For the last twenty years, I have also used one specific footpedal: a Boss DD-3 digital delay. (I used a DD-2 before that.) I set it for a fairly long delay time, about 500 milliseconds (half a second), and I use just enough to give the sound a little fullness. It's easy to overuse effects pedals; it took me a while to come up with a good sound. The pedal below is set at the 12 o'clock position on all four knobs. I turn knobs 1 and 2 ("E. LEVEL" and "F. BACK") down to the 8:30 position and leave knobs 3 and 4 at top dead center. I've learned to tweak the settings slightly in different contexts. The more the amp is overdriving, the less effect-volume you need.
Here's the item in question:
I'd be interested in knowing what other people use. I'm sure this topic has come up before; please post a link to that thread, if it has.
Last Edited by on Dec 09, 2009 8:03 AM
I use the DD-6. Not for any other reason then the two outputs allows me to send the signal to both the PA and my Amp. I adjust the level to give just a slight boost over my base volume which is also set low for more background. I turn the F.Back down to about the same as your setting. The Mode I have at 800 milliseconds and the delay time stays pretty much at mid setting so I guess that ends up about 500ms. I don't use the delay often but I do have three or four tunes where I stomp on it.
The amp I am using is a Peavey Bravo 112. The 12" speaker will not overdrive easily but the delay effects gives a nice tone and the PA is the Yamaha Stage Pass 300.
Mic is a stock Shure 520DX. A little sharp on the highs but I keep that under wraps by passing the PA input though a small mixing board (after the DD-6) with a 3 band EQ to give me some tone control. The Peavey is set on the lead channel where I get additional gain control and another 3 band EQ (after the DD-6).
I got a Line6 Echo Park after hearing Buddha talk about using one. Very versatile. You can select tape, analog or digital echo for each of the 10 or so effects. I like the tape slap echo with all the knobs at about 11. Has stereo in and out so you can do lots of fun stuff with other instruments. (Ping-pong or reverse ukulele!) Run from a HC-1 to Echo Park to Sonic Maximizer. Really fattens up and spreads out the tone.
I use a cheap $15 Danelectro Fab Echo. The secret is that almost ALL digital delays use one of two chips, both from Princeton Technologies. The PT2399 or the PT2395. There are a few technical differences between the two, but nothing too major for a full featured delay operation such as adjustable delay time, mix level, and repeats. The Fab uses the PT2399, but dose not take full advantage of it's features. So I modified it to have adjustable delay time, maxed out wet signal, and infinite repeats. I also upped the values of the coupling capacitors to let more bass through, which results in a fatter, less thin tone (good).
The result is a very versatile pedal that I paid next to nothing for.
Other people like to modify their danelectro PB&J pdealy (which is $25-30), and that can do a little more since it used the slightly more advanced PT2395. It can be made to do stuff like sample and infinitely repeat a 1 second phrase (the infinite repeats of the PT3299 is lo-fi, and the signal eventually degrades). The PB&J already has adjustable delay time, repeats, mic, but you can customize those too.
In this clip I use: EHX HOG - Octave Line 6 Modulation Modeler - the sounds that can't be explained by the other pedals. Maxon AF-9 - WAH Effect Boss DM-2 always on to fatten up the sound. Echo Park - long delays
---------- "The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." - Joseph Campbell
Last Edited by on Dec 09, 2009 10:23 AM
i use an MXR Carbon Copy for delay. its true bypass an it sounds wonderful. this is what jason ricci seems to have upgraded too recently. ( i had it first :) )
What I really want is this , Digitech RP155. The RP155 is a pretty new model, and the two things that have sold me on it are 1) it's LESS than $100 NEW!, and 2) it's got a 20 second sampler/looper function with sound on sound recording!
You can't get a DEDICATED sampler/looper for that price, let alone one with tons of classic amp models and pretty much every effect you'd ever want to use (delay, reverb, tremolo, flange, phase shift, octave, wah, envelope filter, etc). It's also got a drum machine and full chromatic tuner on board. I really want to start doing some live looping, and this just seems like a no-brainer.
For a little bit extra, the RP255 gives you an integrated expression pedal and more amp models.
