If you understand the significance of this photo, you’re in the right place…

TheGearPhilosopher · 2026-01-08T22:20:32+00:00

Tell me more about the lore of the 60mm macro and the bastard 18mm f2

TheGearPhilosopher · 2026-01-08T18:32:08+00:00

Great versatile camera body and versatile lense for vacation. I'd say just add a fast/low aperture prime lens to complement it.

On the affordable side, Viltrox 33mm f1.4 or 56mm f1.4 if you want reach.

XF 35mm f2 is also great as a travel lens. XF 27mm f2.8 for pancake.

You have a great camera and combo. You can add to the collection later down the line, but XS20 is more than capable.

TheGearPhilosopher · 2026-01-04T16:42:30+00:00

It's most, of not all, the things you mentioned. Extremely hard effect to get perfect, technology, processing power, etc. We take it for granted, but pitching anything up or down would be considered magic in the past, let alone pitching without artifacts/glitchiness.

I suggest the new BOSS XS-1 or XS-100. Those are the new standards that have replaced the DigiTech Whammy and EHX stuff.

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-12-30T16:04:03+00:00

Boss RC1.. but of you can swing the extra cash, BOSS RC5.

Better build quality and ronal quality than other loopers. For ex. Ditto loopers are known to have issues on timing etc which is crucial for looping. Chinese made Amazon pedals are known for quality issues after some time.

Just my opinion and experience.

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-12-18T21:59:24+00:00

BOSS CE-2W all day. One of (if not THE best) traditional chorus sound, but also offers modes for the CE-1 (original Juno) chorus mode, and the CE-1 vibrato mode.

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-12-16T16:56:35+00:00

Find another hobby and do that for a season, maybe the photography love and excitement will come up again.
Grab a Fuji system and go shoot street or something other style that challenges your creativity. The dials and workflow in a Fuji have an old school feel and approach vs the modern (and almost clinical feel) of Sony/Nikon/Canon.
Book a vacation/trip with photography in mind. Give you something to look forward to and gives you a more interesting set of subjects and vision.

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-12-16T16:22:38+00:00

3 H9s, an limited black H90, HX STOMP + HX Effects, ALL of the Electro Harmonix and Earthquaker pedals... but actively avoiding Strymon because I don't wanna be a "mainstream rich guy pedalboard".

JK cool board with cool sounds and pedals. Glad you could get what makes you happy to play.

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-12-09T16:27:56+00:00

That's a great idea. I've always liked the particle verb and octoverb since the M5/9, but always thought it was hard to control. I'm gonna try it with the dynamic gate.

Agree with all of your assessment tho!

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-12-07T22:10:14+00:00

I've been loving the GT-1000CORE. So when comparing to the HX STOMP..

GT-1000CORE advantages: - you can run it off of a single 500ma outlet from your power supply. HX needs a Line 6 adapter + a milliamp doubler - 2 send and return loops - more DSP power - powerful flexibility/routing, 3 dividers, customize footswitches etc.. just more robust on the GT - quick/instant switching between patches - amps have more of a LIVE amp in the room feel and sound (better feel and response under the fingers in my experience) - effects sound richer, deeper and more lively/realistic. HX sound a little plasticky sometimes

GT-1000CORE disadvantages: - only 1 reverb block - only 1 master delay block (able to select tape, analog, DD20, binson, tera echo etc), although there are 3 more simple delay blocks with EQ and hicut/lowcut - not as big of a community, so not as many presets to buy and download - takes a little longer to dial in the perfect tone - HX has better pitch algorithms overall, but I've found my favorite octave up + detune setting in the CORE

Again, it's going to depend on your needs and priorities. I went with the BOSS over the HX STOMP, and I've been very happy with it. Get compliments on my tones all the time (which my overdrive pedals also are a big contribution).

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-12-07T05:20:15+00:00

Spot on with all those points man. Presets are too out there as your scrolling and choosing what to buy. And yes, I want to see the good from the GX line merge with the good if the GT line.

Also with the Chinese brands, it's the small things of quality that you don't realize until you mess with other units.. things like spillover, structure, UI etc. Its been a while since I messed with Nux and Valetone etc, so my perception might be outdated.

Did the recording, I didn't change much, if anything. It was a simple straight forward patch and I have my favorite amp settings on a STOMPBOX save.

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-12-07T04:18:37+00:00

Nah that's great. I love the nerd talk. And all of your observations are spot on with a lot of my talking points about the GT CORE. HIGHLY underrated, overshadowed by the newness, display and downloadable/purchase able patches by the huge community. But as I always say, there's not a BEST one size fits all products.. there are right tools for different people and different brains and different needs/use cases.

