We need a guitar gear thread. So here it is. 
I’m contemplating a replacement for a Source Audio EQ2 pedal. The functionality is nice, but the user interface is crap, consisting of an LED matrix used as a display and a single knob to access all the parameters. One reason why I like pedals over multi-fx is the immediacy of twisting dedicated knobs to adjust parameters on the fly. The user experience of the EQ2 is the total opposite of a typical stompbox, requiring menu dives for adjusting every parameter except for band level. Too bad about the janky interface because this pedal can be used as a graphic eq, parametric eq (2 channels of 10-band, series or parallel), clean boost, wah (when connecting an expression pedal), and tuner.
I’m contemplating the Automatone,
which is basically a Benson Preamp ( FET version of their amp) + a fuzz and EQ with silicon/ germanium diodes and flying faders with presets
Those Benson amps are pretty wicked but hard to find over here
Oh no, not ‘That Pedal Show’. 
Those guys have sucked up way too much of my time.
I just want a good digital parametric eq with 4 knobs: Band select, level, frequency, q. Definitely a bonus if it has 2 channels and other goodies that are easy to access and adjust. In this day that should be easy.
On the Benson preamp, I would say that pretty much anything of yore that is sought after has seen it’s value go through the roof these days.
I’ve seen so many comments on Benson amps just gush about it’s harmonics and clarity, calling it their keeper amp
I’m a bit immune to that usually, so many clones about
but the YT demos I’ve heard actually lived up to the hype, it’s something different
So I dunno, the pedal is cheaper and available
The EQ seems to be the icing on it for me
Standard bass and treble, plus a defeatable mid control with freq and Q control
A common comment was it’s their fav boost pedal and has unique string definition for a pedal
In that video they pretty much clone all their selected pedals with it, surprisingly
Close enough for me anyhoot
My missus told me no impulse buys
But it’s not an impulse if I forewarn her right? 
I don’t know what transistors the Benson preamp originally used, but some transistors definitely have their own sound qualities (it’s all about that transfer curve). And I don’t know why pedal manufacturers aren’t getting those old transistors recreated instead of pedaling (no pun) snake oil by using drastically different transistors in same-name pedals and devices. For example the NTK 275 used in the most sought after fuzzes. Why doesn’t someone get a good healthy batch of them made? Probably the same reason that no one makes a good digital eq pedal these days. Just laziness and marketing I guess. Pedal manufacturers could be driving the manufacturer of specific transistors these days, according to how many pedals are being sold these days.
‘NKT’. Excuse the wine.
That one is yours? Nice!
I watched Anderton’s demo of the Automatone. Pretty damn neat. That price definitely stings though. Yipes.
I’ve never used an EQ pedal, but looking around, they appear to be a must have on most setups.
Let me know what you decide on and maybe I’ll give one a try.
I’ll need to either remove a pedal from my board, probably the loop pedal, or get another power supply. But no worries, new toys are always fun.
I like to use an eq as a boost that can be shaped as I like, not being a big fan of overdrive pedals with their fixed mid humps. I used a graphic eq pedal for this for a while, but every analog graphic eq pedal I have used introduces hiss, and I don’t like fixed bands and q. Other than that, a parametric eq is useful for taming frequencies.
I thought that by now with the pedal market booming in recent years someone would have made a nice usable digital parametric eq, but it looks like nothing has changed. You can either spend a good chunk on a pretty limited analog parametric eq or nothing besides the EQ2 on the digital side, outside of running a multi-effects unit. I have considered multiple times running a multi-effects unit, but to my ears the majority of the effects in them just aren’t up to par with good pedals if you like organic sounds, and usability tends to be pretty poor.
I’d been planning to get the Source Audio EQ for a while since you recommended it
Might rethink that now LOL
Functionally, it’s pretty damn nice. SA did make some usability improvements in the firmware, but adjusting parameters on the fly is still just so tedious using the single knob and LED matrix. Maybe they’ll get it right with EQ3 someday.
Just some quick cruising of You Tube on the subject and it appears the Boss GE 7 gets a lot of positive reviews.
Anyone have any experience with this one?
I have one, haven’t used it since '97 when I switched over to their GT multi-fx series
It works ok as a volume boost, you can shape the mids but no variable control over freq and Q
Boss are indestructible pedals pretty much, uber reliable
There’s this current one but it’s more bucks and still without freq or Q
Some current eq comparisons
Best bang for buck would be this, I’m sad I sold mine, it was a beautiful reliable beast I used for years
Probably not what you’re after tho
I had a GE-7 for many years. Really solid pedal that got abused and kept going. It did put out some hiss, but I’m pretty sure that all of the analog graphic eq pedals do.
I don’t understand why they made that pedal. It could have easily been parametric, trading the sliders for 4 knobs. And eq’s aren’t processor intensive, so I don’t think that would be a reason to do graphic over parametric. It even has a display, which seems pretty pointless for a graphic eq. 
Same for the EQ2 design. As much as the EQ2 pedal costs, 4 encoders should have been included and would have made this a really good pedal instead of a mediocre one.
Exactly why I didn’t get it
Why graphic? At least make the frequencies and Q adjustable, even if they retain the graphic part
I think graphics are just easier for some, trading off control
I mentioned in an earlier post that I’ve got a Boss DS-1 and it’s my noisiest pedal. I wonder if that’s a Boss thing? I’m not sure if I want to introduce another noisy pedal into the mix.
If any of the research on this points to a quieter pedal, I’d appreciate hearing about it.