I have my DanEcho basically set at what the instruction sheet calls the rockabilly setting but with the mix cut way back. Sort of a mild slap back I suppose. Works at home, the rehearsal space and the two bars we play most of the time. I DI through the PA and dial in a touch of reverb at the mixer. The delay is usually bypassed though, just kick it on occasionally as the mood strikes.
The only pedals I use these days is either a Digitech Digiverb set on the spring reverb setting or acouple of Guyatone pedals, the MD-2 Digital Delay, which has a very analog kind of sound (darker sound than most digital delays) and the long discontinued MR-2 Digital Reverb pedal.
If you use a crystal or ceramic mike like an Astatic JT30/Hohner Blues Blaster together with a Boss DD3 or a DanEcho, there is an impedance mismatch problem which can make these pedals really noisy and John Kinder of http://www.kinder-instruments.com, the makers of ther Harp King amps anf the Kinder AFB box does this mod on those pedals so there is no impedance mismatch when using JT30's or any other crystal or ceramic mic. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
I use an Ibanez AD9 analog delay pedal that I bought back in the 80's for guitar and found that I liked it better for harp. After all this time and many many gigs, it's still working fine.
Ultimate SM 57 Samson Wireless Kinder AFB+ Micro POG DLS Rotosim
I really want to get an envelope filter, but for the price of the Maxon Buddha uses, I've been holding out. ---------- Mike Fugazzi http://www.myspace.com/niterailband http://www.youtube.com/user/NiteRail http://www.twitter.com/NiteRail http://www.facebook.com/mike.fugazzi
Issac - check ProAudioStars prices on Ebay. I found that they were listing some RP355s on EBay for $160, RP255s for $119, or RP155s for $87 ($79 for b-stock.) And this is with free Fedex ground shipping. If you call them on the phone you might even get a better price - not sure.
I just bought an RP355 for myself for Christmas, and they came through. Note that I'm strictly amateur, and will use this for practice at home for now.
Another feature that you didn't mention - usb recording interface.
Last Edited by on Dec 09, 2009 6:35 PM
4. Keeley Boss BD-2 Blues Driver (Level-10:00, Tone-9:00, Drive-2:00, Phat switch-ON) for sustain-heavy leads
5. Danelectro "Dan-Echo"... setting vary, but I like it subtle
6. EHX Holy Grail Reverb on "Spring" mode and I dial in just enough to add some air, but NO MORE!!
7. Blackheart Little Giant head (vol-6, treb.-5, mid-10, bass- 4) into a Celestion Vintage 30 loaded Carvin 1x12" cab
That's the same setup I use for guitar with some minor EQ adjustments for harp. I've been using the same pedals for 10 years. I mic my amp with a Shure SM-57.
Isaacullah i have thought about getting the echo pedalal from Daneltro,as its about the only one i can afford.How is it using as a stock peddal,AS any mods to it are far out of my abilities,And was just wondering how it would be as a stock pedal.Im running a fender 15r for the reverb with kustom12a tube preamp, amp
I use a Lone Wolf Harp Delay. I got some good information off of a youtube post by Ryan Hartt. (I believe it's on the Lone Wolf website) I use it for (3) main settings that I got from the vid, slap-back, long blues delay, and chorus. I'm very pleased with it.
KeithE: That's awesome! Thanks for the tip... That's a pretty great deal!
Hobostubs: Yeah, stock the pedal is still pretty good. I've tried some high end ones, and IMO the dano is not much different sounding. The only thing is that you can;t adjust the delay time with the stock dano pedal, just the mix level and the number of repeats. You will be amazed with it for the price of $15... ---------- ------------------ The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
I recently tried a Retro-Sonic Phaser. Has knobs to adjust depth, rate and volume. Keeping the depth and rate controls set below 12 O'clock actually can give you somewhat of a tube compression sound, sort of like James Cotton (credited as "Joe Denim") on Muddy Waters LIVE AT MR. KELLY'S album. I think Sugar Blue uses phaser on some cuts in his Alligator recordings, but not for a tube compression sound.
