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Avoiding Gear Acquisition Syndrome
By Brett Ratner
You've all seen the commercials where some celeb sportin' a white mustache says "Got Milk?"
Among my musically-inclined cohorts, we've modified that phrase to read "Got GAS?" Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) is a common disease found particularly among, but not limited to, guitar players. A loose definition of GAS would be the obsessive and irrational horse trading or purchasing of musical related equipment.
GAS is NOT the same thing as collecting. In fact, many people find that the collecting of instruments is as much a joy as playing them (particularly if you have the financial means to collect).
GAS differs in that the compulsive need to "tweak your rig" supersedes the desire to improve as a player, compose music, record, (and if you have aspirations of playing professionally) seek gigs. Another common trait of a GAS-inflicted individual is the tendency to impulsively trade in a perfectly good piece of equipment for a seemingly more desirable piece of equipment (often at a loss of money) and later regret the transaction.
The purpose of "Avoiding Gear Acquisition Syndrome" is to pass along knowledge that this journalist learned the hard way (I too had GAS). In other words, hopefully this column can eliminate "trial and error" purchases and save you money and hassle by helping you make lasting, educated purchases (and make them on the FIRST TRY). The goal here is to get stuff that you're happy with and makes you sound good... not stuff you'll wanna unload in six months.
Another benefit of educated purchasing is that you achieve a solid foundation for your instrument setup. This frees you up to buy additional gear just for the fun of it (versus an urgent need to get your tone up to par). For example, when I finally settled on a single guitar and a single amp that I liked, I didn't "need" to get anything new. Thus I was liberated to the point where I could just have fun collecting pedals (cuz I "wanted" to). Someone else, on the other hand, may discover a particular amp and pedal arrangement that works, thus freeing him or her to collect guitars. The more crucial point is that the sooner you figure out what works for you and stick with it, the quicker you can move on to becoming a better player.
Anyhow, the introductory column will discuss what I consider to be the first of three basic types of electric guitar rigs: the classic "guitar into pedals into vintage-style (non master volume) amp." The second column will discuss the modern style amp setup. (featuring channel switching and effects loop). After that, we'll talk about guitar into a rack system.
Brett Ratner is a contributor to Guitar Player, Musician, Electronic Musician and Music & Computers. He also spent two years as the Creative Writer for www.gibson.com. Currently, Brett plays sessions and performs regularly around Nashville with the band Katoorah Jayne. Avoiding G.A.S Part 1: Assembling the Classic Amp Setup
By Brett Ratner
September 17, 1998
This introductory column will deal with perhaps the most common guitar rig, at least in the realm of blues and alternative rock: the classic "guitar into pedals into vintage-style amp" setup.
For many, advantages such as portability, ease of use and relative cost effectiveness make this the ideal choice for club gigs. Another key advantage of this approach is that backup pedals are fairly cheap and if your amp goes down, you can still approximate your sound by running your pedals into another amp, or in a worst case scenerio, directly into the board (but at least you can still play the gig). By comparison, if your multi-channel amp dies or your rack preamp goes down, you're dead in the water.
For the benefit of those who are considering buying their first guitar, or perhaps want a complete overhaul of their system, let's approach the assembly of a gig-quality rig from scratch.
Starting from scratch, the key to assembling any usable guitar rig is accepting the notion that the components you mate need to sound good TOGETHER. No amp sounds great with every guitar. No distortion pedal works perfectly in every situation and there is no guitar that fits every player's style.
So before you haphazardly buy an amp, a guitar and a few pedals and hope they sound good together (the point here is to avoid trial and error), think back to eighth grade science class. Remember when you did experiments in class? There was always a "control group" to compare and contrast your test subjects against. Adopt that logic when buying a guitar rig. In other words, how can you compare amplifiers if you don't hear them all with the same guitar? When trying out guitars, make sure to test them utilizing a "control group" (i.e., the same amp). If you already have an amp and guitar, make sure to bring them both to the store when seeking out that perfect distortion.
In other words, it's important that a player decides on one component before moving on to choose others. For most, that means first choosing a guitar. In such a case, now's the time when paying attention to what your hero plays is important. If you love Stevie Ray's tone, a Strat is the obvious choice. If you like KISS, grab a Les Paul. If you dig R.E.M., find a Rickenbacker. If you're into Korn, you'd best seek out a seven string. THEN find the amp that brings out the most in that particular guitar.
Conversely, you may be the kind of guy who loves the aural power and striking visual image of a Marshall stack blasting behind you. Get that amp... but after that, NEVER buy a guitar without hearing it through your amp first.
In either case, the best way to avoid trial and error is first COMMITTING to the one particular piece of equipment that embodies the sound/look/image/feel/vibe you're going after. Then systematically add pieces that you know will enhance its sound.
So let's move on to amps. There are three types of "vintage style" amps: Marshall style, Fender style, and Vox style. Volumes have been written about tube type, "negative feedback loops," and other forms of geek speak to describe why each style amp sounds different, so I'm not going to get into that now. However, what makes these amps "vintage" is the lack of a master volume or "cascading preamp" section to generate distortion. This means that to generate overdrive/distortion, you either have to crank them up really loud, or use the more practical approach of running the amp clean and placing a distortion pedal in front of it. The reason I feel this pedal/vintage amp situation works well, especially for live use, is that you only have one volume control to worry about. On a multiple channel amp, you have to separately adjust levels to get your clean and dirty sounds balanced correctly on stage. In a rack system, sometimes you have a few dozen "patches" to worry about. With the vintage amp setup, just set your dirt pedal so that it's even with the "bypassed" sound, forget about it and adjust your one volume control according to the gig.
