Is it time to ditch my pedals? | Friday Fretworks
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- Опубліковано 29 тра 2024
- Time to bin the board?!
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Key points:
0:00 Intro
0:09 JAM!
1:17 My first effects pedal
2:31 It just sounds different
3:32 The potential amp
4:42 JAM! Amp runthrough
8:14 JAM! Pedal runthrough
11:59 Thoughts/my favourite guitar tones
13:34 Will I be binning the board?
15:23 JAM! ('63 Fender Vibroverb)
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Man that was some tasty playing. I just love the articulation you have in your hands alone. While listening to what you were playing, I'd forgotten you were talking about amps and pedals and overdrive. Just mesmerizing, thanks Chris.
Yep, me too!
I was about to write what you just did. Its in the hands (feel) and mind (knowledge) of the player. Thanks, Chris!
@@scottrrand37
There’s no delay, phaser, Uni Vibe, Chorus, Flange, Pitch Shifting, etc. in the guitar and amp, without effects, regardless of one’s feel or imagination.
It’s actually the imagination of others that came up with those effects.
I can get through a gig either just an amp, but why do that when it’s so simple to have effects I want.
He’s just showcasing an amp that a friend had a hand in designing.
You put that very well.
After 45 years of playing and trying every sort of rig combination you could imagine, I’m now down to using a guitar and amp. Nothing else. It’s incredibly liberating! It feels like the focus is on the playing, not on switching in and out this or that pedal. The amp that’s working for me using this type of approach is a Bad Cat Hot Cat. It’s effectively a 4 channel amp. I have several high end valve amps and numerous pedals. I’ve tried every combination possible. The Hot Cat does it all. Combine that with the guitar’s volume and tone controls and you don’t need a thing else! And, besides all of that, there’s a very good reason just about every od/dist pedal producer has, at one point or another, said that their pedal sounds ‘just like an amp’!
Never played a Bad Cat! Always sound great when I hear them mind! What do you do for Delay, Reverb and modulation?
I think a lot of people have not learnt this lesson, you need to get a good sound 1st using amp, guitar and maybe 1 or 2 pedals... Most people just get a average sound and spend lots of money trying to put icing on a turd. Once you get a good basic sound you don't need too many.
As a pedal addict I only use one pedal. I just switch them out. No modulation. Just clean, drive, fuzz or distortion that’s it. I want the guitar to sound like a guitar not a synthesizer or flute etc. i also just never liked tremolo, chorus, etc. just don’t like it. I don’t care what others do that’s their business. Just like the basics I guess.
Haha so £2,400 on the amp… 4 channels so clean, edge of breakup, really dirty and blow the doors off so that’s 4 pedals, plus volume control 😂
Chris... I'm a huge fan. You're a major inspiration for me. Thank you for all you do. I ve been a gigging musician for most of my life and here's what I have learned.
Loud amps are highly frowned on my most venues that most of your followers play. You get to play relatively large stages where it's possible to crank up a bit but most of us are playing small clubs, coffee houses, and even churches where cranking even low wattage amps is a no no. Pedals are a fantastic solution and often sound better (or at least greatly enhance) a lot amps' "gain channels".
Also... have you thought that part of what you're experiencing with a cranked amp is the effect of the sound pressure on the room, the guitar and even your body? When you can really feel the sound, you will more than likely perceive it as more responsive. At those levels everything is vibrating... even you! It is a truly glorious experience that would get most of us fired after the first song 😋
This!
You should check out Philip sauce he’s amazing. Turned up a twin to max in a small venue felt the sound through my body for a week needed ear plugs it was glorious
I bought a Fryette Power Station it’s the perfect accompaniment for my Marshall when playing anywhere. Overdrive pedal not needed,
Yeh I use a ironman ii attenuator on my little plexi sounds great
I don’t think it has to be one or the other. Great episode.
