Guitar Tones/Effects

[mtt_wojo]

I tried searching the thread but I was curious about two things:

 

1. If anyone knows how Jeff/Nels create the guitar sounds at the end of Handshake Drugs (live)? It's this gigantic blast of sound and I was wondering what's creating it. I realize Nels is picking extremely fast and Jeff slightly behind but I cannot figure out what pedals they are using. Probably an echo/flanger mixed with something else.

 

2. What pedals/effects Jeff is using during the solo for At Least That's What You Said. Very Neil Young. I'm assuming lots of reverb to get the wet/slapback effect.

 

Any thoughts?

[lamradio]

I tried searching the thread but I was curious about two things:

 

1. If anyone knows how Jeff/Nels create the guitar sounds at the end of Handshake Drugs (live)? It's this gigantic blast of sound and I was wondering what's creating it. I realize Nels is picking extremely fast and Jeff slightly behind but I cannot figure out what pedals they are using. Probably an echo/flanger mixed with something else.

 

 

Any thoughts?

 

I'm not sure exactly what Jeff/Nels uses during this part, but to me it sounds like a lot of Delay. I know that Nels uses a Boss Digital Delay, and I can get this same "blast of sound" effect with my DD-4.

 

As far as the slapback effect on ALTWYS, you can also achieve this with Delay. Jeff probably uses some other effect specific for this sound, but if you turn the delay rate way up, you can get that effect (another sound that I can achieve on my DD-4).

[mtt_wojo]

See, I have a Dan-Echo pedal. I used a straight sound for the past few years but recently pulled out all my old pedals and have been messing around with them but I don't know how well the Dan-Echo holds out against the DD-4. What settings do you think would help achieve either of those sounds.

 

I'm thinking adding a chorus or a flanger onto that wouldn't hurt, either.

[lamradio]

See, I have a Dan-Echo pedal. I used a straight sound for the past few years but recently pulled out all my old pedals and have been messing around with them but I don't know how well the Dan-Echo holds out against the DD-4. What settings do you think would help achieve either of those sounds.

 

I'm thinking adding a chorus or a flanger onto that wouldn't hurt, either.

 

DD-3 I meant.. DD-4 doesnt' exist.

 

I've never played through a Dan-Echo, so I'm not sure what the settings would be for that. But on a DD-3, it would be something like below:

 

For the end of Handshake Drugs, I would try it on

 

E.level = 3 oclock

F.back = 3 oclock

D.time = 9 oclock

Mode = L.800ms

 

This gives you that wall of sound effect. You can fine tune the e.level and f.back to get the desired sound.

 

As far as ALTWYS, I would have to try this out to make sure, but the mode should be 200 or even 50 ms. This will give it that wet, slapback effect. Not sure about the e.level and f.back for that, but once you change the mode to really fast (200 or 50 ms), you can fine tune from there.

[BigWheeledWagon]

 

2. What pedals/effects Jeff is using during the solo for At Least That's What You Said. Very Neil Young. I'm assuming lots of reverb to get the wet/slapback effect.

 

 

Isn't Jeff using a Prunes n' Custard pedal there? I feel like we've discussed that particular solo before. Perhaps someone with a little more familiarity with that pedal can confirm -- I know that he used that pedal quite a bit on "A Ghost is Born."

 

UPDATE: During this thread, someone suggested that the PnC was the pedal used during that solo (as well as in "Hell is Chrome"):

 

http://forums.viachicago.org/topic/20350-crowther-prunes-and-custard-pedal/page__hl__prunes%20ALTHWYS__fromsearch__1

 

Rowboat, don't you have one? What do you think -- is it the culprit?

[mtt_wojo]

Isn't Jeff using a Prunes n' Custard pedal there? I feel like we've discussed that particular solo before. Perhaps someone with a little more familiarity with that pedal can confirm -- I know that he used that pedal quite a bit on "A Ghost is Born."

 

UPDATE: During this thread, someone suggested that the PnC was the pedal used during that solo (as well as in "Hell is Chrome"):

 

http://forums.viachicago.org/topic/20350-crowther-prunes-and-custard-pedal/page__hl__prunes%20ALTHWYS__fromsearch__1

 

Rowboat, don't you have one? What do you think -- is it the culprit?

