Analog Stompboxes Versus Multi-Effects Processors

Gone are the days of guitarists plugging their guitar into their amplifiers and just playing. While clean or high-gain distortion playing used to be the norm, most guitarists rely upon sophisticated gear in order to achieve the “drill through your face” distortion or “cloudy dreamy” chorus that makes their listeners beg for more. While a decade or two ago, most artists brought along one or two analog stompboxes to augment their tone, more often today, artists have custom pedalboards chock full of expensive boutique pedals or all-in-one multi-effects units, floor or rack-mounted, on their (or their soundguy’s) person for every gig.

Most stompboxes have a dedicated, single feature. An individual box might add chorus, distortion, flange, or any such effect to a guitarist’s tone. The amount of the effect added with a stompbox is easily regulated with simple twists of a couple of knobs, being very user friendly, but only just so adjustable. Most stompboxes run on 9 volt battery power, but many manufacturers offer AC powered “pedalboards” that allow often up to ten or twenty individual boxes to be placed within its friendly confines, all powered by one single outlet, saving batteries and hassle. The advantage of the individual stompboxes is that you can “chain” them together, and only use the effects you want in that chain by simply “stomping” the effect you would like to employ. Moving boxes to different locations in that “chain” can affect the sound by one effect being employed first, second, third, etc, with many possibilities for tone creation. Disadvantages for using stomboxes chained in a pedalboard are mostly expense. Individual pedals cost between $75 to $200 each, depending on their rarity or vintage production, and pedalboards themselves start at well over $150 for a reputable one. Many musicians have taken to building their own pedalboards, to save some cash. Just think how horrible it would be if your custom pedalboard, with nearly or over a $1000 of effects pedals housed inside, was stolen or lost. Finding all of those individual pedals again might be impossible, and definitely costly.

Multi-effects units have become an attractive option for musicians. They sound, react, and are manipulated differently of course because they employ silicone chips to produce sounds digitally instead of the analog transistors used in stompboxes. A multi-effects unit is a good way to get all the sounds you want (and some unnecessary ones of course) and house them within one easy to carry unit. Disadvantages of these units include the tedious knob turning and button pushing necessary to modify effects in order to employ a single effect. Usually, effects are paired together within these units to make their signature sounds, and this could be a deal breaker for the sound purists out there. Another disadvantage is that some modules will lose the presets you’ve created if there is a power outage or battery failure; imagine that happening in front of 1000 spectators! A guitarist can purchase these units for often around $100 to $500, so they are definitely the “more bang for your buck” option.

As always, guitarists should scoot on down to their local guitar shop for hands-on experience. Respectable stores like Austin’s Strait Music Company have employees with so much knowledge and experience with all sorts of guitar accessories and are happy to give advice, as well as provide opportunities for trying out all the equipment.

About the Author: Clint Strait is a third generation owner and assistant manager of the Strait Music, Austin Music Stores, providing the best selection of electric guitars and guitar accessories to Austin and the surrounding area for over forty years. For more information please visit www.straitmusic.com.