strange "rules" you have regarding the use of pedals

[yeahyeahyeah]

We all do it. Some more than others. You know what I'm talking about. Rules you make like "I never set the tone on any pedal past 3 o'clock" or "I never put overdrive after X pedal."

One of my customers once said "When I get a new pedal I always turn all the knobs to 12 and if it doesn't sound good then I don't think it is well designed"

Another guy said that if he ever had to turn the volume knob past 12 o'clock then the pedal didn't have enough output volume. He was the one limiting the volume to half of its usable range!!!

What are your strange rules?

[73171]

Pedal order -

Guitar -fuzz, distortion, overdrive, modulation pedals, EQ, looper - amp.

[JRC4558Dude]

For me, a pedal has to sound good at low volume levels, or I won't buy it. I very rarely play gigs, and I do most of my playing in the evening when my 18mth old daughter is asleep. Cranking it to "11" is a big no-no in my house, so getting a good sound at a reasonable volume is a must for me.

[whoismarykelly]

It has to work.

[Blunder]

I never use my feet to engage the pedal. Only use my hands (and they have to be gloved.)







I kid, but it always cracks me up when I see this "never stomped on" comment in the emporium.:rolleyes:



I don't really have any rules. As long as the pedal sounds good and has a usable range of tones, I will use it.

[cooljuk]

When my singer says it "sounds like a mac truck" I stick with it. lol

[UncleLarry]

Not a rule, but I'm a sucker for blue LEDs.

[dhdfoster]

No swirly paint. Not really a "rule", but I never buy large pedals that only do one thing and I only seem to buy two-channel OD pedals.

[Rena Rune]

Sometimes pedals make "rules" up for you. I can't use my Moon Phaser in an F/X Loop without a buffer for example. Not a big deal really, especially since Phasers sound better with Fuzz IMO. Nice shoegazey effect.

[cooljuk]

Not a rule, but I'm a sucker for blue LEDs.

Ironically, I almost have the opposite rule. I'll never build anything with a blue LED in it. White LEDs, I'm ok with. I think the blue ones got WAY overused in consumer and pro electronics when they first came out. I'm even tempted to take blue ones out of things, but I'm just a hair away from being neurotic enough to do so. My exception is my MDV2. The throbbing blue LED somehow fits with the liquidy sound. Doesn't bug me like the others.

If I had my way, everything would have glass lamps. I think they look classier.

[Echoes]

It has to work.

yep...

the first rule for me is:

it must sound good!

[splatt]

yup!
my strange "rule" is kinda like that of "echoes":
"whatever works".
serves me pretty well, i think;
the "rule" occasionally lets me patch a 100%wet reverb before a filter & fuzz, so.....
..... it's gotta be ok, afaic.
dt / spltrcl

[UncleLarry]

Ironically, I almost have the opposite rule. I'll never build anything with a blue LED in it. White LEDs, I'm ok with. I think the blue ones got WAY overused in consumer and pro electronics when they first came out. I'm even tempted to take blue ones out of things, but I'm just a hair away from being neurotic enough to do so. My exception is my MDV2. The throbbing blue LED somehow fits with the liquidy sound. Doesn't bug me like the others.

If I had my way, everything would have glass lamps. I think they look classier.

Yes, glass lamps are definitely classy. Too bad they're so hard on batteries though.

[thisday1]

Can't have two pedals of the same color touching eachother

[davednconfused]

Overdrives can't have more than three knobs, fuzzes too - no or very few dip switches... Modulation can't have many more than 2 knobs, and I try to keep the delays minimal as well. Simple simple simple - means that it needs to be the exact pedal for the sound in my head.

[Lolaviola]

No menus.

[deeohgee]

They must be analog, if I started buying digital there would be way too many options.

[sleejay80]

I'm reeeeeealy strict about my pedals rules.

No pedal bigger than Boss/MXR size, around thereabouts.
I end up looking for something more compact.

No pedal with more than 3-4 knobs, no internal trimpots, no digital parameters. (toggle switches are okay)
Having tons of knobs/params that has to be set just perfect make me nervous before a show.

No 2 channel anything.
I end up being unsatisfied with one channel, which ends up in unsatisfaction of the pedal.

I have to like the cosmetics/color.
I have to like what I see, as much as what I hear.



I came up with these because I learned from experience that pedals under these rules are the pedals that end up staying with me, without getting flipped in a couple of hours. It also stops me from wanting to buy too many things.

[Cap'nMayhem]

I only have one rule Man, and that's, never bet money you don't have on a dog race with a stripper who happens to be your ex-girfriend! You broke that rule Man you gotta be sweet to her Homes.

No seriously the rule is that there are no rules when it comes to pedals aside from tonal quality.
Oh and for me personally, if Menatone makes one, buy that one don't waste time and money on someone elses product you'll just be disappointed when you play the Menatone. Just something I noticed over the years.

[shredtrash]

No menus.

Yup.

[5150user]

Low gain to high gain, stacked in that order.

Use an EQ as a boost.

Delay or Reverb last.

All pedals in front of the amp, except Reverb.

Set each pedal for its best, most useable sound and use it like that all the time. For different sounds, stomp different pedals.

[zsno]

Never set a gain pedal with the output lower than you amp's.

[jazzandmetal?]

It must run on a battery or I won't buy it. Unless it is a DMM.

