LSchefman
02-06-2007, 10:00 AM
This has been a weird 5 year trip, this putting together a pedalboard thing.
I've been close to finished several times, but there was always something not quite there...and so I bought and sold, bought and sold.
Anyway, I feel done with my basic setup now (while still leaving space for some optional items). This is what works for me:
The board itself is one of the last 36" wide pedalboard.com two-tier aluminum boards with the patchbay, the built in 4 loop switchbox, the AC patchbay, and the padded fabric for velcroing, with wooden end cheeks. It's light for its size, and there are lots of wiring and looping options. It looks great in the studio, and is simply an excellent piece of gear. All of the patchbay and looping options are rackmounted in back, as is the juicebox. It's clean as a whistle. And there are still two full size unused rack spaces for stuff like a wireless rig, etc.
Power comes from an Aspect Juicebox, first model. I've posted about this since getting it. No hums and buzzes, well made, various powering options and V-Batt.
The wah is a Pedalworx Blekas-modded Vox 847. Closest I have come to my original, lost but beloved, 1966-67 Vox wah. It's got the "crack", the growl, and it just plain sounds like a vintage wah. I've had Teese, Fulltone, and several flavors of Dunlop looking for this tone, and most were excellent, but this is what works best for me. Bought off the Emporium.
Vibe is the Fulltone Mini-Deja. Again, I've tried lots of others, but I keep coming back to Fulltone.
OD pedal - this one's a surprise, because I've always preferred tube ODs - is the Fulltone OCD. I originally got it on a lark, simply because the dealer had one in stock and thought I should try it. I figured it might be useful for very low volume practicing, etc. But it turns out I like this thing a lot. First, it's quite nicely controlled by the guitar's volume pot. In fact, on my guitar, it sounds best with the volume pot down a little bit to bleed off some treble. It feeds other pedals nicely, and gives me more tonal options. It's useful, and I like it better than my old FDII, and several tube ODs I have owned.
Chorus - what can I say about the Analogman Bi-Chorus, also bought as a lucky strike on the Emporium? It's just great sounding. Very sweet, the only chorus I've found that I actually want to leave on! I've had some good ones, this is the best one for me.
Phaser - I've been on the hunt for a phaser that gives me options for a long time, and turns out the one I like best is the Boss PH-3. Not expensive! Bonus! I stick this in a true bypass loop on my board. Sounds as good as anything out there. Can do some twisted stuff. Tonal options include number of filters.
Delay - While I love and admire the TTE, I like having a less expensive thing right smack on the pedalboard. I had a DL-4, and liked it, but it was gigantic. Line 6' little Echo Park does pretty much the same stuff and takes up less room. Mine was noisy until I changed some stuff around on the pedalboard, and suddenly became dead quiet. Weird! Anyway, it's versatile, affordable, and so on. Does the backwards thing, the fake analog thing, the fake tape thing, etc. This also goes in a true bypass loop. No tone suck when it's off.
Tremolo - Gotta go with the Fulltone Supa Trem.
Tuner - Korg DT-10. Peterson big box is for tuning prior to plugging in. But for quick work in the studio, it's hard for me to see the display on the Strobostomp, and the LEDs on this box are nice and bright. It responds quickly, and is actually kinda cool looking. So it stays. Goes in another true bypass loop.
So that's it - done deal. Very happy. I'll try out other pedals as adjuncts to these from time to time, but the basics are finally (!) set.
I've been close to finished several times, but there was always something not quite there...and so I bought and sold, bought and sold.
Anyway, I feel done with my basic setup now (while still leaving space for some optional items). This is what works for me:
The board itself is one of the last 36" wide pedalboard.com two-tier aluminum boards with the patchbay, the built in 4 loop switchbox, the AC patchbay, and the padded fabric for velcroing, with wooden end cheeks. It's light for its size, and there are lots of wiring and looping options. It looks great in the studio, and is simply an excellent piece of gear. All of the patchbay and looping options are rackmounted in back, as is the juicebox. It's clean as a whistle. And there are still two full size unused rack spaces for stuff like a wireless rig, etc.
Power comes from an Aspect Juicebox, first model. I've posted about this since getting it. No hums and buzzes, well made, various powering options and V-Batt.
The wah is a Pedalworx Blekas-modded Vox 847. Closest I have come to my original, lost but beloved, 1966-67 Vox wah. It's got the "crack", the growl, and it just plain sounds like a vintage wah. I've had Teese, Fulltone, and several flavors of Dunlop looking for this tone, and most were excellent, but this is what works best for me. Bought off the Emporium.
Vibe is the Fulltone Mini-Deja. Again, I've tried lots of others, but I keep coming back to Fulltone.
OD pedal - this one's a surprise, because I've always preferred tube ODs - is the Fulltone OCD. I originally got it on a lark, simply because the dealer had one in stock and thought I should try it. I figured it might be useful for very low volume practicing, etc. But it turns out I like this thing a lot. First, it's quite nicely controlled by the guitar's volume pot. In fact, on my guitar, it sounds best with the volume pot down a little bit to bleed off some treble. It feeds other pedals nicely, and gives me more tonal options. It's useful, and I like it better than my old FDII, and several tube ODs I have owned.
Chorus - what can I say about the Analogman Bi-Chorus, also bought as a lucky strike on the Emporium? It's just great sounding. Very sweet, the only chorus I've found that I actually want to leave on! I've had some good ones, this is the best one for me.
Phaser - I've been on the hunt for a phaser that gives me options for a long time, and turns out the one I like best is the Boss PH-3. Not expensive! Bonus! I stick this in a true bypass loop on my board. Sounds as good as anything out there. Can do some twisted stuff. Tonal options include number of filters.
Delay - While I love and admire the TTE, I like having a less expensive thing right smack on the pedalboard. I had a DL-4, and liked it, but it was gigantic. Line 6' little Echo Park does pretty much the same stuff and takes up less room. Mine was noisy until I changed some stuff around on the pedalboard, and suddenly became dead quiet. Weird! Anyway, it's versatile, affordable, and so on. Does the backwards thing, the fake analog thing, the fake tape thing, etc. This also goes in a true bypass loop. No tone suck when it's off.
Tremolo - Gotta go with the Fulltone Supa Trem.
Tuner - Korg DT-10. Peterson big box is for tuning prior to plugging in. But for quick work in the studio, it's hard for me to see the display on the Strobostomp, and the LEDs on this box are nice and bright. It responds quickly, and is actually kinda cool looking. So it stays. Goes in another true bypass loop.
So that's it - done deal. Very happy. I'll try out other pedals as adjuncts to these from time to time, but the basics are finally (!) set.