Tele players....what effects models do you use?

Joe Alterio · Post by **Joe Alterio** » 30 Jan 2006 8:02 am

I am curious to hear what your preferred effects units are, including the brand (not for steel.....for your 6-string electric guitar). I am now using just a Boss DD3 Delay. I am thinking about adding a compression pedal to my setup, and have heard good things about the DOD Milkbox and Dunlop MXR Dyna Comp. (Have heard not-so-good things about the Boss CS3). I am also considering a distortion/overdrive unit and have heard good things about the Ibanez TS-9 TubeScreamer. I have used a Rat pedal, but didn't really seem to enjoy the sound.....

Comments/thoughts?

Joe

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 30 Jan 2006 8:09 am

The TS-9 is great.

Tom Quinn · Post by **Tom Quinn** » 30 Jan 2006 8:23 am

I never leave home without an Alesis NanoVerb -- they are getting hard to find, but are absolutely killer pedals. I put a DynaComp before it in the signal chain,set the knobs 3/9, and a Boss TR-2 trem pedal after it if needed.

Then there's the stringbender in the guitar, which is a BTS '54... -L-

Tq

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 30 Jan 2006 8:54 am

The only effects Pedal I use now with the Tele' is the Boss BD-2 Blues Driver ( the blue one ) .

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TPrior
TPrior Steel Guitar Homesite

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 30 Jan 2006 9:13 am

These days, I often use a Pod 2 into a solid-state Ampeg bass amp run totally flat. It has a lot of good amp models as well as effects, and sounds great. But I had to spend a lot of time tweaking on the computer to get a good A/B comparison to my old BF Fender amps. The presets are OK, but they are usually too distorted for my tastes. I usually need to deep edit out the extra distortion they add to most of the stock settings.

When playing a tube amp like a Deluxe, Vibrolux, or Twin Reverb, I usually use the on-board spring reverb and an old Boss BE-5 multi-effects processor. It has, in this order: compressor, overdrive/distortion, digital delay, noise gate, and chorus. Boss made these only briefly in the early 90s, and is only multi-effects pedal I know of that they made with standard pots, instead of a digital readout. I use the compressor (with a small compression ratio), the delay, and the noise gate the most. I occasionally use the OD/Dist in pure overdrive mode to boost for a solo, but most times I use my volume knob or volume pedal. The OD gives a bit of midrange boost - when that is needed, I use it. Otherwise, it's strictly pure tube distortion for me. The chorus gives a good Boss chorus sound - if one likes that type of thing.

To get something close to the Magnatone-style true vibrato sound, I have sometimes run an old flanger - I have an old Multivox that sounds great, but is big. Boss makes a pretty good sounding standard flanger unit.

For Leslie-type sounds, I use an older rack-mount Voce Spin rotating speaker emulator. I understand they have a newer floor model. There are a bunch of newer units that a lot of people seem to like.

For wah, I use a Fulltone Clyde. I've owned dozens of wahs over the decades - this is my favorite. Not cheap, though. Fulltone makes some excellent overdrive and distortion units also.

I've tried an unbelievable assortment of pedals over the years, including echoplexes, real Leslie speakers, OD/Distortion units, wahs, flangers, choruses, compressors, and so on. Unless I need a special effect, I usually just use either the Pod setup or that Boss BE-5 with an old tube amp.

Marlin Smoot · Post by **Marlin Smoot** » 30 Jan 2006 10:15 am

Everyone will have a different take on this subject but as far as a compressor goes;
I have the Robert Keeley Compressor that I use for my Tele. I do duble duty in the band Tele/Steel.

Do a google search, look on ebay and try Harmony Central for reviews. Nashville greats Dan Huff and Brent Mason have this compressor. it's a stomp box and cost $219.
I also have a old BOSS CS 2 (Japan) and it sounds like a toy next to the Keeley.

I also have the Keeley BOSS BD2 (Blues Driver)and it sounds great. Keeley also does the TS-9 and RAT pedal along with others. Well worth your time checking out
the Keeley site.

I use a Mesa Boogie combo Tube amp for the Tele and effect pedals work very well with this amp. I only use the Keeley Compressor and his BOSS BD 2 with a delay for 6 string. I try to find pedals that don't mess with the tone and the cheaper models may mess with your tone some. Good luck.

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 30 Jan 2006 10:26 am

I have used a Memory Man analog delay for slapback since the early 80"s and have not found anything better...Alesis Microverb 4 for overall delay/reverb(with a touch of reverb from the amp)..Distortion-for years I used a Blues Driver but switched to a Marshall Guvnor...Dunlop Wha pedal..Works for me.

