The #1 TONE pedal of the PROS Is a BARGAIN! | Phil Mcknight

[@JeffCloutier]

In regards to the boss eq pedal... my Dad had a party with a great 3 piece blues band and of course asked if I could sit in. The guitarist handed me his strat going into a nice old princeton. I looked at his pedalboard and was blown away! 2 boss eq pedals set flat with just a little boost on each. No pedals, kinda clean. One on, driving. Both on, beautiful drive channel sound. I learned a lot that night.

[@81Badger81]

Old guys do it better sometimes.

[@notbraindead7298]

Sometimes you can learn a lot in a place you wouldn't have thought of. Thanks for the reminder.

[@JPIndustrie]

So you guys have learned nothing from video games... talk to more ‘weird’ old guys... he may give you a clue to solve the next problem you’re bound to see :)

[@SteveKrantz]

@@JPIndustrie I've learned a lot from both either way can't hate

[@jd1655]

@@81Badger81 experience is very valuable... young people learn that in time

[@AlexandreSoma]

Here in Brazil is really expensive for someone to buy pedals. Most of us buy digital pedalboards. I've got a Boss GT100 and a Big Muff to give the tone. Because of this video i managed to control to gain, the digital noise and the eq in a way that produced an aamzing rock tone with my old beloved kramer. THANKS MAN! THANKS A LOT! Love U man, love how you explain everything. Make it possible, make it easy.

[@Haroun-El-Poussah]

It's very easy to build most of these... Take a look at the freestompboxes website... You also have near everything existing as kits! When I was in high school as these were damn expensive here (pre-EU), I even built my tube amp! Used the Mesa Stu22 reverse engineered plans, trannies from a dead Marshall 1974x, chassis+cab+pots from a f-up Fender Champ, caps from a tube HiFi amp that was found in a trashbin, and a domestically produced Audax 12' guitar speaker which was half as cheap as an imported Greenback. I agree that the Audax lacks sensitivity, so you better have at least 2 with a 20W amp, but it also sounds better than any Celestion. BTW, you should take a look at domestic production of guitars! You have freaking great tone woods in Brazil, my 2 cents you have luthiers able to do better than US corporate guitars. The issue is often getting good PUs, but again, there are likely artisans that can make yours. Actually, corporate guitars companies and other brands are often held by banks or hedge funds, they do a LOT of advertising and paying big to endorse famous musicians... I own freaking gear, but near all my guitars and basses were built by artisans and don't count on me to go back to corporate guitars. I found out it was cheaper to get out of use electronics or stuff that need repairs then nonetheless repair it but customise it as high end. I also go for forgotten gear or gear that is out of trend : They all want vintage or boutique stuff or vintage re-eds? Time to buy rackezd gear, just like, around 1990, it was time to buy Twin Reverb, Vibroverb, HiWatt, etc: you got em for peanuts while everybody wanted racks! Guess what? Be it a rack-amp+preamp, a combo or a head, the circuits are barely the same ones! BTW, your GT100 is surprising if you use a Marshall EL84-20/20 after it! It's surely better to have a tube preamp, high end Lexicon and Eventide Fx, but, to my own surprise, once into the small stereo Marshall amp, the GT100 brought a surprising professional sound while plugged into the PA, it sucked big league.

[@RC32Smiths01]

What an awesome and informative chat here. You should definitely do more collaborations like this, Phil is such a helpful and knowledge gear maestro.

[@TheLordLeviticus]

I can't understand why Tim doesn't have 2 or 3 mil subscribers! He's such an awesome melodic player who exudes joy when he's playing and he has the studio creds to back him up. He is so much better than many of the guitar channels out there. Please share his channel and get him to a mil subscribers

[@mikehunt576]

why you ask, the views? well you can pay click farm slaves in China $5 for 1000 views, but for subscribers its more

[@cryptokingz615]

Why does it matter? Quality of audience vs quantity.

[@mikehunt576]

@@cryptokingz615 yes quality meaning real people....2.3.4

[@cryptokingz615]

@@mikehunt576 Are you implying i'm a blowup doll?

[@WickSounds]

agreed, hes 100 times the producer than many including myself.

[@PFDarkside]

I always thought it was interesting how Gilmour had a GE-7 in line with each of his gain pedals to shape the tone. This goes back years too...

[@giloro85]

And hooked to his compressors too. First guy to use the Ibanez TS10, even before SRV!

[@bobanbu]

did he have it before or after his gain pedals? and which gain pedals? THANKS!

