Before ILF, there was...(becoming awesome thread)

[Jero]

Alright, so I after DarkAxel's thread, viewtopic.php?f=149&t=15480, about his stages from start to current day of his gear changes...it seemed like a good idea to have a thread for people to share either:
A. Stages to Awesome, their own phases from then 'till now
or
B. Before and After, the gear they had before they joined, and what they have now.

Discuss.

[theactionindex]

Before: Tuner, Superdelay, Empress Trem, Deluxe Memory Boy. Distinct lack of fuzziness.

Now: Tuner, AC Booster, Catalinbread DLS, SS/BS TAFM, TGD, Cosmichorus, Empress Trem, Malekko Phaser, Deluxe Memory Boy, Holiest Grail, Earthbound SuperCollider, Blackarts Pharaoh, AB-Synth, Phantom Octave, Digitech JamMan, just bought a 4545, blargg eventually on the way, etc. etc.

Not everything is on the board at the moment mind you, but yeah...I haz problem.

[Mudfuzz]

I owned... four fuzz pedals... now I have over twenty five I think...

[theavondon]

Repost for continuity's sake.


PART ONE: MODEST-EST OF BEGINNINGS

I had all of these pedals previously, and it wasn't until I found an old TV tray and bought a 1Spot that I thought about making a pedalboard. I used mostly the giant silver Tone Machine clone, which previously was the only pedal I used. Yes, I realize I didn't have a tuner. In fact, I didn't have a tuner for the longest damn time.

PART TWO: TIME PASSES, AND I REGRETFULLY DO NOT DOCUMENT MUCH UNTIL....

This is my board a week after finding out about ILF. I found ILF due to buying a TGD ( )and getting a free Shoe Gazer from Devi. I started at her forum, and moved over here shortly thereafter. I also had a RAT that was really filled with both win, and inconsistency. Shortly after fixing it, I sold it to fund my Grabber purchase. I miss it sometimes. The Headrush was neat for a while, but it just sat there and looked pretty. Still using the TV tray, which was now propped up with two pieces of wood. Absent from this pic for some reason, but I still had it: my eternal love, the Rusty Box.

PART THREE: DONOVAN IMPULSE BUYS A DISTORTION +

I was all like and meh, and quickly gave it to a friend as a birthday gift.

PART FOUR: THE BOARD REACHES A MOMENT OF ZEN

This still is one of my fonder moments of pedal-dom. I really dug every pedal I had on this board. This was the board I recorded the Star Commander album with, and played so many shows. I knew what every pedal did, and every pedal did exactly what I wanted them to do. Lots of good times. ESPECIALLY WITH THE SINGING TREE JESUS SHIT I MISS THAT.

PART FIVE: I GET BORED AND TRADE OFF HALF OF MY SHIT

Lots of exciting change. I get the Algal Bloom, the NPN (which is now used by the guitar player in one of my bands, sigh), the MXR analog delay, and the DSD-2. So much experimentation with this. I had no idea really what I was doing. SO FUN.

PART SIX: DONOVAN ADDS A CHORUS

Ha.

PART SEVEN: THE TV TRAY REACHES CRITICAL MASS

Holy shit I crammed a ton on this motherfucker. Got the Sound Shank, the Behringer bass synth, and NBABMF came in with my ILFSS gift, WHICH FUCKING RULED YESYESYESYES CC/DC AND LOGAN 5 HOLY SHIT! But, it was too cramped. Waaaaaaay too cramped for live performances.

PART EIGHT: GORM BOARD TO THE RESCUE!

Look at all that space! HOLY SHIT! Also, check that sweet new Bit! This new board I was really pleased with, and still am digging (the board itself). The pedals, I was not as content.

PART NINE: CURRENT DAY

I'm feeling pretty alright about this one. Microsynth takes up a bit much space, but for the moment it can live. Also, all my other pedals I really dig.

More pics, folks! Unless you guys aren't camwhores like me.

[tuffteef]

i wish i had pictures going back all the years including guitars i only have a few but i take them now
it makes me wonder where i even got the money for it

[Achtane]

Before ILF...I owned a Shoe Gazer. It was my first pedal. Having one with "fuzz" and "more fuzz" switches felt somehow subversive...
Thus began my quest. I went through a few delays, chorus, two overdrives that I can remember, compressor, that kind of stuff, just trying out the basics. At one point I think I had a Bass Big Muff going into a VT Bass...thanks, Internet.

But the important part is that I learned through these experiences and adapted!

I've bought and sold...16 pedals so far, I think. Around a year ago I was unsatisfied with my effects and extremely unsatisfied with my playing ability. I felt like the five or so effects I had then were just toys, used to cover up my shit playing -- so I sold them and embarked on an epic journey to focus only on IMPROVING MY PLAYING.

I only seriously practiced about seven times in those months. However I did mess around a lot and made some gains.
......
No, I really did though.

