Anyone else ditch their stomp effects?

Hi everyone,

I'm a new forum member here... I just got my H&K Grandmeister 40 Deluxe and am loving it so far!
I used to own a Blackstart HT-100 and built my effects around the use of that head. I invested quite a lot into a Strymon Timeline, a Boss MD-500, Noise suppressor, Boost pedal and two Rocktron switch/loopers. I had built one box to contain all 'front of the amp' effects and another box to contain all the 'effects loop' effects. Both boxes had their own individual Voodoo Power 2 power supplies and Rocktron Switch looper. I had invested in Lava Piston cabling to get all of this wired up.
Now that I have the Grandmeister 40, I'm sure that I can get away with not using the Strymon or Boss, plus a few other pedals - including the Noise gate and boost, which means I can fit everything into my one custom made pedal board box.
I'm a bit cautious, as I'm don't see a lot of reviews that compare the Grandmeister effects to any other specific pedals. I guess I'll have to use my own ear and make up my own mind
I like the idea of selling my extra gear, as it will free up funds to buy more awesome gear - but I'm hesitant and don't want to regret selling anything, should I find that the Grandmeister doesn't fulfill my needs.

Has anyone else here decided to purge anything and rely solely on the effects offered up by this amazing head?

Funny, I’m struggling with the same thing. The reverb is alright but I’m having trouble warming up to the delay and tremolo. The delay is very digital sounding which is fine if that’s what you’re after but it can’t really do an analog sound. The tremolo has some funny oscillating noise I find really distracting that my pedal doesn’t have.

I haven’t figured out how to get drives/fuzzes to play nice yet but that’s a different story.

I’m leaning toward getting rid of pedals except for tuner, compressor, wah, looper but I’m still on the fence. The amp effects are about 90% there to my ears and certainly make for a simpler setup...

Yeah, me. I'm only using a wah and compressor in front of the amp now. I like the GM40s effects. I have some analog pedals (e.g delay and chorus) that sound better, but it's not a huge difference so I just go for the simpler setup.

I guess it depends on what style music you play. If you're Tom Morello and FX are a huge part of your sound at times, obviously keep using your pedals if they sound better.

Personally I'm not selling any of my pedals though - I don't mind if they are collecting dust for a while, I may still use them in future.

I haven't done any really good comparisons, but I'm still in my honeymoon phase and really shouldn't make any decisions that I may regret... the Strymon Timeline and the Boss MD-500 could really bring in some nice coin that I could put towards either wireless or a good cable snake... but I think I'll hang on to them until I'm 100% sure - the allure of purchasing new equipment can sometimes result in me making bad decisions Plus I do love the Timeline and MD-500 and I can't see myself buying them again if I let them go.

I'll do some more comparison testing and will wait a while before making any decisions... I appreciate the input and for bringing me back down to earth! Thanks!

I’ve got a fairly extensive boutique pedal board, don’t think I use the pedals that much now really. Main one i still do use is an eventide H9 for verbs and delays or other time based functions.

Realistically I should sell them on.... I’m kind of in transition from an analogue amp (Mesa Boogie LSS) to the gm40.

I know this isn't the way everyone views it but, for me, there is no value in listening to and comparing effects in your home with nothing else making a sound and with the volume at a "sensible" level.  It's just as bad to listen to someone doing the same thing on YT and dissecting the sound to the Nth degree with only themselves making any noise.  It might be interesting to know that 2000 angels can dance on the head of a pin but how does it help you in the real world?  I only ever put these things into a band perspective and make my decisions in a live situation.  In that environment I defy anyone to be able to spot differences between a digital delay and an analogue one, as long as they don't already know what they are hearing of course .  Any minute tonal differences between most pedals are of no value whatsoever in a live pub/barroom band situation.

