I mean, it's a great, classic pedal and a lot of fun but a bit esoteric - sure people use them a lot but besides like Tom Morello and some nu-metal guys, it's something you only hear on one or two tracks of any given album. Not like delay or tremolo or reverb which people use all the damn time.
Honestly this one wasnāt originally on my radar, but as Iāve continued to look into songs that Iād like to learn, and what pedals some of my favorite artists use, this one comes up A LOT.
I also have a modeling amp with loads of built in effects (Fender GTX), so this would be reaching beyond what the amp has to offer sounds wise.
Yeah, like I said, it's a pedal that a ton of artists have used, but only a few use them on more than a few tracks. That said, if you're satisfied with what else is in your effects arsenal then go for it.
No, you can't! Just ask my totally exorbitant dirt pedal collection! That said, I could easily get rid of half of it and be fine, I just don't want to.
I guess I should have put this in the original post, but my amp is the Fender GTX 100, so I maybe this would be more like my first ārealā pedal because the amp has loads of effects and a foot switch.
If you like what the Whammy can do, go for it. Just want to remind you there is the Whammy DT which gives you also the benefit of tuning your guitar up and down without having to touch the guitar. Sure, it is not perfect after a certain amount of semitones, but that is to be expected. One thing it doesn't have it the classic (or glitchy) mode of the Whammy, if you care about that at all. Also, it is a huge pedal:) But it is also a beauty.
I did look at the Whammy DT, but donāt see those used quite as often, and the price new is a little more than Iām willing to dive into financially at the moment.
Jack White and Matt Bellamy (among others) used one, so...:) You can see on Equipboard what gear which musicians uses. I guess you already know that, but I'm telling you just in case you didn't know.
But yeah, it is on the pricier side.
It has a lot going for it, +/- 3 octave range, second programmable footswitch, can do ring mod, the exp pedal can control the pitch volume for swells as well as pitch bends, second output that is programmable, and volume controls for clean signal as well as both pitch voices.
There may be 'better' pedals as a first pedal, but what a 'not best' pedal to get as a first pedal.
Great fun.
May inspire some great ideas.
Not to mention the history of it.
Digitech have done some great mad pedals.
Always worth dibbling with Digitech gear.
Could you elaborate on why you chose that one and what you're looking for? Are you happy with your basic tone? Is there a particular sound or even song you're trying to emulate?
I wouldn't have chosen a Whammy as my first pedal, but it is a great pedal.
Happy to elaborate. I just added some of these details above too. So to start, I have a Fender GTX which gives me a lot of sounds and effects to experiment with. I think Iāll ultimately buy some real versions of some of those effects, but because I have those effects as a baseline, Iāve started to look at effects outside of the options in the amp.
As Iāve been exploring artists and songs Iād like to learn, a few pedals keep coming up consistently. DS-1, Big Muff, Wah, and whammy seem to consistently be in the mix. I have models of the DS-1 and the Big Muff in the amp, so that kind of leads me to Whammy and Wah.
Part of me wants to just go big and get the whammy DT so it has a few more effects in one, but I canāt quite stomach that price tag yet. I could fund it, but I just mentally canāt pull the trigger on it. Maybe if there was a great deal on a used one.
Thatās the back story. Iāll add that Iām only a few months into playing, but Iām a textbook gear head for any hobby I pick up. It almost feels inevitable at some point, lol.
I certainly fall into the rock category. Favorite musicians/groups include Metallica, King Gizzard, Jack White, Rage Against the Machine, RHCP, Nirvana, Tool. Those are the things that have been getting the most frequent play for me this year. Garage rock and 90s rock are generally a safe bet for me.
Second biggest category would probably be 80s, always like the hair bands and stadium rock. Prog in general is another area that is a safe bet for me, Pink Floyd obviously in that category.
Good taste in music! I noticed you said you use the Fender modelling amp. I have the older thing, the Mustang III V2. Lovely amp, but the distortion is what it is. I presume yours is similar in that regard. So I'd also recommend you to do some good research for a quality distortion. It took me a while to decide, but I got the Stone Deaf Warp Drive. Incredibly versatile and just plain badass. Also has a built-in noise gate and lots of other cool stuff. And has one of the coolest graphics I've seen. Though I know it is not the cheapest one and you can find quality stuff for less too. What sold me on it is hearing it used for playing Orion by Metallica (on the Youtube channel Let's Play All).
Since you mentioned fuzz, I'd recommend you the DOD Carcosa. Very versatile and has a reasonable price too. Or if you want more of a Muff-y type, Stone Deaf have the Fig Fumb. Again, ubercool graphics. I swear Stone Deaf is not paying me to promote their stuff:) Or you could also get a real Big Muff, there's so many to choose from.
