Am I the only one who has downsized my pedal board?

Richard

Member
I was wondering how many of you out there have actually ditched your bigger pedal boards and just downsized to just your AX8? I use to have a bunch of stuff in a large pedal board. I ran an H9, an expression pedal, and an older wireless and I got so sick of even hauling that around. I was able to get the AX8 to do everything so that I was able to ditch the H9, got rid of the wireless, and just pull out and hook up my expression when I feel like it now. It's such an amazing feeling only having to haul the AX8 around now! So easy, less bulky, and weighs so little now! Have any of you done that?
 
I haven't done that yet, because I don't use the AX8 into FOH at the crappy places I play (Jams mostly) but a guy came in the other week and did just that into the house guitar amp (I think it was a Blues Jr) and had some of the best tone I've ever heard! So I'm considering it- he claims to just shut off his amp and cab sims globally and dial in from there, not sure why he wouldn't just use an FX8 then, but still. Are you using your AX8 into house PA or into amps?
 
I go direct to FOH and have a MATRIX GT1600FX and a custom built Xitone 2X12 that I have been using for stage volume. My last show I didn't bring anything except the AX8 and went direct and just got some feed from the stage monitors and I loved it even more because I felt like I could hear myself and everyone else on stage much better.
 
I have been playing blues with a band, but we have not played out yet. I was planning on building my "board" with two expression pedals, two of those small dial expression pedals, wireless, power conditioner, and was considering adding a Strymon Bigsky. I was going into an Alto 112a, out of the Alto into the PA board. Last Sunday All I used was the AX8, wireless and one expression pedal straight into the PA board. Like @Richard, I could hear myself just fine, along with the rest of the band, through the PA. That might not always be the case, but it was less weight, easy hookup, and all I really needed for what I was playing.
 
I was using a couple external distortion pedals with my AX8 until what, firmware 7?, when the drive boxes got better. Don't need them any more so I ditched them. Now my board is just the AX8, one latching Boss switch, one non-latching and an expression pedal.
 
What is this pedal board you speak of <g>. I have the AX8, an expression pedal, and wireless receiver that I pull out of a Gator bag. Depending on the stage some stuff goes in different places. Adding a pedal board makes it heavier. I can carry my whole rig in 1 trip - AxeFX bag, two guitars, and stand.
 
The only way I was ever going to get an AX8 was to down size everything. I had to sell all of my pedals (save for 2) to fund about 90% of the purchase price (which in Australia is about $2550) so no pedals left to plug in anyhow :)
 
I have a laptop bag that carries my ax8, 1 boss exp pedal and some leads, that's it. I go straight to foh and monitor using iem, we do 140 weddings per year so this is a time and back save for me. Plus I can bring the unit home safe each night on my shoulder and carry my main guitar so no nasty condensation in the band van to warp necks and mess with electronics. Since I made the change can't ever see myself going back is a win win
 
I just recently bought a new JBL Eon 612 (which is a really great neutral sounding powered PA monitor) and I have been taking that and my AX8 to band practice. I used the monitor for myself and supplemented my volume by going through the PA and it was wonderful. Everyone could hear me and it wasn't nearly as loud as it was before I went with just a monitor.
 
I was wondering how many of you out there have actually ditched your bigger pedal boards and just downsized to just your AX8? I use to have a bunch of stuff in a large pedal board. I ran an H9, an expression pedal, and an older wireless and I got so sick of even hauling that around. I was able to get the AX8 to do everything so that I was able to ditch the H9, got rid of the wireless, and just pull out and hook up my expression when I feel like it now. It's such an amazing feeling only having to haul the AX8 around now! So easy, less bulky, and weighs so little now! Have any of you done that?
After about 8 months with the AX8 I'm ready to sell 75% of my pedals. I'm keeping my Strymon El Cap, Keeley SuperMod Workstation, Wampler Tumnus, EMMA Reezafratzitz, and mini tuner for a small B rig pedalboard, but everything else is outta here.

