About

I’ve been playing guitar since 1989, I’ve played many different guitars and amps over the years. I’ve finally settled on vintage guitars primarily and play through 100 watt tube amps, but I’ve been really liking Class A low wattage amps of late, just need to earn some cash to pick one up. I like effect pedals, but I’m definitely not a pedal collector and I don’t normally play with 100 stomp boxes on the floor. I like to find pedals that achieve a particular sound I’m looking for, that primarily enhances my tone (mainly lead tone) vs. looking for crazy effects for new and innovative sounds. But I’m always changing, so who knows what’s down the road.

Seems like I’m constantly asked what pedals I have. I have owned many pedals and when I don’t use them I sometimes sell or give them away. Lately, I’ve been trying to NOT do that.

For rhythm, I use my amp as the main tone engine. Depending on what guitar I use I sometimes use a Audio Crowther Double Hot Cake (blues berry side) to fatten up my rhythm especially with guitars with single coil pickups. I also use a Line 6 Delay Modeler for leads and/or slap back rhythm stuff. For lead, it’s prety simple. I like older classic rock lead style, so I’m a fan of stoner rock genre. I like to use Audio Crowther Hot Cake or Double Hot Cake into a Ibanez Tubescreamer TS9 for lead tone. I use the Hot Cake to ‘wool’ up the guitar lead tone to give it more body. I love midrange for leads, so TS9 works great for that mid bump. I fire both pedals off by using a Boss LS-2 Line Selector. It’s basically a loop pedal. I also like to have a Fulltone Clyde Wah pedal there for some 70s era lead work. And of course Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner.

I also own a few vintage MXR pedals (analog delay and distortion). I have the MXR Phase 100 pedal that is not currently in the line up. Other pedals that I like but aren’t currently in the line up: Fulltone FatBoost, Fulltone OCD, EHX Big Muff, Boss OC-2 Octave. I also have a very old Morley Wah-Fuzz that needs some work.

I’m always looking for something, depending on the band and the current need. There are many pedals out there, and I wish I could play them all, but it’s tough. I wanted this blog to talk about the pedals I know about, but also talk about pedals I want or to write about new pedals that others are talking about. I’m hoping for some good feedback via the comments to help fill in the gaps.