
Keep pedalboards light and tight, with a jack-of-all-trades pedal.
I've said it before: We truly live in a golden era of gear, from guitars to amps to modelers. And pedals. So many pedals! As I'm sure you might agree, often it can be tough to figure out which ones to choose for our pedalboards, simply because there really are just so many optionsāespecially if you're trying to limit the size and weight of your 'board. Luckily, there are some terrific options out there when it comes to jack-of-all-trades pedalsāones that'll do many things well and, in some cases, do just about anything. This month, I'd like to talk about a few of my favorite powerhouse, do-it-all pedals.
āKeeley DDR.
Keeley recently released this pedal, and it's a super simple, grab-and-go alternative if you need the (arguably) three essential electric-guitar effects: drive, delay, and reverb. It boasts spring- and plate-style reverb, a clean digital or darker analog-style delay voicing, and two different overdrive typesāall in a compact housing. Throw it in a guitar case and you'll always be tonally covered for last-minute sessions, the local jam (where you often have to plug into whatever is available), and more. Keeley has a few other cool multi-effects units that cover a ton of bases, such as the Monterey (all the Hendrix-style effects tones in one box), Mod Workstation, and Dark Side Workstation.
Eventide H9.
When I was putting together a new pedalboard around 2014, the H9 had recently been released. I tried it, and pretty much immediately saw the potential of this pedal being able to do almost anything. I had to have not one but two for my new 'board. Every mod, delay, patch shift, and reverb I could possibly imagine could be conjured up in the H9. When it was released, it seemed like it had all the bases covered, but, since then, they've only added more effects algorithms. (A harmonic-tremolo algorithm is the 51st and latest addition.)
The H9 uses an integrated app to load algorithms and edit and update patches, and it's available for Mac, PC, Android, and iOS. The app is sort of a blessing and a curse, because you really need it to do any kind of deep editing of your patches, which means pairing via Bluetooth, opening the app, and clicking/scrolling to the right place to, say, turn up the modulation rate. Having said that, you can choose three parameters per patch to assign to the onboard x, y, z buttons and "hot knob" for instant access on the pedal itself.
Indeed, this could be your main rig for some gigs where you need to travel light.
In my opinion, the most important thing is that the sounds are positively exceptional. A few of my personal favorites include the spring and Blackhole reverbs, which see quite a bit of use, as well as the harmonizer, vintage delay, and rotary speaker settings. Most of the algorithms are a one-at-a-time affair, but there are a few multi-effects ones in case you want something like 'verb and echo at the same time. The bottom line? Highly recommended!
āLine 6 HX Stomp.
The HX Stomp is an almost criminally underrated box. It basically stands alone as the only multi-effects pedal I can think of that not only does every effect imaginable (and multiple effects at once), but is also a full-on amp modeler, all in a compact-pedal format. Amps, cabs, distortion, mod, delay, reverb, and special effects: It's all in there. Line 6 is no stranger to packing a ton of power into small footprints, because they've been doing it for decades, but they've never had anything quite as compact and powerful as the HX Stomp.
Let's examine some scenarios: Imagine having one of these units towards the end of your pedalboard-effects chain. There, it could serve as basically anything effects-wise, but maybe you'd mainly be using its, for example, mod, delay, and reverb effects, either in front of an amp or in an effects loop. But if your amp was to ever go down on a gig, you could just plug your pedalboard straight into a DI, right into the PA, and simply add an amp and cab model to your patches. Just like that, your pedalboard becomes your entire rig. Indeed, this could be your main rig for some gigs where you need to travel light. That kind of capability makes it a no brainer for me.
Honorable mentions. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention my trusty Strymon Mobius and its palette of modulation effects. Yes, many of us know it does chorus, flanger, etc. But what I actually like most about it are the weirder, lo-fi filtered, and warped effects it's capable of. The auto wah in particular has come in so handy when I've needed a wah effect, but couldn't be close to my pedalboard.
We are lucky musicians living in this world of such abundance. The tones we can create with these ever-shrinking, yet supremely powerful, boxes can be nothing short of world-class. If you're looking for some new tones to throw in the gig bag or pedalboard case, give these units a test drive.
