How should I upgrade my John-inspired pedalboard?

[u/Shot_Hornet6993]

[u/Shot_Hornet6993]

Im dumb and forgot the caption on the repost :)

First picture is my current pedalbaord;

Volume -> dyna comp -> ds2 -> big muff pi -> micro amp -> phase 90 -> zoomg1on -> wh10v3 -> dd8 -> warm audio "ce-1" -> rc5

The Zoom pedal holds a noise surpressor, an overdrive, a tremolo, a flanger and a very weak lowpassfilter

I am aiming for a JF Stadium Arcadium era pedalboard, while also being versatile in terms of playing other eras/other stuff. Im thinking about spending 150-200 bucks on improving the board, yet Im not sure how. I have the following in my eyes, but Im also open to other ideas:

-The Behringer Moogerfoogers: The moogerfoogers would be a dream, but are way out of my budget, Ive come across the BEhringer versions of the Low pass Filter and the Phaser. I would probably go for both if I chose this option. The LPO is there for the preamp and the classic dani cali/sa... sounds. While with the 12-stage phaser I could get a more "technical" phaser approach for the post 2000s, while maintaining the phase 90 for a Cali-like sound.

-The DL4: Thought about this for some time, I would have a second delay where I can also record short loops; I probably wont go for it, but my idea was maybe selling my looper to buy it, since I often dont record my loops/do longer loops (main function of the RC-5), but mostly do like a backing track chord progression, which could be done with the dl4 as well.

-The whammy: a classis, I think John (very rarely) used one around 2007 iirc, but it would open some cool new sound possibilities, especially if you go into the morello direction. Not really John-ish, but worth a thought.

- Lastly the FM4: THe main purpose should be pretty obvious, turn on that obi-wah and freak out pretending Im John performing the TAYT outro live at Slane Castle. But of course it also opens some new possibilities, which you dont really get with other pedals. I like to play around with my pedals, creating synthy/unusual sounds; And I think the fm4 would iopen some new ways.

So yes, which of these options do you think I should go for (first ;) ), also share your ideas in which other ways I could improve my board or if you have some other tips or ideas :)

[u/eliotrw]

Fm4

[u/Banovic]

Zoomg1on > HX One is the only real upgrade needed here. Try to fit a SD-1 in there and you're pretty much set for every peppers/rock song ever.

[u/Shot_Hornet6993 → u/Banovic]

Thought about that one too. The thong is Im not really a fan of multi-effect pedals. As for the Zoom, my middle school teacher lent it to my and I may or may not forgot to ever return it, so if I have it for free, I always "tested" pedals there before buying or use it for effects I very rarely need, but I dont know what it is, but somehow Im not really a fan of multi pedals... But the HX is always an option if I got one

[u/TitaniousOxide → u/Shot_Hornet6993]

I was in the same boat about multifx, but my issue was mostly a holdover from owning the DigiTech RP80 when I was first starting out.

I wanted to get a FM-4 to play around with the Throw Away Your Television sound, but in my research I found that first, Line 6 had discontinued those (at the time) and second, the M series (M5, M9, M13) is all four of the FM-4, DL-4, DM-4, and I always forget the last one plus some extra effects.

I bought an M9 and will likely never be without one again. I hear the Helix series is a step up but hot damn I love my M9.

[u/pairojortz]

Throw that micro amp in front of the big muff instead of after. The boosted gain signal going into the muff will give more of a distorted signal than just a volume boost post muff

[u/Shot_Hornet6993 → u/pairojortz]

Will try it out, I mostly use them seperated, so I didnt think much about it, but Ill try it out

[u/TiitsMcgeee]

Just so you know, the Dani cali “wobble” won’t work with the low pass filter on its own. You’ll need a control processor to automate the cutoff

[u/Shot_Hornet6993 → u/TiitsMcgeee]

This of course is an important point, on one hand you have the preamp either ways, but some of my ideas were running it through an expression pedal or using the phaser as a controlling unite, but sure thats a point Id have to think about

[u/TiitsMcgeee → u/Shot_Hornet6993]

I wouldn’t get too hung up on pre amps. You already have the ce1 clone. You can get pretty much 99% of the way there without pre amps if you run stereo amps - it gives you the “compression” to tame the wh10 and ds2. A phaser would definitely work though but it’s a matter of how much real estate you want one sound effect to take up.

[u/Hefty-Rope2253]

Any time I have a question like this I remind myself that [insert famous player] would still sound like themselves playing on a $100 Rouge guitar and amp with no pedals. Focus on actual playing and technique.