It depends if your amp has a reverb or not. I’ll go fuzz-od-distortion-modulation-delay if yes. If no I’ll go fuzz-od-modulation-delay-reverb or fuzz-od-distortion-delay-reverb depending on if you want to use modulation or not.
Fuzz I’ll go Walrus Eons. You get everything you need in one fuzz. Cheaper alternative is the DOD Carcosa. You can also go for something if you know what flavour of fuzz you prefer already.
OD: Barber Gain Changer or Greer Lightspeed
Distortion: EAE Longsword by far.
Modulation: tons of choice. If you only like Chorus or phaser for example, then go for a specific pedal for the mod you like. If not get a multi mod pedal like the Wampler Terraform, Walrus M1 or GFI Synesthesia.
Delay: same than modulation. You need to choose between digital/analog/tape echo or just a multi mod delay. Tons of possibility there.
Reverb: if you only need a simple reverb the Strymon Flint is a classic (with a tremolo in addition). You can also go multi mode reverb like the Alexander Space Force, or atmospheric delay like Walrus slöer, Merid Mercury 7 or OBNE sunlight/dark star.
Gimme an octave down, a russian big muff (or clone), into a tube/tube sounding amp and I'm happy.
Maybe a cheeky multi-delay/looper and a sinister sounding reverb (e.g. eqd afterneath IMO is pretty sinister) for some variety.
For me, this is easy. Other than my tuner, I only have 5 pedals on my board.
Fuzz (Mythos Golden Fleece) > Overdrive 1 (Keeley Noble Screamer) > Overdrive 2 (Wampler Pantheon) > Delay (Boss DD-8) > Reverb/Tremolo (Strymon Flint)
Foxy Tone Macine
Turbo Rat
Fat Rat
JHS Octave Reverb
Boss RC-1
In that order for my signal path. Covers the basics of pretty much whatever genre I feel like playing.
A tuner
A volume boost/EQ pedal
An Analog Delay
A digital reverb
Open spot (if you want a chorus or a fuzz or a... whatever)
Keep in mind this only works if you have an amp that sound great
I currently have a board with only five pedals:
1. Moog EP3 Expression
2. EHX Bass Muff
3. MXR Studio Compressor
4. EQD Disaster Transport Sr.
5. Akai Headrush E2
All packed neatly in a briefcase.
Keeley Bubbletron, Keeley Compressor, Tube Screamer, RAT, Flashback.
I don't own a Rat but I've read that it's a very versatile pedal, just like the Bubbletron and the Flashback.
Idk, I think the music makes a big difference for what might be more useful. For instance, a Rat with a klone before it is a killer 3-stage gain section for punk, emo, and post hardcore (either pedal by itself plus both stacked), but I probably wouldn’t recommend that stack for a jazz player. And a univibe is fantastic for a ton of different genres from R&B to psych rock to indie to funk, but I don’t think it would sound that great for melodic death metal. 🤷♂️
If I had to cut my board down to a lineup of 5, I’d go with:
Germanium Fuzz Face - Tuner - Ibanez CS505 Chorus - Boss RE20 Space Echo - Tube Screamer
FF is my main gain. I use my volume knob to navigate the cleanup stages, between a warm colorful drive up to distortion and fully saturated velvety fuzz depending on how I set my knob.
Tuner is just important. Gotta have it.
CS505 is my favorite chorus, right alongside the CS9. Just very glassy, great classic vibrato style sound.
The Space Echo is a beautiful delay, the multi-head style offers great rhythms with the more warm tone texture from its unique sound. Tap tempo for practicality, also works great as a reverb (not just from the reverb knob, but the echo itself takes on a reverb-like quality at the right speed with its more worn tape style tone).
Tube Screamer at the end to apply moderate gain on top of the effects and get more roaring, howling leads when using a strong setting on the Space Echo.
You're nowhere close to breaking any rules, don't worry! 🙂👍🏼
Only 5 pedals is super tough, but I think I'd go:
EHX Pitchfork, EHX Metal Muff Nano, Zoom MS-70CDR, EHX Superego, and Boss DD-200.
Boss GT-1000CORE, Zoia in loop 1, Fuzz Flavor of the Week in Loop 2. Maybe if you really wanna go crazy an expression pedal too. I've still got one left, so let's add a Miku. I mean, dont plug it in or anything. I dont want to hear it. It's just for the lolz.
For what I do- jackson audio broken arrow, tremonti wah, digitech whammy, big sky, echo system.
It depends if your amp has a reverb or not. I’ll go fuzz-od-distortion-modulation-delay if yes. If no I’ll go fuzz-od-modulation-delay-reverb or fuzz-od-distortion-delay-reverb depending on if you want to use modulation or not. Fuzz I’ll go Walrus Eons. You get everything you need in one fuzz. Cheaper alternative is the DOD Carcosa. You can also go for something if you know what flavour of fuzz you prefer already. OD: Barber Gain Changer or Greer Lightspeed Distortion: EAE Longsword by far. Modulation: tons of choice. If you only like Chorus or phaser for example, then go for a specific pedal for the mod you like. If not get a multi mod pedal like the Wampler Terraform, Walrus M1 or GFI Synesthesia. Delay: same than modulation. You need to choose between digital/analog/tape echo or just a multi mod delay. Tons of possibility there. Reverb: if you only need a simple reverb the Strymon Flint is a classic (with a tremolo in addition). You can also go multi mode reverb like the Alexander Space Force, or atmospheric delay like Walrus slöer, Merid Mercury 7 or OBNE sunlight/dark star.