Cool device, true bypass, and the controls make it very harmonica friendly. Using it in conjunction with other effects can produce some very interesting sounds which are not traditional sounding, but are not necessarily what you would expect to get from a phaser if you've only heard one used on a guitar. I guess it all depends on what sort of sound(s) you are after
I like it because it's not just a sound effect--I can make it respond to varying breath pressure, changes in air flow and changes in the size/shape of oral resonance chamber as i play. It's a subtle thing, but it becomes sort of an extension of a player's technique if the player knows what he is doing. I think the very best effects pedals (and amps) are like that--they respond to the player's technique instead of just coloring the player's sound.
Last Edited by on Dec 09, 2009 8:36 PM
Lone Wolf Harp Delay (V1); use it most of the time w/ just a slight slapback to fatten the tone. I have a PB&J I used sometimes before I got the LW--good pedal, esp for the price. I'd thought about changing out the caps on it but wasn't sure how to proceed, then got the LW and forgot about it. But I'd still like to do that as the PB&J offers some versatility the LW doesn't--isaacullah, how about putting up a tutorial about that?
1. Lone wolf harp attack- mostly for P.A. and S.S. 2. Lone wolf delay- settings vary depending on style 3. Lone wolf octave 4. Electro harmonix holy grail reverb- just a little spring reverb 5. BBE sonic stomp
I also have a lone wolf harp tone pedal but seem to have misplaced it (!) during my latest pedal board build. Ironically, I ended up buying a new pedal board/bag instead. If there are any psychics on this board I'd much appreciate some help :)
I use a Boss ME-50 effects board. Got pretty much everything i need: large reverb selection, delay, modulation etc, plus a distortion kick to give it my sound...
I'm still using the plain jane out of the box Dan Echo but when you use the Samson wireless it adds compression and helps it in a wierd kinda way. I'm not sure how to describe it, just ...better then using a cord to the Delay
Radio mics use a process companding - basically the mic (transmitter) compresses the signal and the receiver expands it. It's a way of reducing noise as a result of the transmission. The more money you throw at a wireless system the less noticeable the effect (the Samson is semi-pro, midrange gear). Of course what is a bad thing in vocal transmission or guitar tone might not be so bad with harp; it could sound quite good (I suspect it also makes wireless systems more feedback resistant).
1. Sm57 2. AKG Transformer wireless (SO40 + WMS40 Single) 3. Boss PS3 (Pitch shifter for octaves), wanna buy MicroPog someday. 4. LoneWolf Harp delay (slapback at overdriven tone), wanna change it for v2 of for carbon copy 5. EHX Small Stone phase shifter (to emulate hammond organ). Great, but too big. 6. Lonewolf harp attack (mostly to play to PA or sh*t amps) 7. Ibanez PM7 (phase shifter/ring modulator) wanna change it for better ring modulator. Sometimes I take it if I'm too lazy to take EHX Small Stone 8. Ibanez DE7 delay (for long delays) wanna change it for Line 6 Echo Park. 9. Boss GE7 EQ (feedback reducing, low and high mid boost if amp is good)
Sometimes I add 10. Boss LS2 (line selector, to split to two amps) and 11. Yerasov Pterodriver PD5 (for PA mostly).
I'm waiting for Rocktron Hush (antifeedback) hope to buy it tommorow and my BBE Sonic Stomp is at the way to me.
A little off topic but still a good Christmas story and its all about an effects pedal.
Keith Urban is back here in his hometown & the other day he went into his old friends guitar shop & purchased a Maton guitar. A teenager was oblivious to Keiths presence and was drooling over an effects pedal worth $450. Keith purchased a top of the line Maton and asked the owner how much the pedal was and said to put it on his credit card & to say nothing until he left. On his way out Keith approached the young man extended his hand and wished him a merry Christmas. The youth was excited to tell the shop owner about his shaking Keiths hand & was left trembling when told that Keith had also bought him the effects pedal.
I've recently gone amp-less, direct to PA with this setup:
Harp > 1956 CM mic > Lone Wolf Harp Attack > Boss FRV-1 (Fender '63 Tube Reverb modeler) > Active DI > PA. I've also got a Samson Airline wireless that I'm going to play around with this rig (I originally ditched it when I was using it with a Kinder AFB+ and my amp), and I've got a Hughes and Kettner Red Box III on its way from eBay, as I don't really like the cabinet emulation of the Behringer DI I'm currently using.