That said, I'd like to take this opportunity to make some general suggestions as to what types of amps/pedals/guitars work well together. For starters, the all-time classic rock and roll guitar/amp setups are Gibson into a Marshall, Fender into a Fender, and Rickenbacker (or Gretsch) into a Vox. Having tried all possible combinations of the above, I can personally attest that these match-ups are not flukes. The Gibson, for example, sounds harsh through the Fender when I kick on the distortion. The Fender sounds a bit dull through the Marshall. Conversely, anyone who has ever heard a Beatles record knows how good a Ric can sound through a Vox. Please note, however, that these are only starting points and there are many exceptions. For example, Hendrix sounded killer with a Fender through a Marshall "Plexi." Ted Nugent gets legendary tone with a Gibson Byrdland through a Fender Bassman. So use the above as guidelines, but then seek your own unique voice. Also, if you are looking for something different, don't rule out unusual (and less expensive) choices like a Roland Jazz Chorus, GK 250 ML, or Peavey Nashville 400.
When it's time to choose a dirt pedal, consider that the Strat you own has a "V-shaped" EQ curve. Therefore a TS-9 (Tube Screamer) might work well because it has a pronounced midrange. On the other hand, your Les Paul has gobs of midrange, so TS-9s tend to sound harsh. Better choices for a Les Paul are dirt boxes with "V-shaped" EQ curves (notice a pattern here?). A good example is the Danelectro Fab Tone. Also familiarize yourself with the tonal differences between "distortion," "overdrive," and "fuzz." Regardless, you can have loads of fun trying your favorite guitar through the hundreds of dirt boxes out there.
Finally, the true beauty of a guitar/pedals/vintage amp setup comes when it's time to play a variety of styles. Let's say you have a hankerin' to learn country or rockabilly. Go find yourself a compression pedal, volume pedal and maybe a short delay. Wanna play jazz? Leave the distortion at home but tote along a stomp box chorus. Need a heavier sound for your alt. rock band, but a smoother sound for weekend wedding gigs? You can go buy a second dirt box to change your tone without having to replace the entire rig.
In a nutshell, this amp configuration offers the most versatility, the greatest simplicity/ease of use and best tone for the fewest bucks. Plus, you can add pieces as you can afford them vs. having to buy the whole thing in one shot. That's why it's the choice of club musicians everywhere.
The next two columns will delve into rack systems and "modern-style" amps. After that we’ll get into the particulars of speaker cabinets, speakers and tubes. In the mean time, happy hunting!!!
Avoiding G.A.S Part 2: The Modern Style Guitar Amp
By Brett Ratner
October 8, 1998
A "modern" style guitar amplifier is one that features "cascading preamp" type distortion. In other words, distortion is created by multiple preamp tubes "driving" or overloading the final preamp section before the signal is sent to the power tubes. This differs from a "vintage" style amp where the distortion is generated by cranking the amp, often necessitating inappropriate volume levels.
The advantage of a modern design is that you can have liquid distortion at reasonable volumes. Since the power tubes remain clean, you can also place effects after the preamp (in the effects loop), so you can add delays, chorus, etc. to your natural tube distortion sound.
Other features of modern designs are channel switching, "speaker emulated" recording outputs, and gobs of clean headroom in relatively small (albeit heavy) packages. All in all, these features combine to give you a very powerful, versatile unit without the need to tote many outboard devices.
One disadvantage of these units is that it's often difficult to properly mix your clean and dirty sounds on stage. This is because there are typically separate volume and EQ controls for the clean and dirty channels. Another disadvantage, especially on the more expensive units, is that there are so many knobs, EQ settings, and tonal options that the amp can sound like complete garbage if you don't know what you are doing. Fortunately many companies publish "sample settings" to give you a starting point. Regardless, if a "plug in and play" vibe is what you want, look elsewhere.
The primary disadvantage of these units, however, is that they sometimes lead to terrible cases of G.A.S. (I should know, I've owned at least five myself). The reason being is that they are often "one-trick ponies" in that they typically have a clean sound (of varying quality), one distinctive dirty sound and sometimes a "boost" for lead. This is a recipe for disaster among fickle guitar players cuz... well... guitar players are fickle.
This happens all the time: You go to a store, you plug into one of these high-tech beauties and it absolutely blows your mind. A sales guy might even feed your ego by walking over and telling you how cool you sound through it. So you go home, grab your 6-month-old high-tech beauty, trade it in (at a loss), bring the new one home and notice that it doesn't sound quite as awesome now that you got it home. You feel buyer's remorse, miss your old amp, not feel satisfied with the new one and in six months start the cycle all over again.
The reality of the above situation is that both your old amp and new amp sounded just fine. It's just that they sounded different. But when you only have one or two sounds to work with, your psyche can sometimes get the better of you and trick you into thinking what you have is bad or that something better is out there.
The way to avoid this problem is, quite simply, make damn sure you LOVE the sound of whatever model you buy. It's better to spend the extra $$$ for the one you really want than to get one you can "afford" and then have to spend money to upgrade later. And once you get the amp you want, COMMIT to it and treat the amp like it's as much a part of your sound as... well... your fingers.
In the interest of not oversimplifying the situation, let's offer some practical suggestions:
First off, ask the salesman if you can try the amp out at home before you buy it. Better yet, if you are in a band, take it to a rehearsal or a gig. See how it cuts through drums and bass. Get feedback from your bandmates and/or sound guy on how they think it sounds. If the salesman gives you a hard time about trying it out, argue that the amp is a substantial investment and you are thus entitled a trial period. If they still have a problem, take your business elsewhere.
Secondly, familiarize yourself with what type of sounds the amp is designed to create. Mesa Boogies, with the exception of the Dual Rectifiers, are based on a Fender type circuit. They create thick, and dark lead tones that tend to work well with Strat and Tele-type guitars. Soldano, on the other hand, is based on a Marshall circuit. They have more bite and match up well with a Les Paul. Some Rivera models offer Marshall and Fender channels. Better yet, both channels are designed to do clean and dirty sounds, though typically you'll use the Fender for clean and the Marshall for dirty. Other amps that kick ass are Bogner, Naylor, and the Tech 21 "Trademark 60" Combo. If you are on a budget, the low-priced king of tube amps (at least here in Nashville) is the Peavey "Classic" series. The solid-state Roland Blues Cubes are also worth looking into. If you have a fat wallet and a strong back, my absolute favorite of this genre is the Mesa Dual Rectifier Trem-O-Verb... don't confuse it with the Mesa Solo Head which lacks reverb and trem.
Third, look for features that would make it useful on stage and in the studio. Is the effects loop compatible with both "line level" and "instrument level" effects units? Can the footswitch engage the effects loop, as well as change channels, engage the boost, and perhaps the EQ? Is the amp powerful, yet sound good at bedroom levels? More importantly, is it portable enough? Construction plays an important role as well. An amp that uses "military grade" printed circuit boards is going to last longer than and amp that uses lesser-quality components.
Finally, the amp should have character, yet be transparent enough to allow the character of the ax to show through. This is because if you decide to go the rout of the modern-style guitar amp, you're still settling on two or three sounds. The best way to keep the amp sounding fresh is to have a couple of guitars to play through it.
In conclusion, if you can avoid the pitfall of being fickle, a modern-style guitar amp can offer you thick, all-tube distortion and a versatile, feature-filled, compact package. If you are the type to change your mind every six months, however, your pocketbook would fare better by using pedals.
Next time, we'll take a look at the guitar rack system. Avoiding G.A.S Part 3: Assembling a Usable Rack System on the First Try
By Brett Ratner
October 23, 1998
Rack systems are widely regarded as the prime setup for the professional studio or touring guitarist. In the studio world, having stereo effects and the choice of direct or miced recording (or both) at your disposal are expected by some producers. It's also important to know that possessing the ability to call up several dozen preset "patches" and finding the appropriate one without slowing the pace of the session will get you called back.
For the touring pro, the rack itself serves as a sturdy road case. Plus having all your components plugged in, wired together, and ready to go cuts down on setup time (and saves wear and tear on cables and jacks). Also of note, a stereo speaker setup allows you to spread your sound out on a big stage for maximum "coverage" without having to crank up the volume. Lastly, MIDI control over all your devices is a nice way to keep the "tap dancing" to a minimum.
The disadvantage of racks, of course, is price. Therefore, it's in the best interest of the guitarist to keep "trial and error" costs to a minimum. The goal of this month's column is to enable you to purchase all the right components on the first try.
For starters, let's assume that you have settled on a guitar or two that you like. Unless you enjoy hauling a truckload of axes to every gig (and keeping 'em all strung), one beauty of a rack system is that you can limit yourself to one or two guitars and still get a variety of tones. The important thing is to always bring your guitar to the store when trying out rack gear.
Second, it's important to note that what you are buying is a SYSTEM. In other words, keep in mind that "chain is only as strong as its weakest link" saying and apply it to your purchases. Skimping on even one component will make your whole system sound bad.
Speaking of components, a rack is basically made up of four. These components are the preamplifier, power amp, speakers/cabinets, and effects processors. A MIDI foot controller could technically be considered a fifth component, if you want.
A common mistake many players make is to prioritize the effects processor over everything else. After all, people typically associate rack systems with processed sounds. Worse yet, many people fall victim to the hype over all the super fancy "preamp/processors" out there. It's crucial to know that when you jam all that stuff into one box, there are going to be compromises. In my opinion, the preamp sections on these units really blow.
At first, it's a good idea to forget about the effects and focus on a good core tone. This means primarily choosing a killer DEDICATED preamp, but also a power amp and speaker configuration that brings out the best in the aforementioned preamp. The only way to do this is to take your guitar to a store and experiment with various combinations. This might annoy the store employees, but just remind them how much money you're prepared to blow if you find something you like.
