EQ pedals?

toma · #1 01.23.10, 7:29 AM

Im looking to get me an eq pedal.

basically, whats the difference between a £100 MXR eq, and a £15 beringer one?

Cheers

toma

ps - sorry if this is a repeat post but the word 'EQ' isnt long enough to to be picked up by the search function!

Error 42 · #2 01.24.10, 3:06 AM

The Behringer is noisy and flimsy. Possibly worth trying one out if you're just curious about EQ, but if you know you want one (and want a good one) then I'd give it a wide berth.

The Dano Fish n Chips is a GREAT EQ pedal for the money, and is generally thought to be better than the Boss GE7. A mate of mine has the Dano, and I have the GE7. Both are good, but the GE7 does seem to introduce a bit of hiss and noise whereas the Dano doesn't. The Boss is definitely a more solid piece of kit than the Dano, but the Dano is a few years old and still going strong with no problems so far.

MXR is a solid build and has a decent reputation, but I've not had enough experience with one to offer any kind of opinion on it.

jonbye · #3 01.24.10, 3:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Error 42

The Behringer is noisy and flimsy. Possibly worth trying one out if you're just curious about EQ, but if you know you want one (and want a good one) then I'd give it a wide berth.

-1 to this. Had my Behringer EQ for over 3 years and never had any noise problems unlike more pricey pedals I own (Line 6, Digitech)

Its gets the job done well - probably not the best ever but you're not paying that money. Needless to say its not got the problems of the Boss.

Danelectro is supposedly good, but getting harder to find in the UK.

Error 42 · #4 01.24.10, 3:36 AM

That's pretty cool - I know that their tuner pedal was pretty hit and miss, so maybe the EQ is like that too?

The same friend that owns the Dano EQ also has a Behringer tuner which is pretty good, while everyone else I know who bought that tuner had nothing but misery from it (to the point that the local store guy just flat out refuses to stock them because so many were returned).

Best place to pick up a Dano these days seems to be on eBay from the US.

firewalk13 · #5 01.24.10, 7:32 AM

Also think about the DOD FX40B. It's quieter than the GE-7 and has a stronger build than the dano and you can get one for a similar price or cheaper than one of those new.

toma · #6 01.24.10, 8:37 AM

so is the rough upshot that it isnt really worth forking out for an MXR, assuming i get to try one out first, they all do the same job?

knives490 · #7 01.24.10, 9:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toma

they all do the same job?

Pretty much, just some do it better with less noise too.

jonbye · #8 01.24.10, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Error 42

That's pretty cool - I know that their tuner pedal was pretty hit and miss, so maybe the EQ is like that too?

There's a misconception here. The behringer tu100 by all accounts was bad. The tu300 that came out isn't and apparently is very reliable. People mix them up. I think the tu100 has now been discontinued from the behringer line (several have already)

wren · #9 01.24.10, 12:30 PM

Remember all the brouhaha over the Sniper-modded EQs? I bought a couple Sniper mod kits from Kevin back in the day; they consisted of 5 parts to be swapped out. That's right, 5 parts. Those 5 parts make a massive difference.

I'm guessing that there's a difference much larger than 5 parts between the MXR and the Behringer. Is the MXR worth the extra money? Try 'em out and see for yourself. In a broader sense, all EQ pedals are EQ pedals, but they're not all made equal. If you can't hear the difference, be happy that you can't and buy the cheaper one. If you can, decide if the MXR's sound is worth 4 times as much to you. If not, buy the cheaper one.

codetocontra · #10 01.24.10, 8:39 PM

Doesn't the MXR 10-band EQ also have a slider for gain? So really it would be the ultimate dial-in-your-tone distortion box.

Doctor J · #11 01.24.10, 9:06 PM

Gain in that context is just volume. Not overdrive. Like the level slider on the BOSS GE-7.

treardet · #12 01.24.10, 9:28 PM

The Fish and Chips is a great deal for a solid and quiet pedal. I'm kind of sick of the pedal's size. and the footswitch is so close to the sliders. I guess it doesn't matter if you just set your EQ and leave it, but I don't like stepping on it. I'd rather it be in a Boss case or something. It is so cheap though. You can use it as a good, sculptable clean boost as well. I just really hate it's size. I almost want to get it re-housed except the prohibitive cost renders it counter-intuitive, in that its appeal is largely budget-oriented.

Hides-His-Eyes · #13 01.25.10, 1:19 AM

That's my problem with dano minis, and why i currently don't have any.

I have big feet.

Error 42 · #14 01.25.10, 1:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonbye

There's a misconception here. The behringer tu100 by all accounts was bad. The tu300 that came out isn't and apparently is very reliable. People mix them up. I think the tu100 has now been discontinued from the behringer line (several have already)

No misconception at all. My friend's tuner is a TU100 and has been a perfectly good tuner since it was purchased quite a few years ago. Most other TU100s that I've heard about have been really bad - but his is definitely good.

This makes sense to me, because dropping stringent QC is probably used as a cost saving measure. Some are going to be rubbish, and a few will be extra good while the overwhelming bulk of the units produced should be adequate.

Also, re the mini Dano pedals - you could always put it on a TB strip or looper to take the worry out of stomping on it and a) wearing the switch out and/or b) accidentally hitting the sliders with your feet.