# Pedals - How do you bloody well choose???



## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

There have got to be around 7 billion pedal choices out there. I bet there some here who have spent more on pedals than guitars and amps combined? It can be insidious! $130 here, $70 there, $220 over there, before you know it, you've spent a year's mortgage on pedals and maybe, if yo are lucky, have recouped 1/3 of that in reselling those that don't really click with you.

How do you choose? How do you do it without having to sell your first born for medical experiments to pay off the black hole of debt you have acquired from this pedal addiction? Fortunately, I am broke, but no longer have to worry about, my daughter, the former Princess Money-Pit.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Well it can seem overwhelming, but go to stores, test friends' pedals, and make educated guesses.
Also budget will certainly affect some choices.

of course if you win one or two it helps.

but just like picking a guitar--lots of options so time online & in stores will help--as will patience.
I see lots of stuff that looks cool, but I but little of it, because I check it out at first and I ask an important question--will this (guitar, amp, pedal, etc) really help me and will it do what works for my playing/band/situation etc?

If yes then I consider it--if not, no matter how cool it is or how greta the price--I don't buy it.


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

There is no magic and you're going to lose money, accept it and move on, LOL. I try my best to buy used, that way the hit won't be quite as bad. I don't think I've ever sold any pedal for a profit, especially when you factor in shipping, taxes, and all the other BS. At the end of the day though I really enjoy trying out different things. I don't smoke or have kids and have an understanding wife, I'm pretty lucky.


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

The other frustrating thing I found with buying pedals is that what sounds god with one guitar/amp combo may sound like crap with another guitar/amp combo. And then theres the pedals which sound great in the store/basement and then you can't hear them when you play them with a band.

Used is the way to go. Then hopefully you might get most of your money back if you move them on.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

The number of truly original pedals out there is modest. That's not a criticism, but rather a reason to want to learn how to mod so you can make another pedal, and turn A into B.

The other thing is to learn as much about the design as possible, since the reviews won't tell you much, and may even exaggerate negligible differences.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Surprisingly, some of the best sounding pedals I have had were dirt cheap knockoffs


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## surlybastard (Feb 20, 2011)

Buy used and trade pedals, I actually keep a spreadsheet of how much I spend vs. how much I take in. I usually do an inventory 1-2 times a year and clear out anything that I'm not going to use, I just got a bunch of new stuff and right now I'm $75 in the hole with a couple more pedals to sell. Also, the trick is to be patient and not terribly picky on the used market. In other words sometimes someone will be selling something that isn't exactly what you want, but the price is extremely low it may be something to try. If you don't like it you know you won't lose money re-selling it for what you paid or maybe even make a bit.


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## Bobby1note (Jan 6, 2014)

How do you "choose"??? Well, I think it starts with a specific "need", otherwise, you're just throwing money around for a non-specific remedy, to fix a problem which may not exist. You have to first sort out "do I need this, or do I simply want this?". Then you have to ask yourself, "is it worth the price to me, and, how do I pay for it?

I'd be willing to bet dollars-to-donuts, that before the internet came along, most of the guys here started out with one pedal,,, and it was probably a distortion pedal. Second pedal was probably a wah. Many guys probably lived very happily with just those two, for many years. Suddenly, you hear a song,,, and waitamminnit,,,, i need THAT tone, and the search is on. You bounce around the internet,,, you learn more about pedals,,, you see outstanding pedal-boards that allow you to access pretty well any tone imaginable", and without realizing it, you've just succumbed to PAS (Pedal Acquisition Syndrome). There's no "cure",,,, you can "manage" the disease and find momentary bliss with a steady influx of ever-changing pedals,,,,,, sorta like a crack addict getting his next "fix".:slash: Sad part is, you always think that there's something "better" coming over the horizon,,, any day now.

