I got a ? re: straight into amp vs. pedals.

[rockster12]

I have been playing guitar for over 40 years. That's right. I started at age 6 and I am an old dude. And I still gig pretty much every week.
I have been thinking about this and to be honest, I can't remember any of my early guitar heros that went straight into the amp. The only ones I remember that did were, the 3 kings and guys from that era. Jimmy Reed, Elmore James etc. And even they used the effects of the day ie, reverb and tremelo. Maybe I am missing something when I here the "purist" talk about going straight into the amp. Granted, there are some times when straight amp tone is called for, but all the great lead players that I thought had great tone, all used some pedals. example, Jimi, Clapton, Trower, Santana, . The only one that I can recall that I liked that didn't use pedals was Alvin Lee. And that was mainly because he was so fast at the time.
Now the guys that didn't play much lead, they went pretty much straight in. When the 3 kings and Chuck and T-bone were all playing, there wasn't much in the way of stomp boxes. believe me, I was a gear nut hanging out in the music stores in the early 60's and there wasn't much. Jordon Boss tone, Vox Wah and not a lot else at first. Those were the first effects I ever heard. But again, maybe I am missing something. Amp companies were all trying to make clean amps amps back then. And as far as plugging straight in, well the big bopper wasn't my desired tone.

[crzyfngers]

hail,hail. people used the tools available. whether they were dictated by choice or finances. i'm sure if t-bone knew an overdrive would make his guitar sound more like a horn he would've had one. the bottom line is to make music. whatever flips your switch, straight in, through the loop.... there are no wrong notes, it's just not their time yet.

[vbjamin]

straight in is over rated....imo

[somedude]

As a rhythm player I've always prefered going strait into the amp. Better tone that way.

When I play leads however effects help out alot. Not much good having really thick tone if you can't cut through the rhythm player. Plus, no one want's to hear the same solo song after song....

[Red Planet]

There are a few amps out there that will alow you to crank them and get clean tone from rolling the guitar volume back.

Though I find that just dont work for me.

I gots to have me a few pedals. I'm not in to a hole bunch of em.

I use a couple OD pedals and analog delay and a deja vibe.

I also use a volume cut pedal not sure if it counts or not. I guess it should.

Well I do use a tuner pedal and a channel switching pedal.

Ah what am I saying here?

I do use a few pedals but just not an army of them.

[photios]

Originally Posted by screamingdaisy

As a rhythm player I've always prefered going strait into the amp. Better tone that way.

Took the words right out of my mouth...just a git, cable and amp for me.

I used to have a router/switcher (Switchblade), and pedals in front of my attenuated amp and then one day just for kicks I went just straight into my amp and bypassed all the other junk...I was amazed at the difference in tone and feel...since then, I just plug straight in (eardrums be damned) and I've got the best tone I've ever had in my life. My attitude now is that if I need pedals and/or switchers and/or attenuators to get the right tone, then I've got the wrong amp.

BTW, I think the Young brothers from AC/DC have the best guitar tone in the world...and they both have their gits just plugged straight into an amp.

But, different strokes for different folks...most guys use pedals, pedal boards, switchers, etc...some even use mulitple heads...a lot use rack mounted effects, etc. When it comes to tone, there are not universally correct answers...the only "right" answer is for just that one individual to which it applies. For me the right answer is just a git>cable>amp. YMMV

[DejavuDave]

I've always got something between the the guitar and amp --- at least a little delay when I want it --- but I'm using OD pedals less and less. I don't use high gain and I don't like the sound of an overly processed signal. I just think a really good guitar and amp sound best unmolested. So, although I'm not an absolutist "straight into the amp" kinda guy, I appreciate the spirit. A little delay on call and a clean boost and I'm pretty happy.

[Cosmik de Bris]

It may depend on what sort of amp you go straight into too. Some have channel switching which takes the place of some pedals.

[Miles]

I use any means to accomplish the sound. I have owned and used channel switchers running straight in, single channel non MV straight in, all kinds of mod, dirt, and synth pedals into all kinds of amps from 80's solid state amps to your finest Carrs and Vox amps. I have used digital amps both for recording and live performance, and I will do whatever the hell I can possibly do to find a sound that is stimulating for what I am trying to write and perform.

All means of guitar amplification cut through and are effective when used well. The rules are out the fecking window as far as I am concerned.

"purist" approaches? They are a laugh. We are manipulating man-made electronic devices to produce a given sound. Electric guitars were hardly seen as a purist approach when they were first developed. There is no purist approach. And why should there be? Who wants to hear the same music over and over? Music is about pushing boundaries and creating new norms and new ways of creating emotion through sound.

Therefore, why paint yourself into a corner by having a self-restricted rule of: "Oh, I only plug straight in. Thus, by testicles are this --> <--- large?"

I don't get it. Use what works, what accomplishes the sound, and what you enjoy using and don't give a care in the world to any naysayers to what works for you.

I may have, over the past couple years, stated some majorative opinions for certain sound-creation methods that I don't agree with now. I wish I hadn't because I have no reason to state them and never did.

[Peppy]

Depends on the style of music, the particular song and the equipment being used.

[Geetarpicker]

When I play my original Trainwreck I always plug straight in. Can't beat the control that amp has from the guitar. Any buffered pedals mess with this, and gain pedals aren't needed anyway. Any chorus, echo, or verb can be added from the soundboard if you really need it.

Then I have a small pedal board that works well with my '68 Superbass Marshall 100, or my '64 Fender Deluxe. For many situations this works great too especially those without a soundman. These days many soundman like to set things and forget it, so a pedal board WITH a volume pedal helps to spoon feed the soundman when he goes to get pizza...

I agree with Peppy on this, it all depends.

www.myspace.com/glenkuykendall

[semi-hollowbody]

its fun to OCCASIONALLY just plug straight in and play...with a minimalist set-up you focus on only a couple knob twiddlins and your actual playing...LOL...thats probably why the greats write on an accousitc...nothing to twiddle or adjust, just play...I know for a fact I play better when I just plug in and jam for a few minutes before walking out the door...

but Most of the time I want my pallette (er pedal boards) at my toe tips...I like many different od's and modulation effects...

what is really ridiculous are the straight to ampers who are condescending to those who use effects, consider effects a crutch...they are a rare breed but do pop up on occasion and I laugh at them more then I laugh at the kid with a month playing under his belt and a thousand pedals...LOL

[Big Boss Man]

Just get a true bypass effects loop if you don't like having a bunch of pedals between the guitar and amp. This isn't the 60s anymore. There are a lot of options now to let you have pedals connected all the time without being in the signal chain all the time.

[rockon1]

All the players I listen to use/used FX so it makes sense I do too. While I prefer tube OD(no distortion boxes) I like a chorus (for cleans) ,delay and EQ in the loop and a clean boost(add gain) and wah in front. that pretty much covers it for me. Makes for a very versatile rig with a 2 channel combo or head/cab IMO. Bob

[riverastoasters]

Back in the days when I played live a lot (as a keyboard player) the guitar players I worked with all used pedals. That was back in the 1970s and into the 1980s.

These days I actually come across more guys in the course of recording, and here, there is a lot of not using pedals. If you have a studio with a good sounding room and quality recording chains, then pedals often take a back seat to getting the sound from the amp and then maybe adding effects later.

I think this makes sense to me. When you are playing live, there are a lot of things that get in the way of really getting the sound from the amp alone, and there isn't time to tease out a sound. But in the studio, where you can crank it to Mars and back if you so desire, and get a really flattering recording which gets an exigent audition, then there tends to be a process of discovery that can favor the amp over pedals used for coloration.