD's aren't actually transparent, they are usually very bright, and work well with dark guitars and amps. On the other hand, if you run a Fender Black or Silver Faced style amp, or regularly use Strat style pickups, both of which are mid scooped, then you may want something with more mid-range like a Tube Screamer or one of its many clones/variants.

That's just discussing your drive section. There are so many options out there for delay and Reverb that the sky is the limit. Looking at what you have on your board, you probably have a pretty good balance between pedal quality and affordability, at least from my perspective. You certainly have the Worship guitarist's basics covered in a very compact board. I might consider a boost and a Compressor as additions, but you can get by without either.

Edit: Sorry, I see that you have a Comp.

 

[SBClose]

OK.. regarding my earlier post and the thanks for the smile.
I saw the pedal board, then I saw the amp and figured the post was a subtle joke.

If it wasn't a joke, I apologize.

Regarding the pedals and the interest in something less expensive; once you sell off what you have (probably at a loss) and replace it with cheaper stuff that might sound close but won't be as good in the long run, will the cash you have left buy more than a decent meal at your favorite restaurant?

I'd venture to say no.

You have a good set up. Sounding "better" becomes pretty subjective once the basics are in place.

 

[Kevin1202]

That is fine. I am okay though. Thank you so much for all the replies.

Yes that photo was a bit blurry but is real and I used the little Marshall MS2 Amp.

So that guitar was my first electric guitar that I bought 3 years ago. I am from Indonesia (SouthEast Asia), I used to play and just play acoustic guitar. I used to not knowing anything about guitar.

I first asked to play guitar in my church in Indonesia. However, that was the first and my last time serving God as guitarist. I felt so much pressure from other musician as I know worship musicians tend to play by ear and natural.
I learnt guitar self-taught and do not know any music theory. So what I knew back then was just chords.

As I move to the US for continuing my study, I met people from my country who started this small Indonesian Church. I would say that we are not that expert musician. And I got to play the acoustic guitar and now changing to lead guitar as I brought my guitar to USA. Honestly since then I was very motivated and excited to learn more about guitar by myself.

This guitar is a rejected or discontinued, I am not sure, the type is HAGSTROM ultra swede 3 kings limited edition. It was made in my country and supposed to be exported to Sweden. However due to many black market problem, I guess this type is discontinued. I changed the pickups to 57 neck and suckerbucker bridge lundgren pickups.

I just sold the marshall small amp and bought yamaha THR10II amp. I hope it is better, and sure it is definitely.

I ask the question about cheaper as I search many things online. I know in general I am greedy as I would like to sounds like people who own strymons. But honestly I could not afford those.

Anyway thank you so much,

Hope to see more discussion here.

 

[JuneauMike]

Welcome.
There was a thread recently in the stompbox forum about this question. It might give you some ideas.
https://www.tdpri.com/threads/economic-good-sounding-useful-pedals-all-types.1017461/

Although looking at your board, I'd say you've got all of the basics covered. Do you notice much of a difference in tone betweem the MG and Timnus?

And this guy has some ideas (although he generally seems to love all pedals, especially Boss pedals.)


He's right about the Danelectro Tuna Melt. Its an awesome tremelo pedal.

 

[Kevin1202]

After reading the whole thread of it. I just become more confused about pedals. I guess mine is already well rounded and just need to play with the pedals more and find my sound.

 

[JuneauMike]

Well, I think its best to have a specific sound or effect in mind. Or even a general style of music.

 

[CapnCrunch]

Are you playing through the Yamaha amp at church, or are you going direct to the PA? Does your church have a PA? If I were you, I think I would play with what you have for right now. You have the bases covered with competent gear. Spend your time practicing and put your extra money towards lessons perhaps. Practice and improving your musical knowledge will pay you back bigger returns than pedal/tone chasing will.

Many worship guitarists are extremely vain when it comes to their pedal boards. Many buy into the fallacy that you are not adequately serving God if you don't have the latest, greatest, and most expensive gear that is available. Don't fall into this trap. Are there tones or sounds that you need and can't achieve with your current effects?

 

[Kevin1202]

Currently we are renting a church. They have a very good sound system with mixer so it is great. This Yamaha THR10II is just for me to practice on my own and having online prayer meetings right now.

Yes in terms of sound I am satisfied with I have got right now. So I think I will stick to this for awhile. Because I like what I have got that is why I am thinking whether some of the pedals can be substituted with something cheaper.

Any recommendation of good worship online guitar teaching?

Is tremolo, octave, phaser, flanger effect important in worship?

 

[CapnCrunch]

Currently we are renting a church. They have a very good sound system with mixer so it is great. This Yamaha THR10II is just for me to practice on my own and having online prayer meetings right now.

Yes in terms of sound I am satisfied with I have got right now. So I think I will stick to this for awhile. Because I like what I have got that is why I am thinking whether some of the pedals can be substituted with something cheaper.

Any recommendation of good worship online guitar teaching?

Is tremolo, octave, phaser, flanger effect important in worship?

I would suggest that you take lessons from someone who is not a dedicated worship guitar teacher. You will become a much better and well rounded guitarist if you do.

You can get along just fine without any of the pedals you ask about. That said, they are all good to have and fun to play with if you have the money to pick them up. Of the ones you list, the tremolo is the most useful.

