DIY stompers used LIVE to great effect !!

[MartyMart]

Gig last night - see OT thread , here's what we were using :

Bass - ( me ) LA Light comp/limit and "tweaked" PV TG Raxx valve preamp

Guitar 1 - BSIAB II for main distortion sounds and DIY Ross comp

Guitar 2 - Modified "Guv-nor" for main distortion/amp boost ( only because I dont have another BSIAB II !! )

Performed/sounded great live 

Thanks Ed G and Johan and Tonepad 

MM

[KaptenSpark]

Maybe this could be one of those really long threads. I'll make my contribution:

Gig last sunday:

"DynaRoss"-comp
BMP
small clone
blue box
rebote 2.5

all above DIY (&tonepad) worked excellently!

[Processaurus]

Awesome!  Its so cool when stuff you make just comes alive.  No wonder pedals are such a fetish, they're these cute little boxes with little knobs that somehow make your good band sound great.   No audience, but I was playing over at my friends' and brought the big cheese clone a couple nights ago, and it was the same thing, it sounded almost undeservedly legit, it was distracting, because it kinda sounded like a record, as opposed to your friends' basement. 

The dark side is that a lot of science projects I make just haven't found their place yet where they're indispensible for performing.

[choklitlove]

sort of along the same lines: today i made my first pedal that i'll actually use live.  rebote with a couple crazy mods.  it's exciting.

[Cardboard Tube Samurai]

Man, I've been using my pedals live since I first started making them. Even the first one I made which was a Muff Fuzz in a shitty plastic box still gets a workout once in a while. I have actually completely phased out my store-bought pedals (except for my wah). These days pretty much all of my gigs are done with my modified Tube Screamer, DOD OD250, modified LPB2 and sometimes my RAT or MXR Dist+ for flavourings. I just wish more people would take notice of my pedals when I play... I think they are too scared to come too close to the stage though... we are rather energetic!

[trevize]

I regularly use my pedal board which is made of

ggg ic buffer
axis face silicon (great fuzz!)
ropez + 4 extra stages
amz mini booster
pt-80
*stereo memory man* the only non diy pedal

into a madamp m15 (kit) with 2 x jensen p10r diy cabinet

It actually sounds great and I get a lot of compliments for the sound.

I use the pedalboard also with my fender twin and fender transistor amp (m80).

I'm actually planning my diy guitar and to build another pt80 (so I can use ONLY diy stuff live )

[rove]

A big reason I got into DIY pedals was to replace my live pedal setup.  Well I did that and then I started building the pedals I always wish I had but were too much $$$$.  Since I started this I always get comments on my sound--played sunday and monday with my modded TS and Superfuzzz (check out slacker's awesome layout for this one) on bass and got some unique tones.
But I am most proud that on my bands new album all the FX are DIY'ed by me.
I really couldn't have done it without this place, smallbear, Pedalpartsplus, GGG, tonepad, and etc.!

[jrc4558]

My whole signal chain is DIY except a Digitech digital delay... Even the amp...

[funkbass187]

i've used my AMZ Mosfet booster live before, and i've also used my atari-punk console with switchable ldr s for a show. the atari punk was mainly used for obnoxious ambient noise, but it got the desired effect if the crowd wondering "what the hell is that guy doing and where are those obnoxious noises coming from?".

[enigmur]

As soon as my 3PDT's arrive, and I get my enclosure done, I'll certainly be using my pedals!

Setup will then be

G&L Legacy HB - NPN Boost - Vox V487 - Homebrew Axis Face (Ginger Muff) - Vintage reissue Rat - Ashton 50w all tube amp.

The vox has pots to control the gain resistor and the Q resistor, soon to have switchable sweep pots and switchable yellow/red Fasels.
The Rat has LEDs for Diodes to make it an overdriver more than a distortion.
I just use my amp for distortion because it is brutal.

Certainly, I am going to use it live and at gigs - basically why I built them!

I cant stop modding now, I feel so ripped off buying new stuff!

[Barcode80]

i was using a large percentage of DIY until a couple of weeks ago, at the moment i'm afraid i'm embarrassed to say it's all store bought  but that is mainly because the band i'm playing in most frequently right now i can't fit a lot of effects in. i use a boss tu-2 tuner, a morley bad horsie wah (i'll DIY a diff wah when i can figure out the optical switching), a heavily modded ts-9, a H2O chrous/echo, a boss tr-2 tremolo, a seymour duncan pickup booster, and a boss master loop switch. i'm planning on swapping in my rocket booster back in place of the SD, but it is on loan to someone. I'm also going to replace the tremolo and the wah with DIY eventually. i don't think i'll ever replace the H2O

[aron]

I use my modified Memory Man, DIY pedal power, DIY A/B tuner/preamp, Shaka Overdrive with my DIY modded Traynor YRM-1.

[Fp-www.Tonepad.com]

Cool!!

Yesterday I took my diy TS to a gig.

Fp

[runmikeyrun]

The first thing ANYONE ever says to me while we're setting up is "what the f*** is that thing?" 

It's also the first thing anyone says right after the set.  No one cares about our music just my fx   

[jonathan perez]

noone ever asks about my FX, so i stopped caring.

noone ever asks about my tone, so i stopped caring.

my tone will step on anyone's tone and take a dump on it.

but noone cares. 

[enigmur]

I think only a tone nut or guitarist will ever come up and mention your gear or tone.

Most people don't understand a unique beautiful tone from a cheap crap pedal or amp - I am still trying to teach my rhythm guitarist.

Some people never get it, even simple things like playing around with eq on an amp - so many don't bother. So many people don't know why their guitar has more than one knob. People dont know why you would spend so much money and time picking out your guitar and effects.