Stick with what you specifically need, and leave it at that. It doesn't matter how "your" pedals compare to others,,,, Your needs are yours alone. The only person you have to satisfy, is yourself.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

My first pedal was a flanger--my second was a distortion--about 4 or 5 months later


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

That thread was all ready covered a few weeks back zontar. 



zontar said:


> My first pedal was a flanger--my second was a distortion--about 4 or 5 months later


Anyways, I don't know how you choose pedals. I only recently started playing with them and there is a thousand and one companies making pedals. Its plain old ridiculous and some of them go in the hundreds of dollars new, for units hand build on veroboard and Sharpie markered graphics. I could do that myself.

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks for stating this mhammer. Its hard when reading about pedals remembering that there is a lot of similarities amongst pedal types between companies. Some may have better features and some may be constructed better and those are some of the things we should be looking out for when looking for different pedals.



mhammer said:


> The number of truly original pedals out there is modest. That's not a criticism, but rather a reason to want to learn how to mod so you can make another pedal, and turn A into B.
> 
> The other thing is to learn as much about the design as possible, since the reviews won't tell you much, and may even exaggerate negligible differences.


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## pattste (Dec 30, 2007)

Reading forums like this one or TGP can lead to a buying spree. On the other hand, you can also learn a lot. Learn the lingo used to describe a sound or tone. Do you like Fender or Marshall tones? Blackface or Tweed? Dumble? I have bought and sold pedals over the years but I have never bought one that didn't work at all for me. They all spent a year or more on my pedalboard.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

I try to always buy used.

If I buy new, I bring my amp with me.

I've subscribe to dennis kayzer and PGS on youtube to check out the new flavours. 

I always perform shootouts with multiple pedals.


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## surlybastard (Feb 20, 2011)

Bobby1note said:


> Stick with what you specifically need, and leave it at that. It doesn't matter how "your" pedals compare to others,,,, Your needs are yours alone. The only person you have to satisfy, is yourself.


I buy and trade pedals because I like toys, plain and simple. But as I said, I have a policy that I always net out at zero so I'm not actually spending any money on it because you're right, you could easily go broke on this habit if you threw down money every time you felt like buying a pedal. Patience is really my key to it, sometimes I go months, once almost a year without moving anything, then in the course of two weeks I'll make four deals because I'll find good trades or people selling pedals/amps for cheap. Recently I sold a Epiphone Valve Jr. to one guy and bought a Fender Blues Jr. off another for the same price, you wait long enough these things come along.


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## Bobby1note (Jan 6, 2014)

surlybastard said:


> I buy and trade pedals because I like toys, plain and simple. But as I said, I have a policy that I always net out at zero so I'm not actually spending any money on it because you're right, you could easily go broke on this habit if you threw down money every time you felt like buying a pedal. Patience is really my key to it, sometimes I go months, once almost a year without moving anything, then in the course of two weeks I'll make four deals because I'll find good trades or people selling pedals/amps for cheap. Recently I sold a Epiphone Valve Jr. to one guy and bought a Fender Blues Jr. off another for the same price, you wait long enough these things come along.


That's a great way of doing it for sure. In my case for example, I needed gear that I just couldn't find in my small community. The closest decently-stocked music store, is 50 miles away, and you just won't find quality used gear in this area, so the internet became my "source". Spending $30. in gas, to save $30. on a used pedal, just wasn't worth it for me. 

I listened to as many demo videos as possible, checked for special deals, and took the plunge. For example, T.C. Electronic was offering a free PolyTune Mini, with the purchase of two of their effects pedals. That tuner sells for $93. last time I looked. Well, I bought four of their pedals that qualified for this deal, so I got two free tuners. I doubt I could have done better buying "used". Everything is "new" and guaranteed, delivered to my door, and I can either sell, trade, or use those tuners for other boards. 

