[Closed] Guitarists: Help me spend

Watching with interest.

As it’s STW I’ll recommend what I have (just) got.

I’ve just been bought a looper pedal as a Xmas present (a rather nice Boss RC-3) and would highly reccomend one.

Good for learning and getting timing solid etc, but it appears also very good for folk who know what they are doing (I.e. not me).

Plenty of YouTube demos etc to check out

I’ve just been bought a looper pedal as a Xmas present (a rather nice Boss RC-3) and would highly reccomend one.

I thought about that but I've just bought an app that allows me to create my own backing tracks (ireal pro) so that pretty fills that gap of a looper pedal in terms of a practice tool.

A way of recording yourself. Modern fourtrack type thing

No e in Holcomb.
If you're playing metal maybe rehearsal studio time + amp hire to get used to playing at high volume. Decent earplugs. Decent case.

You're currently in the expensive guitar cheap amp club so an amp obviously.

New or second hand?

You can get a good modelling amp second hand for £200. A Fender Mustang 3 or 4 VII which both use the same Fuse program which has a very good delay and reverb options.

If you want to try valves you can get 15-20w amps from Fender, Vox and marshall from about £250 second hand or double that new.

I rarely if ever use delay and reverb together BTW.

If you want to try valves you can get 15-20 amps from Fender, Vox and marshall from about £250 second hand or double that new.

I live in an apartment so there's not much point getting a more powerful amp. I also have a case for each of my guitars.

If you’re playing metal maybe rehearsal studio time + amp hire to get used to playing at high volume. Decent earplugs. Decent case.

Vancouver library does free rehearsal rooms you can book so that covers that idea.

I was thinking about some kind of midi interface to connect to my Macbook.

Re: Holcomb: Yep. sorry for the typo. I blame it on the hangover.

Vancouver library does free rehearsal rooms you can book

*mind blown*
Bit of a trek from the UK, where the powers that be are doing all they can to close both libraries and music venues.

Good cordless/bluetooth headphones.

Cough!

Buy my Boss Katana 2 for £180 if you like 😜

Failing that, pedals are style dependant. I don’t use them personally because I like a clean funky sound..

Have a look on Andertons YouTube channel for pedal reviews or the Pedal Shop on there..

I’d be hanging around those two channels before I decide on anything..

You could buy some spandex and a handsome chest wig 🕺😜😜😜

Good cordless/bluetooth headphones.

Got those.

Have a look on Andertons YouTube channel for pedal reviews or the Pedal Shop on there..

Yeah, I'm a regular viewer of Andertons tv. It was the guys on The Pedal Show that recommended the iReal Pro app.

Buy my Boss Katana 2 for £180 if you like 😜

I tried the mini in the shop and the Vox I bought sounded significantly better. I'm sure the larger ones are better but I don't need a more powerful amp at this stage (my apartment neighbours will crack out their pitchforks and flaming torches)

Lots of different picks to play with. Different sounds, different feel. I use the classic Fender extra heavy or heavy most for rock (junior uses even heavier 1.5mm Dunlops for metal) but much lighter picks for strummy folk or a bright acoustic sound.

'beat buddy mini' drum machine pedal?  Sounds better that most of the built in things and you can flip between sections using the foot switches.  Loadsafun

https://www.thomann.de/gb/singular_sound_beatbuddy_mini_2.htm

If you are also learning by playing along to other recordings or video then the 'transcribe' software is fun.  It will let you slow the track down but keeps the pitch the same.  Nice when trying to learn to play along with something that is a bit too fast to begin with.  Slows the videos down as well

https://www.seventhstring.com/xscribe/overview.html

Digitech trio +? I quite fancy one!

Edukator

Member
Lots of different picks to play with. Different sounds, different feel. I use the classic Fender extra heavy or heavy most for rock (junior uses even heavier 1.5mm Dunlops for metal) but much lighter picks for strummy folk or a bright acoustic sound.

I've been struggling to find picks these days, need to buy a load. So when I can't find any I've taken to using a 50p piece, surprisingly good! don't use 2p's they mess with the pickups! 😆

ps OP. save up another 200 quid and buy yourself a nice acoustic.

(I would say audio interface, but well that's a money pit, 100odd will do, but after that initial purchase, you'll just want to spend more, lots more! 😆 )

Don’t buy electronics and gear, it won’t make you any better, spend time playing with others. Maybe spend the money hiring somewhere to play with them.