 

 

Thanks. I actually looked up some of the gear that Jeff and Nels use live and saw all these pedals I have never heard of. I youtube'd a lot of them and while the videos are not great, they certainly give an indication of what these pedals are capable of (minus the hair metal riffs in the videos-ha ha).

 

With Christmas coming up I think I have a 'few' ideas.

[Ghost of Electricity]

I have wondered this before myself., and don't think it's the prunes n' custard- but i could be wrong. like the person above, I associate that with the tone on "Hell is Chrome." What about the moogerfooger?

[BigWheeledWagon]

Just a quick clarification: I didn't mean to suggest that the Pn'R was the only pedal used there. It just seems likely that it is one of the pedals Jeff used to get that sound, but I haven't actually used the pedal, so it would be hard for me to identify it based on just listening to the recording. I'm really just going on previous discussions we've had here and Jeff's fairly heavy use of the pedal during that time period. It seems like during the "Ghost" period, if you were wondering how Jeff got a certain unusual guitar sound, Prunes n' Custard seemed to be the go-to response. Frankly, I don't really understand what the pedal does. I mean, I understand what it does to the signal, I just can't translate that into imagining how it should sound since I have no direct experience (for instance, if someone told you what a flanger did, but you never heard the pedal in action, it would be difficult to imagine how it would sound). So anyway, take my comments with a grain of salt. Hopefully someone with a Pn'R can chime in here and confirm my guess or shoot me down.

 

Anyway, that solo does have a particularly cool guitar sound, so I certainly understand the interest. Good luck. I suspect, though, given Jeff's collection of pedals, it may be hard to duplicate.

[lamradio]

Good luck. I suspect, though, given Jeff's collection of pedals, it may be hard to duplicate.

 

I can get it pretty darn close with my delay pedal. Having the rate set very very high, gives you that ALTWYS slapback effect. Just tried it the other night, after reading this thread.

[In a little rowboat]

I do in fact own a PnC...

 

it is a very INTERESTING beast...basically a 2 stage drive circuit where the second stage adds a heavy harmonic overtone. which can sound like a filter or compressed fuzz, depending on settings and attack..it is designed like no other thing ive come across...very cool, but you cant really use it often. Two gripes...first the 'guitar' setting can be really thin unless added to other effects...also, it can be really unpredictable, because it is touch sensitive, meaning to get a consistent amount of effect, you have to have exactly the same attack on the string...it has plenty of sounds....sorry dont mean to hijack the thread.

 

It is my guess that jeff does use PnC on ALTWYS (the splat! sound) in conjunction with some other things, like analog delay and maybe the Brown rabbit pedal...it is certainly the effect on the end of the hell is chrome solo...might be on Handshake drugs (album version) too...

[jmacomber68w]

I'm building a pedal board at the moment. How do we all feel about the one spot power supply pedal. I've heard really good things (however I've also heard that they add a bit of fuzz sound). I'm either going with this, or just attaching a power strip

[Moss]

I'm building a pedal board at the moment. How do we all feel about the one spot power supply pedal. I've heard really good things (however I've also heard that they add a bit of fuzz sound). I'm either going with this, or just attaching a power strip

 

I have the Voodoo Labs power supply and have had 0 issues with it. I love it.

[lonelystranger137]

I have the Voodoo Labs power supply and have had 0 issues with it. I love it.

 

seconded

[Ghost of Electricity]

seconded

I have a similar but cheaper one made by Artec (Korean) and it has served me well. It's a budget-shelf piece of gear but does what it should and has never let me down.

[Smokestack Joe]

ive been itching to get another pedal so i can build a pedal board. been mulling over what kind of OD pedal to get, not sure.

[ginandcigarettes]

I'm building a pedal board at the moment. How do we all feel about the one spot power supply pedal. I've heard really good things (however I've also heard that they add a bit of fuzz sound). I'm either going with this, or just attaching a power strip

 

I've used the VooDoo Labs PedalPower, OneSpot, and GodLyke PowerAll and the VooDoo is probably the quietest and overall best, but it just takes up too much real estate on the old pedal board. At some point I needed room for one more pedal and the VooDoo had to go.

 

The GodLyke is my second favorite, and it's what I use today (and have used for the past three or four years). It's pretty quiet and monstrously convenient. I have a power strip on my pedal board (seeing as I have a couple of effects that actually plug in and also for convenience's sake) and so it works out pretty well. (By the way, having a power strip with a ridiculously long cord has been a godsend -- look into that.)