Edited cuz I can't spell! [This message was edited by Jack Francis on 30 January 2006 at 10:28 AM.][This message was edited by Jack Francis on 30 January 2006 at 10:29 AM.]

Grant Johnson · Post by **Grant Johnson** » 30 Jan 2006 10:44 am

Keeley Compressor. My favorite after owning several stompbox compressors.
Ibanez AD-9 Analog Delay.
Ibanez TS9 Tubscreamer modded by Keeley for more versatility.

I am thinking of getting a Maxon Phase shifter for those Waylon covers!

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www.bigsmokey.com

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 30 Jan 2006 10:54 am

I always thought the Keeley was the holy grail (and it is one awesome compressor), but the Barber Tone Press is amazing. Similar compression, but it has a blend knob so you can add some of the original, uncompressed signal. Waaayy cool

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Larry Robbins · Post by **Larry Robbins** » 30 Jan 2006 12:06 pm

I like the voodoo lab "super Fuzz and "Sparkel Drive for fuzz/ distortion.
www.voodoolab.com but as far as the DOD "Milk box" goes, run, dont walk, away!
Just MHO. Good Luck!

Ben Slaughter · Post by **Ben Slaughter** » 30 Jan 2006 1:17 pm

Depending on the situation, I'll either play into my 65 TwinRI or through a PODxt into my NV112 (seriously). But, currently on my pedalboard, in order:

Barber Tone Press (great compressor)
BOSS OD-3 (overdrive)
BOSS BD-2 (used as a boost with a little OD)
BOSS CE-3 (Chorus used sparingly for ballad type stuff)
BOSS DD-3 (slap back)
EB Volume Pedal

Compressor and Delay stay on 99% of the time. I use the other three for "colors"

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 30 Jan 2006 1:53 pm

Tele, cord, Dr. Z Prescription Combo.

Jim Peters · Post by **Jim Peters** » 30 Jan 2006 2:40 pm

NV tele, TS9, crybaby wah with hardwire bypass, into SF Deluxe. Then patch cord from input 2 into a Boss Be5(DaveM!!),compressor always on, one channel compressed, one not. Sometimes delay from the BE5, sometimes chorus, sometimes PEI Junior leslie. Killer tone! JP

Michael Brebes · Post by **Michael Brebes** » 30 Jan 2006 2:55 pm

MXR Micro Amp
Boss noise gate
MXR Dynacomp
MXR Distortion +
Boss Blues Driver
Boss Tremolo
Boss CE3 Chorus
Line 6 Delay Modeler
Mutron Volume/Wah pedal

Keith Cordell · Post by **Keith Cordell** » 30 Jan 2006 3:20 pm

Boss TU2 Tuner
Keeley Compressor
Ibanez TS9 modded by Keeley
MIJ Boss T Wah
Ibanez DE7 Delay (cheap, and the most versatile stompbox delay I have ever used... and that's a LOT of delays)
Boss TR2 tremolo, modded by Keeley

All the Boss effects can be improved drastically by Robert Keeley. what he does to the TS9 and TR2 is amazing. My next pedal will be his Ibanez AD9 with the 2 expression pedals. Check his site... http://www.robertkeeley.com/. It may seem like a bit much but if you A?B his work against the unmodded pedals you will see what I mean.

Bill Terry · Post by **Bill Terry** » 30 Jan 2006 3:45 pm

Original Pod 2.0 set on the AC30 model with just a slight crunch plugged into an AC15. I use the Pod reverb.

Funny thing is the AC15 has to be driven fairly hard for this to sound like I want it to, so I think a lot of what I like is the AC15, not the Pod.

So it is AC30 + AC15 = AC45?[This message was edited by Bill Terry on 30 January 2006 at 03:46 PM.]

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 30 Jan 2006 5:05 pm

EITHER:
guitar--Visual Sound Route 66 comp/OD---DD-3---Ernie Ball volume
OR
guitar---Dyna-comp---BD-2---buncha other pedals, chorus, Phase 100...
These days, into either a DeLuxe Reverb, or a Vox AC-30.
Got a Pod xt, too---sometimes

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 30 Jan 2006 6:06 pm

EFFECTS:
MXR "dyna comp" Compressor OR BOSS CS Compressor
Boss RV 3
Blue Tube Overdrive
Boss TR-2 Tremelo
(sometimes) SG Black Box
Goodrich Vol pedal

AMP: 65 Fender Twin Reverb w/ JBL

AXE:
Fender Telecaster w/ B bender; Semour Duncan Nashville Studio Pickups ala Brent Mason

It works for me...

