Lap Steel And Effects Pedals

Jerry Berger · Post by **Jerry Berger** » 5 Apr 2014 6:11 pm

Do any of you lap steel players use effects pedals and if so, what kind?

Paul Arntson · Post by **Paul Arntson** » 5 Apr 2014 8:50 pm

Modified low gain Boss DS1 and electroharmonics reverb pedal.

But then Freddie Roulette uses echo and delay…..

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 5 Apr 2014 8:56 pm

I use the Electro Harmonix Freeze and Super Ego pedals a lot, as well as a MoogerFooger high pass filter. I'm really into multieffects units, and I have a ton of great sounds I use, from many types of distortions and modulations, to delays and filters. Basically everything I can. I have sounds that enable me to get the electric piano and vibraphone vibe without sounding cheesy. I'm not a big fan of synthesizers as sample players, but I love analog synth sounds and try to duplicate Moog sounds.

Stefan Robertson · Post by **Stefan Robertson** » 6 Apr 2014 12:14 am

Boss pedals all the way but right now haven't been using any for a while.

Adam Nero · Post by **Adam Nero** » 6 Apr 2014 8:12 am

Holy grail reverb and GFS pro delay. Both highly recommended. Especially the GFS one, they make excellent and super affordable units.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 6 Apr 2014 8:21 am

Holy Grail Plus reverb, Boss delay on some slow songs, Sarno Black Box, volume pedal: either Goodrich or Hilton

Dennis Anderson · Post by **Dennis Anderson** » 6 Apr 2014 10:20 am

Dunlop volume pedal, Diamond Memory Lane, and Hermida Zendrive.

Michael Butler · Post by **Michael Butler** » 6 Apr 2014 10:56 am

i have a few that i mainly use for guitar but now and then plug the lap steel into.

they are fulltone full drive 3, strymon timeline, mobius and big sky. sometimes i do plug the lap steel into a sears silvertone 1482 that has an exceptional tremolo.

play music!

Nakos Marker · Post by **Nakos Marker** » 6 Apr 2014 11:05 am

Stephen Rethmeier · Post by **Stephen Rethmeier** » 6 Apr 2014 11:15 am

I've only been playing slide for about 2 years, so I don't even know what I don't know yet about steel guitar, but... I started in open D and played blues and rock in a couple bands. I use several dist/ODs--OCD, Big Cheese, Roger Mayer Voodoo-2, Sweet Honey Drive, Big Muff. My wife is a music director at an Anglican church (high church with lots of formal liturgy). She has me play occasionally, and the Big Muff works for dramatic organ-like swells. My musician friends claim it's the one and only time someone has ever used a Big Muff in church.

I like Strymon pedals, so I had a Blue Sky, but switched to the Flint for reverb (and tremolo). Brigadier or Timeline for delay, but I'm looking for an El Capistan. The timeline is overkill for me.

Volume pedal, or course.

I recently got an 8-string tuned to C6 and I find all I need is reverb and a little delay for it to sound great. As an aside, 8-strings and all the tunings it allows has been a revelation. I have not been this energized to play and learn in a long time. I dream about it and wake up smiling, thinking about the next time I can sit down and play it.

I've traveled a few times to Canada and New York to play with some friends for some events, and then I just bring a Line6 M9. The M9 seems pretty good to me, is very compact, and does most things well enough except for maybe dist/ODs.

Jerry Berger · Post by **Jerry Berger** » 6 Apr 2014 1:17 pm

I have noticed that the Holy Grail Reverb effects pedal has been mentioned several times and was wondering if this was one of these units:

Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Digital Reverb Pedal

Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Nano Reverb Guitar Effects Pedal

Please advise,

Jerry Berger

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 6 Apr 2014 1:47 pm

Yes, the one I use is the first one you listed. I guess they've changed the name to Holy Grail Max. It used to be called Plus. It has a very good Spring reverb setting that sounds a lot like the reverb in the old Fender amps.

If you have good reverb in your amp and you are happy with it there's really no reason to buy a reverb pedal IMO. It just that a pedal will give you more control over the type of reverb, and the level, etc.

Jerry Berger · Post by **Jerry Berger** » 6 Apr 2014 2:01 pm

Thanks Doug, I'll check the reverb in my amp before buying a reverb pedal.

Paul Honeycutt · Post by **Paul Honeycutt** » 6 Apr 2014 7:36 pm

I have two pedalboards that I use for electric guitar and I use them for my lap steel as well. My main board is:

MXR Dyna-Comp > ZenDrive > Barber Direct Drive > BBE Green Screamer > Boss DC-2 Chorus > Ibanez VL-10 Volume Pedal (with a Korg Pitchblack Tuner run from the tuner out) Boss DD-2 Delay.

