Pedalboard Tetris

[chuckjaywalk]

So, I've been in acquisition mode lately, picking up pedals in categories I don't normally touch (overdrive) and now I have a big pile of stuff. Unfortunately, the pedals I use are more unorthodox, so the basic principles of pedal board layout don't apply. I need help. That's where you, ILFer, come in. See, this is the place where people put fuzz after reverb and put overdrives at the end of their chain. This is the weird corner of the pedalverse. This is home.

The Mission
I need a 12 effect board layout. Suggest the chain order and give me some hints as to why you would put them in that order. Don't worry about what kind of music I play, as the board really dictates that more than I do. I will be playing a Strat (primarily) into a Sunn Sonic I with a 4x12 cabinet.

The Pedz

Boss CS-1
Boss CE-2
Boss CE-3
Boss HF-2
Boss TU-2
Boss TW-1
Boss OD-2R
Boss PS-2
Boss DM-2
Boss TR-2

EQD Monarch
EQD Terminal NEW
EQD Bit Commander NEW

stanimal Hot Cake/Timmy
stanimal Big Cheese

Wren and Cuff the Caprid

EHX Bubble Font Green Russian Big Muff
EHX Russian Bassballs
EHX Doctor Q
EHX Freeze
EHX Ring Thing

Dwarfcraft Pitch Grinder

Noisemaker Plus (Distortion+ clone)

Dirge Double Karaoke Party

TC Electronics Arena reverb
TC Electronics Flashback X4

Catalinbread Belle Epoch

Verellan Big Spider

Bukowski Shin Ei Companion Fuzz clone

Penny Pedals Low Fuzz

3XFX Sidewinder

Lollygagger Cherry Box

Bent Soundlabs Torn's Peaker clone with oscillation switch

Fuzzhugger AB-Synth

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9

Behringer Vibrato NEW

[alexsga]

I would have tons of fun with these 12:

3XFX Sidewinder
Dwarfcraft Pitch Grinder
Boss PS-2
Catalinbread Belle Epoch
EHX Ring Thing
EHX Freeze
EHX Doctor Q
TC Electronics Arena reverb
TC Electronics Ditto
TC Electronics Flashback X4
stanimal Big Cheese
stanimal Hot Cake/Timmy

[rustywire]

Boss CE-2
Boss PS-2
Boss DM-2
EQD Monarch
EHX Bubble Font Green Russian Big Muff
EHX Freeze
TC Electronics Arena reverb
TC Electronics Flashback X4
Catalinbread Belle Epoch
Verellan Big Spider

And whichever other 2 you feel like adding on a whim. Finding the signal chain's order is the next dilemma/quest

[Chankgeez]

AB-Synth
TU-2
CS-1
Ring Thing
Bukowski
TW-1
Caprid
Belle Epoch
DM-2
Dirge

Where're the flangers?

[chuckjaywalk]

AB-Synth
TU-2
CS-1
Ring Thing
Bukowski
TW-1
Caprid
Belle Epoch
DM-2
Dirge

Where're the flangers?

HF-2! HiBand Flanger! It replaced my BF-2.

[Chankgeez]

AB-Synth
TU-2
CS-1
Ring Thing
Bukowski
TW-1
Caprid
HF-2
Belle Epoch
DM-2
Dirge

Where're the flangers?

HF-2! HiBand Flanger! It replaced my BF-2.

Gotcha, I think I saw that the first time and missed it on the second look through. List amended.

And I forgot to mention, the signal chain is because it suits my style and I'm trying to get you to play more like me. I think that order'd just work well and makes sense that way. You might have to acquire another flanger though.

[chuckjaywalk]

AB-Synth
TU-2
CS-1
Ring Thing
Bukowski
TW-1
Caprid
HF-2
Belle Epoch
DM-2
Dirge

Where're the flangers?

What would you recommend? I've had all the Boss Compact flangers and a few DOD. Oh, and a TCE SCF.
HF-2! HiBand Flanger! It replaced my BF-2.

Gotcha, I think I saw that the first time and missed it on the second look through. List amended.

And I forgot to mention, the signal chain is because it suits my style and I'm trying to get you to play more like me. I think that order'd just work well and makes sense that way. You might have to acquire another flanger though.

[Chankgeez]

Well, I like four knob flangers. So, it'd have to be one of those.

The only Boss I've got now is a BF-2B. It's OK, but not really the right flanger for me.

I'd go for something analog (although the TC Vortex does work as a nice trick flanger) like the big box MXR, A/DA, DOD (what didn't you like about 'em?) or one of the many cheap 80s flangers. I like the sound of cheap flangers. A lot.

[D.o.S.]

Devi Ever Hyperion

Bent Soundlabs Torn's Peaker clone with oscillation switch

Fuzzhugger AB-Synth


Dwarfcraft Pitch Grinder

Noisemaker Plus (Distortion+ clone)


Catalinbread Belle Epoch

Verellan Big Spider

Bukowski Shin Ei Companion Fuzz clone

Penny Pedals Low Fuzz



EHX Bubble Font Green Russian Big Muff
EHX Freeze


Boss TU-2 -- put this at the end.

[chuckjaywalk]

I may need to pickup a cheap 80's flanger...

[Chankgeez]

you totally should

[goroth]

Devi Ever Hyperion

Bent Soundlabs Torn's Peaker clone with oscillation switch

Fuzzhugger AB-Synth


Dwarfcraft Pitch Grinder

Noisemaker Plus (Distortion+ clone)


Catalinbread Belle Epoch

Verellan Big Spider

Bukowski Shin Ei Companion Fuzz clone

Penny Pedals Low Fuzz



EHX Bubble Font Green Russian Big Muff
EHX Freeze


Boss TU-2 -- put this at the end.

Needs more fuzz.

[dubkitty]

Noisemaker Plus (Distortion+ clone)
EHX Bubble Font Green Russian Big Muff
Devi Ever Hyperion
Fuzzhugger AB-Synth
Bukowski Shin Ei Companion Fuzz clone
Boss TR-2
Boss CE-2 or Boss CE-3
Boss HF-2
Boss TU-2
TC Electronics Flashback X4
TC Electronics Ditto

i tried to get as much color in the sound as possible. why the order? i find that some things work better for me: escalating order of fuzz, modulation in order of breadth, tuner to cut off signal to the delay, looper on the end.

[goosekevin]

Boss HF-2
Dirge Double Karaoke Party
EHX Bubble Font Green Russian Big Muff
EHX Freeze
Verellan Big Spider
Boss TU-2
Boss PS-2
Catalinbread Belle Epoch
Dwarfcraft Pitch Grinder
TC Electronics Arena reverb
TC Electronics Flashback X4
EQD Monarch

I like Flangers before dirt
This board would be fun as shit
I'd use the x4 mainly as a looper I guess?

Whatever layout you choose, make sure you have the pitchgrinder

[01010111]

Monarch>
Big Spider>
Doctor Q>
distortion +>
ring thing>
Arena reverb>
DM2>
CS-1>
Hot Cake/Timmy>
Pitch Grinder>
Belle Epoch>
Ditto>

The first four because I think that could make for some very interactive and noisy fun, and putting the ring thing after that is so you don't murder the audience with the horrible trebles of dirt>ring thing>dirt. Reverb>delay is always better than delay>reverb, and putting the CS1 after them does some really cool infinite ambience/ducking delay stuffs. Running all that into a transparent overdrive should give you some great shoegazes. Then the last three because fun. Pitchgrinder, fun. Pitchgrinder>delay, fun. And a looper at the end's always a good idea.