Until next month, I wish you great tone!
[Updated 8/16/21]
Lutefish, the real-time music collaboration device and platform, is excited to announce a suite of new features designed to simplify setup, streamline collaboration, and offer more flexible subscription options for Lutefish Stream users. These latest updates, Audio Presets, Automatic Session Recall, Improved Scheduling with Contact Visibility, and a new Yearly Subscription Plan, are all about making it easier than ever for musicians to jam together, no matter where theyāre based.
Save Time and Stay in the Flow with Audio Presets & Session Recall
Musicians can now save and reuse their exact audio settings, reducing setup time and ensuring every session sounds exactly as they want.
- Automatic Session Recall: When users leave a session, their current audio levels are automatically saved and restored when they rejoin.
- User-Defined Audio Presets: Each user can create and name up to five custom presets, like āBand Practice,ā āStudio Mic Setup,ā or āQuick Jam,ā making it effortless to jump back in with the perfect sound.
āThese tools are all about saving time and hassle,ā said Patrick Finn, Business Manager at Lutefish. āMusicians want to make music, not spend time rebalancing levels every session. With presets and recall, weāre giving them time back and helping them sound their best, every time.ā
Smarter Scheduling and Contact Visibility
The latest update to Lutefish also made it easier to find collaborators and book sessions. Users can now:- View all their contacts at a glance when scheduling a session.
- Instantly identify which contacts own a Lutefish Stream deviceāso they will always know whoās ready to jam.
Go Yearly and Save 20%
Lutefish now offers a Yearly Subscription Plan, providing users with the same great access as the monthly plan at a 20% discount.
This option is now available within the Lutefish app and web platform, and current monthly users are eligible for a discount with an upgrade to a yearly subscription.
Lutefishās mission has always been to empower musicians to connect and collaborate without boundaries. With these new updates, Lutefish Stream continues to break down barriersāwhether youāre jamming with a friend across town or collaborating with a bandmate 500 miles away.
For more information and to start jamming today, visitlutefish.com.
The veteran Florida-born metalcore outfit proves that you donāt need humbuckers to pull off high gain.
Last August, metalcore giants Poison the Well gave the world a gift: They announced they were working on their first studio album in 15 years. They unleashed the first taste, single āTrembling Level,ā back in January, and set off on a spring North American tour during which they played their debut record, The Opposite of December⦠A Season of Separation, in full every night.
PGās Perry Bean caught up with guitarists Ryan Primack and Vadim Taver, and bassist Noah Harmon, ahead of the bandās show at Nashvilleās Brooklyn Bowl for this new Rig Rundown.
Brought to you by DāAddario.Not-So-Quiet As a Mouse
Primack started his playing career on Telecasters, then switched to Les Pauls, but when his prized LPs were stolen, he jumped back to Teles, and now owns nine of them.
His No. 1 is this white one (left). Seymour Duncan made him a JB Model pickup in a single-coil size for the bridge position, while the neck is a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound Staggered. He ripped out all the electronics, added a Gibson-style toggle switch, flipped the control plate orientation thanks to an obsession with Danny Gatton, and included just one steel knob to control tone. Primack also installed string trees with foam to control extra noise.
This one has Ernie Ball Papa Hetās Hardwired strings, .011ā.050.
Here, Kitty, Kitty
Primack runs both a PRS Archon and a Bad Cat Lynx at the same time, covering both 6L6 and EL34 territories. The Lynx goes into a Friedman 4x12 cab thatās been rebadged in honor of its nickname, āDonkey,ā while the Archon, which is like a ārefined 5150,ā runs through an Orange 4x12.
Ryan Primackās Pedalboard
Primackās board sports a Saturnworks True Bypass Multi Looper, plus two Saturnworks boost pedals. The rest includes a Boss TU-3w, DOD Bifet Boost 410, Caroline Electronics Hawaiian Pizza, Fortin ZUUL +, MXR Phase 100, JHS Series 3 Tremolo, Boss DM-2w, DOD Rubberneck, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, Walrus Slo, and SolidGoldFX Surf Rider III.