I think mostly it's been an emotional journey of letting go, abandoning the idea that hands on tweaking is the best and only way to make good tone. I still believe a chain of stompboxes with presets is the ultimate setup but that gets out of control quickly if you want the variety and functionality of the AX8. I'm quick enough editing on the AX8 now that I can get around on it almost as quickly as a pedal when I'm on stage. I spent some time really getting to understand how to make the virtual pedals sound like my my favorite hardware stompboxes. I'm ready to go forward with the AX8 as my main, do all, rig.
 
I still use a small pedalboard which is in the FX loop of the AX8. On it is a Strymon Dig, BigSky, Line 6 G50 wireless and 2 FS5U's which control the bright switch and the hold function on the AX8. I also have a couple EV-1 expression pedals. I go direct to FOH and this gives me everything I need including saving a lot of CPU on the AX8 by having the external reverb and delay options.
 
Lost a dozen or so pedals (including Strymon, Suhr, Wampler & H9) when I got my FX8 and then switched to the AX8 earlier this year.

The only pedal I kept was my CAE wah, although for the past few months I've been using the AX8 and EV-1 for wah duties and I think it sounds better than the CAE.

Just today received a spring loaded Mission SP1 and spent the past hour playing with it....very pleased, so the CAE is off my board and going up for sale tomorrow.

So since buying my first Fractal product less than 2 years ago I've gone from a big board of pedals & tube amp to an AX8 and 2 expression pedals. Whats more i have absolutely zero GAS other than for guitars.

Should sell my amp really as its been gathering dust since i got the AX8.
 
Lost a dozen or so pedals (including Strymon, Suhr, Wampler & H9) when I got my FX8 and then switched to the AX8 earlier this year.

The only pedal I kept was my CAE wah, although for the past few months I've been using the AX8 and EV-1 for wah duties and I think it sounds better than the CAE.

Just today received a spring loaded Mission SP1 and spent the past hour playing with it....very pleased, so the CAE is off my board and going up for sale tomorrow.

So since buying my first Fractal product less than 2 years ago I've gone from a big board of pedals & tube amp to an AX8 and 2 expression pedals. Whats more i have absolutely zero GAS other than for guitars.

Should sell my amp really as its been gathering dust since i got the AX8.
Lol , same here !
 
I still use a small pedalboard which is in the FX loop of the AX8. On it is a Strymon Dig, BigSky, Line 6 G50 wireless and 2 FS5U's which control the bright switch and the hold function on the AX8. I also have a couple EV-1 expression pedals. I go direct to FOH and this gives me everything I need including saving a lot of CPU on the AX8 by having the external reverb and delay options.

Curious, so you use the loop for pedals and you go direct to FOH, so how do you monitor?
 
I had an enormous Pedaltrain Pro board loaded with ten boutique pedals and a loop switcher with midi out to a Torpedo Live for IR changes. Between the pedals, loop switcher and all the custom-made cables I must have had 2-3 times as much in it as what the AX8 cost me. Did it sound 2-3 times as good? Nope. Most of it is sold now as the AX8 makes up my entire rig.

By the way, if anyone wants a mint One Control Crocodile Tail 10-Loop switcher, PM me. Haha
 
I need as much flexibility as I can get. We do everything under the sun! Sometimes I find 2 exp is not enough.
AX8, Voe's MC5jr, 2 exp, 2 external IA's and the old SKB PS-45 (custom) does it for now. ugh
 
I was wondering how many of you out there have actually ditched your bigger pedal boards and just downsized to just your AX8? I use to have a bunch of stuff in a large pedal board. I ran an H9, an expression pedal, and an older wireless and I got so sick of even hauling that around. I was able to get the AX8 to do everything so that I was able to ditch the H9, got rid of the wireless, and just pull out and hook up my expression when I feel like it now. It's such an amazing feeling only having to haul the AX8 around now! So easy, less bulky, and weighs so little now! Have any of you done that?
I did exactly that! Got rid of my big pedal board...full of boutique and great pedals...no regrets!
 
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