So I ended up on here. Uh, actually I don't remember how I got here. I lurked for a while before registering though. Hmmmmm...anyway, I started getting interested in effects again but the "covering the basics" stage is over with. I'm only buying effects that I've researched and know will help me capture the sound that's in my heart! Yeah, that sounds noble and shit, kind of!
After coming here I've become very interested in DIY effects and small builders. I love the entire process and have messed up a couple pedals myself. I'll keep at it though.

Right now I own four fuzzes, with a super CC/DC preordered. It's not anything like "FUZZ ALL DAY MAN FUZZ IS GOD ALL OTHER EFFECTS ARE SHIT", I just really like fuzz. You could say that I love fuzz, even. I'm always interested in fuzz!

This post kind of sucks because I had to switch to a messenger window every few seconds, but I hope that I got my point across without writing like a 12 year old.

[univalve]

like 24 pedals more are in the house

[DarkAxel]

guys... you can use my thread, it would be an honor to start a possibly awesome thread like this

[Gunner Recall]

guys... you can use my thread, it would be an honor to start a possibly awesome thread like this

Jero came up with a better thread title

Will dig some stuff up.

[CBA]

BEFORE:

My main pedalboard went as like such this for:

Boss TU-2 Tuner >
Digitech Whammy IV >
NYC Big Muff Pi >
ProCo Rat (vintage small box) >
MXR Micro Amp >
Line 6 DL-4

My fuzz board went like for this such as:

ProCo Rat (vintage small box)

Now, I've gone through a lot of shit since joining ILF almost a year ago, but these seem to be the pedals upon which for thus I have settled as now for such:

AFTER:

Sonic Research Turbo Tuner >
Devi Ever US Fuzz >
Catalinbread Merkin >
Fairfield Circuitry Barbershop OD >
BYOC Large Beaver Triangle Muff >
Mellowtone Hi-Five >
EHX Small Stone

The US Fuzz, Merkin, Barbershop, and LB Triangle will all eventually be looped into a Fuzzhugger Upper.

My fuzz board is such like as for this as:

Sonic Research Turbo Tuner >
Fuzzhugger Algal Bloom >
Mellowtone Hi-Five

The Algal Bloom will be looped into the Upper (which will rotate back and forth between boards) and then be boosted by the Hi-Five.

The Line 6 DL-4 is now off-board and free to use with either board. Eventually I will have a Super Chan that will be off-board and free to goose either board.

Nothing spectacular, but everything I need and OOOOOOH does it all sound perfect.


C

[snipelfritz]

I haven't bought any new pedals since I joined ILF

although I did get a Jazzmaster. I'm not sure what pedal I should get next, I need an external cab first and I'm not sure how much I can spend beyond that.

It's either an EQ, some kind of fuzz/muff, or a ring mod. I do plan to rejuvenate my sub-par board with ILF's help. So

Oh, just remembered I bought a cheap ass Behringer distortion last month because I had a Target gift card. It's the kind of thing that's so terrible it's a little bit cool, sounds like an enormous fart. I'll probably just end up taking it apart for the lulz and edukashunle porpoises.

[Jero]

I'm still trying to figure out what I had before. I can tell you it was way less/way different than now.

I'll probably just end up taking it apart for the lulz and edukashunle porpoises.

Bet it's a smd, might be hard to really tell what's what.

[htsamurai]

before ILF was the Devi forums
before the Devi forums
...
I had a a metal master and a broken jimi hendrix fuzz wah >.<

[Gearmond]

i'm not in a financially viable position to buy moar pedalz... so no change...

but i have a lineup of stuff about a mile long

[DarkAxel]

BEFORE:

My main pedalboard went as like such this for:

Boss TU-2 Tuner >
Digitech Whammy IV >
NYC Big Muff Pi >
ProCo Rat (vintage small box) >
MXR Micro Amp >
Line 6 DL-4

My fuzz board went like for this such as:

ProCo Rat (vintage small box)

Now, I've gone through a lot of shit since joining ILF almost a year ago, but these seem to be the pedals upon which for thus I have settled as now for such:

AFTER:

Sonic Research Turbo Tuner >
Devi Ever US Fuzz >
Catalinbread Merkin >
Fairfield Circuitry Barbershop OD >
BYOC Large Beaver Triangle Muff >
Mellowtone Hi-Five >
EHX Small Stone

The US Fuzz, Merkin, Barbershop, and LB Triangle will all eventually be looped into a Fuzzhugger Upper.

My fuzz board is such like as for this as:

Sonic Research Turbo Tuner >
Fuzzhugger Algal Bloom >
Mellowtone Hi-Five

The Algal Bloom will be looped into the Upper (which will rotate back and forth between boards) and then be boosted by the Hi-Five.

The Line 6 DL-4 is now off-board and free to use with either board. Eventually I will have a Super Chan that will be off-board and free to goose either board.

Nothing spectacular, but everything I need and OOOOOOH does it all sound perfect.


C

GREAT PROGRESS i'd say