Jaw drop :-O oh man, ooooooOOOoooh man. that playing. What was the original questions again? Oh yeah ... being my 50's, and a purist, I would have said amp only all the way, but I will admit your pedal'ed sound was outstanding as well. I guess there is no right or wrong answer, or rather, the right answer is go with whichever one you prefer, whichever and whatever set-up makes you inspired -- and that's the right one.
This is the right answer. Both sound fabulous and it's only a case of 'different horses for different courses'
When you play Chris, honestly it doesn't matter whether it's amp gain or pedal gain, it's the music in your hands that just takes us to another place.
Kids are sleeping... Wive is watching TV... work is done. Thank god it´s Friday. Thanks www it´s Chris-time... Thank you Chris for your steadiness, your inspiration and your professionalism for years now. Looking forward to see Cardinal Black in Cologne with one the best guitarists alive this year.
For me the answer to the pedal distortion or amp distortion question is both. at the same time. Specifically, I tend to run a touch sensitive amp with a touch sensitive but more dynamic overdrive in front, which makes the whole thing more touch sensitive. Works for me
Touch sensitive²
Yep, Chris needs another trip to TPS. They combine loud with pedals. Nothing wrong with that.
A Germanium fuzzface pedal is very touch sensitive if you adjust the guitar volume knob properly. You can get clean tone by picking softly, and dirty tone by digging in on the strings. Jimi used that trick a lot.
@@JohnShalamskas any fuzz face is like that, it's not just a germanium thing
Fantastic playing man! Cheers!
The tone at the end, magic!
For me, it depends on the situation. In a blues-based band I used a 20-watt Marshall 2061x through a couple Vintage Webers, with a reverb pedal, that's it. I ran the amp on @ 8, and used my guitar volume a lot. Straight outta the amp was perfect for that ensemble! Most other bands I use a '65 Fender Bassman, 1 60-watt Celestion 10" , and a sizable pedalboard with various modulators & ODs/distortions. From country to funk, nothing can beat my old Bassman for those beautiful clean tones. For guitars I use 73 & 79 Gibson LP Customs, the 79 being a bit darker. Thanks for your tireless work! Dr. Jim
Beautiful playing at the end 🎉
I can hear country /blues and 70s british rock in your solo. amazing thank you
Love it all - both/either - your playing, tones, effects are so inspiring, Chris. I've only been playing for 65 yrs but I still hope to get 'there' someday :D
Greatest episode yet? Awesome playing sir!
beautiful playing by the way
Your playing is exceptional. Really tasteful and melodic with an emotional expressive quality not often found in virtuoso playing. As far as pedals go, obviously part of their role is to simulate high volume gain breakup at low volume levels. The small amp at high gain will always have its place particularly in a studio but getting the textures right in a variety of venues is where the pedal is your servant.
Wow, Chris. I’ve been watching you for years and that was a killer solo. Jaw dropping
Evening Chris , loving the Firehawk!🔥🔥🔥
You always sound like you ! In the best of ways 😎
I like both! Amazing playing on the amp run through when it was clean. The reverb and how clean your play was magical man 🤘🏻🔮 When overdriven I can’t really dislike any of the approaches 😊
Great video as always Chris! I’m similarly addicted to pedals as you are and also love the different shades you can get, BUT at the last rehearsal with my band I plugged into my Victoria Tweed Deluxe and cranked it pretty good…and WOW what a fantastic noise that is…no pedals, just pure sonic sweetness. 🥰
I in this case preferred the pedals. I go back and forth. Often when at home and not practicing with band crank the amps and have all the fun. With the band I’m dialing the amps back a bit and relying on the pedals to do the overdrive. That way I can achieve the tone but can hang underneath the vocalist. Great video Chris. Thanks again.