[@wfrobinette]

Garcia did that too.

[@rstuartcpa]

One of my favorite tones I've been able to get is with all the slides all the way up (including the volume) into a tweed champ barely up above the lowest volume setting. Depending on attach, I can get clear, chimey cleans; wooly, milkshake thick barking aggressive tones, and everything in-between....all with my hands. The Boss Equalizer GE-7 is the best pedal ever! Of course, a tweed champ is the best amp ever.

[@bengibson3955]

Phil is such a great dude. His advice is just so honest and his point of view is refreshing. He, just like you Tim, seems to be above fads and popular opinion. Some guys can recommend stuff without the need to read out the "not sponsored" disclaimer every time. Keep up the great work.

[@kotogray8335]

I love your playing. It is smooth, liquiddy and tone for days And the occasional shred makes me smile. Thanks Tim

[@NobodyCaresALot]

Your guest really gets it. It's about acquiring a sound, a tone or a flavor of both. That's really cool and insightful.

[@Cymbaline713]

All hail the GE-7! I used it for years in the effects loop as a solo boost.

[@sparkafunk]

i've used the GE-7 as a live gig lead boost since its release, almost 40yrs ago...it's the 'sound man misses guitar lead cue' eliminator, and is my one absolutely indispensable pedal...if i had to, i could lose all the other pedals--but fight to the end to keep this one...you can tailor your lead tone any way you like, and clean boost it above the mix to boot--best all-round, practical and versatile pedal ever made, IMO

[@janjaroszewicz8319]

I bought a jrockett Tim pierce overdrive and I love it!!

[@Iheartthebass]

I've been preaching this forever (What you shared towards the end "The gear is for us"). We shouldn't drive ourselves mad with chasing tone because...only the other guitarists in the crowd will REALLY appreciate it. But at the same time, it's still important to feel confident and know that you have your own unique sound. I also believe that our guitars are just as much stage props as they are instruments. It's okay to pine after that cool relic finish, that vintage looking ax, or that beautifully pristine ultra modern guitar. We're not just crafting music, we're also entertainers and it's fun to play into that entertainment aspect along with the music.

[@StephGV2]

I feel personally attacked by this relatable content. What I've really learned, is when my amp sounds absolutely great without bass and drums, it sounds like absolute garbage in a loud, hard rock mix. I felt like jamming with Rage Against the Machine yesterday, and I spent 45 minutes trying to get the right sound. My wife (who I thought was outside) comes in and says, "PLAY A SONG ALREADY!" after I must have played a few of the same chords and riffs a few hundred times. It sounded best with the settings and pedals I was using the first three minutes. But you know how time flies when you're having fun twiddling all the knobs and sliders.

[@dylanskye1534]

Stephen Greenberg half of the time I’m playing by myself I’m just playing the same chord changing knobs like I feel bad for anyone listening lol

[@michakowalski2930]

nice, you made me think with your comments about things that maybe we waste time stressing about. And things that I don't appreciate (that actually counts). Nice. : )

[@StephGV2]

Do you really feel bad, though? I have to remind myself I'm wasting actual practice time when I go down that rabbit hole. It's almost as bad as looking for overdrive pedals on the web. I can already get Plexi sounds, variac brown sounds, dual rectum sounds, whatever...with just a single Black Rat clone, dual EQs (front of chain and end of fx loop), a compressor and an amp that's a tube distortion pedal with a speaker. Maybe not get "get" those sounds, but close enough that anyone who cared about such things, and no one who can hear us does care let me assure you, would say "That sounds surprisingly good for a bunch of cheap assed crap. But you need to practice more because you suck." Sure I have to adjust the gain on the BR in 1/4 of a *degree* increments on the knob because it goes from bluesy saturated to "how many OD and fuzz pedals can I run through a 6505 and not have it sound completely like a building being demolished in a Michael Bay movie" thick. Sometimes I turn it too high and have to play Metallica because the amp and pedals demand it. Damn them. I hate Metallica. God damn ruined metal by making it too metal. I've had to wash my hands afterwards, I felt so dirty.

[@StephGV2]

@@michakowalski2930 Sure, I'm being a smartass, and you go and ruin it by getting something useful out of it :) No go watch Jacob Deraps play "I'm The One" into a tiny Marshall Class 5 with no pedals and sound better than any of us ever will :)

[@buddyflood4031]

I used to take a house stereo EQ, put in 1/4 in jacks in it and run my guitar in one side and my mike thru the other, had a lot of flexibly with it. The poor days! Lol

[@wayneturpen592]

I’m a long time novice. Playing music is my love and my hobby. After some years of chasing after top of the line guitars (which i could never afford) i realized that if you can’t make an inexpensive guitar sound good you don’t need to buy an expensive one. Take what you have and make it work for you. Then when you feel you are ready to upgrade, or want to upgrade, then go for it. Practice and determination doesn’t come from buying an expensive guitar. My opinion only….

