Popmann..you'd probably be hip to this...

What are some of the more common rigs the Nashville pickers are going out with these days?? More so for live I'm thinking...The reason I ask is that I just put together a backing band for an up-and-coming teenager here in Alberta who is playing one of the big festivals on a bill with Travis Tritt.

I've gotten by in the bar scene with a JD-10, tube screamer, Boss delay, Keely Comp and Fulltome Tremolo..My Peavy Bravo with 2-12 Greenback celestions sounds pretty nice so I was thinking about adding that, along with another digital delay to cover off ballad stuff.

I've used the Palmer with the Bravo, in the past, which allowed me to put the LXP5 inline and then monitor with a wedge. The LXP5 just is freakin awesome..but I wasn't planning on using the Palmer and I can't run the LXP5 through the Bravo's effects loop. Is there some contraption that I could use to match the line level input/output of the LXP5 with the effect loop gain structure of a tube amp?? I know I'm reaching here!

You overestimate my connections.

quote:

I've gotten by in the bar scene with a JD-10, tube screamer, Boss delay, Keely Comp and Fulltome Tremolo..My Peavy Bravo with 2-12 Greenback celestions sounds pretty nice so I was thinking about adding that, along with another digital delay to cover off ballad stuff.

Sure, Sparky, this'll work fine ... I hang on a Telecaster forum, and the guys there mention these boxes frequently. One BIG thing to keep in mind: PORTABILITY. If you will be an opening act, prolly your most important issue will be quick setup and breakdown. Along these lines, you might want to assemble a pedal board unit.

mud

quote:

What are some of the more common rigs the Nashville pickers are going out with these days??

A coffee can with a note that says "homeless"



Sorry. I just couldn't help it.

I picked up a Digitech X series digital delay...this thing will definately do the job..very nice little box for $120...

I mucked around more with the Palmer and my rack lexicon stuff and I think I'm better off sticking with my pedal board and the Bravo with the celestions. The digitech has stereo outs so I can add my dads 63 Pro Reverb to the mix for more punch -- playing outdoors so I'll need more juice to help give me a bigger sound.

Playing outdoors often makes me feel like I do when I go streaking after coming out of a cold pool Which I do quite often

Not that I'm a gunslinger by any means but my rig is small for reasons mentioned above.
Nash Tele, Blues JR.,ME-50. Done plenty of outdoor stuff and even headlined at Harrah's, got the job done just fine and could almost load it all out in one trip!
We're all in ear BTW.

DrZ. Victoria. 65amps.

...those are the three I'd look at...sort of the modern equivalent to Vox, Fender, and Marshall respectively.

That said, I think the guy from VVT did say the only other Fralin he'd sent to Nashville went to the guy playing for one of those duo groups--Brooks&Dunn I think.

But, again...grain of salt...most of it sightings and heresay. No knowledge of the actual studio guys.

I just retubed my amps...and FWIW...I've got more tone going on than I deserve as a player.

Amps: Fralin model VVT & a Fender 59 BassmanRI.

OD/Dist: Barber Small Fry, Keeley Katana, (old) Marshall Bluesbreaker for dirt. I still have my RAT I cut the album with, but it will likely go soon. The Keeley boost into the Bluesbreaker is godly sounding on the Bassman...Small Fry a better match for the VVT.

I've got an old Crybaby w/ upgraded pot and a Flip Vintage Trem, as well. The Flip is the best sounding trem I've played...but, it's noisey (even when bypassed). I'd love to find a quieter replacement, but I've not found one yet that has that kind of sound. I picked up a Moollon trem locally a while back--incredible build and sound quality, but the trem itself isn't my speed. It'll likely go soon.

I run through a VHT Valvulator buffer...really does seem to lessen the diff between true bypass and not. And it powers them all except the Flip which meeds it's own PS.