The one I'm using in the new Alt. Country Band is:

BBE Bench Press Compressor > Ibanez TS-5 Tube Screamer > (Dirt Box, still not sure what's going to go here, RAT-Clone?) > TC Electronic Nova Modulator (Phaser/Chorus/Trem) > Ernie Ball Volume Pedal (Korg DT-10 Tuner from Tuner Output) > Digitech DigiDelay

If I run the Acoustic Lap Steel through my acoustic instrument rack, it goes through a Digitech Multi-Effects unit for Reverb, Chorus and Delay that's in the loop of a Furman line mixer. I'm still figuring out the best way to amplify it.

Information overload, I know.

Peter Jacobs · Post by **Peter Jacobs** » 7 Apr 2014 6:35 am

I use either a Timmy or an MI Audio Blue Boy Deluxe overdrive and the volume knob on the steel. Some amp reverb, occasionally amp trem. Starting to experiment with a Teese FK-1 comp pedal.

This is a cool thread -- I may have to try some more effects!

Noah Miller · Post by **Noah Miller** » 7 Apr 2014 6:40 am

Aside from my amp's onboard reverb, I like to use a touch of modulation on slow songs with long, sustained notes. A subtle phaser gives a sense of motion on lines that would otherwise be a bit boring.

I had been using a Mutron Phasor I, but the bypass sound is lacking and the AC-cord gets annoying to deal with, so I've just purchased a BBE Soul Vibe (a Univibe clone). It digs into the bass just the right amount.

Jack Aldrich · Post by **Jack Aldrich** » 7 Apr 2014 10:33 am

Boss Tuner Pedal
Boss Fender Twin Reverb (if my amp or the house doesn't have it) pedal
Boss 10 band EQ pedal

Bill Adams · Post by **Bill Adams** » 7 Apr 2014 3:24 pm

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808HW
Peterson Strobostomp tuner
Reverb from Amp
Barber Compressor
MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay
Hilton Volume Pedal

Rarely use any compression or delay anymore...

Sam White R.I.P. · Post by **Sam White R.I.P.** » 7 Apr 2014 4:03 pm

Jerry I use my RV-3 that I used on all the pedal Steels that I have had including the Steel you bought from me.I love the RV-3 I have some of the greatest sound you want to hear.It gives me more sustain and tone I also use my Peavey Nashville 112 Amp and I turn the Reverb in the Amp off as you do not need it with the RV-3.Also jery the day you received that beautiful Steel i sold you you told me you stayed up all night and played it. Maybe you are sitting there to long and you get tied. Back off a little and you might find a inprovment in your playing. You are trying to push your self to hard so slow down a little bit.

Sam White

Tom Snook · Post by **Tom Snook** » 8 Apr 2014 1:46 am

I used to use a slight touch of delay, not even a slap back but just enough to fill out the tone a little. And I just now thought about trying a little chorus to add some shimmer.
I love the way the Magnatone that Jules and Barney played back in the day sounds,I'm going to try to get close to that sound using my Digitech Multi Effects pedal.

Wesley Medlen · Post by **Wesley Medlen** » 8 Apr 2014 2:55 am

On my 6 string lap I like the Lexicon MX 100 I use on my psg thru a Nashville 112

Brad Tomlinson · Post by **Brad Tomlinson** » 26 Dec 2023 3:44 pm

I’m using a Vox Ac4tvmini and a Boen lap steel. I want to emphasize harmonics and the nigh bell like notes on the guitar for playing Hawaiian music. I’m in open D and looking to play a similar style as Feet Rogers.
What pedal would emphasize those high notes so they are clear and bell like with good sustain?

Larry Allen · Post by **Larry Allen** » 26 Dec 2023 5:09 pm

I have my 1937 Nat’l set up with a Roland GR-20 especially for one of the bands..I use Piano, Rhodes, Jazz Organ, Vibes, Trombone, Violin, mostly..I picked it up on EBay years ago for $75.. (not the Nat’l!).

Mark Perrodin · Post by **Mark Perrodin** » 26 Dec 2023 5:44 pm

golden fleece fuzz into a blues power drive into a flint reverb/tremolo into an oracle delay into a 1962 brownface pro.

Steve Lipsey · Post by **Steve Lipsey** » 27 Dec 2023 11:20 am

Tom-
Check out the Mooer Ana Echo mini-pedal - I use it to do exactly what you are looking for...short delay for a bit of extra body, plus to my ears it seems to have a bit of chorus in the sound.,..I think that many of the mini-pedals are modulation-based and carry that into their output...I leave it on full time for my lap board..
Megan Lovell of Larkin Poe used one of those for a while - I saw it on her pedal board and shamelessly copied her choice...
https://www.mooeraudio.com/product/Ana-Echo--147.html

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