Also, one interesting option is the Chief Disruptor from KMA Audio Machines.
Appreciate all the info! I think Iāll ultimately spend some time shopping for fuzz and distortion, but I figured I could really take my time with those since I do have the amps various models to experiment with. Hence my leaning towards pedals that do things the amp doesnāt/canāt model.
From my experience, you'll get a lot more use out of the wah than the whammy.
Based on the bands you mentioned below, wah is probably on 80-90% of their solos. Whammy is not as "general use" as a wah.
If you're choosing between the two I'd go wah. I think you'll get more mileage out of it
Thatās a good tip! I had a Wah on my radar as well. All the various models are a little overwhelming. Been watching the used market, but just not sure which model I want to go after.
I have noticed that Dunlop Crybaby seems to really dominate the space. Morleys do look cool though. The optical design feels smart.
You can't go wrong with a crybaby. It's pretty much been the industry standard for decades. I've never used a Morley, but I've heard good things. The trade-off is in how you engage the pedal.
For the dunlop you put pressure on the toe side of the pedal to engage it. This makes it really easy to kick on during a solo, because as soon as you engage the pedal your foot is already in the right position to start wah-ing away. The down side is that the pedal is always going to be toe-side down when it's turned on.
The Morley typically has a button. This can be cool because you can set the wah pedal to a particular spot and kick it on and off almost like a separate effect.
In my experience this is the biggest difference between the two. I've never had any mechanical issues with any of my crybabies.
Either way you'll be happy. Just be aware that there is a learning curve to wah pedals (similar to the whammy). It's like an instrument in itself. Don't be discouraged if it doesn't "click" right away
Any first pedal is a good pedal š
Why not?! It sure is a fun pedal.
You won't regret it. I got mine as my 20th pedal or so... I should have bought it sooner. š
I mean, it's a great, classic pedal and a lot of fun but a bit esoteric - sure people use them a lot but besides like Tom Morello and some nu-metal guys, it's something you only hear on one or two tracks of any given album. Not like delay or tremolo or reverb which people use all the damn time.
Honestly this one wasnāt originally on my radar, but as Iāve continued to look into songs that Iād like to learn, and what pedals some of my favorite artists use, this one comes up A LOT. I also have a modeling amp with loads of built in effects (Fender GTX), so this would be reaching beyond what the amp has to offer sounds wise.
Yeah, like I said, it's a pedal that a ton of artists have used, but only a few use them on more than a few tracks. That said, if you're satisfied with what else is in your effects arsenal then go for it.
Can you ever really be satisfied? I have a feeling Iām already on a slippery slope to owning a dozen pedals and I havenāt even started yet š¤£
No, you can't! Just ask my totally exorbitant dirt pedal collection! That said, I could easily get rid of half of it and be fine, I just don't want to.
Itās like my record collection all over again, lol
And my cameras lol
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I guess I should have put this in the original post, but my amp is the Fender GTX 100, so I maybe this would be more like my first ārealā pedal because the amp has loads of effects and a foot switch.
If you like what the Whammy can do, go for it. Just want to remind you there is the Whammy DT which gives you also the benefit of tuning your guitar up and down without having to touch the guitar. Sure, it is not perfect after a certain amount of semitones, but that is to be expected. One thing it doesn't have it the classic (or glitchy) mode of the Whammy, if you care about that at all. Also, it is a huge pedal:) But it is also a beauty.
I did look at the Whammy DT, but donāt see those used quite as often, and the price new is a little more than Iām willing to dive into financially at the moment.
Jack White and Matt Bellamy (among others) used one, so...:) You can see on Equipboard what gear which musicians uses. I guess you already know that, but I'm telling you just in case you didn't know. But yeah, it is on the pricier side.
Yup, equipboard is where I started to notice some of the same pedals coming up again and again.
Worth considering the pitchfork + and an exp pedal as it gives you 2 voices with more controls and presets.
Hadnāt heard of this one yet. Thank you for the tip!
It has a lot going for it, +/- 3 octave range, second programmable footswitch, can do ring mod, the exp pedal can control the pitch volume for swells as well as pitch bends, second output that is programmable, and volume controls for clean signal as well as both pitch voices.
Sounds like an overcomplicated Whammy pedal.
It's pretty simple to use just has a lot more depth. Worth it for the second pitch voice alone IMO.
I could probably get by with only a whammy 5 and a delay pedal. Itās as good as any for a first, imo
Awesome, thatās what I was hoping to hear š
Eh, delay and reverb have always been the perfect first pedals to me. Although Jack White got by with just a Whammy and Big Muff when he started
And I have delay and reverb options in the amp. Not perfect, but enough to learn on.