[@christophorhill2320]

Thank you, Tim - great stuff! I've been playing professionally for a long time, but I'm extremely grateful to have access to the experience and expertise of guys like you, Phil, and Mr. Bukovac. 🙏

[@jasonstallworth]

That’s magical advice around 5:00 - just a little bump here and there.

[@247Dalvarez]

Danny A (That's me), I've used this pedal for about 12 years... It's a decent work horse pedal. I never knew about adjusting it to sound like other PU's. I'm trying it first thing in the AM with my JCM 2000 and Les Paul.Thanks !

[@FuzzWoof]

It always amazes me how much money guitarists will spend on their gear to shape their tone, stacking pedal upon pedal, yet I rarely see an EQ pedal on their boards.

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

Then if they actually record anything the engineer will fuck with their sound anyway, run it through all his gadgets

[@renzocalcagno536]

There's already an EQ section on every amp and OD/dist pedal. If you dial a good tone there you can do without the EQ pedal on board.

[@INVERTEDBUKAKI]

@@servethesongs yikes man

[@RobinDale50]

@@renzocalcagno536 Bass/treble knobs are not an EQ

[@renzocalcagno536]

@@RobinDale50 Perhaps by EQ you mean 'active EQ filters, not passive ones?' Anyway, B/T knobs do filter EQ frequencies, so they are good tools to shape your tone. Dedicated EQ pedals to me are necessary when there's a problem in the room you're playing and you can't sort it out setting your eq on amp/pedals, or even playing within an ensemble and your guitar can't cut through the mix.

[@OnAir21]

I can’t live without these pedals... and I’ve had hundreds of different pedals: • Boss GE-7 • Wampler Ego • Xotic EP Booster • Paul Cochrane Timmy v2 • Boss OD-1X Overdrive • Fulltone OCD v1.7 (my favorite version - have not tried v2.1 yet) Bear in mind, this list is not representative of my signal chain order.

[@MarsHalekGuitar]

The GE-7 makes a nice boost onto itself, too, whether "boosting" a few frequencies or using the level slider, or both, you can get things bigger and louder, and maybe push your amp into some light overdrive. Or use it for a cut to clean things up.

[@elimakowski1469]

Yes sir! It was my solo boost pedal for my Boogies and Marshall heads back in the day. Worked awesome!

[@Haroun-El-Poussah]

It's much better to use a studio EQ : the output level is enough to drive poweramps

[@joshuamichael4312]

Damn, that was a fantastic episode. I can listen to people geek out about gear forever. Keep these one coming!

[@charlescollison9207]

I do that w/my Boss GE10... love the EQ’s!!!

[@crlguitar1]

I get tired dialing in the right sound all the time. I can spend hours doing that. It eventually just wears me out. BTW....I've never seen a guy demonstrating guitar skills with as much joy as this gentleman!

[@earlspearl2933]

I got a 20 ft cord and put my pedal away . not much chasing now cause the amp is across the room.and the pedal is in my utility shed .

[@pcb8059]

I tossed out my electric gear for that reason and switched to acoustics forever and made huge progress.

[@crlguitar1]

@@jimmyparris9892 You won't get a 'modified' tone using a little Champ amplifier. It will faithfully play whatever you have plugged into it.

[@mikeymumblesreal]

MXR had the best small EQ I always used way back in the mid 70s. Graphic EQ always on board. Realistic made a 10 band stereo eq that cost less than $20 for home stereos I still have, have never cleaned the slide pots and has no scratchiness. Still works fine 50 years later. Best lead solo boost is EQ. NO GAIN. DEADLY in conjunction with a DYNA COMP.

[@Quipstiley]

I love stacking my BluesBreaker clone into a ZenDrive clone into a Sweet Honey drive into a clean amp. BB like a boost, ZenDrive for the mid bump and the Sweet Honey focus knob to dial in my different guitars’ pickups for clarity. Play with the gain and volume of each for compression to taste.

[@TheJamiefbolton]

No one looks as joyful playing the guitar than Tim Pierce

[@colico14]

Pat Metheny is a close second. :)

[@anon_ii_4514]

Carl verheyen too

[@jspartacus]

Eddie Van Halen. Period.

