Effect Pedals

John Parker · From: Golden Valley, Az. USA

A friend of mine, who owes a music store, suggested to me that a digital delay and a chorus pedal would give me a fuller and richer tone. I've never used effect pedals and don't know much about them. It was suggested that I go from my steel to the volume pedal, volume pedal to the digital delay, digital delay to the chorus pedal, and chorus pedal to my amps. (I have a pair of Peavey Session 400s.)

Any advise or comments?

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John Parker
Zumsteel SD10 3x5
Peavey Session 400

Bill Bosler · From: Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, USA

John:

Too much crap to hook up. If you really want to mess around with a stomp box, get a "Pod" by Line 6. It's everything in one unit,amp modeling and all kinds of effects. It's a piece of cake to use and easy to hook up.

Bill

Ron Randall · From: Dallas, Texas, USA

Hi
You might consider a rack unit like the low end Lexicon or the low end TC Electronics efx units. (about $100 to $200 used)

Advantages: more efx and more control, and you can run true stereo, since the efx units are stereo processors.
Use the 2 outputs from the VP to the efx unit (L&R in) and take the efx unit L&R outs to your amps.
If the amps have an efx loop, you might want to hook up that way.

IMHO. Those stomp boxes are meant for electric guitar pickups, and not the high impedance of a steel guitar.

Hope this helps.
ron

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Moved to 'Electronics' section of the Forum.

Dixson Rudolph · From: Dodson, Louisiana USA

I have been using a Digitech TSR-24s thru my PA (steel input to channel, stereo sends/ returns in FX loop) using the BIG BRITE REVERB factory patch. I've had several players play on my steel ['79 Emmons D-10 p-p], and just go gah-gah over how BIG it sounds..It's hard to tell from up on stage, but when I heard it from 'out there' it was impressive.....I guess it even makes a 'hacker' like ME sound good.

))

Nicholas Dedring · From: Beacon, New York, USA

I don't like the sound of chorus on steel at all... especially the idea of combining it with the delay as well. While sliding or pulling notes, you'll kind of get a weird, doubled up chorus effect because the delay will be chorusing to some extent.

The two typical effects seem to be delay, and reverb. I sometimes have a wah or a Blues Driver in the Effects loops, but more for occasional variety than anything else.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

John,
Try and pick up a used Boss RV3. That particular unit has both reverb and delay. Also, it's small enough to put in your steel seat.
Erv

[This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 20 May 2004 at 04:14 PM.]

Bob Snelgrove · From: san jose, ca

John,

The coolest trick is to run direct to one of your Sessions and run the chorus/delay to the second. This way you maintain the pure steel sound and get the benefits of effects in a pseudo-stereo mode. Try it!

bob

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Hi John, some good thoughts here. I like Bob S.'s suggestion for 2 amps. Some camps say the chorus effect is passé, but I still like it if it is mixed properly. Electronics and their uses by our idols and mentors are ever changing, and fx types keep coming and going.
Seems everyone is searching for the ultimate sound. For a simple all around improvement in your sound that gives you more depth and sparkle, a stomp box echo/delay unit is just fine. The Boss DD3 is out of production, but still around used at reasonable cost. Or if you can find one of the old analog units at a price you can justify. Just add about 200 to 300ms of delay time having 1 to 2 repeats..... the first repeat about half to 2/3 as loud as your original note and degenerating in volume as it trails off. You can put this in either or both amps.
[An edit is in order here to state these settings considered for slower ballads, too much/too loud echo in uptempo tunes is not desirable.]
I feel you're best off using the chorus in a 2nd amp or channel. You don't need much detuning on the chorus. Just a subtle detune effect can give you a thicker sound.
Our friend, Jeff Newman, published some numbers on this several years ago. It was in his newsletter and on a couple of his videos, but I can't recall which ones. I'll defer to the more informed about the use of chorus in today's music, [and the other numbers listed above,] and as how effects in general are used in recording today,
but I think you'll definitely find the echo a good tool. Experiment w/different delay times and regen/vol to suit your own needs. Good Luck!
You might do a search on this subject as time permits. I'm sure you'll find much info on the subject. Be prepared for numerous opinions!

[This message was edited by Jerry Overstreet on 21 May 2004 at 09:29 AM.]

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