As far as tones are concerned, the (preferably tube) preamp should AT LEAST have one sparkly/bouncy clean tone, one dynamic/sensitive crunch sound and one liquid/expressive lead tone. If it has a few more, great. If it only has one or two out of the three, move on. Assuming the preamp meets your tonal requirements, MIDI control, XLR "recording outputs," and a stereo effects loop with adjustable input and output levels are must-have features. The stereo power amp should have plenty of headroom, a healthy amount of power and a thick, full sound. Some power amps sound thin to my ears, therefore ruining an otherwise kickin' preamp. Using the same preamp, experiment with how different power amps affect your sound. Typically, all-tube units sound better, but various solid-state versions can be less expensive, more powerful, very reliable and may come close to achieving a tube-like tone. Let your ears be the judge on this one.
Regardless of what speaker configuration you want, opt for a good "marine-grade" plywood cabinet (avoid particleboard). Also, two cabinets set in stereo typically sound better than one cabinet wired for stereo. In terms of versatility and portability, I'd suggest trying a system of two 1x12" cabinets: one with a closed back and one with an open back.
Lastly, sample as many different brand speakers as possible through the system. Having "blind" tested several myself (including other Celestions), all the hype around the Celestion "Vintage 30" is well deserved.
Now that you have a good core tone, it's finally time to find that effects processor. Many dedicated "guitar processors" have really cool sounds typically not found on other units. Among these are Leslie simulators, intelligent pitch shifting and "whammy" type effects. Unfortunately, many of these units also have "preamp" sections. These preamp sections can potentially cause compatibility issues with your preamp's effects loop.
Bypass these sections if the option is allowed, or at least set the unit's preamp EQ as flat as humanly possible. Since you already have a great tone going, you want minimum tonal coloration from the external processing. You just want effects.
When choosing a MIDI foot controller, select the unit that works best with the effects processor you've selected (the preamp is only relying on MIDI for patch changes). Since many processors offer the option of "expression" pedals, this is certainly a feature you will enjoy taking advantage of when choosing a foot controller.
Finally, choose a rack that is durable and protects your gear (duh). You also want to find a nice compromise between keeping the rack small and light enough to be portable, but leaving a enough extra spaces for additional processors. Also, you definitely want to protect your investment with a rackmount power conditioner. A locking rackmount drawer is nice for storing cables, strings, etc. A rackmount tuner is a nice touch if there isn't one built in the processor. Just make sure to keep the tuner out of the signal patch when you aren't using it. Tuners can kill your tone.
Now comes the finances. Other guitar setups allow you to piece stuff together as you acquire the cash. Not so here. Much like your home stereo, a rack system is the kind of thing that's useless unless you buy the whole thing at once... at least the preamp, amp and speakers. If you don't feel like waiting until you can save the cash, this is one rare instance where it's not a bad idea to take out a loan. At least you can deduct it on your taxes, right? Avoiding G.A.S Part 4: Tone Is In the Fingers
By Brett Ratner
December 3, 1998
Greetings all!!!
I'd like to start off this installment of Avoiding Gear Acquisition Syndrome by thanking you all for the positive responses I've gotten via email. I must admit it "made my day" for an entire week after the first column came out. I tried to respond to all, but it got a bit overwhelming after a while. Sorry if I didn't get back to you, but I did read each letter.
Anyhow, a few letters inspired the kind of thought that in turn inspires articles. The following is one such letter:
Hi Brett
Great article about "GAS". I know many folks afflicted with that particular shopping disease (at the expense of playing and practicing). Guitar players seem to be afflicted with the search for the perfect tone that drives the GAS syndrome. The fallacy was brought home to me a few years ago when 2 other musician friends and I went down to Beale Street for an evening of entertainment. We parked ourselves at BB King's blues club and checked out some out of town blues band that we'd never seen before.
They had a stage full of gear, a conga player, several singers, and a guitar primadonna who did his Robin Trower imitation. Although the playing was polished, it just didn't grab us and after 4-5 songs my two buddies and I jointly agreed to leave and seek entertainment elsewhere. As we stepped outside on Beale, we heard music in the distance and realized that there was a band playing in W.C. Handy park (about 2 blocks away).
We walked down there and found a large crowd enjoying the band. I made my way through the crowd to check out these guys and found some 60-70 year old black guys with cheap no-name broken down gear that were playing up a storm. The guitars were cheap Strat knockoffs, the drums were held together with duct tape, in short the gear was cheap and crappy. Frankly, the guitar tone pretty much sucked.....and you know what? IT DIDN'T MATTER!
Those guys had a groove that you would not believe and the crowd was dancing their ass off. My two buddies and I agreed that this was the best music on Beale that night (it was far more entertaining than the well equipped band at BB's) In short, I think guitar players place far too much emphasis on the search for that elusive "Stevie Ray" or "Hendrix" tone that they just KNOW will be the key to making their playing take off (of course investing some time in practice or gigging is never considered). I don't mean to take this to an extreme and recommend that everyone buy K-Mart gear cause "it doesn't matter" but seems to me that once one has purchased professional gear, a large part of the responsibility for what comes out of the amp is up to the player and the chops......
Charles Grisamore
(Charles has been playing guitar for 23 years now and has been playing in bands for 15 years.)
This letter got me thinking about the old adage that "tone is in your fingers." I'm a firm believer of this based on the fact that I can assemble the same basic guitar/amp setup as any number of great players (I'll even up the ante with fatter strings), and I still won't achieve the ballsy sound he or she gets.
Another eye opening (or is that ear opening) experience occurred when I dug up a tape of my old band. FYI, my current rig is basically a Les Paul into a Dyna Comp into a Tube Screamer into a 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb (with the Marshall tone mod on the "Normal" channel). The rig on the tape was an Ibanez into a Gallien Krueger 250ML.
