Opinions: New Guitar or New Effects?

[BDI]

So I'm picking up another job this summer and was going to use the extra cash to "furthur" my search for the sound that's had so much of an impact on my life. I currently have a strat with 60's single coil pups and waldo's buffer + OBEL. For effects I'm using one of the Digitech RP multi-effect thingies. All this is into a fender Blues Jr. I'm trying to decide whether to Put together another strat with super two's/dual sound's or to invest in some actual pedals (sarno earth drive, qtron, phaser, MXR dist, etc). For what it is, the Digitech multi-effects box doesn't sound terrible, but it's not perfect. Would it be better to build an axe with the buffer and super 2's or get real pedals? which would get me closer to "the tone"? Thanks everybody. This forum is a wonderful place!

[hippieguy1954]

You already have a great guitar, so I'd go for the pedals.

[playingdead]

If you really want the 80s Jerry tone, I would start with the guitar ... Super II in the middle, Wald buffer, effects loop. Then I would put a JBL in the amp. Effects you can address one at a time later on ...

Here's a pretty good apples-to-apples scenario.

We just did a gig where we re-created a show from 4-7-72, and I played a Custom Shop 65 Strat with 65 pickups ... I played through my regular rig with no tweaks, and while I got a good vintage Strat tone, it was nothing like my Tiger and Walker guitars sound ...

http://playingdead.net/truckingepilogue.mp3

http://playingdead.net/satnite.mp3

And here's how the Tiger guitar sounded through the same setup the weekend before:

http://playingdead.net/pd033112hardrock ... ewheel.mp3

[hippieguy1954]

I agree with playindead to a small extent, but don't forget that Jerry played a strat for a long time and even the first wolf had 3 single coil fender pickups.

I have both setups (strat with 3 single coils with buffer and another guitar with 3 super2's, buffer, OBEL). Both can get a great Jerry tone (of their era), so if I only had the Strat, I would go for effects.

Or, you could do a little of each. For instance, you could put a super2 in the middle position on your Strat and get a couple key pedals too!

There are lots of options!

[strumminsix]

Id say amp!

[mgbills]

Man. Vic...you sure can pluck that Geeetar!

[playingdead]

Thanks man ... bottom line, 80s tone you need the DiMarzios ... early 70s tone, any ol' Strat will probably do.

Tell you what, playing that 21-fret guitar instead of the 24-fret guitars I usually use gave me fits all night, I never realized that I use the highest fret on the neck for a reference point, too. Couple major clams as a result.

[BDI]

After listening to Vic's clips, I remember just how much I love that early 70's sound. Brilliantly played, man. Think i'm gonna go with an Earth Drive, Octave, Qtron and then see if I can swing a cheap strat off the ebay to throw some dimarzios in. Essential effects first, but i'm not giving up on the rosebud/strat project. I really like what Hippieguy said about a little of both. You're on to something there. Thanks to everybody for chiming in

[waldo041]

jerry did not rely on his effects, and while they do play a part in certain tones he got and gave him a nice pallete of color, his strong suit was his clean guitar rig. he did the majority of his magic with no effects at all. so if i was, and have, i would concentrate on that part of his approach and then add the effects later one by one rather then buying them all at once and left wondering just why you still are not close to his base rig/tone.

imo, strummin6 nailed the crux of this question, get the era pickups/guitar wanted but then concentrate on the basic tube preamp/ss amp and JBL speakers first. you will be much happier from the start.

peace,
waldo

[BDI]

That's a good point waldo. I mostly play in my spare bedroom, though so if i'm not going direct to headphones i'm playing at a low volume. Can't really accommodate a gig-size amp and JBL's. That's actually the original reason I got the digitech was its pretty convincing amp modeler. I definitely don't have the money to get all the cool toys I could want, but I was looking at getting a more transparent overdrive and an envelope filter. These two essentially. Is there a relatively inexpensive, bedroom-sized equivalent of the twin+JBL's that would be a good next step?

[hippieguy1954]

If you are only going to be playing in a spare room or somewhere small, even just putting a JBL E120 in the amp you have would get you very close.

[barefootdave]

When I am in my office (spare bedroom) I use my Line6 PodXT Live with the amp simulation set to Fender Twin and cab set to Jazz Chorus (which I think models the JBLs) and I am able to get a very nice tone at a volume that won't wake the wife .

So far at recent gigs I have been using the same pedal with amp simulation turned off to get my Mutron, overdrive, and delay, and have been very satisfied. I have owned a real Mutron-3 and also a Qtron, and think that this tone is close enough when mixed in with the band. That said, we are not a purely Dead cover band, so I just need something convincing for the Dead/JGB tunes we play. The Line6 pedal also serves as my backup amp; can just go direct to the board in the event of amp failure by simply turning the amp models back on and that will get me through the night. These are easy to find under $200.

I did, however, just score a pair of E120s this morning for my new HT 2x12 clone, and will be getting the SMS JG some time soon. I am searching for someone local to install a Super2 in my PRS Custom and also put the Waldo buffer in. Having a hard time finding someone local to do the routing and the wiring for me...