Can you use a drive pedal with an amp modeler? My plan is to get some kind of an overdirve pedal to use with my v-amp to get an extra bit of drive for breaking into solos and what not. Is this possible, has anyone tried this?
Shibby
I don't use that same unit. Here's what I do. I have couple different ways to achieve this. One way is I have the rhythm and lead patches next to each other. The other way is I have the patch set so I can turn effects on or off within the patch using a midi contorller. Another way and used the most being I use more than one amp I use a volume pedal between the them.
When I need to step out, I use the volume pedal. the second amp is set with the attenuators to only allow it to get so loud volume wise. When I step on the volume pedal it gives me more power and just a little more volume. It just sounds louder. I hope I explained so you understand how I use the volume pedal.
Joe
A substitute for the volume pedal would be the volume knob on your guitar. A bit less convenient, but it's free. Anyway: it depends both on the modeler and on the pedal. I had some ok results with the Boss SD before my V-amp, but not as succesfull as a similar pedal has been on my Vox amp. Best thing you could do is take your V-amp to a store and try a bunch of pedals on a bunch of settings. Joe's suggestion for multiple presets is good, although the V-amp has a nasty delay when switching that might be annoying.
There are those who use boosters in front of PODs. But the POD and V-amp are different animals despite functional similarities. It really depends on how well the modeling is done and what levels the input circuitry of your V-amp can take -- you really don't want to overdrive the actual input circuitry, just the modeling algorithms lurking "further inside" the V-amp. My guess would be don't bother with a booster, since the V-amp by itself can be set up for the extra gain, and as it is a bit of a budget modeler (though good), it probably doesn't have the input circuitry to take the extra signal level without producing undesirable distortion. That means attenuation -- not boost -- is probably the way to go. So I'd agree with Arjen's volume pedal suggestion (it's an attenuator). A volume pedal is a good piece of equipment to have in any case. If you can deal with the switching delay, Joe's patch recommendation should work to good effect -- especially for all-out tonal switching.
-=tension & release=-
How and what are you connecting to? If your using a regular guitar amp with two channel's. You could set the amp with channel 1 for rhythm or similar setting, then set the channel 2 with more boost.
Another option. If you have an pedal Equalizer you could also set it to boost your signal. have the Eq off for rhythm, turn it on for lead.
Not knowing which one you have I looked at the specs for a couple of them, their capable of putting out +20db's. You'll have to tweak the patch's. There must be a final out volume that can be adjusted.
joe