[@naylor2006]

I wish I could get lessons 1 on 1, the guys so nice and inspiring!

[@arkwik]

Yeah literally no one. Millions of guitarist around the world (including amateurs) and NO ONE looks as joyful. Geez...

[@abradfordajb]

Thanks for the mention of the XTS mod version of this pedal. One gripe i've always had with EQ pedals is the inclusion of band sliders that are basically useless for 6-string (non-bass) players. For instance, the stock GE-7 sliders 1 and 2 are 100hz and 200hz respectively, which are imo totally superfluous, and the highest treble band as well. The XTS mod removes bands 1, 2 and 7 and replaces them with bands that enhance the mid/upper mid areas, which is perfect. I'll certainly place an order with XTS for one of these pedals. rgds.

[@teamtamer]

Thanks for describing what the mod version does. So as an occasional bass player, I might need one of each? (Actually, as a OMB, I pump an octaver through a looper for the bass line. But maybe I still need one of each!)

[@nicolapallitta664]

Hi Tim, new to your channel, it's awesome and I love your playing ! Masterclass, I'm coming. Bought a Boss GE-7 back in the late 70's or 80's and still use it. Pretty much like you said, a kill or a boost, or to fatten up my Strat. Wondered if you could expound on just where you prefer to put the EQ pedal in your signal chain, in general ? If you have already done a video on guitar signal chain, please point me to it. Thank you, and Great Job !

[@cowboy7x]

All gear aside, I just have to say Tim, you play some of the most tasteful licks on youtube. While I love so many players in this world (and youtube) if I could "download" any ONE talent to my brain, it would be you. Thanks for your contribution to music and guitar. (lol, you're a great contributor too Phil.)

[@robschaller9061]

OMG I am so thrilled to learn I am doing this without anyone telling me... I use 3 OD pedals playing through my 3203 Artist and they all three are just adding a tiny bit more distortion to my overall sound... I view it as trying to "shape" my tone. Chorus and Delay are the same. I have 1 chorus and 2 delays and am thinking about adding a 3rd delay. The same concept I can use 1 0 or both on.

[@doitnowvideosyeah5841]

I paid $25 for my GE 7 at a pawn shop! Sure it was 20 years ago but it still is one of my favorite

[@doitnowvideosyeah5841]

@@azbluesdog could be I bought mine in Texas in 1995.

[@Drtydeeds]

That last little bit at the end about using what inspires the individual was encouraging to hear. Thanks.

[@bubs42]

The OD 11 is not a Zendrive Clone, but I am very happy that it is part of this video. It goes with almost every amp and every guitar. Keeping the gain and volume at 9 0'clock , is a great place to start.

[@philfrank5601]

Not the first time Phil says stuff that makes guitarists go, huh? He brings up the Metal Zone here with a completely irrelevant story and then jumps to the 5150 pedal for...some reason? It's stuff like that shows me how rudimentary his knowledge is.

[@mightyhammerhead]

Great suggestions!

[@fredericadda]

After all these years playing, you seem genuinely happy to play, and that’s what I liked most 🥰

[@Wargasm644]

If I could play like that old guy, I’d look genuinely happy every time I played too 😂

[@Guitar_Gangster23]

Great explanations on everything Tim and Phil share. Love both of your channels

[@tristanavakian]

It’s always nice when a pedal is demoed by an amazing player who knows how to record properly. Makes all the difference. Can’t tell you how many demos I’ve bailed on from the first note. I can’t hear the gear thru shitty playing. Doesn’t have to be Thorn, Timmons or Pierce level but it has to be listenable at least.

[@dozerblade]

Love that blue guitar at the start, sounds ace.

[@misterknightowlandco]

Love that Gretsch...

[@jonhmonroney12]

looks huge

[@edc3093]

Tim, you are the cool of cool! You are a Tremendous Talent combined with a Tremendous Personality. Along with Phil McKnight, all I can say is Wow! You two were hitting grand slams in my book. Funny how that the EQ pedal is the panacea. I've always run just three pedals ... a Tuner (currently a super accurate TC Electronics Polytune 3 Tuner, which is not really a pedal except for the Bonafide Buffer), some distortion (with an orange Boss DS-1) and yes, an EQ (the Boss GE-7) all nested into a Boss BCB-30 Pedal Board. The DS-1 is sometimes a necessity, but it is the EQ that is always on. And, here I thought I was a "pedal prude". Thank you for your videos, they are professional and informative. Please keep them coming.