Guess what? I sounded pretty much the same then as I do now... minus a little maturity and finesse which I've gained in four years (I hope).
That convinced me that tone truly is in your fingers... I sound like me no matter what.
Therefore, the primary way to get better tone is by reaching deep into your soul and finding it. The cool gear is there to be transparent and let your soul shine through... much the same way a great microphone enhances, but doesn't color the sound of a great voice.
That said, a serious player shouldn't play crap either. In other words, a $4000 Paul Reed Smith won't make you a rock star, but crappy gear CAN detract from the quality of your performance. Therefore, this column will discuss the difference between necessary investments and extravagance.
GUITAR:
• To be worth owning, the guitar should have good intonation all the way up the neck. This means the "E" on the 12th fret isn't sharp or flat compared to the open "E." It should be exactly an octave higher. Also, chords played above the 12th fret should sound just as in tune as your 1st position open "G" chord.
A guitar with poor intonation just plain sounds bad, and it's detrimental to the training of your ear as to what "in tune" is supposed to sound like. In addition, a good guitar will offer plenty of adjustment at the bridge and the truss rod. This allows you to wisely spend a few buck to have a qualified technician tweak it to perfection. Also of note: poorly crowned, unevenly spaced, or worn frets can cause intonation hassles. Pay to have this fixed or choose a different guitar.
• Speaking of tuning, the guitar should stay in tune. Nothing slows the pace of a show more than tuning between every song... and nothing will make your audience lose interest faster (with the possible exception of bad music). A guitar's tuning problems usually stem from the nut. If the guitar has a plastic or bone nut, pay to have the nut cut properly by a qualified tech. If tuning becomes a problem on a guitar, perhaps it's worthwhile to pay to install a graphite or roller-style nut. Precision tuning machines (like Grovers) or even locking tuning machines (like Sperzels) can also be worthwhile investments. This is because minimal string slippage can contribute greatly to the guitar's ability to keep tune. • The pickups should not buzz excessively... cheap pickups tend to buzz more. • The pickups should also be devoid of microphonic feedback. This problem, especially evident if you play with a lot of distortion, is caused by the copper wounds vibrating against each other. This is common among cheap pickups cuz they weren't shielded properly. A high-quality pickup will have plenty of shielding. It is possible you could fix pickup squeal by dipping the pickup in some paraffin wax, but unless you've done this before or the pickups are very valuable, you should probably pass on the guitar. • The volume and tone pots should not crackle (typically caused by dirt or corrosion). Invest in new pots if they can't be cleaned. • The output jack on the guitar should provide a solid connection with the guitar cable. Repair this if necessary.
CABLES:
• Cables; don't skimp on them. Poor quality cables rob your guitar of signal (especially higher frequencies) and are sure to develop a short at your big showcase gig. Personally, I like the cables that look like braided rock-climbing rope. This is because they are colorful and easy to identify among everyone else's cables when tearing down after a show. This helps in settling arguments as to who's cables are who's.
AMPS
• While a hand-wired "boutique" amp may be excessive, you certainly deserve an amp that is reliable. That beat up combo at the music store (the one traded in by Pete Townshend), isn't a bargain if it's going to break down on you. If you really love the sound, spend the extra dough on one in better shape or treat yourself to a new one with a warranty. • More importantly, make sure the amp is safe. On my vintage Fender Deluxe, I subjected myself to several painful shocks on stage before breaking down and paying to have a three-prong cord installed... I can be pretty brilliant sometimes, no? Anyway, if in doubt as to the safety of an amp, it's worth it to have a qualified tech check it out... but don't open the amp up yourself. There are some pretty stout electrical charges hanging out in there, EVEN if the amp is UNPLUGGED.
STRINGS:
• Even if you're poor, you still can't afford to skimp on strings. New strings have better intonation and sound brighter. Also invest in a string cleaner of some sort (like GHS Fast Fret) to maximize the life of your strings.
PICKS:
• The absolute cheapest way to change your tone is to experiment with different picks. At 25 cents a pop, comparison shopping has never been so inexpensive. You'd be surprised at what a difference they make, especially on acoustic guitar. Also seek out picks that don't slip out of your hand.
PEDALS:
• If you're on a budget, pedals seem to be the way to go. Multi-effects processors tend to reside in the realm of players with deeper pockets. If you only have a few hundred to spend, I say embrace your budget and celebrate simplicity! Pick only the two or three effects that truly define your sound. For example, if U2's The Edge could only tote along one effect, it would probably be delay. Jerry Garcia would probably pick an envelope filter. You get the idea. Pick only the few effects that truly enhance your playing and learn to use them for all they're worth.
CONCLUSION:
The nutshell version of the above philosophy might be that if you're on a budget, don't waste money on expensive gear in hopes that it will make you sound better than you really are. We all know that tone is in your fingers. However, if you're serious about playing, make an adequate investment so your equipment won't make you sound worse, either. Avoiding G.A.S Part 5: Buying What You Want Vs. What You Can Afford
By Brett Ratner
December 14, 1998
Greetings!!! Here's another letter that brings up a few strong points.
Brett,
Fantastic article! I did all right on the test, I'm only a 6.
