Why not standard guitar effect devices?

Sigi Meissner · Post by **Sigi Meissner** » 23 Oct 2004 3:21 am

As a pro standard guitar player for years
I have a lot of effect devices around.
Though' I'm not a fan of to much effect for the steel guitar I use reverb, delay, a bit chorus, and sometimes distortion from a Boss
Me 7 and it sounds great. I was wondering if other steelers use those kind of devices

Emmons Legrande II D 8&6, Mullen D 8&4, Nash 400, Hilton VP

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 23 Oct 2004 6:48 am

I think most steelers use some effects. Just not to the extreme as standard guitar players. We like a "clean" sound with maybe just a hint of effect. When I play I like a touch of reverb, chorus, delay and compression.
Erv

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 23 Oct 2004 4:24 pm

What Erv said. In addition to those he mentions, I use fuzz for playing blues and rock on pedal steel. But for basic country and western playing, many steelers get by with only the reverb they have in their amp.[This message was edited by David Doggett on 23 October 2004 at 05:26 PM.]

Ron Randall · Post by **Ron Randall** » 26 Oct 2004 5:21 pm

If they do the job, use them.
PSG pickups have 2 to 3 times more impedance, than a six string electric. That can mean a distorted signal at the front end. (Sometimes a good thing).
Often, no efx, reverb, delay, echoplex do the job for me. Sometimes no efx sounds like an effect. Strange!

Jonathan Cullifer · Post by **Jonathan Cullifer** » 27 Oct 2004 6:03 am

I used to play through a Pod with my Nashville 400 because of the effects and the ability to configure everything under the sun on that thing. I don't use it all the time anymore, but a couple of weeks ago when I needed separate amp settings for my clean steel and through a MatchBro I did.

I've also got a Boss delay and chorus stomp boxes too.

Tony Palmer · Post by **Tony Palmer** » 27 Oct 2004 8:33 am

One of the problems I have using standard guitar stomp boxes is I can't stomp them while playing steel!
I use a rack instead.

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 27 Oct 2004 10:24 am

I set the stomp boxes on top of my amp and hit them with my hand. Something like POD with lots of different effects is very convenient (my last one got stolen). But some of the single function effects units are better and have more flexible controls. I have a multiple effects Digitech unit, but when you click on different distortion and fuzz preset channels you have to readjust the pre and post gain, which defeats the purpose for me.[This message was edited by David Doggett on 27 October 2004 at 11:27 AM.]

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 27 Oct 2004 3:06 pm

I've never used anything other than standard guitar (or studio) effects. I've used Digitech, TC, Lexicon, Roland/Boss and others. I usually toss out all their crunchmonster patches, but, once you figure out how to optimize clean, most good fx devices can be EQ'd and customized to make great steel guitar patches. My current favorite is the Boss GT-6. Super clean. Digital output -- great for recording. With a Black Box in front of it, you get a really warm direct sound with NO NOISE.

Yeah, I like standard guitar fx just fine.

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Loren Morehouse · Post by **Loren Morehouse** » 27 Oct 2004 3:29 pm

All I need is my Boss RV-5 and my Boss TU-2 tuner. I could never stand the sound of chorus on a pedal steel and never will!! These are pumped into my Nashville 112 and love it!!! I used to use a Boss DD-3 years ago but have grown out of it. Loren.