Ahh the Firebird… Once the awkward feel diminishes it becomes the most comfortable fit of all imo. I am 6’2 though, so they just work for me. I had a 2007 white basic USA model that was super light and had Peter Florence build me a set of minis, put RS Guitarworks pots and wiring in it, stripped the back of the neck and it was glorious. The first day I bought it, I was on an hour sleep from a gig the evening before when a Gretsch I bought from Earl Slick went down in the electronics department. I went up to a local dealer and traded it for the Bird and by the time they finished getting it setup I got home showered and to the next gig exhausted. That gig was the best I ever played, that guitar had my back. A few months later I had the gas over a Nash Tele that was not as described on a trade and when I wanted to send it back my guitar already sold….Still not over that loss….Look forward to each and everything you put out Chris. You are a superstar in all that you do. Ty
This episode was calming 😌
Loving the Deputy. Sounds amazing.
Amazing video and playing as always. I think that there is a lot to be said for both options; much like when sometimes you plug in and your own ear is having an off day with the sound but, changing guitar has that psychological effect of giving the ear and ultimately your current taste, what it wants on that particular day. It’s the same for amps with or without pedals I feel. 🖤👊🏻👍🏻
Thanks Chris I appreciate it! I just put up a Cool Bluesbreaker short let me know what you think.
Just checked your short, cool stuff
@@streetmansam5073 thanks man! Just followed you.
⚓️ Thanks Chris 🏴
Great video as usual Chris. You put across a compelling argument for both scenarios and rationale as to why you may lean toward either of these approaches. On going into the vid I wanted to like the pedal route best, as like the majority of guitarists, this is what I've become accustomed to over the last decade or so playing at home. In my earlier days when playing in a band my gain tones came from a loud valve amp and pedals were just for delay and modulation. However, I ike that I can now get different flavours of gain from different pedals. Despite me wanting to like a pedals first approach, I found that in your vid I much preferred the sound of the amp on its own. It definitely sound more open and with extra clarity, whereas the pedals created different levels of mid-hump/ accentuation. Both sounded great. Choice is yours! It must be great to crank things on stage in the type of venues you are now playing. With the sound of that Victory and maybe a transparent boost and use of volume/ tone of the guitar it may release further creativity and freedom, Just keep the pedal board for wet sounds?
I recommend the VOX amplifier. 😊
Chris Buck announces that his pedals are quitting UA-cam.
😁
We should take bets to see how long it lasts. 😂
@@stanesposito2664 😂
🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂
😂👍
i liked the part from 10:30 and the finish on 10:45 was perfect . thank you
All good, amp cranked was great but the stacked pedals do work so well, so I guess its how it feels to you playing and how it inspires you, good luck with it all
Hello
I really enjoy listening to you play, I like your approaches and note voicing
I have a Marshall 50 JMP that I bought in 1977. I usually plug straight in to the amp for my sound. When I played live I use a ColourSound Tone bender for lead parts. In the 80's I added a flanger and a Alesis microverb for reverb. That's pretty much it. 😎
I love the sound of my Marshall jvm410h JS model, when cranked up, its way better than any overdrive I’ve tried, so getting the Fryette power station was magical for me, I now get the perfect tone at any venue even at home at any level. So the only pedals I’d now use are delay, reverb, chorus modulation etc
Don’t think I’ve seen you play a junior before! That was just incredible!!
And suddenly your sound became more alive than ever! It's touching to see that even a sacred monster of the guitar like you can still level up!! ❤
Brotip: you can conciliate the two sides of your personality and still push an overdrived amp with pedals to reach lots of different textures and dynamics, maybe not the same pedals or not setup the same way, maybe more clean boost or lightly gained Fuzz than OD that would do all the job by themselves... But you're knocking at the doors of another universe. And of course you know it! Just do it 🙏
BTW with a proper FX-loop you would still need the biggest midi controlled pedalboard 👍
Every sound was excellent. Different, but excellent. All winners.
Chris it is all in your vingers dude, and all you have to do is flavour it. Just brilliant playing i think if i give you a banjo you could still get some crazy tones out of your golden lefty.
