I have to do a gig with (GASP!) no pedals...

[garrettb]

My band is playing a blues benefit this weekend. In the interest of quick change-outs, back line is provided and pedal boards are forbidden. Now, I know it's a blues benefit (Blues don't need no pedals!), but we'll be playing our brand of modern southern rock. We rehearsed pedal board-less yesterday and I was jonesing like an addict for my AC Booster!

An interesting side effect, though, was that it forced us to be more dynamic. We also had to focus on cleaning up our playing in some parts where we used to just slosh through. It dawned on me that it's a good idea to practice that way as a band from time to time in order to focus on getting things tight.

It's a rare occasion, but I think my Tele might actually not get the call. Going to try the SE Soapbar II at rehearsal tonight. Normally it's too punchy for most of my parts, but it drives the amp better with no pedals. I love it for playing straight-in at jams.

Anyway, just thought I'd ramble and share. Any thoughts? Insight?

 

[DarrenJ1973]

They probably don't want you using full pedalboards cos they don't want to have to mess around setting up loops and doing line checks, if it were me i'd take 1 essential pedal that runs off a fresh 9volt battery and goes into the front of the amp.

 

[Goldtop]

Just a guess, but it wouldn't surprise me if this turns out to be one of the best times you've ever played. And maybe the most fun you've had in a long time. Simple, uncluttered, just get up and go. Being 'forced' into having to depend on your own two hands and wits without any extras may prove to be an eye opener.

I think you've nailed it with your idea about dynamics. Touch, picking attack, where on the string you hit it, working those knobs... I like your guitar choice too. I think you'll be flying high when it's over! Good luck. Please give us a report afterwards.

Lloyd/Goldtop

 

[WEDGE]

tape the booster to the back of your strap with a battery in it and run through it corded to your amp.........no problems!

 

[Serious Poo]

I never gig with OD or distortion pedals anymore, I just use my volume knob. You can cover a hell of a lot of ground that way.

 

[hippietim]

http://www.danarmstrongeffects.com/products/red_ranger.html

 

[garrettb]

tape the booster to the back of your strap with a battery in it and run through it corded to your amp.........no problems!

Genius!

The other guitarist in the band is a close friend of the organizer and I've just been informed that he reneged on the no pedal board rule. I suggested we still keep it minimalist for this gig anyway. We're not really major effects users. We both use a variety of gains, he uses a little tremolo, and I'm addicted to delay to thicken up the Tele (don't use it much with the PRSi, though). I can exist quite happily on a slightly crunchy amp and a boost.

For some applications I enjoy plugging right in. But I've been playing most of these songs a certain way for two years now, and I don't think the full "experience" is there without pedals for the stuff we do.

 

[aduayer]

I never gig with OD or distortion pedals anymore, I just use my volume knob. You can cover a hell of a lot of ground that way.

of course I love to have my amp, cabinets, pedalboard and many interments, but I also like when I have those gigs who give me limits. like one amp to everybody, no pedalboard, etc, etc. it's fun because it takes you out of the comfort zone. my suggestion is to find a a good lead tone with the amp you are going to use and back down the volume for the rhythm. can't go wrong with that.

 

[Rango]

Genius!

The other guitarist in the band is a close friend of the organizer and I've just been informed that he reneged on the no pedal board rule. I suggested we still keep it minimalist for this gig anyway. We're not really major effects users. We both use a variety of gains, he uses a little tremolo, and I'm addicted to delay to thicken up the Tele (don't use it much with the PRSi, though). I can exist quite happily on a slightly crunchy amp and a boost.

For some applications I enjoy plugging right in. But I've been playing most of these songs a certain way for two years now, and I don't think the full "experience" is there without pedals for the stuff we do.

Sound like they figured out that asking people to donate there time AND HOW TO PLAY is a little much.

I've done several of these type gigs as a drummer and it's hard to get swapped out fast enough to keep the crowd engaged. But that's where an "MC" earns his keep... Keep the people informed and entertained during the swap and it works out fine.

Have fun!

 

[John Beef]

A couple years ago I left my pedalboard at home! It was one of those things where we decided to take something extra, and I loaded out the pedal boards to access room deeper in the car and never put them back in. We didn't realize it until we were loading on to the stage to play our set in the middle of a several-band bill. No time to go home and get it. I use amp distortion so I set my amp to the dirty channel and rode the volume knob for cleans. I only used delay and tremolo at the time, and while the parts weren't as interesting without those things, they're non essential. It was fine. Being the lead vocalist and only guitarist, it was some extra brain work to figure things out on the fly, but we played great and had fun.

 

[jfine]

Been there, done that. A few years ago I was in a country band (Buck Ford and Pure Country) traveling all over the state of California, and at soundcheck on a gig in Laton, CA (near Fresno), my Digitech GNX3000 bit the dust. Small town, no music stores, two hours before the gig. I plugged the guitar directly into the amp--luckily, I had channel-switching and reverb, and a local steel player loaned me his volume pedal, which i ran in my amp's FX loop--and darned if it didn't sound way better than the GNX did! It sounded so good that I still haven't replaced that FX unit--although I do carry a spare volume pedal now!

 

[leeasam]

way back in like 1980 I was in a band that did alot of cover tunes. southern rock and top 40 stuff. I had a flying V and the other guitarist had an LP copy. I had a two channel Peavey classic tube amp with the ole tremelo fx built in. I like pure tube OD better than a pedal overdriving the tubes. One reason I like 2 channel amps. But for years it has not been real easy to find like atrue 2 channel with out some sort of compromise to one of the channels. I play in church now and I do use a tube screamer but for the only reason that for me to use the lead channels on my SE20 combo it is way too loud for our low ceiling small sanctuary. So I use clean channel but have the gain set to break up nice and then just use volume on my guitar to control how much crunch I have. only for lead type stuff or the need for smooth OD for sustain I then kick in the TS. if I could just hit the switch for lead channel I would but then it would be too loud for our church. But in a club etc I would use this before I would use the TS. I add just a touch of reverb. Now I recently bought a Blackstar HT5R combo so now will try it at chruch and being only 5 watts should be able to do the clean to gain channel without the need for a pedal.

 

[garrettb]

Played the gig. Had a blast (as almost always). Only one grainy iPhone pic has surfaced so far. Hopefully some better ones will show up on the webz soon. Bask in the glow of the white PRS...

Ended up going through the AC Booster into a silverface Pro Reverb, which was loud and bright as hell. Ran my tone control at 2 to tame it instead of taking time to fiddle with the amp controls. I worked the volume knob more than I have in my life. It feels good to be resourceful.

The benefit was at Northside Tavern (which is THE place for blues in Atlanta) to honor Frank Edwards, who was a realdeal bluesman from the area. We covered this tune: