Pedalboards for guitar

[susiwong]

Hink,
for recording I'm the same, I patch together gear on the fly.
Pedalboards / rack setups are convenient for live playing or for recording outside of your private environment.
Ymmv,
susiwong

[Cordelia]

- volume control, delay and reverb (in that order) have to be behind the preamp in the loop to get a "clean", "pure" overdriven tone with FX

What do you mean by that exactly?

Also, I have pedals rated at 200mA, 250mA, 300mA. Someone told me, all else being equal, a 300mA adapter would be fine for all the pedals since they'll only draw the current they need. Is that so?

Thanks.

[Muzik 4 Machines]

more like 750 mA if oyu want to use all 3

[Hink]

- volume control, delay and reverb (in that order) have to be behind the preamp in the loop to get a "clean", "pure" overdriven tone with FX

What do you mean by that exactly?

Also, I have pedals rated at 200mA, 250mA, 300mA. Someone told me, all else being equal, a 300mA adapter would be fine for all the pedals since they'll only draw the current they need. Is that so?

Thanks.

he means that if yo use a delay in your guitar chain before the amp you do not get pure overdrive which is exactly how I feel and why there are no delays listed with my pedals. If you put in an fx loop it's after the od/pre-amp stage if maintains the integrity of the od and affects it after.

[justin3am]

Tone is very subjective and so are the equipment needs.

For sure. A guy I previously worked with used to give me such a hard time about the pedals I'd buy, complaining that they were all "tone suckers". Then I let him hear what I do with pedals... While he was into traditional guitar tones for country/rhythmn'blues, I'm the type of guy who will run everything through a bunch of pedals.

I just love the hands on nature of playing with all those little boxes.

@susiwong: I've been looking a little deeper into that Loopjack and similar products from Rocktron and Voodooo labs. I'm a bit disappointed (though not surprised) that none of them really support the use of stereo effects. Most of my signal chain is mono, so it's not a total deal breaker but the Eventide and Line6 stompboxes in particular work best with stereo I/O.

Maybe I'll have to build something. I have some experience building midi controlled relays based on PIC processors but I think I'd want to use real electronic switches to get true bypass between FX loops. Maybe instead of a manual patch bay, I could build some kind of midi controlled matrix router. mwahahahahah! (where is a mad scientist smiley when I need one?!)

[Muzik 4 Machines]

here:

[susiwong]

Tone is very subjective and so are the equipment needs.

For sure. A guy I previously worked with used to give me such a hard time about the pedals I'd buy, complaining that they were all "tone suckers". Then I let him hear what I do with pedals... While he was into traditional guitar tones for country/rhythmn'blues, I'm the type of guy who will run everything through a bunch of pedals.

I just love the hands on nature of playing with all those little boxes.

@susiwong: I've been looking a little deeper into that Loopjack and similar products from Rocktron and Voodooo labs. I'm a bit disappointed (though not surprised) that none of them really support the use of stereo effects. Most of my signal chain is mono, so it's not a total deal breaker but the Eventide and Line6 stompboxes in particular work best with stereo I/O.

Maybe I'll have to build something. I have some experience building midi controlled relays based on PIC processors but I think I'd want to use real electronic switches to get true bypass between FX loops. Maybe instead of a manual patch bay, I could build some kind of midi controlled matrix router. mwahahahahah! (where is a mad scientist smiley when I need one?!)

Errrrm ... you're right, stereo is rare.
These pedal switchers are made for guitar players, I'm not aware of any guitar amps with stereo inputs.
EDIT : of course some players use two amps ...
However, not all is lost.
You noticed the LoopJack has two switch outputs ?
'nuff said, a few cheap relays, no MIDI needed ...
That's how I plan to expand my # of loops, too, in the future.
Or, if 19" is ok for you, there are several options, including the (legacy) Rocktron Patchmate v1, the new one is mono.
Finally, if your stereo boxes have true bypass and remote switching, you could keep them permanently in the path and switch directly via the two switch outs.

ymmv,
susiwong

[susiwong]

Also, I have pedals rated at 200mA, 250mA, 300mA. Someone told me, all else being equal, a 300mA adapter would be fine for all the pedals since they'll only draw the current they need. Is that so?

That statement is dangerous BS.
Like M4M said, you're safe when you add the mA ratings.
In the real world however, most (not all) pedals draw considerably less power than rated, here is a list, several pages long.
http://stinkfoot.se/power-list
Add the numbers, add 50% safety margin and you'll be fine.
Of course you can always measure the current draw directly ...
Ymmv,
susiwong

[susiwong]

- volume control, delay and reverb (in that order) have to be behind the preamp in the loop to get a "clean", "pure" overdriven tone with FX

What do you mean by that exactly?

To add to Hink's correct description :
ever noticed how distortion gets more messy the more notes you play ?
Technically what a delay does (and reverb too, in a way) is just that - they artificially add extra notes.
So I'd rather run them after the (potentially overdriven) preamp stage, i.e. in the FX loop.
Another bonus is I can run them in stereo there with a stereo poweramp / cab setup.
That said, some players make these limitations work for them, with delay at least.
The problems are non-existent if you have your amp set up (almost) clean and generate the distortion with pedals in front of the delay/reverb pedals.

The following examples are FYI only, probably too large to carry around for us mere mortals :

-- Eric Johnson often uses a 3-way setup, straight Marshall in the middle, no FX. Left and right two Twins amplify the stereo FX.
Kills.
His rig is more complex and changes often, but that's the basic idea.

-- Brian May is even more radical and puristic, he uses 3 identical AC30s (or better AC30 stacks )
Amp 1 is dry, amp 2 is for the 1st echo repeat (no FB), amp 3 is for the 2nd echo repeat (no FB).
Voila, each amp only has to amplify a single guitar part.
That's how he does his 3 part harmonies, Eventide is for sissies .

Cheers,
susiwong

[Cordelia]

Also, I have pedals rated at 200mA, 250mA, 300mA. Someone told me, all else being equal, a 300mA adapter would be fine for all the pedals since they'll only draw the current they need. Is that so?

That statement is dangerous BS.
Like M4M said, you're safe when you add the mA ratings.
In the real world however, most (not all) pedals draw considerably less power than rated, here is a list, several pages long.
http://stinkfoot.se/power-list
Add the numbers, add 50% safety margin and you'll be fine.
Of course you can always measure the current draw directly ...
Ymmv,
susiwong

OK, (excuse me for being inarticulate)
all else being equal, can I use a 300mA adapter to power a pedal requiring 200mA?
I'm thinking, after reading your post, that would be fine.
I don't have a pedal board, but I like to plug in a lot of stuff and I have a mess of adapters, some labeled, some not, wall warts, and power strips. I'm going to get it sorted.

Edit: Thank you for all the great information. So for now, running a Tech21 Blonde into a reverb pedal sounds great. I have a VoxAC4TV on the way. No FX loop. I wonder how to set it up? Blonde->delay->reverb->Vox set clean, I guess?

@Hink- Thanks for the explanation, friend.

[susiwong]

all else being equal, can I use a 300mA adapter to power a pedal requiring 200mA?

If the adapter's current (mA) is rated higher than the sum of the currents of all connected pedals you'll never have a problem.
Voltage has to be identical to spec !

I have a VoxAC4TV on the way. No FX loop. I wonder how to set it up? Blonde->delay->reverb->Vox set clean, I guess?

That's the only way that makes sense.
Key word is "clean".
Will sound great, many classic tones were made with similar setups.
You will need a bigger amp however to compete with a drummer, home use is fine.
Ymmv,
susiwong

[Uncle E]

--- L1: Pegasus (Klon Centaur), lead boost into crunchy rhythm patches

Want! How get?

--- L2: BigDee aka Katzendrive (Zendrive) for singing Dumble style lead into clean amp tone

Try a Zendrive 2. Its mid dip sounds less like a Dumble than the original Zendrive but the feel is way more amp-like.

--- L4: Fulltone ChoralFlange, these lush tones only come in analog

Want for no other reason than because you recommend it. I normally hate chorus pedals, though, and will most likely off it just as soon as I get it. å

[Uncle E]

he means that if yo use a delay in your guitar chain before the amp you do not get pure overdrive which is exactly how I feel and why there are no delays listed with my pedals. If you put in an fx loop it's after the od/pre-amp stage if maintains the integrity of the od and affects it after.

The delay pedal I use has a nice clarity that it imparts even to the dry signal so I like to keep it on all the way down, even sometimes with the delays mixed almost imperceptibly low, sounding more like short reverb. Anyway, even that I'm not using much of today, I normally use just my 3-knob compressor and the boost and reverb built-in to the Black Pearl 30.

I'm thinking of building a passive box that cuts the midrange at the same frequency as Mesa Boogie's mid knob, that way I can keep the midrange turned up on the amp (that's where Boogie's get a lot of their gain) and then switch the pedal in to clean it up. I hate dealing with batteries and power supplies.

[susiwong]

--- L1: Pegasus (Klon Centaur), lead boost into crunchy rhythm patches

Want! How get?

http://www.freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=247
under Klon Siberia
http://revolutiondeux.blogspot.com/2008 ... ntaur.html
That's what mine is based on.
Don't cut corners, precisely matched high quality components do make a difference.
eBay is insanely expensive

The Klon's king at boosting a Marshall, seriously ...
Compared it to OCD, the new BB Pre with mid control, RTO, and a few others lately - none could rival its magic and added balls (talking Haynes, Grissom, Gibbons - not metal).
The others also are great ODs, just not perfect for that tone.
A Fulldrive II or BJF Honey Bee would be (slightly different) alternatives - unfortunately my Peavey Classic 50 won't let them go.

Try a Zendrive 2. Its mid dip sounds less like a Dumble than the original Zendrive but the feel is way more amp-like.

Thanks for the tip, I'll check it out.
Mighty hard to find one in Europe ...
I might order one from you along with a few other pedals, unfortunately the usual logistics don't work atm, I'll see what I can come up with, might take a while.

--- L4: Fulltone ChoralFlange, these lush tones only come in analog

Want for no other reason than because you recommend it. I normally hate chorus pedals, though, and will most likely off it just as soon as I get it. å

You might want to wait for the new version out soon, in the US it will be $250 MSRP , over here twice as much.
I found this mint one for a steal and it's a classic, so ...
It's a chorus/flanger though, no way around it ...

Before I forget, my new Cochrane Tim/Timmy clone does a pretty good Maz light crunch emulation, in the US I'd have ordered a real one, Paul Cochrane has very reasonable prices.
Europe sucks with that stuff ...

Ymmv,
susiwong

[Dean Aka Nekro]

this should be fun, some people have some serious pedals

(modded for true bypass)

Still fannying around with how to lay my lot out and gone so minimal that you two would not believe me even though this is my full blown confession

Good call on a board thread man, Definately makes sense and fits in just snug with the DIY ehtos IMHO

Cheers mate

Dean

PS: Hink you have already got it bad but that Frenzel job has simply distracted your buffered path to pedal whoredom...Honeymoon periods
ALWAYS come to an end and you shall need to scrath the itch...Picovalve?
sure, Iso cab? sure BUT after the same cycle for each you shall need to repeat it. However i am circling like a vulture for the hibister to finally crumble One by one all will fall