Afternoon Chris.
Great playing as usual. Loving how you play with such dexterity.
On to your question regarding pedals or not.
I'm lucky enough to own a Hughes and Kettner Grandmeister which has 4 separate channels. Clean, Crunch, Lead and Ultra. This means that I can go from the typical Fender clean through to Rectifier screaming filth all at the press of a footswitch. It also has good quality onboard effects so I have the best of all worlds. I use it without any pedals because controlling the gain using the guitar leaves me without the pain of pedal boards and the myriad of cables often associated with them. I have used this set up for a couple of years now without any issues, mind you it helps that it has it's own DI out of the back to feed front of house.
Again though, great playing.
Andy
Great episode my friend! I must say, we have SO much in common mate, you're named Chris, I'm named Chris, you love guitar, I love guitar, you're an AMAZING guitar player, I'm... well quite crap frankly! Two out of three ain't bad I suppose? LOL! 😂 Keep making this fabulous noise man, I LOVE it all! 👍❤️
Classic topic! U the best!😊
Damn... Great playing.
It seems as though you have perfected both approaches mate! Crack on, then!😊
I do like pedals, mainly because I'm too lazy to go over and fiddle with my amp controls. Plus, like you said, different drive pedals give you different tones and feel. I've also heard several artists, Samantha Fish for one, say they've ditched their pedal board to "learn to play the guitar again". Which makes sense. If you rely on pedals too much you forget how to make the guitar get the sounds you want. I think at times one should go amp only to maintain the guitar playing skills.
What you've got there with the Victory is what Tim Pierce and Neil Giraldo call the "sweet spot of tone". Not to distorted, but has sustain with articulation. Very well done!
Be like Buckethead, please!? Start releasing solo albums, one per day. Your playing is simply mindblowing ❤
Superb playing and tones as always. Would have been nice to hear you take a cranked amp back down to clean on the guitar controls alone just to show how that works and how flexible it can be. Keep it up
Love the amp distortion better! Great video once again
Loving that Springer guitar, looks great and sounds great. I find that depending on the amp and the guitar, sometimes I use an OD and sometimes not. I have several guitars with HS3 pickups, which are very low output, I need an overdrive for those. But if I play the same amp at the same setting with a Super Distortion pickup (or basically any humbucker), I don't need a pedal for most of what I play. I tend to use an OD pedal more if I'm playing a Vox AC30 than if I'm playing a Marshall Plexi. Mind you, I have the Legendary Tones extra preamp tube module in the Plexi, so that makes a difference. I'm pretty sure Nuno Bettencourt used a Vibroverb on most tracks from the 'Waiting for the Punchline' album, he sounded amazing. But, I think that your playing sounds great regardless of what you use!
I've played many gigs with one Telecaster, a lead, and a Fender BDR, with the guitar's volume knob used to control the drive. Currently, I'm using an always-on Boss Blues Driver into the clean channel of a 1989 Peavey Bandit, with the guitar's volume knob used to control the drive. The trick is to not set the amp or pedal drive too high. Find the sweet spot, and you're good to go. Since I'm using the Boss pedal, I do have a few others on my board: a Boss tuner, a cheap chorus pedal, an _excellent_ Fender Waylon Jennings phaser, and an old DOD FX 90 delay (that one's in the loop). I hate excessive pedal noise and tone suck, so there's no way I'd have lots of pedals, anyway. Oh, and I won't have anything digital, either.
Chris, please record an album of you noodling. Listening to you play is extremely relaxing.