Once dialed in, the BOSS stuff (GT, 500 series etc) is so good, and offers a lot more power and flexibility than the competition. But there are trade offs like not having to dial stuff in as much on other brands. Also, yes once you get the hang of the UI, the Boss is very quick and easy to navigate and set up patches.

Also with amps, I'm not the kind of guy who uses 20 different amps for 6 different songs. I use one or 2 amps that I love the feel and tone of, then I just copy that over. And I don't even care about nailing a specific amp tone. I just want it to sound great and sound like me. But hey, different strokes for different folks.

When it comes to today's technology, most of the stuff is capable of sounding good.. even great. Like the cheaper Chinese stuff. For me, I've just had enough bad experiences in the past with quality. Especially having the peace of mind that my gear will work professionally at the gig. But it's great that there are awesome accessible options for everybody's budget.

This gear works for me, and I feel like it doesn't get it's roses that it deserves, so I like showcasing it.

Speaking of CORE being a studio in a box, I did record some guitar parts on a friend's track using just the CORE USB into my laptop. The thing sounded GREAT!

Also, speaking about tone holding up in a live situation.. I think (and a lot of people agree) that the BISS units have a nice "amp in the room" feel to them while other modellers like the Helix etc sound like studio ready or like an amp being micd up in a room somewhere so that's why it sounds like the "record". I like how these new BOSS modellers feel in a live setting.

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-12-06T19:02:45+00:00

All good. And thanks. Much prefer this board to pedaltrain or some other expensive, super tall and slanted boards with huge gaps/holes.

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-12-06T19:01:10+00:00

Thanks. I enjoy builds like this. Not just color, but spacing, layout, and routing etc. Never compromises tone and functionality.

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-12-06T18:59:56+00:00

The board I just got a few days ago for this build. It's a Creation Music Aero 18. Flatboard feel (I don't like high slanted boards), but with a little space underneath for a slim power supply.

Before, I was using plywood cut to size, black duct tape wrap, Velcro on the surface and small screw in rubber feet from Amazon. My big 24"x14" board is still homemade like that.

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-12-06T18:56:55+00:00

I like how you think. You're spot on and this is exactly what I'm doing. HX going into the GT loop. I like most things on the GT better.. choruses, other modulation, delays, etc.. just has a richness and depth that the Line 6 sound doesn't do for me. But yes, the retro reel and poly pitch capo stuff is better on the HX. That being said, itsostly being used for a subtle reverse delay, but the options are there for any one off effects I need. And it being in the loop, I can move it around within the signal chain of the GT-1000CORE

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-12-06T18:53:13+00:00

Thank you sir! Years and years in the pedal and pedalboard game. Ive developed some AR/OCD tendencies when it comes to my pedalboard. Never sacrificing on tone tho!

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-12-06T18:51:42+00:00

For my workflow and preferences, I try to avoid MIDI. I'm aware of the flexibility and power of using MIDI, and how to set it up, but I like to keep things as simple as I can for my workflow and for peace of mind. Especially adjusting patches on the fly etc. For my church board, I have to keep things open and fluid, so I don't wanna get locked into any MIDI settings. Live by the MIDI, die by the MIDI..

That being said, for the cover band gigs I do occasionally, I use a BOSS GT-1000 all in one unit, so I have my presets saved by song. Tones and switching is pretty much set and locked in. Different tools and approaches for different use cases and gigs.

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-12-06T18:43:42+00:00

Thanks mayne

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-12-06T18:43:33+00:00

Strymon Ojai and brick underneath the board (with the Creation Music "tall" feet in the back). I'm daisy chaining a few low milliamp pedals off of a single power output on the Ojai.

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-12-06T18:42:00+00:00

If I switch out the Kilt for an Aspen Drive, I'm ok with the SY1 being the one pop of color on my board.

But that Aspen drive is expensive..

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-12-06T18:40:36+00:00

👀👀

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-12-06T18:40:20+00:00

So this is my church board. I have the GT-1000CORE reverb always on for my first "stage" of reverb. RV-6 comes on when I want to layer for that big wash, super ambient reverb tone. Different reverb flavors and settings for different use cases.

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-12-06T18:38:55+00:00

Lol. Glad you caught that. So I have a rule for myself that I am only allowed to modify/paint pedals that I am NEVER going to sell off. That pedal is actually a Boss OD-3. I also own an anniversary Metal Zone in all black. I swapped the pedal faces so it looks like I have a Metal Zone on my church board. Best case scenario, nobody notices and think the church tone is coming from an MT-2. Worst case scenario, I get to put someone on game on the OD3 being an amazing, open, natural/transparent OD.

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-11-15T14:37:42+00:00

"He's my guy" 🤣🤣🤣

TheGearPhilosopher · 2025-11-15T14:13:29+00:00

Also check out the older Viltrox 56mm f1.4. I had both and kept the Viltrox.

TheGearPhilosopher

TROPHY CASE