Mostly, though...pickups, pickups, pickups. As a player, I can easily get cool tone with a BluesJr or Classic50 or any of the FenderRIs...but, I gotta have my Fralin PUs. It's honestly not subtle. I've got the Real54s in one Strat, Vintage Hots (actually custom wound to match his amp) in another, and Blues Special on the bridge of my Tele. The Tele neck is a Dimarzio Twang King. LOVE that PU. I bought the matching bridge, but it didn't do it for me. My Heritage 535 has one stock and one Duncan (of unknown model). There's a Duncan Pearly Gates in the bridge of one of the Strats. I'd like to hear Fralin's HBs...maybe get him to wind a matching set for the 535...but, ehh--sounds good as it is.

After the retube...mix of NOS and new brands, it all just sings. Makes me wish I played better.

The most imporant starting point is the guitar itself...I have a G&L Tele that sounds unlike anything you've ever heard before...it has this crystal-like chime over-tone...I swapped out the neck once and the tone was gone..so it is amazing how important everything is to the instrument on the whole...

I picked up an MXR micro-amp and all I can say is that this little thing really gives your amp a kick in the ass. The JD-10 also gives the best "clean" overdrive sound compared to my tube screamer. Never thought of using it as a stomp box into an amp, but it really kicks ass..Using the stereo delay from the Digitech into the Bravo and the 63 Pro Reverb really is over the top..sounds huge and spacious!! The real key is using the Micro-Amp to drive the clean channel's to the break up point...somehow the pedal does a better job than merely turning up the amp

Popmann...Brent Mason has as Katana in his pedal board...interesting...he also has a Keeley comp and a Boss eq as well. Is this pedal really worth the hype?? I always get sucked into buying boutique stuff but in the endm, the $80 micro-amp does basically the same job.

Eddie..I do have in-ears but probably won't have the luxury of using them seeing as we're the opener's...In-ears are a godsend for doing vocals/harmonies, but they really don't cut it for guitar. I do, however, only use one-ear in so I have a mix of ambient stage and in-ear mix...weird, but I actually got really used to it..

Sparky,

I'm not a Gunslinger but I play with them...maybe I'm a "Sidekick"?

Keep it simple, light and compact. Don't put more into your signal path than you need.
Consider getting a "Loopmaster"...improves tone a lot.

The Sparkledrive is one of the most common pedals that I see around. The drive of a Tubescreamer but dials in Clean tone with it. Probably what you are looking for.
The GigaDelay is really practical and I see lot of them around town.
For heavier drive, the "OCD" is being used a lot.

jmp

Oh yeah...if you really WANT to spend money...

Moogerfooger Analog Delay as well as their Phaser are SICK GOOD!

The Keeleymod Tubescreamer with "Less More" is excellent.
My other fav is the Analogman BeanoBooost

My big discovery though is a custom built overdrive (local Tech) called the "Paydirt". My tech works on many of "the dudes" rigs so you will probably see them pop up soon. Not many of them have been made yet (I have #001)

jmp

I'll vouch for the Keely tubescreamer up and down...but the Keely Blues Driver is a desert island box if I've ever played one...I've got both...and they're both killer and uber versatile..if I were doing country or classic rock it'd be the tubescreamer...anything harder than that, I'd start looking towards the BD.

quote:

Originally posted by i.Combs:
I'll vouch for the Keely tubescreamer up and down

F'n a. I love it.

quote:

Is this pedal really worth the hype??

Re:Katana...it's a clean boost. I rarely use it. I sort of inherited it...does what it does well, but you've got to have an amp pretty dimed out before it's gonna do much besides make it louder. Or have it in front of the Blues Breaker, that is.

I've had Keeley TS9s and BluesDrivers here. Nice enough...but, I chose to keep my others instead. I really can't say enough about the Barber stuff I've used.

Been mucking around...

