Randy120

I have (2) 30 watt amps, one tube and one solid state, and neither one goes beyond 3. They are plenty loud for my use. Small amps are widely used by the pros too even in live settings. I went through all 198 different settings on the GT-1 a couple time now. I had a lot of fun with it. I found a lot of useable tone. One thing I found missing is the off switch. The unit never gets turned off. The solution is simple really. I will make my own custom top 10 settings. The first one will be clean with maybe some light delay and reverb. Then I will fill out the set with my favorites. I have kept some notes of the last few years of possible pedal boards I might build. I think I will make a custom setting for each of these boards as recommended by the big boys. I will list it below so you can check it out for inspiration. "We might tussle a bit over where a fuzz box or wah belongs in a signal chain, but we pretty much agree that after that it’s compression, dirt, modulation, delay, then reverb. It’s all very elementary." - Unknown Pete Thorn Overdrive Delay Distortion Reverb Pedal Order – Boss Tuner Overdrive ODX-1 Distortion DS-1 Flanger Phase Shifter Digital Delay DD-7 Steve Vai Tuner Volume Pedal Use effects loop from amp Chorus – splits to two amps for stereo Delay to amp one Delay to amp two Wa Distortion Steve Krenz Compressor Overdrive Distortion Fuzz Ernie Ball Volume Pedal - Tuner Delay Tremolo Chorus Amp He also uses a Boss AD-5 Acoustic Guitar Processor Joe Bonamassa Fuzz Tone (Satisfaction) Wah Wah (Don’t overuse) Univibe Tube Screamer Echoplex Plus Tremolo Flanger MXR PHASE 100 MXR STEREO CHORUS Fuzz Face Cry Baby

There is no quick way. Nylon strings last a long time. Stretching the strings is the best way to set them, but you will have to do it many times after a string change. Yes changing your strings will make your sound brighter, but don't change them because of some artificial schedule. Analyze the condition of the strings and change them when needed.

@ChrisJ032 The Boss ME-80 was one of the pedals I looked at, and it has some nice features. I chose the GT-1 because of cost, capability, volume/expression pedal. You can go either way. The modelling amps have similar capability, but they probably are not as deep as a Boss multi-effect. My Fender G-DEC 30 covers most effects, but you can only use 1 at a time with reverb. The Boss GT-1 allows tone stacking. Both give you plenty of options. It all comes down to interface and convenience. It is very convenient to have the effects built in. No cables, power supplies, batteries, and pedal boards. I think the best multi-effect pedal will actually mimic the traditional pedal board like the Headrush and Helix pedals. Ideally, you buy the best amp you can afford. Effects can be added later. Multi-effect or pedals are always available. I played my G-DEC for many years with just a little delay. I wanted to play clean as a beginner so I knew I was doing it right. The effects are kind of nasty if you don't know how to use them since each lends to a particular style. Have fun whichever way you choose.

I don't see it as the dark side at all. I wanted to go there a long time. I have a Peavey Classic 30, but it needs effects for a little spice. My first amp is a Fender G-DEC 30 with a lot of models and amps. I was overwhelmed as a beginner. It has some very cool features, but the menu is not great. Today I can make use of those effects. The Boss GT-1 has something along that line, but you actually have a virtual pedalboard on the small screen in front of you. Is it perfect? No. I don't think any of them are. You can also edit your setup on the PC so you can make 99 different song setups for your set list. The patches I downloaded are created by guys who know what they are doing and they very good. I am going to continue to use my pedals, and eventually I will need a pedalboard.

My first 3: Flashback Delay Boss CE-5 Chorus East River Drive Overdrive The chorus and delay are great for a lot of different styles. The overdrive is great when you are playing riffs or power chords. You can use pedals with almost any amp including the Katana. Any amp with effects built in can be used also, but you have to be careful because not all effects will play together nicely. I just added the Boss GT-1 which has 108 effects in a small space. The Boss GT-1 cost less than the first 3 pedals. I posted about it yesterday in the forum. My original pedals play nicely with the GT-1 too. Have fun exploring the new soundscape.

I just added 99 new patches from the Tone Studio software. I now have 198 different setups in a single pedal. Premier Guitar Boss GT-1 Review

I purchased 3 pedals in the last year. I have a Flashback Delay, Boss CE-5 Chorus, and East River Drive overdrive. I have enjoyed playing with them, but I wanted more. I was looking at pedal boards. Even with these few items the cost keeps building. The few pedals I have also created a cable nightmare. I started thinking about multi-effects pedals again. I can't afford the Helix, or Headrush, or high end Boss pedals. I read reviews about the Boss GT-1 which were pretty positive. It isn't fancy like the more expensive models, but it packs massive power in a small case. The little guy is pretty heavy, and the design feels solid. It has a small screen which allows you to setup amp and effect combos like a virtual pedal board. Operation is pretty simple. There are 3 large easy to use buttons to control moving through different setups, tuner, looper, etc. There are 99 presets, and 99 which I can edit the way I want. There is also a huge online library of patches (presets) to download so support is strong. If you don't have just the right sound then you may be able to download it. I spent the first night going through all 99 presets. Whew! I really was a little disappointed, and I even thought maybe I would return it. The second night I played only about 35 presets. I had a blast! I spent more time trying to ring some sound out of it. I mostly play clean, but I am a delay fan so all these choices are a little overwhelming. There really is a huge sound pallet in this little pedal. I haven't found a really good sound setup for a nice warm acoustic, but I read it is in there maybe with some adjustment. There is a some fine hippy-dippy effects in here, and I had some of the most fun with them. I also played what I believe is a Van Halen tribute which actually sounded better when I wasn't playing because the wonderful distorted swirling sounds as the note faded away. It also has a volume/expression pedal which I really wanted. I think it's a keeper! Boss GT-1

Bringing your guitar is a good idea.

“If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.” ― Albert Einstein

One guitar making noise on multiple amps seems like the guitar. Tighten your input jack. It could be a problem with the pickup wiring. Many years ago when I bought my 2009 Gibson Les Paul Studio it developed crackling sound. Sometimes it was there, and sometimes not. It went on for a few weeks until I noticed if I touched my pickup all the noise went away. I took it to an Authorized Gibson service in the area. When I told the tech what was happening he said "that is bad". He checked it out and he decided the pickup was bad. It was a warranty item so after proof of purchase Gibson supplied a replacement pickup. All these years later the Les Paul is still rocking!

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Paul Gilbert builds an effects board. Paul Gilbert - Building a Pedalboard

You definitely need the skills the main L&M Guitar course teaches you. Technically you can use fingerstyle for everything you play, but you already need to know chords and scales and notes.

If it's tubes, it's hot. My Peavey Classic 30 II runs hot too. Nice amp!

Try a lighter touch. You need a firm grip on the pick, but you don't need to squeeze it. Make sure you have your wrist straight. You should not have your wrist bent, it should be in its natural position.