AboutRoss Expertise Over 15 years of guitar playing, teaching, building, and modifying; have worked as a touring musician, studio session guitarist, engineer, guitar tech, and guitar teacher. Registered member of ASCAP. Registered member of Freelancers Union. I have a working knowledge of music theory and styles, and a taste for all types of music and instruments. If you have a favorite guitar player or style, chances are I share it! If you have a question I can't answer, I'll rely on experienced and knowledgeable people I know to get the correct information for you, and I hope I can help inspire your playing style and tone. Promo photography by Sebastian Castillo at Castillo Photography, San Diego, CA.
Experience I hope that by answering questions thoroughly and giving insightful answers, I can have a positive impact on someone's playing style and tone - help them get their perfect sound.
Expert: Ross Date: 6/20/2008 Subject: Cheaper effects
Question I may be alittle on the cheap side but hay.
But the thing is the sounds i want aren't always in a more expensive higher quality package
I have a digitech death metal distortion pedal $50
And a Danelectro FAB chorus $15
Now i get the exact tone i want out of those cheap effects rather than the ones I get out of Boss and otehr high-end
My question is, now i never play unless i have my deathmetal in. Now You don't think that my effect pedal will ever burn or stop working with exstensive use like that? mabey play 2-5 hours plugged and 7 total unplugged
with the dano i dont use it too much out of fear it will die.
As long as i take good care of these you think they will survive a year or 2?
thanks man, sorry my typeing is a mess but im in hurry
Answer Hi, Wyatt! Good question, I've had similar ones recently from others, so I'm glad you asked so it will help others. Now, there's no reason that your Boss pedal should "burn out" with use, as long as you take care of it and keep it supplied with fresh batteries. Without further abuse, it should serve you well over time. I've had Boss pedals I bought used from pawn shops that looked like they'd been hit by trucks; they worked perfectly, though. Your Danelectro pedal, although cheap, should do the same, as long as it doesn't get a severe treatment other than manipulating the switch. I will say, though, that maybe we should examine the thinking here, as you're definitely not alone. Think about the premise of buying a pedal to save money, then not being able to use it for feat it will break. Not very useful in the overall scheme, huh? Better to hold off on adding the effect when you can afford a good one. This is one of the reasons you see professionals using stompboxes rather than the multi-effects units that have flooded the market: many of the multi-boards are plastic, have small, delicate housings, and have rather touchy power inputs. In short, they just don't last long with heavy use. Not to mention, if your board breaks or gets wet, not only have you lost your favorite settings, but you've lost ALL of your effects! I suggest not only taking great care of the pedals you currently use, but adding only quality-built effects in the future so your fear of having them break will be minimized. Another pro tip: if there's a pedal that's a integral part of your "sound" and you use it constantly (like your Boss DM), it's worth buying a backup just in case. That way, if your front-line pedal ever does break for any reason, you have an immediate replacement. If you'd like any more help, let me know.
Happy Shredding,
Ross