The chain right now is G&L Tele (from God's hand himself) --> JD-10 (for overdrive without the buzz) -> Keeley Comp -> MXR Micro-AMP --> Peavey Bravo --> Peavey Bravo Effects Send --> Boss Volume pedal --> Fulltone Tremelo --> Digitech Delay Stereo out --> 65 Fender Pro Reverb/Peavy Bravo Effects Return

Whew...The Digitech delay in tape delay mode is actually pretty nice . I can tap tempo between slap back and longer delays with my foot. Depending on the song, I'll engage either the Keeley or the MXR for punch...The only pieces that aren't true bypass is the MXR and Digitech so the chain is pretty clean.

The JD-10 over-drive really is smooth. For female country, this is a good thing. If I were doing more aggressive country or blues, the tube-screamer would be better. I might just try the tube screamer in the chain and see how she fairs...For finger-pickin chicken-picken, the tube screamer just doesn't work. A clean sound that is pushed a bit for breakup is what is needed..the Micro-Amp really is a great little box for that..

I've heard a lot about the Sparkle Drive. Brent Mason has one in his pedalboard (country freak gunslinger) and the harmony central reviews are pretty stellar ...this might warrant a further look...

just checked out the audio samples for the Keeley modplus for the Tube Screamer..That is really impressive...my reissue 808 doesn't sound like that unless I push it into the MXR micro amp...which I think SRV did, from what I read somewhere...

My question about the whole pedal mod thing is that Keeley, et al, weren't around back then..SRV and the like were using stock pedals, AFAIK...so how did they do it?? We need mod's to accomplish that??

Another sick note..an old 70's Tube Screamer at the local mom/pa guitar shop here in Edmonton -- $999!!! Give me a fuckin' break!!

OK..searched the web and found no evidence of him using an MXR micro-amp...but as far as pedal mods to get the SRV sound??? Hummm....He detuned a half-step and used freakin heavy gauge strings...the TS was only used for extra gain and not distortion..his amps were already cranked to the nuts....

It is crazy how much people get caught up in all the hype....Granted the mods are pretty cool and do help matters though..

Sparky,

I've teched for one of the major label country bands for several years. You got it covered pretty much. I've seen almost everyone's rig at CMAfest (What used to be called FanFair) and just about everyone uses a pedalboard setup straight into the amps.
The reason most guys don't use stuff in an FX loop is because of flydates. You know, when the band has to fly from Nashville to Omaha Nebraska for just one show and then fly straight to Connecticut for the next days' show and then back to Nashville. On those types of shows the backline is all provide locally, and the time crunch is on, the chances of getting all you cables to and from the amp and back again and getting everything setup and make sound check, etc. etc. It;s just easier for everyone to put the volume pedal after the "tone" pedals (comp, overdrive and EQ) and before the delay and just send one cable (or 2 if stereo{rarity}) to the amp(s).
Yes, the band has a rider asking for the exact amp you use everyday, but having been the backline guy for a major band I can't tell you how many times we get the wrong gear.

Maybe you won't have that problem.

Also, Brent Mason has a custom pedal or two being made by Brian Wampler

http://www.indyguitarist.com/

I have no connection to Brian, and my guys don't use his pedals, but I've heard things thru the grapevine.

Jack Kincaid who's played with Martina, Leann Rimes and Wynnona (seems kind of like the stuff you're talking about) and is a monster player (check him on myspace) uses no comp whatsoever (rare for country),a TS9, a volume pedal and Line 6 mod and delay and mod pedals. That's it. And he rocks, nice guy too.

I hope this helps.

Re:mods and SRV.

...I think for the most part, things were made better back then. That's why you see expensive reissues of the TS9 and RAT pedals--pedestrian OD pedals, which have changed design audibly over the years. So, could be no need for a modded pedal.

Linda Ronstadt always sang through a modified U67. Does that mean a U67 wouldn't get a nice enough tone? No, it means lots of people get caught up on subtlety.

FWIW, I didn't like either Keeley modded pedal (Blues Driver and TS9) as much as the Barber Small Fry.

Popmann, I think you are exactly right about things being made better then.

I've got an original old RAT (I am really old) that I LOVE. Can't stand any other RAT I've ever tried. They all sound buzzy to me.