VERTEX - Jacob Petersen Pedalboard (Steve Miller Band)

[Desperado]

Here's a pedalboard that I did for Jacob Petersen, guitar player for the Steve Miller Band.

http://www.stevemillerband.com

Jacob wanted something that he could use on his solo projects, but could double for things that he could use on tour with Steve Miller and in the studio. Jacob requested that the rig be built out from a custom TheGigRig PRO 8 with an insert between loop 5 and 6 to for a volume pedal to be always active in the signal path no matter how the presets in the PRO 8 were arranged.

Jacob is using various Stratocaster and Telecaster guitars going into Red Plate Amplifiers.

INTERFACE

Standard Vertex Dual Buffer (input buffer and output buffer)

POWER SUPPLY

Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2+ (with extension cord running out of courtesy outlet for the power supplies with the Hilton Volume Pedal and TheGigRig PRO-8).

ORDER OF PEDALS

INTERFACE (Vertex Input Buffer), TREX Octavius, TheGigRig PRO 8:

Loop 1 - AYA Compressor
Loop 2 - Wampler SLOstortion
Loop 3 - Wampler Plexi Drive
Loop 4 - Creation Audio Labs MK 4.23 Boost
Loop 5 - Hartman Flanger and Empress Tremolo
Insert - (Hilton Volume Pedal with tuner out to Whirlwind Tuner)
Loop 6 - Empress Vintage Modified Superdelay

INTERFACE (Vertex Output Buffer)

[randy morser]

Beautilful, man. How do you like the TRex as compared to the Octron 2 on a rig like that? Also, do you get any tonesuck using the tuner out on the Hilton?

[the-tone]

Thanks so much Mason. Next year I'll send you the small board I have used so far with Steve. It needs a total overhaul.

[the-tone]

Originally Posted by randy morser

do you get any tonesuck using the tuner out on the Hilton?

I bought it with the tuner out mod and I hear absolutely ZERO tone suck. It does add some presence and clarity, but it is NOT a impedance buffer! From what I hear from Hilton, it is a high headroom pre amp for steel guitar. I absolutely love it.

[Desperado]

Originally Posted by randy morser

Beautilful, man. How do you like the TRex as compared to the Octron 2 on a rig like that? Also, do you get any tonesuck using the tuner out on the Hilton?

I prefer the Octron 2, but it's so much bigger it wouldn't have worked for this particular application. The T-Rex is still really great, just the Octron is awesome!

I looked at it when I put it down, they put about a 2M Ohm load going out to the tuner, no way that will load down the signal or cause any loss as a result of having something int he tuner out.

[the-tone]

Octron 2 is king FOR SURE But yes, it's too freaking big. I won't be using it that much, so the t-rex will have to do. I also like that it has a pretty good clean boost, in case i wanna beef up my tone pre-drive.

[the-tone]

My explanation of rig:

I choose the electric mistress(Hartman) cause I was really looking more for that Andy summers/David Gilmour/Robin Trower thing. It really sounds beautiful on chords and swells too, and it's just different than what many others are doing I think. I originally had chosen a chorus, but changed my mind last minute. Also it would be easy to swap it for a chorus on the fly if that should be needed on a session or gig.

The GigRig seems a bit on the large size I know. But it really does not take up more space than 2 VooDooLab pedal switchers laid out together. It's a bit taller, but that don't matter considering that you would have to raise the back pedals up anyhow on any pedalboard for easy access.

I also did NOT want ANYTHING with a display. Displays just DO NOT work outside in the bright sunlight. Displays are a total deal breaker for me, and can easily make you mess up on your gig. You GOT to be able to see where you're at, at all times! The GigRigs discrete LED's are bright, and I had ZERO problems detecting them on my two month summer tour this year. We played many gigs @ 100 degrees and high humidity. The GigRig preformed flawlessly, and I'm positive that no other switching system would have done the job equal or better than The GigRig.

I primarily chose The GigRig cause of the build quality and easy programability. I chose this over the Musicom cause I did NOT want anything with computer software. It's to risky having i.e. a power surge or high humidity causing it to reset or malfunction(like keyboards are known to do in those environments). I know the risk of that maybe would be slim, but I feel so much better knowing I've done all I can to make the board bulletproof. I wanna stay working and not look like a fool on stage in front of my boss.

I also strongly prefer to have ALL my tones available without having to go through banks. i.e. Musicom only allows 4 settings in every bank. So if you have a tone in bank 1 and want to go to a tone in bank 2 or higher, you have to first switch bank to access those tones. And then back again. That to me completely defies the purpose for a pedal switcher to begin with. You might as well hit 3-4 pedals on a board without a switcher then, if it takes that to get to a certain preset.