Some fantastic points were made. In my case, a number of times when I've regretted getting rid of gear, it's either been due to financial need or the belief that I'd pretty much stopped playing. I've noticed an occasional post by others in the forum who think they've hit that point, but it's rarely true, just a lull in the action.
Most of what you went through is really common sense, but in the heat of the moment we get a case of the "wants."
One thing that I've done, as a hobbyist, is to try to build my ideal rig deliberately over time. This makes sure I'm not going to do the impulse buy.
Last tax season I got my EBMM Axis to go along with my Guild acoustics. I've spent the rest of this year trying to select the ideal amp. This coming tax season, it's looking like there's a Boogie Mk IV in my future! :)
My intents are to get the stuff that really matches my style and tastes, and then never part with it... no matter how much it sits in a corner for a couple weeks/months/years...since I know I'll go back to it.
One point you might want to add at some point in this series is the trade off between getting "what you can afford right now" versus "what you really want." I've found that if I get something to just get by, I'll never be satisfied, and end up trading numerous times.
This in the long run is much more costly than just saving and waiting to get the ideal item.
This obviously has to be tempered with the gigging musician that needs to earn a living.
Thanks again for a great article... I look forward to the next one!
Mike Melzer
Mike is exactly right. If you just went out and bought the stuff you really want, you'd spend a whole lot less than if you got what you can afford now, and gradually upgraded and/or traded over time... eventually getting what you want.
Mike correctly adds, however, that getting what you want isn't necessarily practical. For example, take the case of the professional musician who's on a tight budget. He or she might want and genuinely deserve a Steve Vai-esque "refrigerator" rack. However, pros need their gig money to keep the van running and feed themselves yet another microwave burrito. When making gear purchases, the gigging pro needs to focus upon that which will get them through the gig. Also, take the case of a student player. How is a beginner going to know what he or she "wants?" Beginners don't even know if they will still be playing in a year, let alone understand the specific equipment needed to enhance their favorite style.
This article aspires to shed some light on the aforementioned want/afford dilemma. Hopefully this article will also be of use to parents of children interested in learning electric guitar.
Before we begin, it should be noted that the initial strategy of this article was to assemble a variety of rigs (setups) that might apply to different types of players experiencing budget constraints: for example, the aforementioned club-level pro or the beginner looking for his or her first guitar. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that the same basic setup would work for anyone... and any style. So here's my Uber-Rig for those on a budget.
Ooops... one more note. I refuse to recommend crap. Music is an expensive hobby. Think about it... ever priced a piano? Heck, even my saxophone in grade school cost several thousand dollars. In the grand scheme of things, guitars are actually pretty cheap. But prepare yourself to spend at least $500 to get someone started on electric guitar. If they are serious about playing, it will pay off. The idea here is inexpensive... not CHEAP.
GUITAR:
In reference to guitar, what does jazz virtuoso Mike Stern, country pickin' whiz Vince Gill, rock god Keith Richards, blues man Albert Collins, and modern-day troubadour Jakob Dylan have in common? They all play a Fender Telecaster.
In my opinion, the world's first solid body electric guitar is still the best all-around ax. With thousands lining the walls of used music stores and pawnshops nation-wide...not to mention new models made in the US, Mexico, and Japan... not to mention all the great copies being made, I challenge anyone to find a pro-level guitar for less money. To support my claim, I'll mention a few of the Tele's features and why these may be beneficial to a beginner as well as a pro.
• Fixed bridge: For the beginner, this makes the guitar easier to tune than one with a floating bridge. For the pro, if you break a string mid song, you can keep playing. An additional bonus is that a fixed bridge adds lots of smooth sustain. For these reasons, I typically don't recommend floating-bridge guitars (like a Stratocaster) as a primary instrument, only as a backup or for use on selected songs in a set. • Bolt-on neck: For the immature player who still hasn't learned the distinction between musical instrument and samurai sword, a bolt on neck, if broken, is a TON cheaper to replace than a set neck. For the pro who winds up NEEDING to use his ax as a samurai sword to thwart raging drunkards, the same advantage applies. • Versatile: Right out of the box, the Telecaster is the quintessential country, blues or rock-n-roll guitar. Wanna play jazz? Drop a humbucking pickup in the neck position. Wanna play heavy rock? Drop a humbucker in the bridge position. Don't think a Tele is heavy-sounding enough? Get a life... rumor has it that a lot of Jimmy Page's eardrum-pounding riffs on Led Zep's records were actually recorded on a Tele. Besides, these things have PHAT bottom end. • Timeless: Telecasters will never be a fad... and never uncool. Yet unlike a Stratocaster, which everyone seems to have (me included), you will own something a tad different than the pack. • Inexpensive: Used models can be had for $250-$500 if you know where to look (like the newspaper or the Internet). New ones can be purchased for less than $700. Good copies to keep an eye out for are ESP's, Hamers, G&L's, Fernandes, and Schecters. In some cases, the aforementioned brand names will offer superior quality to Fender offerings, yet cost less because they lack the Fender logo. Still, if you go the copy route, stay away from CHEAP copies. These often feature plywood bodies, poor construction and crappy electronics. • Here's one final note. When selecting a Tele, listen for a good solid "twang" when plucking the open low "E" string. Pass on a dull-sounding guitar in favor of one with more brilliance and chime. However, don't confuse old strings with a bad-sounding guitar. If you are serious about a specific guitar, ask the sales guy to put some new strings on it so you can hear it at its best.