[sahhas]

isn't the rule: "there is no rules?"

s---
www.myspace.com/scotthansen (http://www.myspace.com/scotthansen)

[Bryan T]

My one 'rule' is that I wire things correctly. Guitar -> pedal input -> pedal output -> next effect. However, I watched a demo of a wah wired 'backwards' and it achieved some great seagull sounds, so I might be breaking my rule down the road.

[wesc]

Turn up loud and twist knobs until it sounds freakin amazing.

[earthtonesaudio]

Footswitch must be clear of all other controls. I'm an "enthusiastic" stomper, so this is crucial.

[tonymcbony]

My rule seems to be "if the wife likes it, it stays"
Good ears on her

And I have to spend more money on pedals than buying one awesome guitar. I hate that rule

[brothertupelo]

i try to set pedals so that the on volume matches the off volume, unless they're specifically used as a volume boost. one of my pedals always boosts volume, and it pisses me off.

[JimmyR]

I have a few rules, but I feel totally justified breaking them whenever it suits me!

- No OD pedal without a bass and treble control.
- No delay that can't do a short slapback - there are some that can't!
- No pedal bigger than a small MXR (eg Carbopn Copy)
- No pedal that doesn't have true bypass - I only use a very few pedals so don't need a buffer
- No pedals that sucks tone at all.

Of course my pedalboards rarely live up to my rules. But that's how I like to live my life - as a rebel rule breaker. Even if I have to make up my own rules to break because I'm too scared to break other people's.

[Section10]

My rule seems to be "if the wife likes it, it stays"
Good ears on her

And I have to spend more money on pedals than buying one awesome guitar. I hate that rule


yah but doesnt this usually mean, low volumes therefore inferior sound? Guess thats our only option when the fam is home

[cj_wattage]

It must run on a battery or I won't buy it. Unless it is a DMM.
Haha. I'm the opposite. I won't buy (or keep) anything that doesn't have DC jack.

I was on the fence about keeping a Seek Wah, and the deciding factor was the lack of a DC jack.

The last thing I need in my life is more stuff that needs batteries.

[Theodore Rose]

I really dislike stacking for rhythm sounds. If I can't get the sound (in my head) from one pedal then I'm changing pedals. And if a good lead tone requires more than two pedals then I'm doing something wrong. 95% of my od tone comes from my amp and guitar so as soon as I start messing around with too many ods all goosing each other i've lost what I love about my guitar/amp sound. I tend to break the rules a little for fuzz, but we all know fuzz is a very cunning mistress.

[VicLabs]

1. If it doesn't fit on my PTjr, I have to sell a current pedal.
2. I Shouldn't have to dime any of the knobs to have it sound good to me (I found I had to turn the red hi-gain side of the KoTv4 all the way up to get something I liked- sold it).
3. No one-trick ponies. If it can't do at least two things, it can't be on my board. This doesn't mean multi-fx, this means ODs have to be good boosters (timmy), or turn from OD to fuzz (screwdriver) or have different voicings altogether (DLS).
4. Delays must have tap tempo. I don't know how people live without it.
5. No changing settings on the amp. If the pedal can't conform to the amp, it can't be used. I'm not going to carry around a chart that has preferred amp settings for different pedals.
6. Must be aesthetically pleasing. I know it's what's on the inside that counts, but it doesn't hurt if your date looks good too.

[raph]

Pedal rule: know what it's going to sound like before you turn it on.

[Theodore Rose]

5. No changing settings on the amp. If the pedal can't conform to the amp, it can't be used. I'm not going to carry around a chart that has preferred amp settings for different pedals.
6. Must be aesthetically pleasing. I know it's what's on the inside that counts, but it doesn't hurt if your date looks good too.

+ 1,000 to both of these

[Jules-RM]

I always have to have an odd number of effects on my board - tuner counts as one.

Effect order Buffer > Tuner > Distortion > OD > Fuzz > Modulation > Delay > Looper

[J.Paul]

Good thread.
Lots of rules of thumb that you guys have posted that are mine as well...

My primary rules have more to do with where (and how) the pedal is placed on the pedalboard......

Boosts are directly under my chin to keep my neck straight (solos typically come after the second chorus; I sing, so it's important to keep my body and head straight and not look down.

I'm right handed (and right footed).The least used stuff goes to the left/ the most used stuff goes closer to the right. In 10 more years I hope to be just as good with my left foot as I am w/ my right which would void this rule.

I also prefer my boost to be a volume/expression pedal rather than a button (so a micro smp / rc booster, or whatever I'm using as a lead at the time, go in and out of a custom Wobo that is triggered by a volume or expression pedal)

[HCarlH]

It must run on a battery or I won't buy it. Unless it is a DMM.

Mine must run on AC (or have an adapter jack to run on AC) :D

[solitaire]

Good to know I'm not the only Aspergian on this board ;)

I don't use too many pedals but I do have a few rules what makes a good one:
It has to be non-starved plate valve OR SS able to run on 8.6V rechargable.
It has to sound 'good' no matter the setting, although of course have a sweetspot.
If it sounds even a smidget edgy or fatiguing it wasn't conceptuated right.
I can stretch to accepting digital reverb and delay, but they'll have to excell sonically and be true bypass (or give the impression they are).
The manufacturer has to be more interested in making musicians happy than making money... *Hrm... what did I just say?*