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Tim Harr
Carter D-10 8/9, PODxt Pro; Webb 6-14E Amplifier; 65 Fender Twin Reverb

http://groups.msn.com/TimHarrWebPage

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 31 Jan 2006 8:11 am

I really don't care for compressors on 6-string guitars, except for studio compression, which is a different animal. The stompboxes just squeeze the life out of your tone.

My Tele setup generaly includes some or all of these, in rough order:

Klon Centaur (for clean boost)
Lovetone Brown Source (secret weapon - I'd tell you what it does, but I'd have to kill you)
ZVex Super Duper (two-stage overdrive/boost)
Way Huge Green Rhino (overdrive)
ZVex Fuzz Factory
Way Huge Blue Hippo (chorus)
Korg G4 (Leslie)
H&K Replex (tape delay emulator)
Fender volume pedal

I use all George L cables, and these amps depending on the venue (with the George L's and that particular effects combinationI experience almost no signal loss):

'62 Princeton
'55 Deluxe
'72 Deluxe Reverb
Holland Little Jimi
'69 Pro Reverb
'64 Vibroverb Custom

Other stuff I'll throw in from time to time are a Boss harmonizer (for faux-12 string), ZVex Seek Wah, ZVex Loop Junky, MXR Micro Amp, and a bunch of stuff I can't remember....

Oh, yeah - a Sireko tape echo, a Holy Grail Reverb, a CP835 compressor (for 12-string ONLY), several different EH LPB-1 drive units, EM-5 Echomachine, a Fender Blender clone...

...I know there's more.
[This message was edited by Jim Sliff on 31 January 2006 at 01:03 PM.]

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 31 Jan 2006 5:33 pm

Jim--
Got any velvet hammer pickups?????

Keith Cordell · Post by **Keith Cordell** » 31 Jan 2006 7:55 pm

Jim, I could pay off my car and put a downpayment on a house with what you have in gear just in the list. Yikes.

Michael Haselman · Post by **Michael Haselman** » 31 Jan 2006 8:41 pm

Here's mine: Joe Barden pickups through anything!

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Marrs D-10, Webb 6-14E

Geoff Brown · Post by **Geoff Brown** » 2 Feb 2006 2:30 am

I wish I had a set of Bardens. Costs an arm and a leg to get a set now, when you can find them.

I'm not a big pedal guy...just some basic, but good tools. I use an old Ibanez Delay Champ analog delay. I'm thinking about getting a Line6 DL-4...looks like that box would be a lot of fun to play with. Pricey, tho.
I have some old, non-reverb amps, and I use a Holy Grail reverb pedal to sweeten things up a bit. I have the basic model, but it does a great job for me. I've read that some are noisy, but mine has not been a problem.
I use an old black-box Marshall Bluesbreaker pedal (made in the UK). Not at all like the new ones. Not tons of gain, but plenty for me, and it will get you into the Billy Gibbons zone if you want it to. Great for adding some thickness and harmonics. Very warm-sounding. These pedals fly under the radar and can be had on eBay for not a lot of coin. I got mine for $60, IIRC. 9v battery lasts forever, too. I've tried $400 Landgraffs, Klons, modded TS-9s, Barbers and a bunch of other booteek OD/boost pedals, and this is my favorite. The Crowther Hotcake isn't a bad little pedal.
My favorite amp for a long time now has been my Dr. Z MAZ-38 Senior. 38w, class A. Really versatile amp, easy to use. I can't get a bad sound out of it. Best reverb I've ever heard.
It has it's own voice, but it reminds you of familiar sounds...BF Pro Reverb, AC30. I love the sweet midrange that EL84s deliver, but the bottom end that this amp has is really surprising to me. It can really kick! With the Bluesbreaker pedal hitting it just a little, it chunks as nice as any Plexi I've heard.
Not a whole lotta stuff, but I don't really need anything else. I use this setup with Teles, LPs and es-335s, pretty much.
I've been reading up on loopers lately, and I think I'd like to get one. I can't really see a live application for one (for me), but for recording it could open up some new possibilities. I think a looper could be highly addictive

[This message was edited by Geoff Brown on 02 February 2006 at 02:47 AM.]

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 2 Feb 2006 4:51 am

I use a DBX compressor, Lexicon mutli effects and Korg tuner. All three are rack mounted units.

Always play my Tele through a volume pedal.

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 2 Feb 2006 6:15 am

Keith - it's a sickneess

Most acquired through smart trading over the years.

Steve - still trying to dig up some Hammers for you. They are now rarer than hen's teeth. Stringpull Guitar Shop and I were going to make them, but everything fell through due to some family issues and other outside forces that precluded going into production. The last known set just went onto the last Nashville West guitar, recently sent to a buddy in Alaska. Some will appear sooner or later.

So I keep hunting.