It's been really nice not to have to schlep an amp to gigs or practice anymore, although the cable mess with all these pedals, mic, PA and monitors has been a new challenge. That's why I pulled the Samson wireless out of storage. I'm going to look for ways to further simplify as well.
I've recently decided to stop using effects and just play dry. I may consider them later on but I've come to some realization that the best tone I can get out of my setup is a direct signal between my mic and amp.
I've gone 'round and 'round on effects and pedals, sometimes deciding to junk them all, and later deciding to give them another try.
Right now I'm using what I think are minimal effects: a Boss GE-7 EQ pedal and a delay pedal. I also have been using the BBE Sonic Stomp; a very subtle effect.
Right now I like my tone a lot. In fact, I think my amp has the best tone of any small harp amp I've ever heard. I may change my mind later, but for now I'm happy.
A good EQ can be used to fatten tone as well as control FB. For purposes of harmonica, fat is achieved by pumping 240k (or 250k). If a player uses a true bypass EQ that has input and output controls (sometimes called gain and volume or pre and post) no punch will be lost and you can actually use the EQ to push the amp harder and/or smooth out the input gain as you prefer. MXR 10 band EQ is like this. Btw, Boss pedals have a signal buffer and are not true bypass. FWIW.
I use a digitech rp80 for eq and a very small delay. I use the volume pedal to turn my rig on and off with a quick step. I run wireless to the pedal, then a cable to the amp head. I step on the expression pedal when I play and step on it again to turn it down when i play percussion and sing. I roam freely on stage the rest of the time while playing.
I'm with you, Adam. When playing through a small tube amp I use one pedal - Mod Tone Analog Delay. When playing through a PA I add one of Randy's Harp Octave pedals to fatten things up a bit.
Lone Wolf delay. Everything else gets in the way, or at least that's my experience. It's a tone issue to me more so than response, although I pretty sure I notice a response difference with the delay too, true bypass or not. I'd like to try something though, especially for a PA rig, the delay and a eq. The ADI Behringer seems like a good option. Mike said good things about it. Anybody know if it's true bypass?
EDIT: Source – http://blog.untitledmagazine.net/post/29594432527/you-vs-david-byrne-so-you-have-a-foosball-table
Last Edited by on Aug 17, 2012 4:05 AM
Just got some new ones to go with the 59BMRI - which does not need much drive, gain or amp sims to get a good crunchy tone going. (see Magic Stomp below)
Neunaber Wet Reverb - mono. Got turned on to this great sounding reverb by Greg at the Redwood City Jam. I demoed the TC Hall of Fame reverb which is very versitle - but didn't fall in love with any of the verbs I dailed in - so returned it and got the 'wet'. I had the EH 'Holy Grail' for a while and it was pretty good - but not as sweet as the 'Wet'
Also picked up the TC Flashback delay pedal. A very versitle and good sounding delay. You can dial in almost any delay sound you can think of (clean digital, analog, tape echo, slap back, mod, 'lo-fi' etc.) - plus it has a kind of tap-tempo that you tap out on you mic (or guitar strings) - as well as download-able 'toneprints' pre sets deveoped by other musicians. I almost got the Carbon Copy - but I'm quite happy witih this.
The BMRI sounds good with either one of these pedaly - or with a touch of both blended.
My older stock pedals: small pog octave pedal Yamaha Magic Stomp II - which also works well direct to pa or recording. I get great delay -reverb combo out of it along with amp sims ad drive. It just is a bit too much for the Bassman and it's getting old, - hence the new boxes. ----------
i don't use pedals per se, but am very happy with the delay and chorus effects built into my vt-30.
i started using the chorus effect when my last band played pink floyd's Us and Them, a quiet song. it added this beautiful ethereal sound. i later realized it sounded good on the loud stuff, too, and really helps cut through the mix. i mostly play with delay, but use the chorus on, among others, Elizabeth Reed.