They also sent me a free T.C. Helicon MP-75 mic, for buying their VoiceLive Play. The VL-Play sells for roughly $265., and the mic retails for $169. last time I looked. If I don't like this unit, I may just sell it for what I paid, and pass that deal along to someone else. That strategy basically completed a pretty decent acoustic-guitar pedal-board that I can run straight into the P/A console..(no amp required). I already had a good pre-amp/D.I. (Radial PZ-Pre), so I'm all set there. Added FX were the usual compliment for acoustic guitar; delay, chorus, and reverb, and I'm going to experiment with o'drive for an acoustic-electric resonator guitar that I bought recently. (Gretsch Bobtail). A lil' "grit" on slide-guitar should sound great.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

dcole said:


> That thread was all ready covered a few weeks back zontar.


I know-I answered it
and I caught the smilie
I was just answering bobby1note.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Just get a Digitech 500 or one of the competitors.


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## surlybastard (Feb 20, 2011)

Bobby1note said:


> That's a great way of doing it for sure. In my case for example, I needed gear that I just couldn't find in my small community. The closest decently-stocked music store, is 50 miles away, and you just won't find quality used gear in this area, so the internet became my "source". Spending $30. in gas, to save $30. on a used pedal, just wasn't worth it for me.
> 
> I listened to as many demo videos as possible, checked for special deals, and took the plunge. For example, T.C. Electronic was offering a free PolyTune Mini, with the purchase of two of their effects pedals. That tuner sells for $93. last time I looked. Well, I bought four of their pedals that qualified for this deal, so I got two free tuners. I doubt I could have done better buying "used". Everything is "new" and guaranteed, delivered to my door, and I can either sell, trade, or use those tuners for other boards.
> 
> They also sent me a free T.C. Helicon MP-75 mic, for buying their VoiceLive Play. The VL-Play sells for roughly $265., and the mic retails for $169. last time I looked. If I don't like this unit, I may just sell it for what I paid, and pass that deal along to someone else. That strategy basically completed a pretty decent acoustic-guitar pedal-board that I can run straight into the P/A console..(no amp required). I already had a good pre-amp/D.I. (Radial PZ-Pre), so I'm all set there. Added FX were the usual compliment for acoustic guitar; delay, chorus, and reverb, and I'm going to experiment with o'drive for an acoustic-electric resonator guitar that I bought recently. (Gretsch Bobtail). A lil' "grit" on slide-guitar should sound great.


Ya I also look for deals like that, if you're interested in buying one of those pedals, if you buy another one and get a third one free you can always sell one if you don't like it and it's essentially "buy one get one free".


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## Bobby1note (Jan 6, 2014)

surlybastard said:


> I buy and trade pedals because I like toys, plain and simple.


Yeah,,, now that I think of it,,,maybe I do too. :smile-new: 5 amps, conga's, bongo's, and a Yamaha CP-50 keyboard last summer, two banjo's and 1 resonator guitar just before Christmas, and roughly 20 pedals in the last 6 weeks. I'm done,,,,,, no mo',,,,,, da'ssit.

My retirement project, was to have a complete music-room so my buddies could come over and jam anytime we want,,,, for the rest of my days. I'm "there", and then some.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I have a half-dozen projects that I absolutely_* have *_to complete this year, having put them off for far too long:

1) PAiA Hyperflange, begun in 1992. Dripping with modulation flexibility.
2) Farm 921 single-board analog modular synth.
3) Mono pitch-to-voltage unit for guitar (to go with the above)
4) Maestro FSH-1 Sample and Hold filter.
5) Switching system for homebrew modular frac-rac effects system.
6) Rebuild Teisco gold foil pickup, and wind ultra-slim pickup for pre-war archtop.

All of these have been sitting in semi-finished state and dogging me for years, decades in some cases. I have to swear off all other new acquisitions and builds for the year, until these are all done. Made significant progress recently on 1, 2, and 4, but the finish line is still a ways off. Thankfully, it's still January.

So, in my case, "choosing" has been eliminated from the choices available. It's homework, homework, homework, and I don't get to play outside until my homework's done.


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

A modeller can be a good place to start if you're not familiar with what pedal does what or how a Rat sounds compared to a Tubescreamer. Between that, research, and buying/selling used you'll find out what works. You'll also find that your very favourite pedal today is gone tomorrow in a trade for the next best thing.

I find it interesting that after all these years and pedals I still have a DS-1, a TS-9, and an SD-1 on my main board.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

I've bought used and there isn't one which was totally problem free, even if it was only scratchy pots. My CE-3 stopped working altogether after a couple years. The dials turn way too easily on the flanger and I have to tape them in place and the pots are starting to get that way on the DS-9. The 9V adpater input doesn't work on the SD-9 and I have to use a battery, which is a pain when it is velcroed on a pedal board. I'm a klutz with fine electronics so you won't find me trying to make any simple repairs my self. 

Oops, sorry. Only one used pedal problem free. A Korg Pitch Black I got from Davetcan.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Substituted the Ibanez SD9 with the Tonebone Hot British - no sound. Pulled it out of the chain - everything worked. Made sure it was plugged into the 18v outlet too. Rrrrrrrr,

I am having such poor luck with used pedals.


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## Bobby1note (Jan 6, 2014)

Robert1950 said:


> Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. *Substituted the Ibanez SD9 with the Tonebone Hot British - no sound. *Pulled it out of the chain - everything worked. *Made sure it was plugged into the 18v outlet too.* Rrrrrrrr,
> 
> I am having such poor luck with used pedals.


Are you aware that the ToneBone pedals are center-*positive*?


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Bobby1note said:


> Are you aware that the ToneBone pedals are center-*positive*?


I admit my ignorance here - centre positive? 

My chain: tuner, EQ, TS9, Hot British, Chorus, Flanger.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

It's the polarity Robert...http://www.accesscomms.com.au/Reference/polarity.htm

Was there any smoke? 80


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Bobby1note said:


> Are you aware that the ToneBone pedals are center-*positive*?


Back in the good old days, when the majority of AC adapters used mini phone-plugs, the tip was always positive, and the shaft was always ground, simply because of theway that the corresponding jacks worked.

The trouble, of course, was that if you foolishly attempted to insert the plug into the jack _after_ plugging the wallwart part in, you would momentarily short out hot and ground as you plugged in, and there would be a very disconcerting spark, and potentially damage to something. So the barrel-style plug/jack became more popular because hot and ground could never touch during insertion.

This did not completely resolve all problems, though. As it turns out, because of the way barrel jacks work, if you use one to disable an internal battery, your "hot" contact must be on the outside, and ground makes contact with the pin via the innner conductor. Having the hot on the outside, though, is a bit of an electrical risk, since a person might be making contact with ground and accidentally make skin contact with the most exposed part of the plug and....vvvvvvvvvttttt.

So, the orientation of barrel plugs has been sort of the manufacturer's perogative. If there is an internal battery to switch, then they need to use outside-pos. If there is no internal battery to switch, they can either opt for standardization (outside-pos) or safety (outside ground).

Make a point of looking for the international symbols on the wallwart, to be sure you have the right_ kind _of adapter (AC-> DC vs AC -> AC), and the right plug orientation.


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## Judas68fr (Feb 5, 2013)

I rarely buy some gear new. I buy all amps and guitars at a driving distance, and never buy those without trying in depth first.
For the stomp boxes I buy them used, but in this case distance doesn't matter. I prefer buying on forums such as GC, because people are much more respectful here with their gear, and you can trust them. I also try Kijiji, but then I follow the same rule as for my amps/guitars.

The point of buying used is to get almost a full refund if you change your mind and sell your gear back. I've always done that since I started buying electric guitar gear (15+ years ago).


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Some folks are cursed with no choice, and some folks are cursed with too much choice. Sulphur can correct me on this, but I imagine that in Sudbury one does not have the same sort availability of the more obscure or boutique brand names as you might in Montreal or Toronto. As such, one has to rely on Youtube pedal demos, online or magazine reviews, and all of those are rather poor at allowing the buyer with limited funds findout what's right for them. Sure, you can buy stuff online and send it back or kijiji it, but that gets old pretty quick. 

Still, they are cursed with knowing its out there. If all you ever knew about were the MXR, Boss, EHX, Danelectro, and Behringer pedals, or Chinese off-brands, that you're likely to find in the local mom & pop store, life would be fine. It's knowing about the Earthquaker, Bearfoot, Dr. Scientist, Death By Audio, et al, pedals and having no way whatsoever to compare them to what you currently have (or what is currently for sale in your neck of the woods) that is the real nuisance.

At the same time, I paid a visit to Moog Audio in downtown Montreal, and I honestly do not have enough time in my life to try out all the stuff they get and know what's appropriate or useful. It's a bit like walking into a convenience store and they have every conceivable milk in stock, from 0% fat to 4%......in 0.05% fat increments. What do you buy? How do you compare?


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## Judas68fr (Feb 5, 2013)

What about the shops in the capital city? I plan on going there this week end, and thought of visiting music stores if I have some spare time between falling every 10 seconds while trying to skate on the canal and the Winterlude.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Couldn't tell ya. There's interesting stuff at Lauzon and Spaceman, and I imagine Steve's (though I haven't been there in several years). The others have pretty much what you'd expect to find in Kingston or Watertown.


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## Bobby1note (Jan 6, 2014)

mhammer said:


> Some folks are cursed with no choice, and some folks are cursed with too much choice. Sulphur can correct me on this, but I imagine that in Sudbury one does not have the same sort availability of the more obscure or boutique brand names as you might in Montreal or Toronto. As such, one has to rely on Youtube pedal demos, online or magazine reviews, and all of those are rather poor at allowing the buyer with limited funds findout what's right for them. Sure, you can buy stuff online and send it back or kijiji it, but that gets old pretty quick.
> 
> Still, they are cursed with knowing its out there. If all you ever knew about were the MXR, Boss, EHX, Danelectro, and Behringer pedals, or Chinese off-brands, that you're likely to find in the local mom & pop store, life would be fine. It's knowing about the Earthquaker, Bearfoot, Dr. Scientist, Death By Audio, et al, pedals and having no way whatsoever to compare them to what you currently have (or what is currently for sale in your neck of the woods) that is the real nuisance.
> 
> At the same time, I paid a visit to Moog Audio in downtown Montreal, and I honestly do not have enough time in my life to try out all the stuff they get and know what's appropriate or useful. It's a bit like walking into a convenience store and they have every conceivable milk in stock, from 0% fat to 4%......in 0.05% fat increments. What do you buy? How do you compare?


Bang on. Plus, regardless of which pedal you demo or buy, there's that unknown factor of how will it sound with amp A, B, or C,,, and which guitar you'll use,,, and what EQ setting work best with which amp and guitar. There's probably a lot of folks out there, who blame certain pedals when they don't get the tone they're looking for, when in fact, the problem might emanate from their own gear settings.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

You're right Mark, it's slim pickens out this way.
One of the newer stores, Cosmic Daves carries some boutique stuff, ZVex and Wampler, etc.
Still not a huge variety.

Sometimes it's demos, sometimes it's curiosity over the hype of a pedal that peaks my interest.
Most pedals are used these days, it's too much of a hit buying new, then trying to move it.

After joining the band and rigging up a second board, 
to use with a different amp than what's at home opened my eyes a bit too.
Some pedals that were fine with the amp at home just didn't work with the amp for the band.
A few pedals were good either way, but they were few and far between.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

sulphur said:


> Sometimes it's demos, sometimes it's curiosity over the hype of a pedal that peaks my interest.
> Most pedals are used these days, _it's too much of a hit buying new, then trying to move it_.


