PHOTOSHOOT: My Personal DUB EM DEEZ

it has been a long, hard (that's what she said) and expensive road to build the first element of my musical arsenal, but finally, i have a pedalboard that is worthy of showing off.  

name: pedal pad asx road series (customized)

msrp: $249.95

"always use protection"

i used to just carry my effects strapped onto a plywood board from home depot, but as my collection got more and more expensive, i realized that i needed to protect my investment in a serious way.  the pedal pad cases are definitely road worthy but i didn't like how the board inside was divided into two mini boards.  i used my home depot skills to manufacture a single board that would hold all my pedals without the divide.

before

after

name: monster rock instrument cables - 8 inch, angled plugs (count: 5)

msrp: $24.95 each

"get gold, or go home."

most people think that patch cables don't have an effect on the sound, but they are seriously mistaken.  as someone who has used both cheap and quality cables, i can confidently say that primo cables reduce noise and buzzing tremendously.  plus, monster cables are extremely reliable and coupled with a lifetime warantee, there's no other substitute.  

name: dunlop dc brick

msrp: $190.95

"you've got the touch, you've got the power!"

ask you can see, i only use mxr/dunlop effects so it would make sense to use a power supply from the same manufacturer.  this power supply sits velcroed under my pedal board where it silently feeds power to 9 volt and 18 volt effects.

name: dunlop zw-45 zakk wylde signature series crybaby wah

msrp: $200.55

"don't wake up the baby."

my guitars enter the effects chain via zakk wylde's signature series wah.  this wah features a fasel inductor like the vintage dunlop wahs to get that classic sound.  however, this wah is tuned specifically to zakk's standards so it nails those thick tones exceptionally well.  it is also adjustable via the torque wrench so you can set the speed of the wah's pedal mechanism.

name: dunlop jd-4s rotovibe expression pedal

msrp: $371.46

"good vibrations"

this effect is probably the least used of all my effects, but just like the tweezers on a swiss army knife, i do need it once in a while and am happy when its there.  this pedal switches between chorus and vibrato modes, but i use it for the vibrato exclusively.  this pedal gives me the watery sounds of hendrix and robin trower.

name: mxr EVH signature series phase 90

msrp: $247.95

"set phasers to eruption"

this pedal is irreplaceable.  i use the script switch to bring out the vintage sounds of the original scripted phase 90 to spice up solo riffs and even clean strumming and picking.  if i use this with the chorus, you can bet panties will be on stage in a second.  and the eddie van halen taped paint job is just icing on the cake.

name: mxr zw-44 zakk wylde signature series grind and clear overdrive (dunlop custom shop)

msrp: approximately $300.00

"put it into overdrive!"

you couldn't buy this effect even if you wanted to.  there was a very limited run and i was lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time.  i replaced my original wylde overdrive with this one and i haven't looked back.  people say that this overdrive is too weak, but that's because they aren't throwing it in front of a distorted amp like zakk does.  do your homework junior!  i almost always have this pedal on and cranked to maximum to get the notorious wylde tone.

name: mxr m-134 stereo chorus

msrp: $314.79

"it ain't over 'til the fat pedal sings."

this may be the bread and butter of my effects chain.  i always have this pedal on.  in studio guitarists can double, triple or even quadruple their guitars on any given track, but live, you have to rely on a nice chorus pedal to fatten up your sound.  the stereo chorus does a great job of warming up any guitar and with the three band eq built in, i can create any chorus effect i need.

name: mxr m169 carbon copy analog delay

msrp: $254.61

"there's been a slight delay...or a long one...depending on what you want."

this is the newest addition to the family and a welcomed one at that.  the analog delay gives my solos the extra "bam!" that they've been needing.  and since it is analog, i'm not falling into the compressed, digital conversions that sound so fake. keepin' it real, baby.

name: mxr m-135 smart gate

msrp: $229.47

"smarty pants"

i acquired this pedal to tame the noise that the overdrive produces in front of a distorted amp.  this pedal really lives up to it's name.  it really is smart about what to silence, and what to let go.  the unwanted noise is gone, but my tone rings true until it's last dying breath.

total msrp: $2484.48

is it worth it?

you bet.