For me the effects built into the GM36, and probably the GM40 which I don't know, are perfectly practical and infinitely more convenient than separate overpriced boutique pedals which most customers buy only for bragging rights.  Of course, for the home solo players and in studio situations there may be a slight difference which you may find important but the ability to set the effects into a single kick of a switch is so much more usable and is the most important factor in usability I feel.  Do you really think your audience are listening and criticising you because of some minute tonal difference in the tail end of your reverb or a slight upper mid dip of your chorus?  In truth I've never met any who did, even the few other musos in an audience who everyone seems to worry about impressing never even hear such things let alone judge you on them, only the overall performance.

Very well said bb. Reminds me of a great meme I saw recently...

Great replies!  Thanks BortonBert for the down to earth realistic view...  I for one, am not a tonal purist and I do agree with you and that reply really does help me lean towards selling what I don't really need.  Hard to justify keeping expensive pedals when I'm rarely ever going to need them... plus I'll be able to purchase something else that I really can use.  I am a hoarder when it comes to music equipment... something I really need to get over.

I've recently coupled a Line6 M13 via 4CM with the GM40D, and the results are stellar. Warmer delays and reverbs, which I now can choose from several types, and the ability to use a compressor on clean channel settings to even out volume differences with the gainier channels.

Also got it set as a MIDI controller, so different channels use different effect chains. Next thing it to try to use both the amp's effects withe the M13's...for something overkill.

Syn666 wrote:I've recently coupled a Line6 M13 via 4CM with the GM40D, and the results are stellar. Warmer delays and reverbs, which I now can choose from several types, and the ability to use a compressor on clean channel settings to even out volume differences with the gainier channels.

Also got it set as a MIDI controller, so different channels use different effect chains. Next thing it to try to use both the amp's effects withe the M13's...for something overkill.

Cool combination! Nice to hear you've had some success with that combo... I'm running my main midi through a Rocktron Raider, but also have another Rocktron looper/switcher that I have effects connected to... haven't tried yet (need to find a way to get more time to play around), but I'm going to get that hooked up to see how it sounds. Are you connected to the front of the amp with the M13, or through the effects loop?

I'm using 4CM, search what ir is online. You can then use FX pré and post preamp.

Syn666 wrote:...and the ability to use a compressor on clean channel settings to even out volume differences with the gainier channels.

I've always used the "Volume" control for that which is how H&K say it should be used Syn. In the GM36 the "Master Volume" is a normal passive one right where you would expect it but we have the secondary "Volume" control immediately before it. That is a digital one and it's setting is stored with each Channel. The idea is to be able to balance the channels as you want with the Volume and then set the overall level with the Master Volume. Does that not work for the GMD40?

Not with my settings, clean channel loses headroom compared to the others. Compression on the M13 sorted that out!

I'm not a pedal guy (with the exception of a Wah, and rarely Digitech Drop). I use a G Major in the loop, and have both midi synced to make everything a breeze. I prefer the fx of the G Major to the GM36/40. The Delay and reverb are really god, but the mod fx leave something to be desired. Especially the tremolo. I don't care for the phaser that's part of it. Plus, the G Major has more FX that I also use.

I will use the built-in fx when I don't feel like carrying more gear, and have presets for every occasion. I also 120 of the 128 presets used up already, set up on my GM36 and GMD40. I'm very precise in my setup though. In my main band I have 40 patches that I use a night (varying levels of gain and fx set up on ten button midi switch). I also have those cloned for a single coil guitar. Those 80 are all with the G Major. Then I also have 20 with GMfx for each guitar that I have set up with the H&K FSM switches.

I'm probably going over what most people use, but I play for a living in a high energy, song-to-song, cover all eras band.

Seems like a trend here....I too nixed most of my FX pedals, all I use is a Compressor, Wah and a Octave pedal....I did recently add a Mesa-Boogie High Wire dual buffer pedal since I am running about 50' of cable and man it really made a difference in the clarity of the tone! I really like the quality of the built in effects and like Bordenbert pointed out....there is no way anyone in the audience would have a clue that I am using them instead of my old pedal rig...and I am never reaching down to change parameters which I LOVE!....Delays are always timed perfectly!