AMPS:
Like I've alluded to in previous columns, if an amp gives you one great clean sound, it's a great amp. I would also add that country pickers probably qualify as authorities for what constitutes a good clean sound. That said, I think that despite the stigma, solid-state Peavey combo amps fuel the careers of more aspiring players slugging it out night after night in smoky Honky Tonks than anything else. Nashville's S.I.R. Cartage rents truckloads of them, too. The reasons for this are simple.
• Inexpensive: Used ones are abundant for around $250 in the paper or in pawn shops. • Loud: The Bandit model, if I'm not mistaken, has 130 watts. That'll cut ANY gig. • Never break down: Self explanatory • Cheap and easy to fix: A quick trip to Peavey.com will reveal a whole network of authorized repair centers if something does break. • Ain't no-one gonna steal it: Wouldn't you hate losing your prized Matchless DC-30 during load out? • Decent clean sound: Forget there's even a distortion circuit on there. Play it clean, use pedals. Rent a Matchless when your band records a demo once a year. • Many sizes and models to choose from: I recommend models with 12" speakers.
Here are some other solid state amps guaranteed to cost little, sound decent, and get you through the gig: Roland Jazz Chorus, Fender Princeton Chorus, and the Tech 21 Trademark 60.
PEDALS:
The final piece of this triumvirate is the pedal. In one or two reader letters, I have been accused of favoring the pedal route. I'll unabashedly admit it. Pedals are cheap, fun, durable, easy to use... and colorful I might add. Plus changing musical styles is as easy as swapping pedals.
• Country: Compressor into Volume into Delay • Blues: Overdrive • Jazz: Chorus • '60s Classic Rock: Wah into Fuzz • '70s Funk: Wah into Phase Shifter or Flange • '80s Glam Rock: Compression into Distortion into Chorus • Thrash: Wah into heavy Distortion • '90s Grunge Rock: Stare down at your Doc Martin boots, play really sloppy... and use a "Big Muff" pedal for flatulent distortion.
CONCLUSION:
In my opinion, just because one's on a budget does not mean that a pro can't sound good on stage. It also doesn't mean that a beginner is stuck with stuff he or she will outgrow in six months. A good-ole Telecaster, a workhorse of a solid-state amp and a few well-chosen pedals can more than get the job done and done well. Then as finances improve or musical careers progress, it's time to upgrade. But in such a scenario, the initial investment was still worthwhile. Avoiding G.A.S Part 6: Assembling a Professional Pedalboard
By Brett Ratner
May 5, 1999
Greetings all!
Since writing the G.A.S. series, I've gotten a lot of emails similar to the following:
I've really enjoyed your G.A.S. articles. After much research and listening on my own, I have decided to run my Fender amp clean and get all my sounds via pedals. The following pedals work best with my hands and ears: Boss Stereo Volume pedal, Dual Overdrive, Compressor, and Digital Delay plus a Danelectro Chorus. I do not want to mess with 9V batteries. My questions are:
• What order do I put the effects in? • Can you suggest a pedal board with power supply? • I would like to run a second amp for stereo. How would I now hook the effects up? • The Danelectro chorus runs on an 18V adapter. Will most pedal board power supplies accommodate this?
Thanks for sharing your info!
Mike Pipes, Communications Consultant
The beauty of pedals is that there aren't absolute answers to many of these questions. Running different pedals in different orders affect the overall tone and how everything works together. For any six given pedals, there are numerous combinations of ways to set them all up. Even the way you choose to power them affects how they sound.
Therefore, this article will focus on general information about assembling a pedalboard. While my own life got a whole lot easier once I got my pedalboard set up the way I like it, I'm not going to sit here and tell you what to buy and how to use it. On the other hand, a lot of letters I get specifically ask for gear recommendations, so I'll provide suggestions but adding that your own ears and eyes are ultimately the experts.
To start off, in Mr. Pipes' case, I would set the pedals up in the following order: Boss Compressor into Boss Stereo Volume pedal into Boss Dual Overdrive into Digital Delay into Danelectro Chorus.
Compression typically sounds better before distortion. The volume pedal should go after the compression pedal perchance you want to play mock pedal steel licks. The volume should go BEFORE the distortion perchance you want to use it to control distortion level. The volume pedal could also go AFTER the distortion if you prefer "swell" type effects, but make certain to place it BEFORE the delay pedal so if you pull back the volume control, the echoes don't get cut off. The stereo chorus could go last cuz that way you can split the stereo signal off into two amps. If Mr. Pipes had a Wah, I'd put that before the distortion. Any other effect, such as pitch shift, vibrato, flange, phase, etc. should go after the distortion.
If you happen upon one of those Boss "Guitar Effects Guide Books" at your favorite store, grab it cuz it contains a detailed diagram of where pedals should go and why. It also gives suggested setups to fit specific styles of music. In regards to Mr Pipes' question regarding power supply issues, I would say not to skimp on the power supply. I personally use the Voodoo Lab "Pedal Power" because it powers eight pedals. Each individual power supply features shielding from the other seven. It also features eight toggle switches, enabling you to supply the proper higher voltage to Boss pedals requiring the "ACA" adapters (Pre-1997 Boss CS-3 is a good example). It also has a courtesy outlet which could, for example, be used to power an 18V "wall wart" (available at Radio Shack) capable of powering the DanO chorus.
