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StratoSphere
Double Platinum Member
Canada
2232 Posts |
 Posted - 09/21/2008 : 23:31:17
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a buddy of mine picked up a Digitech GNX-4 about a year ago and i tried to fight the urge as long as i could but i finally broke down about 2 months ago and bought my own. i havent stomped on a compact pedal since that day.
before i get into it, first thing i want to say is that i am not trying to praise Digitech as a company or to shit on Boss. i obviously still love Boss . its more about how far ALL multis have come in a few short years and how close minded that some of us can be as guitarists. im probably more guilty of this than anyone . i used to be a listen with my eyes guy bigtime; where Japan is automatically better than Taiwan , tubes kill solid state, set neck over bolt on, Squier vs MIM/MIA, singles over multis, ETC. the list goes on but lately im surprised to find that when you just shut up and listen the results can be surprising. ive had basically every Boss pedal at one point or another and my fair share of amps and i find that the end result ALWAYS comes down to what sounds better to my ears, not where it was made or what kind of components it has.
my first multi was the laughable Zoom 509, followed by a slightly better Boss BE-5 and since then ive held a grudge against all multi's. a friend of mine used to own a GT-6 a while back and although its features were impressive, the OD/distortion sounds fell short to my ears. not to mention the horrible dynamics of the amp/pedal modelling.
just before i got the GNX-4 i found i was starting to get bored of my tone... i had 60 some pedals and was at a dead end tonewise. the thing i loved most about pedals was making a huge chain and searching for a tone; tweaking knobs until the wee hours in the morning. hell, half the time i wouldnt even play a song..it was more just playing a riff and repeating the riff with the DS-2's tone knob a 1/4 turn clockwise. and i loved searching for that tone
when i tried the GNX-4 and it changed my life. if i would have looked into the future one year ago and saw myself using a multi, i probably would have kicked my own ass. i actually felt guilty that i was enjoying a multi this much; it was almost like cheating on a long-term girlfriend. and it was even harder to admit to myself that i actually liked using it.
i think what really sold me on the multi was the tweaking capabilities. again in this case im speaking about the Digitech GNX-4, but the new Boss GT-10 looks absolutely insane as far as tweaking goes too and probably surpasses the GNX-4 in that department. the thing that is so appealing is that it lets you tweak the living shit out of every imaginable parameter... from mixing 2 amps together, to tweaking amp frequencies, to adjusting the sweep on a wah pedal. not to mention that to my ears it gave up absolutely nothing to single effects in the tone department
i dont even really know what im trying to say with this post..i guess just listen with your ears and dont pay attention to the hype. also, maybe that people grow as musicians into different musical terrain and as our tastes change so do out setups. its funny that as my playing is progressing im starting to see that in a way, less is more.
also i thought i should mention that this upcoming Friday im picking up a 60th anniversary MIM telecaster in a local sale.. now if this was a year ago and i saw myself playing a tele i would DOUBLE kick my ass but lately ive been finding telecasters strangely alluring.. |
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exodia333
Silver Member
USA
273 Posts |
Posted - 09/22/2008 : 01:11:10
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Does that mean ur gonna sell all ur boss compact pedals 
btw welcome back |
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jack
Platinum Member
USA
1418 Posts |
Posted - 09/22/2008 : 01:35:07
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| Be careful! Telecasters can be addictive...You may end up changing your name to TeleSphere |
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DeFrag
Moderator
USA
3409 Posts |
Posted - 09/22/2008 : 02:20:09
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| Stratosphere lives! |
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the-destructor
Silver Member
USA
334 Posts |
Posted - 09/22/2008 : 03:04:09
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Hi StratoSphere,
Boy does that ring true to my ears. Tone is what you make it & employing the "blind eye" is the only way to fly.
BTW - heed Jack's warning about Teles and be careful around him.
<whisper> He has a bit of a problem. </whisper>
 T-D |
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Laurie
Double Platinum Member
Canada
4854 Posts |
Posted - 09/22/2008 : 03:16:38
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quote:
Originally posted by the-destructor
BTW - heed Jack's warning about Teles and be careful around him.