£195 of lessons and £5 of jazz 3's

ps OP. save up another 200 quid and buy yourself a nice acoustic.

I already have one of those.

Don’t buy electronics and gear, it won’t make you any better, spend time playing with others. Maybe spend the money hiring somewhere to play with them.

I don't know, the ability to record myself playing would be a great way to get better, I'd have thought. I could hear where I'm going wrong, especially playing over a track I could also record.

+1 for a looper pedal

I’ve just bought an app that allows me to create my own backing tracks (ireal pro) so that pretty fills that gap of a looper pedal

It’s not the same - it lacks the immediacy of being able to strum a few chords and see what you can make of it. You may find it sharpens your timing if you use it well.

I don’t know, the ability to record myself playing would be a great way to get better,

You will get much better faster if you play with other people.

Another suggestion is an audio interface and get into ninjam. Maybe your amp already has and audio interface? Ninjam allows you to play online with others. You can learn quite a lot this way. It certainly exposed me to lots of different styles.

Ninjam

What tuning do you have your Holcomb in?

Comes as standard in drop C I think.

Sounds like you have everything you need so would save it towards better gear.
As you asked for living room guitarist suggestions, I’d save it towards a kemper, axe fx or helix and a really nice set of monitors.
Alternatively, save it towards another guitar in another tuning or a 7 string.

My tastes go from maiden at one end to periphery and gojira at the other and have far too many guitars and amps.
If you were in the uk, I’d link you to my reverb shop as I’m heading the other way (less gear as I now know what I love and what I don’t after years of experimenting)

Fuzz pedal.

@ captainslow

I generally leave it in drop C. I have a Squire Strat I use for standard tunings.

A kemper or AxeFX would be nice but that means mega-bucks

@ yourguitarhero

If I was going to buy a new dirt pedal it would be either a Revv G3/4 or one of the Friedman pedals.

A fuzz pedal isn't a dirt pedal. Very different sound. And one your amp won't be able to do.
Have a look at the ZVEX Fuzz Factory. So many different sounds are possible.

Mine is on the right hand side of the pedalboard, running through an old Orange amp and a bass cab.
Sounds incredible

#rig

What about an irig/Line 6/Korg Pandora type interface?

@Mikey74

A second hand kemper will cost £<1K, a helix <£800 and an Ax 8 <£800

Fractal kit is cheaper in NA so shouldn't be too bad in Canada too. don't forget you can get the Helix LT and smaller variants for much less now too.

Honestly, I'd save it towards something and resist scratching the itch. quality not quantity and all that boring jazz

Glad you're keeping it in drop c - always fancied one. Do you play any periphery stuff? I can play jetpacks and have marigold on the go as a long term prospect. Sat here now taking a break from learning letter experiment on my RGD 🙂

Glad you’re keeping it in drop c – always fancied one. Do you play any periphery stuff? I can play jetpacks and have marigold on the go as a long term prospect. Sat here now taking a break from learning letter experiment on my RGD 🙂

Not yet: I've mainly been learning some Mastodon stuff. TBH I didn't buy the guitar because it was associated with Periphery; in fact, I had to google who Marc Holcomb was after I tried it out in the shop, and I've never really listened to their music. I bought it because it met all my needs. Of course, I'm going to check out some Periphery and Marc seems to be a top guy and has some interesting lessons on YT.

We're still talking > $1K for the Fractal/Kemper/Helix stuff here and I really don't see the point at the moment, especially to play it through a 5w practice amp. However, I am a bit of a gear nerd so I do see the appeal.

Thinking about it what I'd like is something that will be a useful practice tool, so either a looper pedal or a digital interface so I can record my playing and listen to how bad I am.

A fuzz pedal isn’t a dirt pedal. Very different sound. And one your amp won’t be able to do.
Have a look at the ZVEX Fuzz Factory. So many different sounds are possible.

I'd argue a fuzz pedal is still a dirt pedal, albeit a different sounding one. You're right, though: My amp can't do fuzz tones, but then again I'm not really into fuzz tones. Sure, I listen to stoner rock, but when it comes to my own playing, I prefer a tighter form of distortion.

Plenty of great mastodon tunes out there to learn. Blood and thunder is simple and in d standard. Lots in drop c too. Mastodon are awesome

I'd go with a looper as that is a useful practice tool. You don't need anything flash - just a tc ditto or boss rc1 will do.
If you go down the interface route a focusrite scarlett 2i2 is plenty but would recommend you get some nearfield monitors too (in which case you can also start looking at VSTs and wotnot too). Again, if you go down the interface route, what DAW would you use?