Switchers like the Musicom are perfect if you have a complete set-list with each song numbered accordingly to your banks. Then you just match the numbers/banks with each song and you're golden. 4 presets should do fine for one song. However, for sessions, rehearsals and jamming, or if your boss likes to on and off switch stuff around on the band in the middle of a performance, I STRONGLY prefer having it all available to me without having to remember what tone is in what bank and having to go back and fourth and such. It becomes cluttered real fast to me, and is not practical at all. I also love the dip switches. That means I can reprogram even on stage in the middle of a show if I need to. Sometimes things just go wrong and you forget to store your tone after a rehearsal. Then you come home and you forgot what you did at the rehearsal. With The GigRig it simply stays as you set it. You can program that thing even with no AC connected. The GigRig is they simplest and most reliable switching system available and it's build like a tank. That's what I love about it. Their customer service is also top notch and it's easy to fix should it break somehow.

I found The GigRig to be the hands down best switching system on the market. The space "issue" is simply relative to your needs compared to i.e. Musicom or Loop-a-holic(as explained above). Accessibility and use over saving 3 inches in depth is a total mute issue in my humble opinion.

[PLAYLOUD]

Originally Posted by the-tone

My explanation of rig:

I chose the electric mistress(Hartman) cause I was really looking more for that Andy summers/David Gilmour thing/Robin Trower thing. It really sounds beautiful on chords and swells too, and it's just different than what many others are doing I think. I originally had chosen a chorus, but changed my mind last minute. Also it would be easy to swap it for a chorus on the fly if that should be needed on a session or gig.

The GigRig seems a bit on the large size I know. But it really does not take up more space than 2 VooDooLab pedal switchers laid out together. It's a bit taller, but that don't matter considering that you would have to raise the back pedals up anyhow on any pedalboard for easy access.

I primarily chose The GigRig cause of the build quality and easy programabillity. I chose this over the Musicom cause I did NOT want anything with computer software. It's to risky having i.e. a power surge or high humidity causing it to reset or malfunction(like keyboards are known to do in those environments). I know the risk of that maybe would be slim, but I feel so much better knowing I've done all I can to make the board bulletproof. I wanna stay working and not look like a fool on stage in front of my boss

I also strongly prefer to have ALL my tones available without having to go through banks. i.e. Musicom only allows 4 settings in every bank. So if you have a tone in bank 1 and want to go to a tone in bank 2 or higher, you have to first switch bank to access those tones. And then back again. That to me completely defies the purpose for a pedal switcher to begin with. You might as well hit 3-4 pedals on a board without a switcher then, if it takes that to get to a certain preset.

Switchers like the Musicom are perfect if you have a complete set-list with each song numbered accordingly to your banks. Then you just match the numbers/banks with each song and you're golden. 4 presets should do fine for one song. However, for sessions, rehearsals and jamming, or if your boss likes to on and off switch stuff around on the band in the middle of a performance, I STRONGLY prefer having it all available to me without having to remember what tone is in what bank and having to go back and fourth and such. It becomes cluttered real fast to me and it not practical at all I think. I also love the dip switches. That means I can reprogram even on stage in the middle of a show if I need to. Sometime things just go wrong and you forget to store your tone after a rehearsal. Then you come home and you forgot what you did at the rehearsal. With The GigRig it simply stays as you set it. You can program that thing even with no AC connected. The GigRig is they simplest and most reliable switching system available and it's build like a tank. That's what I love about it. Their customer service is also top notch and it's easy to fix should it break somehow.

Thanks Jacob for the endorsement. Can't wait to hear it live.

[the-tone]

My pleasure. Me neither

I just added another section in the article!

[Saul Koll]

Nicely done, Jacob!

[the-tone]

Hey Saul. I'll be in PDX soon, for a couple days. Facebook me your number and I'll stop by your shop. It's been to long man

[BBender]

Well...lets hear this thing in action...

[the-tone]

Hey Brian, see you soon too then! videos coming before x-mas!

[Blunder]

Originally Posted by the-tone

Hey Saul. I'll be in PDX soon, for a couple days. Facebook me your number and I'll stop by your shop. It's been to long man

Hey Jacob,

Let's hang out while you are in town. I've got some cool things in the works right now. Hours of fun!

If the timing is right, we might be heading over to Saul's shop together to pick something up.

Nice looking board btw!

[the-tone]

deal!