If the lofty price tag for the Pedal Power is too high, head to Radio Shack and buy a good-quality surge protector/power strip and the appropriate quantity of wall warts. Boss, however, would probably prefer you purchase the appropriate "PSA" or "ACA" adapter for each Boss pedal (as each Boss pedal is marked as to which supply it requires).
One final note on power supplies: some people feel that distortion pedals sound better when run off of batteries (this is because of a slight delay when a battery is called upon to deliver power, thus creating a "sagging" sound). Try your distortion pedal with battery and with power supply to see which one you like. Also of note: a power supply under the Rocket brand called a "Batt-Man" is available that replicates the sagging effect of a battery, even letting you choose between zinc carbon or alkaline battery emulations and variable voltage outputs (to simulate a weakening battery).
As for the pedalboard itself, I use the SKB PS-25 model (which comes in the Cordura bag), but quickly ditched the SKB's cheap integrated power supply in favor of the Pedal Power. The PS-25's Velcro surface works great, especially on pedals with metal bottoms. Things only start sliding around if you frequently swap stuff out, often causing the adhesive attaching the Velcro to the pedals the come loose. A trip to K- Mart for more Velcro will remedy that problem. The bag itself is handy for toting cords and such cuz it sports a large zippered compartment.
If you are on the road, however, I don't think the SKB PS-25 would stand up to much abuse. I'd opt for the hardshell- protected SKB PS-100 (also featuring a 3-space rack) or have a custom flight case made for you. The Boss BCB-6 is good, too, if you only plan to use Boss pedals (it won't fit anything else). If you are particularly industrious, some cleverly crafted pieces of plywood could do just great. If fact, I've seen lots of great pedalboards homemade from plywood or Tupperware lids ... there was even a guy who zip- tied everything to a grill from a charcoal barbecue.
To address the issue of stereo, whichever stereo effect you care most about, place at the end of the signal chain so you can split it off into two amps. Typically, this is either going to be a chorus or maybe a stereo delay with some spatial "panning" or "ping pong" feature. However, if you happen to have two or more stereo pedals lined up, you may notice that you could split the signal several times. Assuming you had the appropriate number of amps and/or D.I. boxes, you could hypothetically get quadraphonic sound. Those who have ever recorded or played a lot of live gigs probably realize that there aren't a lot of practical applications for this. In most cases, truthfully, the pedalboard route will force you to compromise your stereo capabilities in some fashion.
Since every pedal and cable placed in between a guitar and an amp will hypothetically degrade the signal, another compromise of pedals is that you are limited in the number of effects that you can use. I personally feel that this limit actually has a positive effect in that it forces you to choose the sounds that truly enhance your personal sound, and also forces you to get the most out of them. I say six to eight pedals is probably the max you should have in a pedalboard, and try to choose pedals that feature "true bypass" to keep the signal clean. Also, use quality cables to connect everything.
When choosing what pedals to buy, obviously try them out with your stuff, and don't buy a pedal unless it truly knocks you out ... like your performance "wouldn't be complete without this particular effect." For example, would the theme from "Shaft" be as cool without wah wah? Would old U2 records sound the same without delay? Would Jerry's solos have the same spacey impact without an envelope filter? If a particular pedal isn't totally crucial to your sound, why bother having it?
Another approach might be to search for sounds that actually INSPIRE you to create music. If they don't, these boxes are simply taking up valuable real estate on your pedalboard.
To end this column, I'll explain the workings of a professional-style pedal board. This particular example would work well simultaneously using two amps (an old Fender and an old Marshall) or a Fender amp utilizing both "Normal" and "Vibrato" channels. Please note that this setup can be used for other brands of amps, it's just typically used in the following setup.
Guitar goes into Wah then goes into a channel switcher. This lets you select three signal paths: The first path will go to a tuner (tuners kill tone, so keep them out of your normal signal path). This also effectively mutes the guitar, allowing for silent tuning on stage.
The second path is for your clean tone. In this signal path, you might want a compressor, chorus, flange, phase, and probably a long delay (for those U2 covers). This signal is sent to the "Vibrato" channel of your Fender amp where you can also add reverb and vibrato.
The third path is for your dirty tone. In this signal path, you would want the distortion pedal(s) of your choice, possibly a gain boost, EQ, pitch shifting (for Brian May-esque leads) and possibly a short "slap back" delay to give your solos some added dimension. This signal can be routed to a Marshall amp (set clean) or the "Normal" side of your Fender.
A volume pedal with stereo ins and outs enables you to control both the clean and dirty signals through this pedal (it's placed before the delays and any reverbs, of course).
The advantages of this system is that it lets you fudge on the number of pedals you are limited to because the signal will never be traveling through all of the pedals at any given time. This also lets you set separate EQ and volume settings for clean and dirty sounds. Another plus is that when, for example, you switch from clean to dirty, the natural decay of the clean sound's delay will remain intact as you begin your solo (creating the momentary illusion of two guitars). This also works when you switch back to clean.
All in all, there are limitless combinations and applications of a pedalboard. This can make pedalboards intimidating, but this can also make them fun. Ultimately, a pedalboard should be able to help you sound like you.