What's the pedal you can not live without?

[Robert]

I know we have had this type of question before, but let's do it again!

If you had to pick one pedal only, which one would you choose? The pedal you can not live without, regardless of amp.

My pick is the Maxon SD-9. Why? Well, because it is so simple yet at the same time, extremely versatile. I can make it sound like a good overdrive as well as a high gain pedal for solos. It's really remarkable that it can be so versatile, although I suspect it's a very simple design in the end.

Bear in mind, I am quite tired of that SRV-copy-cat tone, so I enjoy a rockier, fatter tone much more, like what the SD-9 delivers.

Also, if I had to play only blues gigs where SRV style of tone is expected, my pick would be the Zonkin' Yellow Screamer built my DuhVoodooMan! No doubt.

So what's your pick?

[sunvalleylaw]

First of all, multis like the M9 or M13 don't count. (of course you can correct me, but that is what I think based on how you asked the question.) That said, for me, . . .

The Winner. The ZYS. Duhvoodooman's Zonkin' Yellow Screamer. Hands down. Has a boost, and a sweet overdrive, and is super adjustable and modifiable for different sounds. I have seen people answer a tuner, but I have an iPhone that tunes, plus other tuners that work fine. The ZYS does a whole lot that I would not want to give up.

A very close second. If I had not said the ZYS, I would have said the Rabid Rodent. It has a bunch essentially 6 distortion modes, and 6 overdrive modes, if you count the reutz switch that substantially changes each of the 3 overdrives and 3 Distortions. Now that I right this, because of that, I almost have to choose it over the ZYS. But the ZYS is such a sweet overdrive.

[deeaa]

Well, I've used my Jackhammer with pretty much everything I've had for years on end, so that'd be it. Gimme an amp that can give a sort of almost-clean crunchy basic sound, and all I need is the Jack and my EMG's and I'm happy.

[Tig]

The Winner. The ZYS. Duhvoodooman's Zonkin' Yellow Screamer.
A very close second. If I had not said the ZYS, I would have said the Rabid Rodent.

These are the 2 pedals I won't do without, even with multi-effects available. Mine are the original BYOC versions with slightly less mod's than the DVM versions, but essentially the same sweetness.

I put the Mouse/Rodent slightly back in second place as well, only because the tube screamer covers so many different tones and styles.

However, when neither of these pedals is even on, the MRX Carbon Copy analog delay pedal is on over 90% of the time. Maybe that is what I can't live without... :thwap

[Jx2]

For me, Id have to go with a chorus pedal. Which one you ask. Well that I havent figured out yet. Im quite found of MXR stuff so probably the Stereo or the Zakk model.

I prefer to get my distoration from the head, Im hoping to get a Randall MTS head this summer. With the modules should be able to get exactly what I want just from the head.

Id also like to get better with a good wah and end up with a set up of just a amp and a wah. Easy and simple.

[Eric]

Uh....Korg Pitchblack?

Actually, the only stompbox I have these days is a Tech 21 Sansamp GT2, so I guess it'd be that. Been using that and nothing else these days at church while going DI to the house.

I'm considering looking for a chorus and/or Bad Monkey again, however.

[Andy]

well...lol...this week it's the catalinbread dls,,,everything from sparkle to cranked marshall.

[marnold]

Hmm. I don't know if there's a pedal I'd say that I can't do without. I'd probably say my delay, but I'd be lying if I said I "need" it since I played so long without one. My DVM-made OD2 would be a good choice too, but once again, I don't use it all the time. I wouldn't want to be without those two, but there are none that I cannot live without.

[Perfect Stranger]

There aren't ANY pedal that I CAN'T live without, however the one I use
the most is my Hardwire RV-7 Stereo Reverb. After that it would be my
ProCo SOLO OD/Dist. pedal.

[R_of_G]

I don't use individual stompboxes as much as I use the built-in effects on my amp. The one I use most often are tremolo and reverb, though like Marnold, I'd not go so far as to say I couldn't live without them. As long as I have my ES-135, I know I can get some pretty killer tone with or without effects.

[ZMAN]

I have two. The Radial Tonebone hot British, and the Fulltone Fulldrive 2. The other that I always forget is the DD20 Giga Delay that is always on.

[Ch0jin]

At home - Boss RC-2 Loopstation (although the more I use it, the more I want a more sophisticated looper like a boomerang or maybe an rc50)

Jamming - well luckily my amp goes from clean to 5150, so right now the only "must bring" is probably my delay because I need it for the start of "Police Truck". and with different settings it's good to fatten up solo's.

If I'm going to pack dirt pedals, the bare minimum is probably one of my Ge fuzz's and my much modded BMP clone.

That said, the last jam I went to I ended up taking like 8 pedals anyway because I likes to show off my creations ;)

[Duffy]

Minimum pedals.

I like to have a overdrive pedal like my Bad Monkey hooked up to a reverb pedal like my Hardwire RV-7 reverb pedal.

I will often turn off the overdrive and just use a little reverb to fill in the sound of the amp.

[kiteman]

My Adrenalinn III. I'm having too much fun with it that I don't know what I'd do without it, I guess get another one.

[6stringdrug]

My vintage ts-808. Cannnot live without it.

Second, this week, is my ph-2. I love this pedal, been using it an awful lot lately.

[jpfeifer]

I have two must-have pedals that I use quite often

- The TC Electronics Nova Delay
Perfect for getting really fat tape-sounding echo

- The Fulltone OCD. This pedal sounds so good that it comes very close to the sound and feel of my Egnater Rebel 30's lead channel. I can almost use only the clean channel of my amp with the OCD pedal to mimic the drive channel, it's that good.

--Jim

[FusedGrooves]

At home - Boss RC-2 Loopstation (although the more I use it, the more I want a more sophisticated looper like a boomerang or maybe an rc50)

Jamming - well luckily my amp goes from clean to 5150, so right now the only "must bring" is probably my delay because I need it for the start of "Police Truck". and with different settings it's good to fatten up solo's.

If I'm going to pack dirt pedals, the bare minimum is probably one of my Ge fuzz's and my much modded BMP clone.

That said, the last jam I went to I ended up taking like 8 pedals anyway because I likes to show off my creations ;)

Couldn't agree more - I've used both RC-2 and now have the RC-50. EVERY SINGLE GUITAR PLAYER SHOULD HAVE A LOOPER.....I wish I'd gotten one ALOT earlier.

As far as Fx pedals go I'd have a hard time choosing between Reverb and Delay. By using a super fast delay with fast decay you can kind of get a reverby kind of sound from it...almost like you have 2 guitars playing so a much 'fuller' sound.....plus then you have the rest of the delay functions.

Mind you, with a loop station you can just overdub overdub overdub overdub overdub overdub overdub overdub overdub overdub overdub overdub and get the full band happening by yourself. This is harder on the RC-2 due to memory size and pedal functionality but my god the RC-50 is SO powerful I can't really see me ever not using a loop station of some kind....

So if I was stranded and could only take one pedal I'd take is the RC-50!!! hahahahaha.......