The rhythm guitarist and bassist in my band for instance. I have NEVER heard them mention the word tone while we jam. It's taken me over a year to drill instrument level balance into them, let alone EQ settings and tone changes. Its either clean, driven or distorted.

I guess we are just geeks, only other geeks will fully understand.

Sure is fun being a geek 

[joelap]

The first thing ANYONE ever says to me while we're setting up is "what the f*** is that thing?" 

It's also the first thing anyone says right after the set.  No one cares about our music just my fx   

Hahaha I get the same thing man! 

I use a Dr. Boogie for my main distortion sound.  I have a modified Vox 847 wah, a modded Boss CE-3, a modded Russian Small Stone, a DIY and modified Fuzz Face (though I'm giving that to my guitar teacher soon), a DIY colorsound Overdriver, DIY rangemaster, and soon to be many more (AMZ Mosftet, Red Llama, Swollen Pickle, plan on trying a few other boosters as well).  I love gigging with my DIY stuff or stuff I've modded.  It bridges a nice gap for me between my two loves, electronics and music.

[shuriken]

I gotta say, thanks to all the contributors here, I have also started using my DIYs live.
First is a BMP from GGG layouts. Sounds awesome, but as I play bass gets a bit lost with the natural mid cut. I have modified it, so waiting to see how it sounds this weekend.
Haven't had any questions about it, but probably will soon, however, If I wanna talk gear, well, thats what these forums are for. Id much rather spend my time after gigs talking to members of the fairer sex. But, if they wanna talk gear, well, thats fine by me!
Cheers everyone for this great info!

[petemoore]

  Planed down antique pine cab w/Blue Alnico in it, Fender Blue also.
  5e3 head, slightly 'Marshalled', if that's possible, smaller input and pre caps, and a B+ Vdrop mod.
  From the other end...
  I have a 'hot' neck PU, it's volume pot has HF bypass capacitor on it, and Series HB or coil tap.
  Bridge is a PAF Pro.
  Dyna Comp
  EZ Vibe w/'wierd' mod to make it work...works best of two.
  Hybrid FF
  Bobtavia
  Orange Squeezer/DIST+ [in a box]
  Power Mosfet Booster W/input gain and TC.
  Line 6 Echo Park..
  The head is in pallette oak cabinet, the patina has many coats of laquer on it, I put "MAX" inlaid bright maple into super dense mahogany, it gets 'questions', but fewer inquiries about the pedals.
  Every once in a while an 'rig drooler' gets very interested in the amp and pedals. I chirps, chugs, grunts, screams, nailing a wide variety of tones pretty ready-like-go, having it's own kind of cool fun on other stuff and sounds like a normal old amp too.
  ------------------------------
  What I can't wait to start getting out is my new PA !
  The cabs just got re-done! New laquer finish over heavy patina [light pine], new grille cloths..I found some 'canvas weave' at the craft store, <8 buk a yard, [it looks like 1/4'' black squares...white lines, mostly air, made from heavy canvas string]. These fine cabinets were trash picks from long back, 60's style HiFi reflex 1'' pine cabs, front mount, 'full length scoops', w/EV horns and 12's !!! Goodman 'true-triax' 12'' speakers [3 drivers in each]. Dad built some like these, fairly common for Fi guys in the 60's.
  Can't tell you how glad I am that I got these cabinets.
  While building the dual mono LM3886 amps I had a full featured Xover bestowed to me [also, I thank the bestowers for their interest in my interests!], Bi-amp 2-3way St. or 5 way mono !!..cleaned up perfect too !
  I tried some greenbacks, then 15'ers from Magnavox...that's what's in there, very full sounding, but I'm sure I could blow them with a stiff wind...sounds great though.
  Selenium Titanium 50w/100wPk compression drivers [ferro cooled, whatever that is I'll see..sounds cool] and med large horns..no lack of HF response ! I do have a 3rd LM3886 amp in case there's another woofer cab available.
  Cool thing is the echoes, preset #86 on my Proverb does nice slapecho on Folsom Prison, some of the deeper reverbs sound really great on Bowie or Doors etc. being able to have wide freq response and controllable echoes...allows the ability to tweek the PA sound/tone to what it 'should' be..most of the time on others PA's, the echo or reverb is barely there, preset. After finding a few presets I really like, being able to switch echoes, and mix is quite empowering..I've been spending hours daily singing and playing!!
  AFAIConcerned these 'ol common 60's style reflexer cabs are the bees knees !
  They barely let everything else fit in my car and have great bass response.
  Had to go back and check the cure on the finish..yupp, still a beaming Grill and gleaming red-orange-ish brown wood. I put the EV sticker back on there. 
  Helmsman Spar Urethane is good stuff.
  Yupp...had to rip out the old 'wiring'...like stuff falling off terminals...lol, and put nice new 'flooring' jack plates [dohhlt, I tried non-insulated, fortunately figured that noise out quick enough].
   

[caress]

well...i guess i'm the only keyboardist here.     i guess i use a different rig depending on which group i'm playing with, but i generally use a fender rhodes or wurlitzer, korg ms2000 and yamaha vss30 through trem panneur, garagefuzzz (modified to danger!danger!), boss vb-2 clone, maestro fz-1 clone, feedback loop, fuzz face (si/ge) and non-DIY:  fender fuzz-wah, big muff, boss rv-5, line6 delay/looper all through a silverface fender twin.  it's a rotating lineup with some other keys and pedals...

[edit]  oh yeah, in one of my bands the lead guitarist uses a foxx tone machine and trem lune, other guitarist uses an ad3208 delay and the bassist is about to use a blending fuzz boxx/bitcrusher made by me.  fun!