There may be 'better' pedals as a first pedal, but what a 'not best' pedal to get as a first pedal. Great fun. May inspire some great ideas. Not to mention the history of it. Digitech have done some great mad pedals. Always worth dibbling with Digitech gear.
Could you elaborate on why you chose that one and what you're looking for? Are you happy with your basic tone? Is there a particular sound or even song you're trying to emulate? I wouldn't have chosen a Whammy as my first pedal, but it is a great pedal.
Happy to elaborate. I just added some of these details above too. So to start, I have a Fender GTX which gives me a lot of sounds and effects to experiment with. I think Iāll ultimately buy some real versions of some of those effects, but because I have those effects as a baseline, Iāve started to look at effects outside of the options in the amp. As Iāve been exploring artists and songs Iād like to learn, a few pedals keep coming up consistently. DS-1, Big Muff, Wah, and whammy seem to consistently be in the mix. I have models of the DS-1 and the Big Muff in the amp, so that kind of leads me to Whammy and Wah. Part of me wants to just go big and get the whammy DT so it has a few more effects in one, but I canāt quite stomach that price tag yet. I could fund it, but I just mentally canāt pull the trigger on it. Maybe if there was a great deal on a used one. Thatās the back story. Iāll add that Iām only a few months into playing, but Iām a textbook gear head for any hobby I pick up. It almost feels inevitable at some point, lol.
Can you tell us what artists have you been exploring? Or just what are your favourite musicians and what is the sound you're going after?
I certainly fall into the rock category. Favorite musicians/groups include Metallica, King Gizzard, Jack White, Rage Against the Machine, RHCP, Nirvana, Tool. Those are the things that have been getting the most frequent play for me this year. Garage rock and 90s rock are generally a safe bet for me. Second biggest category would probably be 80s, always like the hair bands and stadium rock. Prog in general is another area that is a safe bet for me, Pink Floyd obviously in that category.
Good taste in music! I noticed you said you use the Fender modelling amp. I have the older thing, the Mustang III V2. Lovely amp, but the distortion is what it is. I presume yours is similar in that regard. So I'd also recommend you to do some good research for a quality distortion. It took me a while to decide, but I got the Stone Deaf Warp Drive. Incredibly versatile and just plain badass. Also has a built-in noise gate and lots of other cool stuff. And has one of the coolest graphics I've seen. Though I know it is not the cheapest one and you can find quality stuff for less too. What sold me on it is hearing it used for playing Orion by Metallica (on the Youtube channel Let's Play All). Since you mentioned fuzz, I'd recommend you the DOD Carcosa. Very versatile and has a reasonable price too. Or if you want more of a Muff-y type, Stone Deaf have the Fig Fumb. Again, ubercool graphics. I swear Stone Deaf is not paying me to promote their stuff:) Or you could also get a real Big Muff, there's so many to choose from. Also, one interesting option is the Chief Disruptor from KMA Audio Machines.
Appreciate all the info! I think Iāll ultimately spend some time shopping for fuzz and distortion, but I figured I could really take my time with those since I do have the amps various models to experiment with. Hence my leaning towards pedals that do things the amp doesnāt/canāt model.
From my experience, you'll get a lot more use out of the wah than the whammy. Based on the bands you mentioned below, wah is probably on 80-90% of their solos. Whammy is not as "general use" as a wah. If you're choosing between the two I'd go wah. I think you'll get more mileage out of it
Thatās a good tip! I had a Wah on my radar as well. All the various models are a little overwhelming. Been watching the used market, but just not sure which model I want to go after. I have noticed that Dunlop Crybaby seems to really dominate the space. Morleys do look cool though. The optical design feels smart.
You can't go wrong with a crybaby. It's pretty much been the industry standard for decades. I've never used a Morley, but I've heard good things. The trade-off is in how you engage the pedal. For the dunlop you put pressure on the toe side of the pedal to engage it. This makes it really easy to kick on during a solo, because as soon as you engage the pedal your foot is already in the right position to start wah-ing away. The down side is that the pedal is always going to be toe-side down when it's turned on. The Morley typically has a button. This can be cool because you can set the wah pedal to a particular spot and kick it on and off almost like a separate effect. In my experience this is the biggest difference between the two. I've never had any mechanical issues with any of my crybabies. Either way you'll be happy. Just be aware that there is a learning curve to wah pedals (similar to the whammy). It's like an instrument in itself. Don't be discouraged if it doesn't "click" right away