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Pedal searching online is a pain in the ass. Between written reviews, YT demo vids, YT reviews, etc etc etc it seems like every pedal I look at is the one I should get and the one I should stay away from all at the same time. Currently looking for a pedal to get good synthy (i.e. Moog-like) tones out of my guitar. I have previously owned one of the reissue big box EHX Micro Synth pedals and between inconsistent tracking and just not giving me the sounds I was looking for I let that one go. I have had my eyes on the Pigtronix Mothership or the EHX HOG. Both seem to be great at what they do but I do find the occassional bad review for each. Overall I think good tracking is probably the most important part of the pedal for me. As long as the pedal can track the notes it can do what it is supposed to do. So please someone help me on this little journey I'm on. Unfortunately I am limited in what I can test in person so I do have to go based a lot on what I find online.

If you're looking for Moog sounds, why not go with a modular setup with moogerfoogers? Get a Freqbox, Filter, and Ringmod, add an Octron and a Compressor and you have a real synth setup that you can break down if you need to use one or more of the components for a different gig. You probably already have a few of the pedal types listed, just upgrade them when you have the cash.

I second the Moog notion. They're such modular devices that you can really get ANY sort of synth tone you want out of even just 2 of them. Start with a FreqBox and a LowPass Filter, and you've got yourself a simple monophonic synth that is 1000x more capable than the MicroSynth

I like where this is going. Time for more demos.

Get dem Moogs. I haven't personally played them, but if you want a moog synth sound, might as well start with moog pedals.

bongoben wrote:I like where this is going. Time for more demos.

I have the moogs and micro synth I can do a personalized quickie demo. What kind of sound are you looking for? What kind of guitar, amp and other stuff do you use?

I will say though having owned every thing you have suggested the moogs win by a long shot. But let me know I can whip something up for ya.

That sounds awesome. My basic setup is a Telecaster into a Blues Jr. Along the way I've got reverbs, delays, the Pigtronix Envelope Phaser, etc. I can probably pull off one Moog pedal to start with then would build from there. I guess the synthy sounds I'm "going for" are actually a lot of what I heard in the Pigtronix Mothership. Just a good synthy sound. Can't really describe it. I'm not looking for anything too glitchy (i.e. Bit Commander)... just a good solid synth sound when I want it.

bongoben wrote:That sounds awesome. My basic setup is a Telecaster into a Blues Jr. Along the way I've got reverbs, delays, the Pigtronix Envelope Phaser, etc. I can probably pull off one Moog pedal to start with then would build from there. I guess the synthy sounds I'm "going for" are actually a lot of what I heard in the Pigtronix Mothership. Just a good synthy sound. Can't really describe it. I'm not looking for anything too glitchy (i.e. Bit Commander)... just a good solid synth sound when I want it.

Ok ill record something up with the freqbox and my lpf. I would suggest starting with the freq box though.

my impression from demos is that the Mothership's tracking isn't too great. check the beginning of the PGS demo, where Andy plays "Frankenstein" and the tracking is, erm, less than optimal.

dubkitty wrote:my impression from demos is that the Mothership's tracking isn't too great. check the beginning of the PGS demo, where Andy plays "Frankenstein" and the tracking is, erm, less than optimal.

That's true. Man, I missed that the first time I watched that demo. Well, I feel like based on the fact that I like the "Moog sounds" in a synth that I might as well start looking into those anyways. Oh, and for the record, I wish I had more guitar funds cash on hand than I currently do... sigh. I've found so many great pedals in the last few days.

bronzetalon wrote:

bongoben wrote:That sounds awesome. My basic setup is a Telecaster into a Blues Jr. Along the way I've got reverbs, delays, the Pigtronix Envelope Phaser, etc. I can probably pull off one Moog pedal to start with then would build from there. I guess the synthy sounds I'm "going for" are actually a lot of what I heard in the Pigtronix Mothership. Just a good synthy sound. Can't really describe it. I'm not looking for anything too glitchy (i.e. Bit Commander)... just a good solid synth sound when I want it.

Ok ill record something up with the freqbox and my lpf. I would suggest starting with the freq box though.

Awesome... thank you!

dubkitty wrote:my impression from demos is that the Mothership's tracking isn't too great. check the beginning of the PGS demo, where Andy plays "Frankenstein" and the tracking is, erm, less than optimal.

I agree plus the mothership actually seemed really limited in the useable sounds it could make.

FreqBox is awesome. Isn't there one used in the B/S/T right now? Someone already snagged it. Sorry.

From a modular synth dude's perspective, Moog is the move. If what you want is the basic subtractive synthesis sound of VCO > VCF > VCA, then a freq box and filter will suffice. You don't need a VCA in this context. Also consider the other half of th equation which is modulation. Do you want cyclic controls like LFOs, envelops, amplitude dependent or manual controls. Control Peocessor might be the move. Look at synth set ups you want to emulate and deco trust what's there and adjust it to your situation. Sorry if this is to general/common sense.

^^^ Speaking gospel.

Moog Freqbox + Low Pass filter would be a great starter kit I'd say. Or Freqbox + Ring Mod or Phaser (then you'd have the LFO outputs of either the RM or the Phaser available to patch into the FreqBox for increased shenanigans.)