Must admit i switched off a bit and just listened to the playing. Left me smiling. With the Deputy - Pete Honore is a pedal user so is prob set up to be a great pedal platform. You know how to get the best out of your equipment so go with both. If on a day you think straight into amp go for it (like i could tell you that😂) if buffers are a problem im sure gig rig would have something that could switch between without introducing a buffer. Love the sound of (i think) the Mjolner and KOT or Black box. Its the sound of Cardinal Black to me. But hey whatever gives you the most fun😊
This video came to me at the right time. I started with a tube amp in the sixties and I've played keyboards or guitars since. With limited resources I've finally collected 12 effects I can't live without. Six effects are stereo. Six have midi control features. My next purchase will be a switcher controller. I did take tap dance lessons when I was six years old but I have forgotten! Keyboard experience has led me to a somewhat-understanding of MIDI. Do you have a recommended switcher for a 71 year old in the USA? Somersworth, NH.
Pedals please Chris, your playing is outstanding.
As a fellow musician Pedals into a clean/semiclean amp have more clarity, expression, dynamics and flexibility, less compression and works so much better live. I love the openness I get with pedals.
I just bought my dream amp Tone King Imperial MkII. All pedal are gone other than a Halo delay. It has an awesome reverb and tremolo. For me it goes the whole way home.
Congratulations I bought one last year myself , it is a beautiful sound
I think that both into an amp and using pedals can have different feels and applications so it’s best to remember that it’s all subjective.
It’s all about how it feels! ❤️
it may have already been pointed out, but the “session musician” in question who was shown in the aimee mann clip on conan o’brien is none other than the incomparably brilliant jon brion. simply had to give a shout for one of the most brilliant musicians walking the earth, who also produced that record and co-wrote that song and is a bonafide musical treasure.
Love that low E string popping out off the saddle in the intro song 😂😂💪💪
He seems to do this a lot I’ve noticed. Happened on the last video playing the SG too!
When it comes to distortion or overdrive, simpler is better. I've tried the array of pedals, and I'm always fighting signal chain issues. Furthermore, fuzz is a set of pedals with so many varied sounds that it demonstrates a practical limit. Also Chris points out there are other effects many of us prefer to keep that have no equivalent control in the amp.
I'll admit my first pedalboard was a monster. The more I learn about EQ, the smaller the board gets. Got a fuzz I like. Got an overdrive I like in the house. Distortion is the most finicky to get to work anywhere. Add in a delay, chorus, and some other wildcard, and I'll be bent over the board for hours trying to get everything to work in harmony. I'm reminded of my electronics controls classes where the signal had only one answer, but the controls had a range within that answer.
The choice of gear depends on two things: 1) The application - Do you need to switch complex sounds instantly, say between a crunchy lead and a pristine clean with chorus and delay? Pedals and/or a switcher do that very well, or maybe a multi-channel amp with a switchable effects loop. Are you playing a theater gig where you have to run at whisper volumes and the board op has better things to do than ride your volume, or (like Chris) on big stages with a sound man who can pay attention to your volume changes. 2) Your skill set - Are you used to messing with the volume knob on your guitar to the point where it's instinctive, or (like me) do you never feel like you have time to take your hands off the guitar to mess with things in the heat of battle. What I've learned opening for a variety of touring bands is that good players (like Chris) can get a great sound out of ANY gear. Bottom line: Use whatever works best for you and your gig.
There's a textural thing to your pedal setup, it gives you your quintessential sound. I can't quite put my finger on it but there's a footprint kind of thing, a certain amount of squish and bite when your pedals go through the amp. You still sound like you without, but the Cardinal Black flavours or brushstrokes are more present with your usual rig.
I don't think any amount of analysing really dampens the fact that you sound like you playing any rig and that's probably the biggest compliment we could receive as guitarists 😌
I'll have em 😁
I actually preferred the pedal driven tones. I run a Victory DP with pedals and am very happy with the results..
I guess the most obvious observation is that the Victory at different levels of gain still sounds like the same amp whereas the Victory clean with various pedals sounds like, well, different things. Not worse or better, just different. So, as you noted about people like Slash, if you consider yourself someone who wants to define a distinctive sound that always sounds like you, straight in is probably the way to go. If you want or need a wider variety of sounds, which is often the case with people like me doing a range of covers, or there are effects you love that you can’t get on most tube amps (that is, pretty much anything other than reverb or tremolo) then you’ll want a board, in which case why not throw a quality overdrive pedal or two on there. You can always bypass the lot and just crank it. Very tasty playing, mate! Now I’m off to try plugging straight into my Vox and making sure no one in the house is sleeping late.