Taverās Teles
Vadim Taverās go-to is this cherryburst FenderĀ Telecaster, which he scored in the early 2000s and has been upgraded to Seymour Duncan pickups on Primackās recommendation. His white Balaguer T-style has been treated to the same upgrade. The Balaguer is tuned to drop C, and the Fender stays in D standard. Both have DāAddario strings, with a slightly heavier gauge on the Balaguer.
Dual-Channel Chugger
Taver loves his 2-channel Orange Rockerverb 100s, one of which lives in a case made right in Nashville.
Vadim Taverās Pedalboard
Taverās board includes an MXR Joshua, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, Empress Tremolo, Walrus ARP-87, Old Blood Noise Endeavors Reflector, MXR Phase 90, Boss CE-2w, and Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-200, all powered by a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus.
Big Duff
Harmonās favorite these days is this Fender Duff McKagan Deluxe Precision Bass, which heās outfitted with a Leo Quan Badass bridge. His backup is a Mexico-made Fender Classic Series ā70s Jazz Bass. This one also sports Primack-picked pickups.
Rental Rockers
Harmon rented this Orange AD200B MK III head, which runs through a 1x15 cab on top and a 4x10 on the bottom.
Noah Harmonās Pedalboard
Harmonās board carries a Boss TU-2, Boss ODB-3, MXR Dyna Comp, Darkglass Electronics Vintage Ultra, and a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus. His signal from the Vintage Ultra runs right to the front-of-house, and Harmon estimates that that signal accounts for about half of what people hear on any given night.
Kiesel Guitars has introduced their newest solid body electric guitar: the Kyber.
With its modern performance specs and competitive pricing, the Kyber is Kiesel's most forward-thinking design yet, engineered for comfort, quick playing, and precision with every note.
Introducing the Kiesel Kyber Guitar
- Engineered with a lightweight body to reduce fatigue during long performances without sacrificing tone. Six-string Kybers, configured with the standard woods and a fixed bridge, weigh in at 6 pounds or under on average
- Unique shape made for ergonomic comfort in any playing position and enhanced classical position
- The Kyber features Kiesel's most extreme arm contour and a uniquely shaped body that enhances classical position support while still excelling in standard position.
- The new minimalist yet aggressive headstock pairs perfectly with the body's sleek lines, giving the Kyber a balanced, modern silhouette.
- Hidden strap buttons mounted on rear for excellent balance while giving a clean, ultra-modern look to the front
- Lower horn cutaway design for maximum access to the upper frets
- Sculpted neck heel for seamless playing
- Available in 6 or 7 strings, fixed or tremolo in both standard and multiscale configurations Choose between fixed bridges, tremolos, or multiscale configurations for your perfect setup.
Pricing for the Kyber starts at $1599 and will vary depending on options and features. Learn more about Kieselās new Kyber model at kieselguitars.com
The Sunset is a fully analog, zero latency bass amplifier simulator. It features a ¼ā input, XLR and ¼ā outputs, gain and volume controls and extensive equalization. Itās intended to replace your bass amp both live and in the studio.
If you need a full sounding amp simulator with a lot of EQ, the Sunset is for you. It features a five band equalizer with Treble, Bass, Parametric Midrange (with frequency and level controls), Resonance (for ultra lows), and Presence (for ultra highs). All are carefully tuned for bass guitar. But donāt let that hold you back if youāre a keyboard player. Pianos and synthesizers sound great with the Sunset!
The Sunset includes Gain and master Volume controls which allow you to add compression and classic tube amp growl. It has both ¼ā phone and balanced XLR outputs - which lets you use it as a high quality active direct box. Finally, the Sunset features zero latency all analog circuitry ā important for the instrument most responsible for the bandās groove.
Introducing the Sunset Bass Amp Simulator
- Zero Latency bass amp simulator.
- Go direct into the PA or DAW.
- Five Band EQ:
- Treble and Bass controls.
- Parametric midrange with level and frequency controls.
- Presence control for extreme highs.
- Resonance control for extreme lows.
- Gain control to add compression and harmonics.
- Master Volume.
- XLR and 1/4" outputs.
- Full bypass.
- 9VDC, 200mA.
Artwork by Aaron Cheney
MAP price: $210 USD ($299 CAD).