Question: Absolute minimum amounts of effects. GO!

I've been pondering, and I'm gonna see how much I can minimize my pedalboard before I start thinking I'm lacking something. Decided one three effects and two practical devices, five pedals in total. They are:

TC Electronic PolyTune -> EP Booster clone -> BB Preamp MB -> Decimator Noise Reduction -> amp

MXR Carbon Copy in the FX loop.

I could alternately get a headstock tuner and just dispense with the pedal altogether, but I'm fine with having one on the board. Noise reduction isn't essential as such, but hum is hum. As for the rest, I find the BB to be absolutely killer, very versatile OD. With the EP boosting it, I've got both an extra gain stage as well as added thickness to the drive sound.

I don't think this will be my final board, of course, but it's a nice experiment, and it does force me to focus more on my playing and also experimenting with amp settings and such to get different sounds.

What would your 'minimalist' board look like, thinking it would be a board you could see yourself being happy with?
 
I'm really only playing bass these days. So here you go.

tumblr_opyv3wizRf1r1df3ao1_500.jpg
 
When I was gigging, I either used a 2 channel amp, or a single channel amp and a Rat.
 
With a good amp (and not considering tuners and "effect") probably just a boost or drive depending on the music and the amp.
 
If I've got an amp with a good reverb and a good OD channel, that might be good for a lot of stuff. I do love a shitload of effects, though.
 
Guitar -> TC PolyTune -> Catalinbread DLS3 -> TC Flashback (TubeEcho toneprint) -> amp (w/reverb)
 
I am a living room player.
My SCXD,Rat clone and I am good.
The reverb and chorus on the amp are good enough.
I will build a small pedalboard when I get some scratch,but I really don't need one.
 
Guitar > cable > amp. More times than I can count.

This, but my amp does have 3 channels with switchable master volumes and reverb so there's 12 distinct options off the amp footswitches before even thinking about a pedal.
 
Cheating I presume, but the most frequent playing I did when I last played with folks was just acoustics. Just the guitars, no amps or mics...sometimes no picks.
 
I jumped on a tour many years ago as a replacement guitarist. I brought a RAT, and Morley volume and wah, and a Digitech RP50 for a couple songs that needed specific trem/rotary effects.
Worked fine.
 
forgot the power cable to power my pedal board 3 gigs ago. played the show direct into amp. was fun but i missed my wireless.
 
Back
Top