Particularly if the maker of the pedal is unknown to the majority of locals whose tastes may be guided by what the local stores carry. 100% of pedal-using players who sift through Kijiji will be familiar with Boss or DOD or EHX pedals (though perhaps not every single model), and maybe 25% will recognize names like Z-Vex, and 10% will recognize Earthquaker or Wampler, but how many will go "Oh cool! A Walrus pedal!" when they see an ad?


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## keefsdad (Feb 7, 2006)

I paid less than $50 for most of my pedals. That is usually my criteria. I think I have a pretty good range of sounds, although I haven't used them a lot lately.


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## Bobby1note (Jan 6, 2014)

sulphur said:


> You're right Mark, it's slim pickens out this way.
> One of the newer stores, Cosmic Daves carries some boutique stuff, ZVex and Wampler, etc.
> Still not a huge variety.
> 
> ...


Frankly, I've found that "buying new" wasn't entirely problematic. For one thing, you can sometimes return pedals.

My major hurdle, is living in a small community (10k pop) where you'll find nothing but bottom-feeder junk. I'm 50 miles from Montreal, and roughly 80 miles from Ottawa, so a drive into the city to pick up a pedal that's reduced by $30.$40., just isn't worthwhile for me. I'd spend nearly that much in gas alone, just going there and back, plus it usually ends up being a "day trip",,, and parking fees,,,and stopping at a restaurant,,,, yada,yada..

Whenever I look at a product, I always consider the total cost of having it landed at my home. Suddenly, buying new, especially with free shipping,,, doesn't look so bad. Plus, you have a guarantee.

We have one "music store" in town,,, and they sell mostly C.D.'s and T-shirts. A package of ordinary guitar-strings, is $16.00 after taxes, and probably closer to $20. once you've factored in the cost of getting there and back. They probably stock 5-6 guitars, and the most expensive might be $299. I never see anybody in there, so I have no idea how they survive.

When I shop the internet, I tend to buy out-of-province, because I only pay the GST. Our provincial tax is 9.975% here in Quebec, and that adds up fast if you're buying a bunch of pedals locally. Shopping out-of-province, is like a "10% off" sale for me, and the free shipping saves me that added gas expense.

Comparison example, for a $300. pedal bought locally, vs out-of province;

$300. plus 5% GST = $315, plus 9.975% PST($31.43)= $346.43 (plus gas and other expenses)= $$375.
vs.
$300. plus 5% GST = $315, delivered to my door..


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

What, no L & M, Steve's, or Tom Lee in Rigaud? :sSc_eeksign:


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## Bobby1note (Jan 6, 2014)

mhammer said:


> What, no L & M, Steve's, or Tom Lee in Rigaud? :sSc_eeksign:


L&M doesn't have any stores here,,, but,,, they now have three affiliated stores I believe. The closest is a smallish store in Laval. Steve's is downtown Montreal. I've never seen a Tom Lee store. I'm close to Hawkesbury Ontario (26 kms), and the only store there is Bobby Lalonde Music. It's a much better store than we have here in Lachute, but not a whole lot of pedals. Steve's and ItalMelodie, are the big stores in Montreal. Archambault Music might have a decent selection, but I haven't been there in over 30 years.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I was actually just kidding, but I also think you represent a great many Canadian guitar players who live in municipalities of under 100k that are >1hr away from a larger muncipality (and once you go over the Lake of Two Mountains bridge, how long it takes to get anywhere becomes more important than the map distance).

Incidentally, if you have never been down to Moog Audio on St. Laurent, you owe it to yourself to visit one time. Leave your credit cards, bank cards, and chequebook at homem though, or you will never be able to afford to retire!