[@Cris_Borgnine]

Hands down one of the best musicians/instructors i've seen on the internet!!!!

[@simpsimpson5175]

Its true.. I use a cheap Chinese Mooer equalizer.. and its a superb little boost... This is a really great tip! as they say a little bump and push

[@ThrashForwardGuitarClips]

Using the eq pedal to mimic different pickups is such a cool technique!

[@sseltrek1a2b]

yes- very cool tip...would love more detailed info about the frequencies that are inherent to particular instruments, pickups, etc to really dial-in those tones with the eq pedal...

[@teslaedison6236]

I borrowed that Boss EQ from a friend and I was getting super compressed almost synth like sounds from it. It's awesome

[@OGDrunkenSage]

Thanks for another wonderful video. I'm a fan of both of you and it is nice to watch you together. You guys make a great team.

[@normanperkel139]

I’m not sure about anyone else, but no matter where I place my EQ (before the amp to hit the front end a bit harder, in the effects loop to give me a bit of bump for soloing), or even how I set the frequency curve... No matter what I do I cannot get my guitar to magically turn into that gorgeous PRS with the flame top!

[@Javier-qk7ms]

It will not do that but if you know how each frequency band can help to shape your sound. Using it in front end or at FX loop will have different results. I have used between guitar and amp to cut some bass helps to get better string to string definition from distorted amp, there are lots of different examples.

[@shanedavis3414]

Actually,all you need to get the flame top is that green and white paper, that has president's faces on it LoL. This paper gets you any sound you want.

[@USSLIBERTYREMEMBERER]

Shane Davis This is a fact: I actually gave my friend money for a case of beer around new years to text me “play scales you lazy fuck” every morning; my tone’s never been better even when my signal’s bone dry

[@guitaring1]

@@USSLIBERTYREMEMBERER that is a fantastic idea. And I bet your friend loves it!

[@cliftontorrence839]

Oh, that part ! Thanks Tim, Great video.

[@gorgecoach]

The comment about putting several drives in series brought memories about trying to get a Lonestar ready for a client. I have several meda products but when the player came to stage, his take was the maker was saving the artis from bringing the three fer idea with having the units built into the Lonestar. Made all the difference for me in setting the rig up from then on. For my personal use, I still have several stomps in series for my use. Great episode.

[@officialswillis]

Great top tips - Will be heading over to the Know Your Gear Channel for sure, sounds a lot of fun! One of my ‘Secret Pedals’ is the Echoplex Ep-101 Preamp / Just one of those pedals that FEELS great but doesn’t obviously change your sound or tone 👌 - Thanks as ever Mr Tim, A pleasure tuning in!

[@MusicTherapyLaz]

Watching you and Phil "together" was awesome... and inspiring! Always thankful I ran into you at Winter NAMM 2019.. as brief as it was! You Rock! 😎🎸🎹🐦🤘

[@TheMichaelseymour]

Sound is in the hands ....i dont even use a guitar

[@mickbrenton]

Michael Seymour Sensei?

[@dylans9405]

Michael Seymour.... LOL

[@gunkanjima3408]

Tone is in the cheekbones

[@allgrainbrewer10]

👏👏👏

[@scottlaurenceguitarist]

Haaaaaaaaaa

[@Paul-mn8ql]

Hey Tim, I just got my first electric guitar. I'm not much more than a beginner on my acoustic and I was wondering where to start. Is the "Master Class" too advanced for a beginner? Love your channel and your playing. I've been listening to it for years and just didn't know it! Thanks for all the great tunes.

[@michaelholland1189]

That Gretsch is a beauty!

[@brucelittle3958]

Tim, glad you featured Phil! I like his channel a lot and he is a great resource!

[@Pax3897]

Been playing for 50 years, you are right on the money. EQ's are the only pedal I use. Every other Effect I use is rack mount. I never met a distortion pedal I liked lol

[@Michaelgracon]

I love the giggity which is a preamp eq.

[@monmixer]

When I mix a band I am always EQing guitars. You gotta have the mids if they are not there. Guitar sounds come from midrange frequencies. simple as that.

[@JoeyLevenson]

Shoegaze/Post Rock player with 25 years or so and a ton of gear, and when young heads ask me the "secret sauce," i always say e.q., and i have never seen a happy face after I tell them that.

[@levijessegonzalez3629]

Favorite eq?

