Help with some Country Guitar effects.

[midwayfair]

Comps:
I think the Orange Squeezer is the best way to go for chickin' pickin' compressors. They have more high end than the Dynacomp, so you won't lose your bite on the notes played with your fingers (especially important if you do hybrid picking -- the bass notes would otherwise stand out more). There's also a little bit of distortion added, which makes it sound like tube breakup, and it makes an excellent boost. I think everyone should get to know this effect. It's much more versatile than you'd think for only having a volume knob. 

I just built MerlinB's Engineer's Thumb and it has a bright switch that gets there ... I'd certainly recommend it over a Dynacomp for sure, but it was not an extremely easy build despite being a fairly simple circuit.

The Flatline (Madbean Afterlife is a board you can buy) is great for a more modern sound. You might consider that if you don't want a "clamping" style of compressor. It does wonderful things with the bass and treble frequencies. It's also dead simple to build. It won't give you the classic compressor "sound" as an effect, though.

Phaser: As others have said, you can get a Phase 45 for about what it would cost you to build one, and it's not a beginner build.

Overdrive: A lot of country players are running through tweeds to get that classic sound. You're already familiar with Madbean's stuff -- try the Lavache. It's extremely easy to build and mod, and it has a very interesting top end, lots of mid range (but not nasally/honky like a tubescreamer), and good bass response. It certainly sounds more like classic OD than the Ultimate Drive/OCD. I'd go for something simple here regardless, though. You might not even want an OD on classic country material after you have a compressor in the line.

[frankie5fingers]

I did take a look at the mictesters "cheap comp"  that might be an interesting choice, and you're right midway, the OS is a nice unit for country also.  I would argue with you roseblood regarding noise on the MoRC though - both of mine were absolutely quiet (with the obvious exception of maxing out the sustain level), no unwanted noise whatsoever.  That said, the comp is called for in this case, any of the recommendations will workout fine.  I hadn't considered MB's LaVache (I haven't built one yet either).  That's a "tweedy" type of circuit right..diode clipping?  I dunno, I've always been a fan of OpAmp based but I suppose the LaVache might be very nice as well, not too crunchy or overdriven.  Now I'll have to build one.

[Ben N]

Yeah, yeah, Dynacomp's suck, but if you are going for a Nashville sound they are pretty much how it's done, son. You also avoid a lot of the tuning finickiness that some other popular DIY designs involve. That is not to exclude variants, such as Ross and its progeny. OTOH, if you are one step removed from a 1-transistor boost, I'd say KISS--try either Mictester's Simple Compressor or John Hollis's Flatline, as others have suggested. They are very simple to build, with predictable results. You may find them to suit your needs fine. Or not, in which case you have moved up the pedal-building food chain without biting off more than you can chew.

As for OD, do a search here for the DIY version of the Barber LTD. If you want to know what it sounds like, there are plenty of demos around on the Barber site as well as on Youtube. Boost to light-to-medium OD, with a lot of clarity and very flexible controls. Stacks great with other stuff. Fairly simple to build, although I doubt you'll find a RTS (ready to solder) PCB for it. Otherwise, just make yourself a tubescreamer, or buy yourself an SD-1 or Bad Monkey--they're cheap enough.

Phaser? As Mark and others have said or hinted, you're not ready to take on building a phaser. Luckily, there are plenty of good choices out there at reasonable prices, new and used, in the MXR Phase 90 and EHX Small Stone families--there are Behringer copies of both. I have an Ibanez PH7, which a real sleeper IMHO, and dirt cheap (<$20) on ebay. It's not necessarily the best sounding or quietest phaser, but it's pretty close on both scores, and very, very flexible--a real pedalboard workhorse. You can't go too far wrong with a Boss PH-2/PH-3 either.

[Strat68okc]

Well thanks to all y'all for the responses.  For now, I'm gathering parts and reading threads. I'm going to go OD's, then Comp's, then Tremelo, then maybe a Phase.

