How many of you are "straight to amp" players?

[Silvio55]

I was wondering, not many guitarrist seem to plug straight to the amp, with no effects in between, and I feel kind of lonely ! I only use a cry baby, but in a 30 songs gig, I only use it on 2 or 3 solos and thats it, most of the time is just my guitar and the amp, an 18 watt clone I made, the lite version (just the normal channel, no tremolo), 1x12 combo loaded with a greenback. Maybe it´s the kind of music I play, mostly blues rock, hard rock or blues, that I don´t feel the need for any effect.

 

[Psyfuzz]

I was wondering, not many guitarrist seem to plug straight to the amp, with no effects in between, and I feel kind of lonely ! I only use a cry baby, but in a 30 songs gig, I only use it on 2 or 3 solos and thats it, most of the time is just my guitar and the amp, an 18 watt clone I made, the lite version (just the normal channel, no tremolo), 1x12 combo loaded with a greenback. Maybe it´s the kind of music I play, mostly blues rock, hard rock or blues, that I don´t feel the need for any effect.

Definitely a genre thing, or a comfort thing. Certain pedals stay on my board even if I wont be using them in a set, I just feel more comfortable having them them 'in case'. Certain music needs them. My Bloody Valentine without effects? wouldn't work, Tame Impala without effects - wouldn't work. etc etc.

I think of pedals as spices in cooking, sometimes it's just a minor flavouring that's not really that important, but then there are certain scenarios where they mean everything.

Take this for example, without pedals it's musically quite unremarkable. Throw in these flavourings and suddenly you've got something tasty.

 

[Cottage]

Depends on the amp. With things like Top Hat or Matchless...no pedals needed. With my DRRI and AC15, I use a Barber DD always on.

 

[Shredtrash]

Not me. I like a good clean platform w/pedals so I can adjust for the gig.

 

[paranoid70]

I do it all the time..........when I practice at home.

 

[ggwwbb]

I have a small pedal board that I use very sparingly......One band I'm in(kind of a punkish thing), I go straight into the amp, only using a tuner. I love that simple set up. The other two bands I'm in do a lot of covers (mostly classic rock/red dirt country), so I do use a few effects(modulation,delay, wah, boost), but not very much. It wouldn't hurt my feelings to get rid of the board all together, but for some songs, its needed. At home, I rarely use pedals. I prefer to use my amps for distortion/gain/overdrive, so I don't really have any use for any of those types of pedals.

 

[datowser]

I am...

 

[dmagalhaes]

No pedals for the most part. Occasionally, I'll use a boost if I drag the Bassman out to a place it doesn't belong.

 

[YYZ]

I did, until I came here .
Guitar into amp via wah to be exact. Slowly added a vibe, a fuzz, a boost, an old phase I had, and all of a sudden I needed a Pedal Train board. I don't know what to think at the moment, though life sure was easier without all those pedals.

Actually, the more I think about it, I would use a lot of pedals when playing at home practicing for this cover band I was in, but then when I actually played at volume in a live situation, I found the pedals muddied up what I was hearing, so I used them much less live.

 

[Ubersooner]

I play fender amps and I never have less than a Ibanez TS in front. I play roots/blues rock stuff and to my ear, it sounds wrong without the screamer. I've ruined my ear more than likely.

 

[TheoDog]

I'm not "not" a straight to amp player. I gig with a small pedalboard, but only add what is required for the music. I can certainly accomplish most of the material with a relatively gainy single ended amp often do that for practice/rehearsal.

 

[Ken I]

Had a few pedals back in the 80's. Never really used them and ended up giving them away. Been guitar, cable and amp with a touch of reverb ever since.

 

[guitarmook]

I use a tuner, a TS clone as a solo boost, and a delay for slapback.

slapback is only for a few songs. solo boost as necessary.

 

[T92780]

Pedals are toppings on my ice cream/yogurt, varies pending on my mood (none to some).

I think the better the amp is, the more you enjoy the guitar to amp natural tone.

 

[Dereksslide]

Me.

 

[orangekick]

I tend to play with no pedals when I'm at home or when I'm writing something. When it comes to accompanying others, I tend to take the pedal route when it feels appropriate. Often my parts in my band are textural instead of straight up guitar parts.

 

[Zingeroo]

No pedals. Not for practice, not for gigs. Straight in. I got nothing to hide.

 

[fjblair]

About half the time for me, depend on the mood and the guitar/amp choice.

 

[Bx3]

I love my pedals, they add to the fun of an otherwise bland guitar, cord, amp scenario. But I don't fault anyone who goes straight in, whatever makes you happy. Twice over my long career of gigging, I had patch cable issues and ended up going straight to amp...and in each case is was pretty awesome. For the most part though I like to experiment around with sound and pedals provide that.

 

[shane8]

I don't even own any pedals - the only fx I like to use is a phaser which I sometimes toy with on my Pandora - maybe one day i'll get a real one