Ok, I started out my playing days with a ZOOM 505 ii which is a decent multieffects unit. I think it's always a good practice to own at least one multieffects unit especially when you're starting out because it will give you a first hand sample of various effects like different kinds of distortion, overdrive, reverb, delay, wah, flanger, phaser etc. without spending a fortune. However after some time, i decided i wanted dedicated units to perform and deliver my sound. Dedicated meaning the effect was built for that purpose and that purpose alone. My first buy was the all time famous orange BOSS Distortion unit. Thus begin my exciting journey in the world of stomp boxes....
This is my current effects chain. It's arranged accordingly with the
Amp ->Preamp booster ->Digital Delay->Metal Zone ->Distortion ->Compressor/Sustainer ->Wah ->Guitar
You have to arrange them according to function where delay units come before the distortion(s) units. The wah is connected to the guitar at the begining of the chain. You can read about setting a proper effects chain online because a bad placement of a unit will effect your tone and sound negatively.
Over time, i managed to collect the stomp boxes of my choice. I was blessed with the fact that I obtained 3 out of 5 of the above as 2nd hand units therfore it was much cheaper. Some of the owners decided to upgrade their gear so I got pretty good deals.
BEHRIGNGER PREAMP BOOSTER
I read about this unit in the STAR paper from one of its featured audio articles and decided to pay my local distributor a visit. This is the cheapest of the lot but delivers the goods perfectly. This Pre-Amp booster is connected straight to the amp in the chain. It's purpose is to crank up the decibels accordingly when desired. I use it usually when performing solo parts so that it cuts through the band in order to be heard. However watch the gain knob, setting it too high will result in a sudden extreme volume jump.
DIGITAL DELAY DD-5
This is the most complicated unit of my chain. Someonce said that it's like a rack effect in a stompbox. You can modulate your guitar signal with respect to time to transform your playing from dead dry to leaping alive. In fact, with this unit, there's an endless possibility to creating your own sound. I'm still figuring out some parts with constant trial and error. I get my cues from listening to United Live from the Hillsong series because their guitarists employ huge amount of delay in their live playing. You need to spend a considerable amount of time tweaking this unit. Remember to place it before all distortion units.
METAL ZONE MT-2
This is a nasty pedal. Some people dislike it for being too metalicly digital. I think it all lies in the tweaking. I usually employ a lower mid for a heavier feel while tweaking the other mids to suit accordingly. My distortion set to 3-5 o'clock(not as in the picture which shows 12 o'clock). This pedal is darker, meatier and heavier than it's DS-1 counterpart, so use it wisely or else it will just sound like noise.
DISTORTION DS-1
When i first started using it, i thought that it paled in comparison with the metal zone. However, over time with exposure and maturity, i realised what an amazingly tone shaping stomp box this is. I like it's warmth and growl when I manage to get the sweet spot. I usually use it as an overdrive unit. It can be light with a tinge of overdrive and at the same time, it can be as nasty with the decibels cranked up. It's currently my favourite stomp box at the moment. Bluesy is the word...
This pedal is placed last in the chain. I think there may be other compressor/sustainer pedals that deliver better than this one(i got this cheap!!!) but so far this does the job. It will concentrate your sound accordingly giving it more body and sustain.
MORLEY PRO SERIES ii WAH
I connect this straight from my guitar with the output into my effects chain. I like it...it's clean and adds character to what i play...but again, it takes time to tweak it for the sweet spot.
Last but never least is my LANEY MXD Twin 120 watt equipted with celestion speakers. It's relatively cheaper than it's Marshall and Fender counterparts but it certainly does not lack the power. I like it for it's bassy tone and warmth. How you set your amp will also influence your tone. I like mine warm and usually turn the bass up to about 9, mid 6 and treble 7 for my humbucker PRS. For my single coil Yamaha SGV 300, the setting is different.
HUGE CAMP 2005
It was really a privilege to have played for HUGE CAMP 2005. However for the camp, i only had my DS-1, MT-2, Compressor/Sustainer, and Wah pedal. The other pedals came later, which i think if i had had it then, it would have been SWEET, especially the Digital Delay and Pre amp booster...I was using a different Laney amp for that night...it was a valvestate amp. I think if i could play again in that HUGE camp, i'd play a lot of things differently now...there's always new things to learn...
As for tone, it usually takes the training of the ear to carve out something you like. There's no real short cut to it...just like practicing. The more practice you put in, the more exposure you'll get for your hearing as well, the best part is when you discover the 'sweet spot'. The fingering is also important like every bend and hammer-on at the precise moment makes a whole lot of difference.
I personally like Lincoln Brewster's tone for his guitar playing. He's one of the best Christian guitar players i've ever heard.
All To You Guitar Solo(original by Lincoln Brewster) played by a 15 year old kid...which he played pretty much 95% similar to Lincoln...drool....check out the bends and licks.
So I hope this has been an elightening post. I'm not really that good a guitarist but i hope it has helped anyone who reads this, especially Joash Wee.
DO check out http://pg165.blogspot.com for info on my band. We're currently planning to record our EP in the middle of this year.
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