Are Pedals Even Needed?

jtp337

New member
I use a little delay on occasion with my VH4, but I'm finding that I like the amp by itself more. Is this common? What effects do people regularly use with a Diezel?
 
I've got a Boss Chorus, MXR Carbon Copy & Neunaber Wet Reverb in the loop. In that order.

Out front i've got Guitar>Keeley 4 Knob Compressor>Boss Tuner>TS9>NS2>Ditto Looper>Amp

Have the Keeley & Reverb(v low) running at all times, use the chorus occasionally for cleans. Delay for cleans & solos. TS9 comes on for channels 2,3 & 4(when I use it)

The VH4 comes into its own with boost & overdrive. The amp is pretty dry on it's own, imo, so it really seems to work well with ancillary equipment.
 
At the moment I don´t use any boost or OD-Pedals with my VH4. I´m still using effects like phaser (Phase 90) and Flanger (Ibanez AF2) in front of the amp. I also like to have a compressor (Wampler Ego in my case) for the cleans, although the VH4 is already pretty compressed.
I´m using a delay (strymon Brig) in the CH4 Insert Loop for solo tones as well.

I guess any amplifier sounds better when you connect the guitar straight into the input, but I still want to use different "flavors" of tone, so I guess I´ll always use a few pedals. But the fact I´m not using any boosts shows how good and tight the overdriven tones already are. I have to admit I thought about adding a Klon-Clone to the rig, it just makes leads sing so much...
 
Are pedals needed? Probably not. Are they fun? Hell yeah! :D

With my VH4, I currently just use an Ibanez delay pedal in the insert of channel 4 for solos. I have used a Maxon overdrive pedal in front of the VH4 for downtuned stuff in the past as I like how it accentuates the pick attack. But as the VH4 is pretty tight anyway that's not really necessary, more of a taste thing.
 
A Maxon OD9 in the front and a G major 2 through the switchable loop of my Herbert. I boost everything.
 
Gotta have wah and delay! Boost and overdrive pedals are fun too, even if the amp is plenty tight with tons of gain itself. Boost can fatten and loosen up a signal. An OD adds attack and can send things completely over the top.
 
I just have an Eventide H9 in the loop for this little bit of chorus, of delay, this little bit of salt that makes everything better. Or a big jet flange too :D I have a new Klone on order because I really liked it as a clean boost, much more for its flavor than for anything else like boosting.

90% of the time the Hagen runs dry anyhow :)
 
I really want to get a tube screamer/tube driver pedal. Was thinking about the BK Butler Tube Driver, or the new Hot Ice Sweet Distortion, but I might just settle on a ibanez tube screamer. Any recommendations? I want an Eric Johnson tone with my single coil Strat.


That's a nice pedal
 
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