This is really weird. I was redoing lead lines today. Existing were MXR Sugar Drive pushing a BOSS DS1 in front of a Deluxe Reverb. Today's effort gave a much different result. A cranked JCM 800, with a little help from the MXR Sugar Drive. Just a touch. Awesome results. So synchronised that your FFW video was on point.
Best guitar player alive today!
This style of amp is such a tasty choice. For me I’d run it on the edge of break up. Use overdrives, boosts and volume knob to get your sounds. Dude, your playing is sick. Really great stuff.
Amp distortion is the best thing ever. Yes pedals give lots of flavour and I use them excessively myself, but it's just not the same. But as always it's a bit of a compromise with time based stuff, volume and headroom. So I guess what ever works is right!
For me, I liked the pedals. There was a touch more clarity in the high end. Which I always am searching for more of. But it all sounded killer!
Man, the amp alone is soooooooo good!!
i agree - much as i love pedal experiments, flavors, voicings...straight-in is just you, the wood, the wires, and, most importantly, them dealing with THE VOLUME!!! pedals are cheaper, and incredibly versatile. straight-in is tone and dynamics. they are both wonderful -so a splitter pedal with a wet dry rig? best of both worlds? i tried it years ago, and...i needed a sound-engineer, and i didn't have one 🤣
as a recovering tone snob... (mostly) I used to have a pile of effects peddles, different OD, Fuzz, Distortion, more OD, etc I went amp only for a little while, and it was great, but I don't have the talent to mess with the volume knob while both doing vocals, and spazzing out... (not to mention the poorly mended right wrist) so I've gone back to a limited number of peddles, OD for 90% of the fuzzy tones, and a Fuzz to send it over the moon, and its made life sooo much simpler. But also, I came to realize that having multiple types of peddles doesn't really do any good for anyone but yourself, no one else notices, or cares what it sounds like, but it is fun... anyway I'm digging my simplified rig, (if you count 2 tube amps, and a peddle board for tiny clubs simplified lol)
I've been really enjoying the sound/tone Matteo Mancuso gets playing fingerstyle on his Yamaha Revstar into a Helix Modeler.
That deputy does sound super good.
Really digging all of it! I do agree with you about pedals inside the context of your band. They take just a smidge of the ferocity out and thereby keep the guitar from sludging up the vocals. If you had a screaming singer (please, no!) it would be the opposite.
Ultimately I guess it’s a balance between best tone and convenience. It’s always easier to kick in another gain pedal, than turning back to your amp if/when the situation arises.
You sound fantastic either way
Why don’t more guitarists realize we ALL have many rigs, not just one set rig thats some magical “forever rig”. Depending on the situation I usually choose from 1 of 3 rigs that I own. Rig one is my “combi rig” that’s an axefx in stereo with a rack switcher pedal drawer and two cabs. I use this any time I need a specific sound which may require tone matched presets in the fractal or I can throw pedals in and out if needed. It sounds amazing.
Rig 2 is a Fender Deluxe Reverb and an interchangeable small pedal board that I can use with the fender amp or Rig 3 is my Soldano SLO 30 head into one of the cabs from my fractal rack. The SLO head, fender amp, and portable small pedal board are all interchangeable. Point is, you gotta give yourself options. It’s nice
You can have both - just get a valve amp with a send/return. You've got the front end responsiveness and the colours of your pedals.. Tasty playing btw and nice to hear the accent from the land of my fathers..
