Pedal Clinic

I received an email from my local guitar shop that they were going to hold a "Pedal Clinic." Now, I know these are mostly sales events, but it sounds interesting anyway. It features Boss products, and clinician Austin Sandick, who will host "a workshop focusing on looping, pedalboard order and management, and amplifier tips and tricks." It's a 90 minute event in the evening, and there is no charge to attend. So, I'm thinking of going.

Has anyone else attended something like this? I confess that recently I've become more of an acoustic player, or just playing clean electric. I know I can get creative when I start throwing effects into the mix, but I just haven't done so. Maybe this will spark my imagination.

call me a geek but I think something like that may be fun and could even give me some ideas to try.

I was for many years strictly a guitar>cable>amp kind of guy but lately, and especially since I started recording I've been more interested in getting a variety of tones and sounds.

I like all tech stuff, and enjoy modding and using pedals. (Yeah, I have a shelf of stuff I never use!)
Last time we got together to jam, I had a loop with an acoustic simulator, eq, and a chorus on the board. After I sang the tune my sister in law wanted to know how I got "that acoustic sound" with my Tele!

My guitar buddy and I love to explore pedals. He's so into them that I call him a pedal-phile. I know, bad jokes.

For me, the basics have always been od and delay. But like you, Dan, once I got heavy into recording, I got more interested in the kinds of sounds I could get out of the guitar--all for the sake of the song. I'm not a "blues guitarist" in a pure sense, and my main influences have always experimented with sounds--all for the sake of the song.

So yeah, I'd go to that clinic, Old Strummer. You might not be into the BOSS products, but you'll get a good sense of what different fx do. Might get tips on settings as well. Wish I could go!

Yesterday I dug a pedal out that I picked up and modded several years ago, (OBD-3). A fellow on the SGF was looking for one. and after I played through it again, I remembered why I put it up! Monte Allums claims he feels like he's playing through a JCM800 with this one. Besides the OD, it seems to have a longer sustain, and eventually goes to feedback if you let a note ring. I e-mailed the guy and told him I didn't think it would be suitable for his pedal steel in church!

I dug out my MXR Distortion + script logo, put a new battery in it and used it for recording last night. I haven't used that in a couple years and for probably twice as long before that. I used my tele and that pedal plus compression and tracked some sustained vibrato notes on the 6th string and it gave a nice cello effect sort of like GoT's theme song.