 

The OneSpot sounds noisier to me, but this might be my imagination since I've never A/B'ed it with anything else and I tend to use a lot of compression since I'm insecure about my technique which makes everything noisy. I've used it a bunch, but I'm more comfortable with the GodLyke as it seems to me a lot less noisy (and perhaps not noisy at all).

 

I think both the GodLyke and the OneSpot have some issues with the Line6 big-ass pedals, though (the ones with four switches), and add a bit of noise when they're in the chain. I can't remember if this is the case, but I have my DL4 plugged into its own power supply, so I must have believed the rumor at some point.

 

There seems to be a lot of support here for the VooDoo Labs, so if you're dead set on that one, I'll sell you my old one (I think a II+) complete with original box and sticker. It's in really good condition and has Velcro already on the bottom. I can make a you pretty good deal. PM me if you're interested.

 

I hope this helps!

[Moss]

I've used the VooDoo Labs PedalPower, OneSpot, and GodLyke PowerAll and the VooDoo is probably the quietest and overall best, but it just takes up too much real estate on the old pedal board. At some point I needed room for one more pedal and the VooDoo had to go.

 

The GodLyke is my second favorite, and it's what I use today (and have used for the past three or four years). It's pretty quiet and monstrously convenient. I have a power strip on my pedal board (seeing as I have a couple of effects that actually plug in and also for convenience's sake) and so it works out pretty well. (By the way, having a power strip with a ridiculously long cord has been a godsend -- look into that.)

 

The OneSpot sounds noisier to me, but this might be my imagination since I've never A/B'ed it with anything else and I tend to use a lot of compression since I'm insecure about my technique which makes everything noisy. I've used it a bunch, but I'm more comfortable with the GodLyke as it seems to me a lot less noisy (and perhaps not noisy at all).

 

I think both the GodLyke and the OneSpot have some issues with the Line6 big-ass pedals, though (the ones with four switches), and add a bit of noise when they're in the chain. I can't remember if this is the case, but I have my DL4 plugged into its own power supply, so I must have believed the rumor at some point.

 

There seems to be a lot of support here for the VooDoo Labs, so if you're dead set on that one, I'll sell you my old one (I think a II+) complete with original box and sticker. It's in really good condition and has Velcro already on the bottom. I can make a you pretty good deal. PM me if you're interested.

 

I hope this helps!

 

My pedal board has the voodoo pedal underneath so takes up no room!

[Ghost of Electricity]

No noise from the cheapo artec either, but the plug is kind of bulky- leads me to believe the transformer may be in there. mine's on a euro, plug, so i'm not sure how this issue would play out there. I have found it useful to put the power strip on my board and plug into that, as my fuzz requires its own isolated power source anyway. this makes for a bit less real estate on the board, and as a result the pedals get kept in constant rotation. Can't remember the last time i played two consecutive gigs with the same configuration actually. Anyway, variety is the spice of life, right? It keeps things interesting.

[Smokestack Joe]

for the money, Digitech Bad Monkey seems like a good OD pedal, For the big money, OCD Fulltone seems like a great OD pedal.

 

I just want to amp up my rockabilly leads and occasional Grateful Dead/Ryan Adams & Cards-type jams....

[Ghost of Electricity]

for the money, Digitech Bad Monkey seems like a good OD pedal, For the big money, OCD Fulltone seems like a great OD pedal.

 

I just want to amp up my rockabilly leads and occasional Grateful Dead/Ryan Adams & Cards-type jams....

heard lots of good things about the Bad Monkey, but honestly I haven't been impressed with any of the OCD clips i've seen. The Fulltone Fulldrive seems like an od i would go for if i could afford it, though.

[ginandcigarettes]

for the money, Digitech Bad Monkey seems like a good OD pedal, For the big money, OCD Fulltone seems like a great OD pedal.

 

I just want to amp up my rockabilly leads and occasional Grateful Dead/Ryan Adams & Cards-type jams....

 

I've never heard anything but good stuff about the Bad Monkey (though I can't speak as I've never played with one). My friend has an OCD and he loves it, but I've never played through his rig long enough to hear how it worked with me (he has no compressor, so I couldn't say if I would actually sound good with it).