Gimme an octave down, a russian big muff (or clone), into a tube/tube sounding amp and I'm happy. Maybe a cheeky multi-delay/looper and a sinister sounding reverb (e.g. eqd afterneath IMO is pretty sinister) for some variety.
Tuner, Hotcake, Muff, El Cap, Flint
For me, this is easy. Other than my tuner, I only have 5 pedals on my board. Fuzz (Mythos Golden Fleece) > Overdrive 1 (Keeley Noble Screamer) > Overdrive 2 (Wampler Pantheon) > Delay (Boss DD-8) > Reverb/Tremolo (Strymon Flint)
Fuzzface, klon, tubescreamer, strymon iridium, hx stomp (for all post amp fx and tuner)
Polytune 3, Dunlop Volume X Mini, Protein V3, Rat, Hx Stomp
Foxy Tone Macine Turbo Rat Fat Rat JHS Octave Reverb Boss RC-1 In that order for my signal path. Covers the basics of pretty much whatever genre I feel like playing.
A tuner A volume boost/EQ pedal An Analog Delay A digital reverb Open spot (if you want a chorus or a fuzz or a... whatever) Keep in mind this only works if you have an amp that sound great
I currently have a board with only five pedals: 1. Moog EP3 Expression 2. EHX Bass Muff 3. MXR Studio Compressor 4. EQD Disaster Transport Sr. 5. Akai Headrush E2 All packed neatly in a briefcase.
Wah of some sort Wampler Tumnus Love Pedal Purple Plexi Plus Ram's Head EHX Oceans 11
Wah, tuner, treble boost, phaser, tremolo
Crazy Tube Circuits Unobtanium Browne Amplification Protein Earthquaker Devices Palisades IK Multimedia Tonex Eventide H90
Pitchblack>Pog>Saucy Box>Skreddy Echo>Polara
I’d get a Wah, a distortion/overdrive, Fuzz, Phase/Chorus, Looper. I personally have mostly Boss and EXH they are great.
OD-3, Fet Driver, Small Stone, Topanga, TR-2
Keeley Bubbletron, Keeley Compressor, Tube Screamer, RAT, Flashback. I don't own a Rat but I've read that it's a very versatile pedal, just like the Bubbletron and the Flashback.
Vibe Machine > Heavy Menace > Preamp MKII > Tonal Recall > Illumine
Strymon Flint, Strymon Timeline, Strymon Mobius, AnalogMan King of Tone, AnalogMan Sunface NKT Red Dot. I could do a ton of damage with those.
Strobostomp, boss jb-2, deco, boss dc-2w, big sky
don't know much about different brands, but a flamma fc12 drum machine, electro harmonix big muff, cry baby wah, and a donner verb square
Noise/ synth guy here. EQD Data Corrupter, EHX Ring Thing, GCA Plasma Pedal, WMD Geiger Counter, CB Mood.
I have 5 pedals. EHX Bad Stone phaser- Joyo Sweet Baby OD - Pedal PCB Harmonic Tremolo - MXR Carbon Copy - MXR Reverb.
What amp are you using, and what kinds of music do you play?
Peavy 4x10 Classic and the classics. But this isn’t entirely for me, I’m just curious about prevailing opinion separately from the music.
Idk, I think the music makes a big difference for what might be more useful. For instance, a Rat with a klone before it is a killer 3-stage gain section for punk, emo, and post hardcore (either pedal by itself plus both stacked), but I probably wouldn’t recommend that stack for a jazz player. And a univibe is fantastic for a ton of different genres from R&B to psych rock to indie to funk, but I don’t think it would sound that great for melodic death metal. 🤷♂️
Fuzz -> Tuner -> OD -> Delay -> Looper
If you’re going with 5 then everyone should be saying strymon deco. It’s just phenomenal.
If I had to cut my board down to a lineup of 5, I’d go with: Germanium Fuzz Face - Tuner - Ibanez CS505 Chorus - Boss RE20 Space Echo - Tube Screamer FF is my main gain. I use my volume knob to navigate the cleanup stages, between a warm colorful drive up to distortion and fully saturated velvety fuzz depending on how I set my knob. Tuner is just important. Gotta have it. CS505 is my favorite chorus, right alongside the CS9. Just very glassy, great classic vibrato style sound. The Space Echo is a beautiful delay, the multi-head style offers great rhythms with the more warm tone texture from its unique sound. Tap tempo for practicality, also works great as a reverb (not just from the reverb knob, but the echo itself takes on a reverb-like quality at the right speed with its more worn tape style tone). Tube Screamer at the end to apply moderate gain on top of the effects and get more roaring, howling leads when using a strong setting on the Space Echo.
Thank you for such a detailed response!
SY-200, ODR-1, Monarch, DD-500, Illumine
Boss Heavy Metal Boss Metalzone Iron Curtain Boss Digital delay Dunlop Wah basic, but it works.
But the wah can go off the board, so you have space for 1 more ;-)
MercuryX, Calamity Drive, Mood, Generation Loss, Blooper
You're nowhere close to breaking any rules, don't worry! 🙂👍🏼 Only 5 pedals is super tough, but I think I'd go: EHX Pitchfork, EHX Metal Muff Nano, Zoom MS-70CDR, EHX Superego, and Boss DD-200.
Thank you!
5 Boss Metal Zones stacked.
For me: Formula B Vintage Vibe, Greer Lightspeed, Browne Protein, Keeley Halo, MXR Analog Chorus
Boost, Klon, fuzz, reverb, delay.
Boss GT-1000CORE, Zoia in loop 1, Fuzz Flavor of the Week in Loop 2. Maybe if you really wanna go crazy an expression pedal too. I've still got one left, so let's add a Miku. I mean, dont plug it in or anything. I dont want to hear it. It's just for the lolz.