Topic: New Tube Amp, do I need pedals?

2 weeks ago I got my hands on a used Blackstar HT 40w all tube amp, great price and it looks brand spanking new.  The tone I get is breathtaking on virtually any setting.  On the clean channel you can get the full range of sparkling like cleans to an ACDC crunch and on the overdrive channel it just gets better and better. 

I'm only able to use it for a few hours on a Saturday morning because it's basically too loud to use in the evenings or on a Sunday and I take it to band rehearsal and it easily copes with drums with way less than half volume.

Anyway there is a footswitch for swapping between the two channels and also a reverb on/off switch so there's a little bit of flexibility there.  I also have a Stratocaster Blacktop so I can flick between humbuckers and single coil which also adds a little variation to my sound.  I mostly set the clean channel to a nice crunch and the OD channel for a boost during leads or for some of the punk stuff we do.  I haven't gigged yet and the band have more or less left all the guitar elements to me (I'm the only guitarist).   I'm a total effect novice and pretty much have not got a clue what I could eventually want when I start to gigging which should be Summer or Autumn.  I don’t want any sort of distortion or anything that will take away the natural tone of the amp but I’m thinking I may need some delay and/or perhaps something to sharpen or soften the sound depending when I play more bassy powerchords or higher lead work (would chorus do that?). Also possibly a boost for the leads when already in the overdrive channel.

I don’t want to get a pedal for sake of getting one but would be grateful of some advice.

Epiphone EJ200  -  Epiphone SG400  -  Fender Strat Blacktop.
Blackstar HT 40 Club  -  Vox VT30 - Behringer ACX ultracoustic 1000

Re: New Tube Amp, do I need pedals?

You've already got the overdrive and reverb...perhaps a delay and chorus pedal could "enrich" your sound a bit! A compressor can help  "tighten up" things a bit...   That's a area where everyone has an opinion and my suggestion would be to see if you can go to a large music store and try out a few pedals.

I'm amazed at how many variations of sound one can get by simply playing around with the different settings and knobs with a stock amplifier and guitar...ie: Guitar volume at max with the sound level set at amp...amp volume at max with sound level controlled by guitar volume knob...etc

Middleaged Redneck sorta guy who refuses to grow up...passion for music, especially Southern Rock but like bout everything cept Gangsta/Hip Hop. Collect guitars, mandolins, and love to ride Harleys.

Re: New Tube Amp, do I need pedals?

jaygordon75 wrote:

You've already got the overdrive and reverb...perhaps a delay and chorus pedal could "enrich" your sound a bit! A compressor can help  "tighten up" things a bit...   That's a area where everyone has an opinion and my suggestion would be to see if you can go to a large music store and try out a few pedals.

I'm amazed at how many variations of sound one can get by simply playing around with the different settings and knobs with a stock amplifier and guitar...ie: Guitar volume at max with the sound level set at amp...amp volume at max with sound level controlled by guitar volume knob...etc

Thanks Jay, great stuff!

I have chorus effect on my Vox practice amp but it sounds a little too digital and muddies things a little but perhaps it's just a bad chorus effect rather than a general dislike.  It could also help with me being the only guitarist too.

I've tried messing about with the volume on amp and guitar and your right but my worry on stage would be that I mess up the mix?

Epiphone EJ200  -  Epiphone SG400  -  Fender Strat Blacktop.
Blackstar HT 40 Club  -  Vox VT30 - Behringer ACX ultracoustic 1000