 

I have a Fulldrive and it's pretty good -- essentially a Tube Screamer clone with an option to kick in an additional stage of boost. It also has a switch to lift out the clipping diodes so it's just clean boost (with all of the overdrive coming from the smashed front end of your amp) and another to voice the pedal with more mids. It's a good, solid, versatile pedal, but it ended up put to the side as I grew tired of that sound. You might love the sound -- very creamy -- but I ended up thinking it sounded too polite; there was not enough danger for me. I keep it around because it is versatile and because of the clean boost feature. If you're thinking about one, check out the MOSFET version, which apparently sounds like God (but with which I have no experience).

 

I think Ryan Adams uses a Tube Screamer and a Boss Blues Driver. I've also heard good things about the Blues Driver; I bought my dad one for Christmas one year, but I've never had a chance to crank it up on my own rig so I can only say that it sounds pretty good on a homemade Telecaster with basic pickups through a solid state practice amp. Definitely less polite that a Tube Screamer and probably a good complement to one; I can see why Ryan Adams uses both.

 

Which brings me to a final thought: overdrive is a finicky thing; some pedals sound great with some amps and terrible with others -- same with guitars, same with pickups. I ended up with a lot of expensive gear that other people loved before I learned that. Of course, learning that is half the fun, so don't let me dissuade you, but my advice would be to try out everything with your amp and guitar and see what sounds good to you.

[Smokestack Joe]

solid reviews....but how do you try out pedals with own guitar/amp without buying them? i guess im stuck buying them. ive thought about the Blues Driver/Bad Monkey, good pedals for the cheap price.

[In a little rowboat]

for the money, Digitech Bad Monkey seems like a good OD pedal, For the big money, OCD Fulltone seems like a great OD pedal.

 

I just want to amp up my rockabilly leads and occasional Grateful Dead/Ryan Adams & Cards-type jams....

 

 

heard lots of good things about the Bad Monkey, but honestly I haven't been impressed with any of the OCD clips i've seen. The Fulltone Fulldrive seems like an od i would go for if i could afford it, though.

 

Im using the OCD its been my number one (next to my klon of course) for about a year now...the trick is to not run it at 9v...it can be run anywhere between 8v-18v. I run it at 14v, a bit more clarity and headroom, much more touch sensitive. I dont think the OCD is all that big bucks, around $150 isnt it??

 

So many people dont know the difference between OD and distortion, and expect too much out of an OD...i think if you are listening to a clip online, you are already getting a compressed sound even more compressed by encoding and generally crappy speaker that go with most computer set ups... to check out something like an OCD, you have to test drive it.

 

Also depends on how you use your amp, and how you use your guitar volumes...I run into a LOUD 22 watt fender deluxe reverb, and with OD i use the amp volume to get the ummphh and breakup as much as the OD, power tube crunch...if one were using a bigger, louder amp wattage wise (like a twin) or, god forgive, a big solid state modeler amp, theyd never get the same thing. Go smaller, like a ts9 or an OCD on an old Champ...and whammo, great sound, but no volume...

 

My point, there are too many factors to narrow OD choices...you have to try YOUR rig with them in YOUR style...

[ginandcigarettes]

solid reviews....but how do you try out pedals with own guitar/amp without buying them? i guess im stuck buying them. ive thought about the Blues Driver/Bad Monkey, good pedals for the cheap price.

 

Most of the time this means trying out a pedal and using an amp and guitar at the store that most closely matches your amp and guitar. I used to spend a lot of time at West LA Music* and they have a soundproof(ish) room with all their amps. When I was trying out pedals, I grabbed a Tele off the wall and ran it through a Deluxe Reverb RI and got a pretty good idea of how it all worked together.

 

I never had the guts to do this, but if your amp or guitar model just isn't at the store, you could ask a clerk if you can bring in yours to try out a pedal. My guess is that they would oblige if (1) they are not Guitar Center, and (2) you've bought at-least-moderate-ticket stuff from them in the past (meaning that you don't just come in to buy strings and try out pedals).

 

 

 

* "Where the Pros Shop"**

 

** I am not a pro.***

 

*** They let non-pros shop there too, apparently.

[Smokestack Joe]

im just a guy who plays guitar at home. not in band. no big musical future.

 

just want to add a little beef to the bones, you know what i mean?

 

i run a epiphone wildkat/fender tele into a 30w Orange Amp. nothing special, nothing professional. i havent seen Orange amps at guitar stores.

 

i'll try out a fender tele at the store with a pedal and see what happens. thanks!