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## Bobby1note (Jan 6, 2014)

mhammer said:


> I was actually just kidding, but I also think you represent a great many Canadian guitar players who live in municipalities of under 100k that are >1hr away from a larger muncipality (and once you go over the Lake of Two Mountains bridge, how long it takes to get anywhere becomes more important than the map distance).
> 
> Incidentally, if you have never been down to Moog Audio on St. Laurent, you owe it to yourself to visit one time. Leave your credit cards, bank cards, and chequebook at homem though, or you will never be able to afford to retire!


Now there's a place that I never seem to think of for some reason. I've been there,,,, but that was many moons ago. At least 25 years. Seems to me they were located near N.D.G., just off the Decarie Expressway. (Decarie and Queen Mary Rd.??)


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## Bobby1note (Jan 6, 2014)

Bobby1note said:


> Are you aware that the ToneBone pedals are center-*positive*?





Robert1950 said:


> I admit my ignorance here - centre positive?
> 
> My chain: tuner, EQ, TS9, Hot British, Chorus, Flanger.





sulphur said:


> It's the polarity Robert...http://www.accesscomms.com.au/Reference/polarity.htm
> 
> Was there any smoke? 80


Robert1950, just wondering if you've retried the ToneBone Hot-British with the proper power-adapter?


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Bobby1note said:


> Robert1950, just wondering if you've retried the ToneBone Hot-British with the proper power-adapter?


Plan to do that when I put it back on the board.


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## TA462 (Oct 30, 2012)

I'm glad someone else doesn't know how to choose too, lol. I've just discovered pedals, never used them or even wanted any until last week when my guitar teacher had his board there. Now I have a Cry Baby, a Tech 21 Boost Distortion pedal and just bought a MI Effect Crossover Drive pedal because its one of 250 made, and I'm stupid, lol. I can see this getting addicting. Any advice on a pedal board? Should I make one or buy one? I looked at a Pedal Train board that comes with a case that seems good.


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## Bobby1note (Jan 6, 2014)

TA462 said:


> I'm glad someone else doesn't know how to choose too, lol. I've just discovered pedals, never used them or even wanted any until last week when my guitar teacher had his board there. Now I have a Cry Baby, a Tech 21 Boost Distortion pedal and just bought a MI Effect Crossover Drive pedal because its one of 250 made, and I'm stupid, lol. I can see this getting addicting. Any advice on a pedal board? Should I make one or buy one? I looked at a Pedal Train board that comes with a case that seems good.


Having just gone through this same adventure recently, I can attest to the fact that it is VERY addicting. I'm primarily an acoustic-guitar player (50+ years), and simply never had the need for pedals. Previously, I've always been happy with the FX on my mix consoles, and my amplifiers. Starting from scratch, with pedals who's brand-names I'd never heard of, meant quite a bit of research in a very short time, but I'm finally done. The nice part is, all of my pedals are brand new, and current. Expensive?? Yes,,,, more than I thought I'd spend at the beginning, but the old saying "buy once, cry once" was always in the back of my mind. Plus, "you only live once". :smile-new:

I'd say start with some kind of a plan, and work toward that goal. My plan for example, was to have an acoustic-guitar pedal-board that I could run straight into a console (no amp), and it had to be reasonably compact and easily transportable. A PedalTrain Jr. pedal-board seemed ideal, A good pre-amp/D.I.,,,tuner,,, some basic effects suited to acoustic-guitar (reverb, chorus, and delay), a vocal processor/harmonizer, and a proper regulated and isolated power-supply. That's done now, but I've got to admit that I hadn't considered the cost of the pedal-board, power-supply, and custom-length cabling when I started out. That gets expensive very fast. Once I got started, I was committed, and there was no turning back.. In retrospect though, I might have been better off going with an ultra-high quality all-in-one programmable/upgradeable unit for that particular application. There's something to be said for both options. Having a "complete" plan, right from the start, makes that choice a lot clearer, and much easier. I figure I've now spent something like $1700.-$1800. for that board, and I still have no channel-switcher. How much "all-in-one" could I have bought for that same money? I don't know, because I never looked.


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