I'd have been further ahead if I ...

[brucer]

... kept the first pedals I bought and practiced more:

Turbo Tuner > AM Peppermint Fuzz > AM Bicomp > AM-modded Boss BD-2 > Keeley-modded Boss DS-1 > Keeley-modded Boss CE-2 > Keeley-modded Boss TR-2 > AM Bad Bob Booster > Keeley-modded Boss DD-3.

I'd have just needed another OD in front of the BD-2 and a good reverb. Instead, I sold them all and sought the holy grail of tone by DIY pedal building ... only to find myself adding clones of these same circuits back on my pedalboard (because I no longer have the free cash to buy originals).

Just something I realized playing today. First world problem for sure, but urgh.

[Witchburner]

the struggle of the tone quest

At-least you do it with pedals, and not like 100pound tube amps like me I've also always been a person to rely on my amp, and know exactly how to use my equipment with an amp and a gutter over some pedals and such, but as of recently i've been delving into the effect train again....

Also, when you start making your own stuff I find it much more insightful, and when you peep into the schematic of a pedal you "liked" and realize the flow then you see your own understanding of circuity come to life and I believe thats a beautiful part of the process in search of the perfect tone.

[Jaguar018]

While I fully understand that I could get just about all the same tones out of some Boss pedals and a few add ons, that would not be fun enough for me. I have learned a lot more from failing than from sticking to all the stuff I thought I knew.

Tons of time and money spent on guitars, amps, and dozens of pedals.

BUT... now I don't wonder 'what if I bought pedal x or guitar y or amp z?' anymore. I pretty much did. I know my sound what what I need to get it.

[Shadoweclipse13]

While I fully understand that I could get just about all the same tones out of some Boss pedals and a few add ons, that would not be fun enough for me. I have learned a lot more from failing than from sticking to all the stuff I thought I knew.

Tons of time and money spent on guitars, amps, and dozens of pedals.

BUT... now I don't wonder 'what if I bought pedal x or guitar y or amp z?' anymore. I pretty much did. I know my sound what what I need to get it.

This is me exactly as well. I was a bit of a metalhead in high school (not that deep) and the guy I took lessons from was very much a former 80's rock guy who was now more into blues (I mean lame blues usually), so my tastes from that have changed. I was big into Keeley stuff early on, and then I realized that it wasn't my sound. FINDING your own sound is the cool part of the journey personally.

And to be honest, aesthetics matter a little to me. I like the weird or boutique stuff, because sometimes they just look cooler too. Who says you can't have everything?

[Jaguar018]

It's a great time to be a fan of effects pedals. There are scores of great 'big' companies, boutique brands, hobby builders and cloners at just about every price point.

If you want a board full of Boss pedals from the 80s, you can get it. If you want a collection of vintage pedals from the 60s and 70s you can 1) spend a huge chunk of $$$ for them or 2)get someone to build you clones.

Looks don't matter? Buy what you want. Looks do matter? Get the cool pedal, or get someone to rehouse the offending pedal (I have done this... ) There are variations, generally improved, of just about every classic pedal out there, and there are dozens of new pedals that can make sounds never heard before.

Just about all of us would be better if we practiced more and spent less time fussing over gear, but I don't think it's really a 1:1 correlation. Most of the time I was practicing and playing I was nowhere near a computer. The time I fret over gear is when I'm slacking off work.

[FightingPlankton]

Had same issue. Sold 3 pedals to buy a digitech space station...hated it. Resold it. Bought back cheap clones of the original 3. Kept the extra cash

[Witchburner]

Had same issue. Sold 3 pedals to buy a digitech space station...hated it. Resold it. Bought back cheap clones of the original 3. Kept the extra cash

This is beautiful

I find myself so many times playing a pedal I imagine I liked or demod at a place or a friends and then I can somehow manage to find something I don’t like about it

In search of that glorious tone
Something that’s as clear in my head
Nothing can seem to get me there

The tone quest

[BlueSparkle]

I'd be further ahead if I stopped changing my mind about what guitars I want, what pedals to buy and which car I have to spend money on...

FWP's....

[marqueemoon]

Yeah. I think I'm putting on the brakes on going down the pedal building rabbit hole.

It's usually possible to buy for cheaper than it costs to build, and if you buy used or buy someone else's project you can usually sell for about what you paid and not be out the time.

I don't have very exotic tastes when it comes to guitar tone anyway.

[Chew]

I’ve done this way too many times. Buy something cheap and sell it to chase something else. Then realize down the line after buying the original thing again that’s what I wanted all along.

It’s easy to get caught up in that for me.