Pedal Line Friday – 12/9 – Jake Van Paepeghem

Today’s Pedal Line Friday submission is from Jake Van Paepeghem. If you have a pedal line (doesn’t have to be in a board) for your rig, please email me a photo, bio, description of pedals and routing to pedalline@nulleffectsbay.com. Every Friday I’ll showcase a pedal line submission. Make sure you include any links to your band or music page.

Pedal Line Friday – 12/9 – Jake Van Paepeghem

My name is Jake Van Paepeghem, and along with being a long time follower of Effects Bay, I am a commercial composer/producer, as well as session and live player based in Boise, Idaho. I play in the folk/rock band Interstate ( interstateband.net), as well as many different jazz projects. Previous touring gigs include This Providence (Fueled By Ramen), and Kris Allen (American Idol). I also play in a few professional wedding bands that gig all over the northwest, so I need a board that can get me through most anything, in a travel sized package.

Listed is the order of the current board, as you all know it is always subject to change:

Noisekick FX Voltrem (Volume/Tremolo): I saw this paint job on a Reddit forum, and after seeing the pedal name I emailed Matt at Noisekick to see if he had any more. After digging HARD in to Blake Mills’ record “Heigh Ho”, tremolo had become a staple in an effort to move away from delay a bit, but I just couldn’t find the right mix of simplicity and functionality.  In the off position, this is a volume pedal. When engaged, its a tremolo with the rocker position determining the rate. There is a switch for the wave, and a pot for the depth. There are internal trim pots for the tremolo volume as well. This was a prototype, and I have one of two made, I believe. Matt was glad to get rid of it! I would recommend his REEF trem as well.

BYOC Optical Compressor, The Edison: This was my second BYOC kit. I wanted a pretty transparent compressor that I could leave on. Its pretty subtle, and actually works incredible on my acoustics. I made the label design myself, as I have done with all of my three BYOC kits.

T.C. Electronics Polytune: I NEVER use the ploytune function of this. But the display is great! I would trade this out for the Noir version, but only for cosmetic reasons.

Digitech EX-7 Expression Factory: This was a craigslist find that surprised the hell out of me! I use the Vox and Cry Baby wahs, depending on how I feel per gig, as well as the space station from time to time, but the Leslie sound on it is so satisfying. You can add just the right amount of grit, as well as apply the speaker brake!

Built By Speck PBR Drive: This is a transparent overdrive that my friend and favorite engineer Matt Speck developed while recording my band Interstate. Matt would bring in PCBs taped to cardboard PBR cases, and I would try them during sessions. We would literally tweak it in the process of developing a song, so this pedal is pretty special to me. I own two, and it has become my staple overdrive. The treble and bass controls are actually rolloffs, hence the odd positioning. Matt was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis a few years ago, and his production of these has slowed tremendously, but all the players in town that use one RAVE about it. I have used it on acoustic tour boards as a transparent boost as well.

Ibanez MSL Metal Screamer: This was another craigslist find, and was in the back of a no name solid state amp that a guy was getting rid of along with a Stereo Chorus pedal of the same Ibanez line. From my understanding it’s a pumped up Tubescreamer circuit (I knew the chip names at one point but realized that’s useless info unless I was going to sell it). It stacks great with the PBR, and is dripping wet in that scooped gain. I will swap it every now and again for a Way Huge Fat Sandwich.

Built By Speck PH Boost: Another similar story to the PBR, Matt brought this out in the studio multiple times to test out. Its a great tool for adjusting on the fly, and is a small footprint. Can add gain if you need it, but I use it as a volume and treble boost. Its been great for fly outs when I am using a backline amp, and need to make quick EQ adjustments.

Doyle Tone Machine (Foxx replica): Doyles Broadway Music in Boise is the quirky off the wall shop to buy gear. I had been eyeing this for a LONG time, and it was the last one Doyle had so I snatched it up a few years ago. Such a great sounding fuzz, with a switchable upper octave. It runs on a 9V battery only, and doesn’t have any LED! All point to point inside. Doyle has made this for multiple heavy hitter players that roll through town. I don’t use it a lot but its one of my favorite sounds, though I am certainly no fuzz connoisseur!

T.C Electronics Flashback X4: I actually wrote an article on this pedal stacked up against the Line 6 DL4 a while back (http://www.effectsbay.com/2013/02/guest-post-tc-electronic-flashback-x4-vs-line-6-dl4/). I keep my presets from L->R: slapback, an analog dotted eighth, and the ambient Space setting. I don’t leave home without it.

Ibanez DE7: This spot also rotates with a Boss RV-3 that I love, but one of my biggest sound influences is the band MuteMath. After seeing them live a couple times, and the digging in to a live DVD they released, I was fascinated at how they were able to use delay. It sounded like then guitarist Greg Hill was using so many sounds, he had to have a board filled with delay pedals. Turns out, it was just this one. So I had to have it. I love sending the feed back out of control! It can make a great wash as well if you keep the mix low.

Guitars: 1960’s Yamaha SA2000, 2001 PRS Custom 22, Fender Modern Player Tele, Andersen Metro Special.

Amps: Vox AC-15 CC with an Avatar Hellatone speaker, Polytone Mini-Brute, Acoustic Image Claris

And of course, Rattlesnake Cables!

Let me know if you have any questions about these pedals, or the ones I have that aren’t on this board let me know in the comments! I have two other BYOC pedal kits, a couple more from Built By Speck, and some other funky things. Play on folks!