[@francisstanford7921]

​@TacoTacoTacoTaco wow bro you really showed them who's boss

[@JoeyLevenson]

TacoTacoTacoTaco haha I’ve had 7 tape echos! Also named the band after a tape echo. A lot of those bands use Vox and Marshalls, I used both. Vet means I’m old lol.

[@JoeyLevenson]

Levi Jesse Maxon/Ibanez PQ9. Pearl GE09. I just got the little Ammoon EQ7, and it’s pretty great, esp for a cheap Chinese smt pedal. I love eq’s. I tell people just play around, don’t follow eq charts unless you just want a little adjustment. I like bright sounds, myself, so I tend to goose the higher end.

[@martysmith7803]

@@JoeyLevenson A very classy response to a not-very-classy comment; well played.

[@neatspy]

Been playing and collecting for years. Only very recently picked up a cheap Joyo EQ pedal. Absolute game changer

[@rjroth4869]

"Gear is for us." Great quote.

[@markgardiner1767]

I love checking out your stuff Tim, especially when it comes to getting the right info.

[@danieltrickey9285]

It's like when you go into a store to buy a tv. You have a wall of tv's. Some look better than others, but if you go into the settings you can make one just as bright and clear as the others. Eq's do the same thing.

[@由紀-f1b]

dont know if this is a good example, 1080p 2k and 4k tvs do have a bigger difference, also oled or led/lcd screens are completely different.

[@CynHicks]

@@由紀-f1b Not only that but there's contrast ratio, latencies, refresh rate ect... Not a good analogy at all anymore really. However, back in the day of tubes/ CRTs this was mostly true. Most specs were the same other than size and other features. TV shops were known for putting better settings on the more profitable TVs and making the least profitable look like crap. This is likley what Daniel is referring. 👍

[@allansmith6140]

Got a bunch of pedal EQ's, new and vintage. The Boss GE-7 is what is on my board for the simple reason that it has the least amount of hiss of all of them and no I do not drive my EQ, I mostly use it to cut.

[@jeremyjohnson494]

That whole part of “taking it from 10 to 2” is true even for modern heavy sounds. My tube screamer is set for minimal breakup, along side with my distortion pedal set at 2 with the gain. This setup sounds really heavy with clarity and dynamics.

[@ikkehierrro]

That musical introduction and interludes were way to short. Info too btw; Great to get a collega in! TY Good info, very well brought. Subscribed to both of You.

[@tristanavakian]

Btw eq pedals are great at emulating other pedals as well, I’ve gotten a serviceable treble booster/cocked wha out of em at various times. Good value, excellent Swiss Army knife.

[@donharrold1375]

Loved that playing at the beginning - super note selection and feel. Beautiful Gretsch guitar.

[@lancelotlink6545]

I have the EP Boost pedal that Phil mentions. It's my favorite pedal and keep it on in all situations. It adds a nice bit of color and sustain. Now I might have to get that BB preamp. Sounds great!

[@thisdyingsoul76]

I have been taking a lot of tone tips from various channels by popular studio musicians. One thing I have begun to do is instead of getting my hard rock rhythm tone with 1 pedal and turning up the gain where I want it, is setting 2 pedals for a light overdrive with a slight boost. Then I have a good crunch tone with clarity that can double as a blues or classic rock tone and I have a 3rd one set similarly for when I want high gain lead tones. One advantage I see with this approach is its easier to get cleaner tones using a volume knob, even with all 3 drives running. My current gain stack is guitar into ZenDrive, into a Klon type pedal, into a TS type. I mainly use the klon as always on, add the ZenDrive for saturated crunch, and TS for my lead tones.

[@Nissan570Lsx]

Fan of Philip and you. Nice collaboration.

[@patrickmcmanus5373]

I find having an Eq with Volume and Gain. The gain is the secret weapon for getting the gain set perfect, even with a klon, kot etc

[@jaredmaxwell2678]

Everytime I watch Tim play it makes me smile.

[@prism223]

I'm always impressed by how melodic your solos are, hats off 🎩

[@Espresso101]

As a sound guy I've always suggested guitar players having problems sitting over the band during solos to grab an EQ pedal. Not so much for volume boost, but as suggested here, a little bump is all that's needed. Bump in the high mids around 3k and a bump on the volume and you'll cut through the band mix without being too loud.

[@renzocalcagno536]

Yup. I'm a sound tech guy too. Most guitar My EQ is Xotic's RC Boost V2 pedal. EQ and 'bump' on the same box.