When you play at the church, do you mic your amp, or do you run directly to the mixing board? If you run direct, do you use some form of speaker emulation or just plug straight out of your pedal board into a direct box into the board? If you are running direct, you should consider a good way to do that before you pick up other pedals. There are numerous ways to do this and it will greatly improve your guitar tone in the PA vs. just going from the last pedal in your chain to the board.

 

[JuneauMike]

Currently we are renting a church. They have a very good sound system with mixer so it is great. This Yamaha THR10II is just for me to practice on my own and having online prayer meetings right now.

What are you using to send your signal to the mixing board and then on to the PA speakers? I don't think you've answered that question.
Are you plugging your guitar into an amplifier? Into a DI box? Into something else?

Any recommendation of good worship online guitar teaching?

Paul Baloche's Worship Workshop is a great (and free) starter kit for people trying to contribute in the church setting. This is not "revolutionary next level" worship instruction, it's a series of free videos that give solid advice on some of the unique characteristics and challenges of playing with other musicians to a multi-generational crowd who is not paying a cover charge to expressly see you (ha).

He's got lots of videos (watch as many as you can find; definitely watch the one about dynamics and watch the one expressly devoted to the electric guitar) and an online workbook for the electric guitar. IMO; don't spend any money trying to learn how to fit the guitar into the worship setting. There's just too much free advice and support out there, no need to spend hard earned cash on it.

 

[SBClose]

Currently we are renting a church. They have a very good sound system with mixer so it is great. This Yamaha THR10II is just for me to practice on my own and having online prayer meetings right now.

Yes in terms of sound I am satisfied with I have got right now. So I think I will stick to this for awhile. Because I like what I have got that is why I am thinking whether some of the pedals can be substituted with something cheaper.

Any recommendation of good worship online guitar teaching?

Is tremolo, octave, phaser, flanger effect important in worship?

None of the effects you mentioned, tremolo, octave, phaser, flanger, are important in worship. However they can be handy to use carefully and tastefully. I don't have an octave pedal, the other three get used once in a while.

Understand that I'm the person who usually wants to do the opposite of what everyone else is doing. I didn't even own a delay until a few weeks ago. Now that I have one, I don't use it in the way that most "worship guitarists" do. I'm more interested in making my guitar sound like I want it to rather than match something specific that I've heard on a recording.

I'd encourage you to focus on skills rather than pedals and do most of your practicing without effects. When I play with other guitarists that use a bunch of pedals to put up a wall of crazy sound, at some point in the session I'll say, "let's turn off all that stuff and just play". THAT's when I find out what kind of player they are.

As mentioned above, find lessons in all genres that interest you to craft your individual style, use pedals to craft your unique sound and bring that before God as you worship. Trust me, there is freedom in this! When you play in a worship band you are offering your skills as a gift to the congregation to help them in offering their worship to God. Bring the musician you and God have built.

 

[CapnCrunch]

None of the effects you mentioned, tremolo, octave, phaser, flanger, are important in worship. However they can be handy to use carefully and tastefully. I don't have an octave pedal, the other three get used once in a while.

Understand that I'm the person who usually wants to do the opposite of what everyone else is doing. I didn't even own a delay until a few weeks ago. Now that I have one, I don't use it in the way that most "worship guitarists" do. I'm more interested in making my guitar sound like I want it to rather than match something specific that I've heard on a recording.

I'd encourage you to focus on skills rather than pedals and do most of your practicing without effects. When I play with other guitarists that use a bunch of pedals to put up a wall of crazy sound, at some point in the session I'll say, "let's turn off all that stuff and just play". THAT's when I find out what kind of player they are.

As mentioned above, find lessons in all genres that interest you to craft your individual style, use pedals to craft your unique sound and bring that before God as you worship. Trust me, there is freedom in this! When you play in a worship band you are offering your skills as a gift to the congregation to help them in offering their worship to God. Bring the musician you and God have built.

Your post really resonates with me. I'm a bit of a contrarian too. It's a long way to Michigan from here, or I'd be calling you to try to set up a little jam.

 

[SBClose]

Your post really resonates with me. I'm a bit of a contrarian too. It's a long way to Michigan from here, or I'd be calling you to try to set up a little jam.

Great idea Cap! I'll be using my pedals so you're unable to immediately recognize my ineptitude.

 

[CapnCrunch]

Great idea Cap! I'll be using my pedals so you're unable to immediately recognize my ineptitude.

I use one of these, and I darn sure would bring it with me.

 

[985plowboy]

No one in the congregation will notice, or care if you you explain it.
You have very nice gear. Enjoy it.

 

[Kevin1202]

Give me a photo of your pedalboard guys hehehe. Thank you so much for the replies. My church I gues they connect the amps the mixer using several mics and then from the mixer to the PAs. That is what I think.

What do you guys use for delays and reverb?

 

[hopdybob]

its not about WHAT you have, The Great One Above does not care about that.
THAT you are there and doing the best you can is the only thing that counts for Him

maybe working on your playing techniques, learn to tweak those pedals to the max and sounds can come you did not even know off.

Let Him use you and don't let the uncertainty about hardware stand in His way.

 

[SBClose]

Kevin, you'll find a "show us your pedal board" thread in this forum.

And we forgot to say, "Welcome to America"!

Don't let the current quarantine strangeness give you the wrong impression, we're not usually like this.