<whisper> He has a bit of a problem. </whisper>
Yeah... I heard he was on the 12 fret... sorry step program  |
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StratoSphere
Double Platinum Member
Canada
2232 Posts |
Posted - 09/22/2008 : 04:19:04
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well exodia, i have been slowly selling off some of the collection.. just trimming the fat basically. theres about 9 or 10 that i couldnt bear to ever part with though. im gonna hit ebay with the rarer ones to ensure i get top dollar. i find selling the commons (DS-1, OS-2, CH-1) locally gets you more dough than selling them online.
and jack, ive heard that before about tele-addiction . the funny thing is, i used to HATE the look of telecasters but over the years i grew to like them until now i just think they are flat out segsi!. the one im getting is chrome red, maple neck..im already looking into a black pickguard for it |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 09/22/2008 : 10:06:00
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Welcome back........ ...i always like to have at least one tele knocking around the house for those 'chickin pickin ' moments....
sorta like this one....?..... |
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 09/22/2008 : 11:28:11
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Hi StratoSphere
nice to see you back.
Congrats on the GNX-4 ...
Way too (explicative) expensive out here.
Regards Dr. Bob |
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visserman
Platinum Member
1072 Posts |
Posted - 09/22/2008 : 11:37:33
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HI Strato,
What you mentioned in your first post is very very true, and I think most experienced players will agree.
It has to do with age, appreciation and understanding.
I started out wanting to use a lot of effects, then found I could not play a sinlge note very well. Then I spend about 15 years without any effects, just using a guitar, clean amp and concentrating on notes, harmonies and technique.
Then I wanted to explore valve amps and started to see what people meant with their comments about them. But at the same time I never gave up on transitoramps, as I believe they sound good as well!!
The pedalthing came back when I started to get into recording, around 2002. From then on I started to see that small amps can benefit a lot from using pedals, but at the same time, the sound of a good amp can totally be destroyed by using pedals.
The multi-effects thing? So far I only have the first Zoom [forgotten modelnumber, it is their first pocketsize one from the early 90s] Now that one does have amazing sounds, but they all sound very 80s early 90s. It is not versatile in terms of changing settings and effect chains. Have used other multi-effects but feel very similar about them. Then their is the amp-modelling thing, which I feel similar about. Another thing: Most of these tones hark back to the past, so why not go to the source straight away [get an old valve amp and just play!!]
Personally I really feel no need for getting more into multi's as I do not have enough time to write good songs, rehearse enough with my bands and also feel the sounds I am getting from the compacts is great.
What you mentioned about playing one riff one night and going through many different pedals is very true. I make up complete songs on the spot, try it through many set-ups. Some of those songs I remember but most of it is music for the moment. On the other hand, this approach has enabled me to write songs very quickly and in many different styles, so hang on if you do this as well, nothing is really wasted in music land!!
Overal the whole issue of playing and tone is personal and you should always use your ears, but educate yourself at the same time: REad books, magezines, interviews, go on line on sites like this one and just explore really. Just as life, no right and wrongs.
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pedals 4 pv
Platinum Member
Canada
1351 Posts |
Posted - 09/22/2008 : 12:40:39
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| Hi Strato.My policy is don't ask, don't tell. Not that there is anything wrong with it, as Jerry Seinfeld would say. I do try to keep an open mind, but I'm just a multiphobic redneck. |
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Big Boss Man
Gold Member
USA
564 Posts |
Posted - 09/22/2008 : 20:21:30
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StratoSphere,
Nice to see you here again. I would definitely hold on to some of those rarer Boss pedals. Those are the ones you will miss. I sold off quite a bit of my run of the mill stuff and do not really miss it. Regarding tweaking capabilities... I prefer simpler stuff with fewer options. I don't really want to stay up all night tweaking my tone. In the end though whatever inspires you to play is the best gear to use. Enjoy the new GNX-4. |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 09/22/2008 : 22:28:44
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| i agree ..don't get rid of all them just yet..i went through phases of multi effects and then realised that a few pedals sometimes can get you a much better sound..... |
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StratoSphere
Double Platinum Member
Canada
2232 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2008 : 00:32:32
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oh for sure.. theres some that i could NEVER sell. (EH-2, OD-1, PH-1r) but as for some of the others, they hardly get any use and are really only in my possession to add to the collection.
hey Franzoni, thats the exact same looking tele, except mine is left handed
and Visserman, i agree with that post. it almost seems that playing happens in stages of maturity. maybe next year ill sell everything for a Martin 12 string. |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2008 : 12:27:55
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| Thats why i posted the pic bro'..... great minds think alike ...fools seldom differ........... |
Edited by - FRANZONI on 09/23/2008 12:28:32 |
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Topic |
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Thats It....Im Coming Out Of The Closet