[@papalytic7767]

Wow guys. I run my 7band eq into my bbpre into my spark mini into my mesa boogie nomad to get my amp and guitar to mark2c+ territory. Amp gain on about 2ocl the rest comes from stacking the three pedals. I was ready to turf the amp when a last ditch experiment resulted in the discovery of a lifetime. The bb however, is the fundamental must have to push the boogie. It adds gain, tightens things up, adds colour if needed, doesnt compress as much and has more head room with voltage doubler. Great video! If only you had released it 5 yrs ago.

[@rb032682]

Good stuff. When I finally learned I was capable of playing a gig with a cheap, crappy guitar through a cheap, crappy amp, I freed myself from letting bad tone negatively affect my performance.

[@teamtamer]

I think Phil's last few statements sum that up: [Paraphrased] you buy pedals for you! If they make you feel good/make you creative, than purchase justified.

[@ZYGTropicals]

If you play shit music you can play shit guitars and amps. But if you play great music that stands out, playing shot equipment will not get you anywhere. Look at all the great classic rock songs. Try telling David Gilmour to play a shit guitar and amp and play a concert! It won’t work! People would go ape shit over that crap! Only a poor dude who can’t afford good equipment would say this. Unless maybe all you do is play bluegrass! lol!

[@rb032682]

@@ZYGTropicals - Good luck with that.

[@TrapDaddy65]

@@ZYGTropicals Gee. I always thought tone came from the hands and soul, not the gear. Guess I had it all wrong....

[@fauchejuliano]

Thank you guys so much!

[@offbeatbassgear]

This was interesting, in that I just realized that both of the bass heads that I use for live performances are both basically giant graphic eqs that include a power amp and balanced output.

[@EvilSean62]

absolutely , ... my bass amp was only ever for my monitor , house sound was thru the desk and i always always thought i was too quiet out front and not enough bass ... i WAS plenty loud ... but the PA guy was nervous about a bottom B going thru his rig lol and there wasnt enough room for my leech bin on the bus so i resorted to upping the mids a little on my stage amp to punch thru ...worked fine until the manager noticed i`d changed my EQ on the amp ... busted

[@clivewalkling6863]

Never used a Graphic EQ for my set up but I do use Lovepedal and Xotic boosters and a TC Compressor in front of Vox AC30 and Orange AD30 amps. The real trick here is my guitar - a Fret King Elise - which has a magical "vari-coil" knob. Rather than adjusting EQ on a pedal, I can simply use the vari-coil to move freely between humbucker and single coil and adjust the guitars tone control. This is absolutely brilliant for live performance in a real band. Thicken up the single coil or thin out the humbucker a little by small adjustments in the vari-coil knob. I now build this into all the guitars I make.

[@rawkinj6609]

I Liked upon seeing that beautiful guitar and Tim's happy happy joy joy demeanor!! Pedal shopping on Kijiji now!

[@NatCurrier]

The opening riff to this video is beautiful. Wow.

[@outsider6475]

yeah, I ditched my 10 band MXR and am sticking with my GE-7....couldn't ever get easy tweaks and good sounds with the MXR like I can with the Boss.

[@Maltloaflegrande]

That Boss 7-band graphic is a great pedal. Years ago I was doing a drama production called "Dracula Spectacula" a sort of sub-Rocky Horror Show thing - absolute tripe but never mind. One song needed a crunch sound for the riffing/power chording during the song but for the ending, they wanted a wig-out. I set the boss pedal to a pointy curve to boost the midrange and upped the gain a touch. All I had to do was stomp the pedal for the final chord, and the given setting enabled me to fly up the neck on mainly hammer-ons (I don't have a proper twiddly-widdly-diddly technique) and then bend the last high note up to capture a bit of feedback which I was able to arse about with using the whammy bar; all on the middle pickup of a bog-standard strat. In short, it made me look like a considerably better player than I actually was; or still am for that matter. Can't recommend this pedal highly enough.

[@rafito1280]

Try the MXR M80. Is a Bass pedal but sound awesome on guitar. Noise gate included. A friend of mine use mine on his Randall combo for a gig and it kick ass.

[@borgonianevolution]

That boss GE7 is a must for anyones collection. I found that back in the 80's when I realized everyone sounded the same on nearly every song. They all used the same 3 stomp boxes. The GE7 was the first step to breaking out of that rut. Now I play thru a digitech rp500 and need nothing else because the eq section of it is so darn versatile. I play thru a crate 50 watts head (I picked up a few years ago in a good will store for 34 dollars) into a Peavey tx 810 bass cabinet I rewired for 2 ohms in each vertical section of 4 speakers so I could play either bass thru a Peavey MIV 400 watt head or my guitars thru the Crate. My favorite thing to do is match guitar tones of various bands to near perfection with that set up.