TLDR, based on budget and what you've mentioned so far, it really sounds like a looper in your amps fx loop is what suits at this stage. Save the interface and associated kit for later when you've more cash. Getting one of those two loopers would leave you plenty of cash for later too.
Do you have Guitar pro? that's another great practice tool

I’d go with a looper as that is a useful practice tool. You don’t need anything flash – just a tc ditto or boss rc1 will do.
If you go down the interface route a focusrite scarlett 2i2 is plenty but would recommend you get some nearfield monitors too (in which case you can also start looking at VSTs and wotnot too). Again, if you go down the interface route, what DAW would you use?

The problem I've just realised is my tiny amp doesn't have an effects loop, and all the effects, including modelling, are all in the amp, so a looper would be limited to clean stuff, which is not ideal.

The Focusrite Solo MKII, which is what I'm looking at, comes with a version of Protools and I was thinking of getting either the Fortin or Howard Benson STL plugin suite.

Alternatively, I could just use the money on a new amp with an effects loop and get a looper then.

Oops looks like he's taking the money pit route! 😆

I'd thoroughly recommend it btw!

I can vouch for the scarlett, cracking interface, I've got the 2i4, been faultless for years. (I had to get a split usb so I could take power from 2 usb ports on my laptop mind you, just something to keep in mind.)

protools, I wouldn't be fussed about, be aware that'll it'll just be a cut down version, geared towards making to purchase the full version, which i think they are looking at a 250 quid a year subscription for. And I don't think it takes VSTs/Au's natively, need another program to run those, protools uses AAX plugins or something like that(a quick google suggests). So investigate daws, and see which one suits your needs. you might well get away with the likes of reaper. I use ableton myself.

As for amp sims, well they are blinking awesome these days, I've got amplitube 4 max + the fender 2 bundle, it's hours of fun. I've also got scuffham s-gear, which again is awesome. Far as I can see they are all brilliant these days.

You'll need decent monitors or headphones.

Hmmm! On second thought, I'd probably need more furniture if I'm going to do the computer-based thing (I don't even have a coffee table or desk). I may be better off buying a looper and some effects pedals so I don't rely on my amp's onboard effects.

I’ll just leave this here

https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Line-6-Helix-HX-Stomp-Multi-Effects-Pedal/2OXM

It’s the price of a few pedals.....

Edit: buggerit! I think this one would be better. USB interface and looper included. Checkout eBay, should be able to find one second hand

https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Line-6-Helix-LT-Multi-Effects-Guitar-Processor/1XHS

Good suggestions there cpt slowly, and thank you; however, the first one is $800 here, and the second is $1400: I've worked out I can get a reverb pedal, a looper and a Friedman BE OD pedal for around $500. The latter will do everything from Hendrix to Mastodon.

I can also pick up a Zoom G3n floor unit for £200 that has a built in looper, as well as all the effects I could want. With the Friedman, that would come in <$500.

I'm sure the Helix stuff is good (hasn't Bill Kelliher just switched from Fractal to L6 Helix?), but it is pricey. They don't seem to lose much value on the SH market here, either.

I picked up a Fender Mustang floor which is the same effects electronics as Mustang 3/4/5 without the amp part for just over 100e second hand. It's the V 1 software from pre 2014 which means the only drive pedals are fuzz and overdriver, and it's showing its age in terms of the sophistication of the effects. For home use it's fine, I mainly use it as a pre-amp boost for my bass, and for the delay with a Fender Bassbreaker 45 head or Marshal JCM 2000 TSL. It's also handy when popping around to see mates as it fits in a bike panier.

I originally bought it to add some drive to the Bassbraker so I could use it live at lower volumes in small venues, but soon realised that the Bassbreaker sounds rubbish at low volume whatever you add to it. My creamback loaded Mustang III sounds better if the drummer is playing gently.

Get a really, really nice practice amp - Yamaha THR10 or something if you want low volume, or if you want to go up a little then a Blackstar HT5. It will make a real, tangible, difference to how the guitar sounds and how much you want to play it 🙂

I’ve mainly been learning some Mastodon stuff.

Ahhh.. I see.

Maybe a whole bunch of tattoos then?

I have no more useful (subjective) comments to make.

Tell is what you buy though eh 👍