The truth is, there are so many different good pedal circuits it boggles the mind. I knew who I was style and sound wise as a metal player. As a "picker", I have a lot of experience to go get. Consider that I started playing at age 13 on Iron Maiden. I'm 43 now.  Its just going to take what I can build and try out.  Honestly, I lean more toward the "non-production" OD's than I do toward the "clones". Except for the Catalinbread Formula #5. That one gets me all googly.  Most of these demo clips are great but almost none use the effects in a context that I intend to.  


I drive trucks.for a living. I used to modify CB radios, so I know a little more about soldering than the average bear. Not a lot mind you, but... I'm not afraid to destroy $$$ and parts to learn what I need to learn.

Mr Hammer is 200% correct about the slow sweep. If I can't get close to matching the song tempo with the sweep, the phase sounds like a train wreck. Rest assured I'll start bugging folks about that when the time comes. For now, I'm ok with the Behringer VP1.  I'm gonna go on a hunt for the blue Behringer though. Here in OKC you do sometimes find some really great deals a the pawnshops, so I could get lucky and score an orange one.

As far as my Squiers... yeah yeah, heard it all before. No offense, but they feel good to my hands. Mine also have Texas Custom pups in them. As soon as I have $700 plus to drop on a guitar that doesn't feel as good as the one I own, but has a name tag on it... yeah, I'll do that.  I've played them all at the music stores. I like the Squiers better.

Amps... Currently, I've got a Crate DX212. The amp models are okay. Just okay. The on-board effects suck. I was amazed at how much better pedals, even Behringer pedals sounded. I use the Blackface preset. I have a 1977 Peavey Mace that's in the shop at the moment. As soon as I get it back, I'm gonna stop using the Crate. I think its like a pound a watt though.

But again, thanks for the guidance. I'm just really blunt and determined. I don't mean offense to anyone.

[Ben N]

I've got a couple of Squier Pro Tones, a Strat and a fat Tele, and they're both excellent. The switches and pots were crap, but easily upgraded. The rosewood neck on the Strat is about the easiest I own, and the 1-piece body slab of the natural ashe finish Tele is amazing. I upgraded the pups on the Strat to Bill Lawrences (I wanted at least one noiseless Strat), and I doubt I will upgrade the Tele, since it's pups are great as-is, except I would like the flexibility of a 4-wire humbucker in the neck spot.

Bottom line: no need to apologize for your guitars if they feel and sound good to you. This isn't one of THOSE forums.

[Strat68okc]

 Finally, I'm surpirsed no one's mentioned it, but first and formost, you'll need a Tele with a real bridge pickup, not a Squire or a low end Fender.  Lollar Special T, or Fralin's choices are great for the Tele twang a very sweet but ear splittng treble with super strong bass.  Those are some good starting points.  My .02

Less of an apology. more of a raspberry. Otherwise, it was a useful post...

[deadastronaut]

you'll also need a dog that dies, and a divorce or two.. .

[Strat68okc]

Favorite dog(s) dead... check. Divorced... check. Spent a couple nights in jail.... check. Drives trucks... check. Rodeo (in my younger days... got over that insanity) check. I got this country thang whupped 

[deadastronaut]

you definately qualify then.....

[FlyingZ]

Consider that I started playing at age 13 on Iron Maiden. I'm 43 now.

It seems we are on the same schedule 

Given you use a solid state amplifier it's doubtful you will find a life or death difference between similar effects. I recommend the Orange Squeezer, it works well with anything.

[Ben N]

Favorite dog(s) dead... check. Divorced... check. Spent a couple nights in jail.... check. Drives trucks... check. Rodeo (in my younger days... got over that insanity) check. I got this country thang whupped 

... so the ex-wife ran over the dog with your truck, thereby framing you for animal cruelty? (I'm still working on fitting the rodeo thing in, give me some time on that.)