[@dunboozin]

Thin Lizzy, Scott Gorham and Robbo used GE7’s

[@Jaspertine]

I've also found that I can use the EQ pedal to tweak how my overdrive pedals react to my guitar. I mean, same principle as using it to hit the amp a bit harder, but if you find your gain pedals a little too flabby, maybe cutting some of the low end in front of the overdrive can do the trick. My blues driver sounds a lot better when I add a little mid boost and some extra volume going into it.

[@MRxr400]

man, Pete thorn riffing on the tc boost was epic.

[@terrymiller111]

He tore it up. I love his tone, note choice, articulation, dynamics, etc.

[@onzkicg]

that dude is a badass.. you saw his live cover of VH Eruption? Really what separates KZbin bedroom players to the real McCoy.

[@ro307805]

Great info

[@kw7292]

Andy Timmons from Evansville, IN, used to watch him play back in the day! Thanks for the memories.

[@rexterrocks]

The GE7 is the one pedal that has never left my board since I got it. It's now beat up looking with no tips on the sliders and paint worn off its edges but it works fine and I consider it my mojo.

[@ransom77]

Great advice and suggestions on tried-and-true tools of the trade! I MUST call B.S. on the attitude some players have (not you guys) that “oh the audience doesn’t know the difference between that guitar/pedal/amp/etc.” It’s an excuse to take shortcuts, do things half-assed, and it insults the intelligence of the audience. Just because they don’t know the different bits and bolts doesn’t mean they can’t tell the difference between a bad, good, and amazing results. People appreciate the great bands, players, and recordings because of the amazing attention to detail. If you think cutting corners is “good enough,” you’re never going to be successful.

[@Mark95876]

Very true. A few months ago I saw eXTC - an XTC tribute band with XTC's original drummer. Never had I heard such perfect drum sounds in any tribute band. The tone, the correct volume, playing for the song, etc. I have never played drums but I think that I can tell the difference between a drummer that has recorded at Abbey Road Studios and one who has never recorded with top notch sound engineers.

[@noternunstoned]

About 5 years ago I was looking for an EQ pedal for my board and a cheap used Boss GE-7 came up, I couldn't believe how much it wakes up the tones of my guitars, regardless of amp or board. A Zendrive, CAE boost, JHS Panther Cub and Wampler EGO are faves too, thanks Tim and all your guests, great stuff.

[@KevinORourke25]

Such a fine, fine player.

[@spiritzweispirit1st638]

Dear Lord! Tim Pierce's Playing Is Therapy! 🎸🎼 btw' 10:11 Captain Lee' Priceless!😇

[@curtiseverett1671]

Hahahaha @ 5:25 when you said, this starts at 400, I was like, I'm not paying 400 bucks for an eq pedal..... haha time for me to go to bed---

[@MultiWellyson]

I loved the Purple Plexi pedal sound. Amazing High gain!

[@Studio_940]

i'M loving that Gretcsh, what a killer looking axe.

[@vedicapproach8105]

Jaw dropper for sure!

[@trevorgwelch7412]

You have the Magic Touch .... Thank You Phil ... I've been a Big Fan of what Robin Trower accomplished at Winterland Concert back in 1975 . He claims he knows nothing of theory . I met him but was reluctant to talk about guitar pedals etc nice Guy .

[@JamesJLaRue]

Great licks as always. I always shave off lows before the gain stages for clear, shreddy articulation, and then maybe boost the lows after the gain stages. All about transients and clarity. Kinda like the tighness knob on friedman stuff. My only issue with the GE-7 is that there’s too much boost/cut. Hard to move the sliders without moving them too far. I rarely boost or cut more than 3dB. Love it though. Thinking about getting the analog man 18v mod.

[@davidqueen5098]

Man I love watching and learning from you guys and man you shred

[@RokDAWG1]

MORE MORE MORE!! I'd love to see how you can use a Boss ES T or 8. I don't use many pedals but I don't wanna tap dance either. I've figured out how to get a couple of amazing sounds that crush and I can get everything else in between with my guitar volumes and toggle switch.

[@topsnek9384]

The TC Electronic Spark Boost full size is by far my favorite pedal to push other pedals, the fat switch makes an overdrive the smoothest slight fuzz that I've heard without going boutique. The mid is like a transparent super clean overdrive, and the clean boost is not necessarily a normal clean boost, but extremely versatile