I am not tied to either approach. Slash on Appetite turned me onto guitar, and David G on Pulse finally pushed me to pick one up. I have all sorts of pedals and love them, but find more and more as I try to squeeze playing in between work, life and kids’ activities that pedals just take time away from playing. When I have 15 minutes to myself, a tube amp, cable and one of my guitars is the easiest and most satisfying route.
sounds great either way
obviously you know you can have both options dialed in w your G3: pedals and amp channel switching.
For me it’s amp overdrive but ……. We need a pedal sometimes to tame how loud some amps are especially smaller venues 😂😂 your words as I was typing 😂
Fantastic playing as always ❤
The amp alone sounds absolute!
oftentimes, some limitation sparks creativity. plugging straight in does that. However: using great pedals can also enhance your playing because all the finely tweaked nuances in sound/gain staging allow you to express yourself more freely, without the constraints of having to do everything just with your hands. Add a band to that, and you see why pedals are so great.
Use the amps overdrive, the tones in your fingers and heart in absolute bucket loads👍
You are right there is nothing like the tone of a tube amp on the verge of breakup. The trick is to find an amp that will give you that level of crunch and not piss off your band mates cause you are too loud...... for me it is something around 15watts.
But I, too, love my pedals just not as much as you do. 😊
My wife got me a 63 Ampeg j12 for Xmas. It's easy to see why that amp and a Les Paul made exile on Main Street. All just tools to do a job in the end.
hey! is that the Vibroverb in Zürich? did a record with that at the end of October... (with a Fryette Power Station 100). such a great amp!
I sold a JCM2000 DSL amp after I bought a Bogner Ecstasy pedal. That solid state pedal sounded better and reacted better to being boosted by fuzzes than the all tube preamp of the DSL, not to mention I can put the pedal in my pocket...... At the same time, I figured if I had a preference over where my dirt comes from, that would be cranked NMV amps, so loud loud loud. Now I own a JTM45 and a Princeton, so either crank one of these, or keep them clean and get my dirt from the Ecstasy pedal, is my strategy. Amp in a box pedals have come such a long way!
chris, in almost 6 decades of making records, sessioneering, gigging & film-scoring, i have almost never used OD pedals; mostly single channel amps, the most transparent attenuators i could find, fuzzes are a whole 'nother paradigm, though, for me. i do HAVE a few OD's, but they're generally NOT the classic ones... they're more like great-sounding Underfuzzes. fwiw, i love your playing, regardless of what gear you're employing!
Chris, you and a Plexi with a Klon/Fuzz Face would be 👌🏻
In practical application pedals into an edge of break up dynamic amp is probably best for most of us. I have gigged with a non master tube amp in the sweet spot with nothing else and thought it was great in a band settting. Alone I felt the pedal workflow was more inspiring. Just one old guitar players two cents. Derek trucks into cranked super reverb is the main best tone in my head.
I’m surprise I’m saying this, but I preferred the pedals. I’m listening in quite good headphones. Seems the distortion sounds a bit smother with at least the first two pedals driving distortion. The volume knob control was still very dynamic and responsive. I just think there is more available with effects, as well as sounding a little better to me. Plus is really let’s you choose your tone as you like it in any given gig. Just my .02
Love the sound with the pedals. Sounded more "you". And the tone I preferred. Cheers, - Chris
I was surprised that the gained up amp sounded better than the pedalized sound. So, I understand why you both came to the conclusion you did. I also well remember the Clash at the Palladium in NYC where the sound of a melting Marshall on 'eleven' was completely unique, unlike any pedal I've ever owned or heard. But, I'm sticking with my pedals, not least because I'm now playing a modeled amp - the Fender Deluxe Tonemaster.
I liked the pedals better. To each his own.
Honestly, the amp is brilliant. I thought so from the earliest videos. I want one. That being said, you'll still need effects. You just do. There is no tone that compares to a great guitar straight into a great amp. That doesn't mean it's all you'll ever need. It's like being an artist and saying, "Blue is the greatest color. Blue is all anyone ever needs."