Help me brainstorm a pedalboard

ElectricPhase

ElectricPhase

Fractal Fanatic
Usually I play through either my AX8 or my Axe-FX II, both of which I love to pieces.

Lately, though, I've been thinking about putting together a pedalboard for a very specific purpose. I want a small, light board (much smaller than the AX8) to be able to go anywhere any plug into any backline amp (or/and into a board) and get the sound I want on the fly. To accomplish that, I've been considering the following chain:

tuner > tube screamer > Marshall-in-a-box > boost > delay > splitter > Ampli-firebox (when it comes out)

The idea would be that I can plug into an amp from the splitter or direct from the Atomic, or both. If I use some mini pedals, the whole thing should be tiny.

I'm looking for pedal suggestions and improvements to the concept. (Or you can tell me I'm nuts and it won't work--but please say why....) TIA
 
@dpeterson Yep!

My first hypothetical kick at the cat:

TC Polytune 2 Mini Noir
Ibanez Tube Screamer Mini
Weehbo JMP Drive (for the really versatile mid-controls)
Source Audio Nemesis (has dedicated tap and I like the options since it's my only effect)
JHS Prestige
(splitter) >> AMP
Atomic Ampli-firebox >> BOARD
 
Last edited:
ElectricPhase said:
If I use some mini pedals, the whole thing should be tiny.
Click to expand...

Don't sacrifice quality for size though, depending on the quality of effects you are going for you could check out Strymon gear. Specifically for a "mini" board the Blue Sky reverb and Dig delay pedal. I'm not much help since I really use the AX8 and AFX II for everything... Hope you mini-board works out mate.
 
Thanks for the input. I haven't ruled out the El Capistan, since it can add reverb if needed. The Nemesis is (at least from demos since I can't get my paws on one around here) of equal quality. Also considering the Flashback Mini just to shrink the whole thing a bit more. ; )

Edit: I was kicking this around with a guitar playing buddy, and he pointed out that I already had a pretty good pedal for the effects slot: my Zoom MS-70CDR. No tap tempo, but loads of other options. That makes room for one more mini pedal....or I could leave off the tuner and use a Pedaltrain Nano. Lots of time to think about it--the Ampli-firebox is vaporware until April at the earliest.
 
Last edited:
ElectricPhase said:
@dpeterson Yep!

My first hypothetical kick at the cat:

TC Polytune 2 Mini Noir
Ibanez Tube Screamer Mini
Weehbo JMP Drive (for the really versatile mid-controls)
Source Audio Nemesis (has dedicated tap and I like the options since it's my only effect)
JHS Prestige
(splitter) >> AMP
Atomic Ampli-firebox >> BOARD
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure those mini pedals don't run from battery, so you are going to need to add a power source to this board as well which also takes up space.
 
One thing to watch out for is that those mini pedals dont save as much space as you would think because you still have to have room for your foot to hit the switches. It works fine if they are always on but it makes tap dancing ten times harder.
Is there a reason you wouldn't want to go with the regular Amplifire for everything? That would just require one small pedal and you are done. What do you need that it doesn't provide? I know it not near as much fun!!!
 
chucma said:
I'm pretty sure those mini pedals don't run from battery, so you are going to need to add a power source to this board as well which also takes up space.
Click to expand...

Cioks DC-5 under the Nano. I've added up the current draw of everything except the Atomic, and it amounts to about 330mA, so it comes down to whether the Atomic will run on one of the DC-5s 300mA outs.

I also had a crazy notion of strapping a Loop-Master Pedalboard Router to the side of this monstrosity so I can switch the MS-70CDR to after the Ampli-firebox if I'm only running direct. It's getting complicated, but I'm shooting for maximum versatility in a tiny package.
 
lwknives said:
One thing to watch out for is that those mini pedals dont save as much space as you would think because you still have to have room for your foot to hit the switches. It works fine if they are always on but it makes tap dancing ten times harder.
Is there a reason you wouldn't want to go with the regular Amplifire for everything? That would just require one small pedal and you are done. What do you need that it doesn't provide? I know it not near as much fun!!!
Click to expand...

You are 100% correct about the mini pedals, and I'm trying to compensate for it via placement. The only two that might be too close together are the tube screamer and the tuner. I think it will be okay because the tube screamer's switch is at a slant.

The reason for not going with the regular Amplifire is that this supposed to be able to go into the front end of any backline amp that happens to be provided, or direct, or both. The Amplifire really wouldn't be able to go into the front of an amp very well, and certainly can't do both. Also, the Amplifire is larger and requires a lot of power.

I've considered using an Amplifire for grab-n-go several times, but every time I work it through, I realize that by the time I add what I need to it, it's about the same size and weight of the AX8 but with less functionality. I love my AX8!

I'm completely willing to own up to that the whole idea is bonkers, but I think it has merit. I have most of the pedals already, and I plan on gaming it out using my Axe-FX II to simulate different environments to see whether it works in principal before investing in a the board, power supply, and the Ampli-firebox.
 
Last edited:
ElectricPhase said:
You are 100% correct about the mini pedals, and I'm trying to compensate for it via placement. The only two that might be too close together are the tube screamer and the tuner. I think it will be okay because the tube screamer's switch is at a slant.

The reason for not going with the regular Amplifire is that this supposed to be able to go into the front end of any backline amp that happens to be provided, or direct, or both. The Amplifire really wouldn't be able to go into the front of an amp very well, and certainly can't do both. Also, the Amplifire is larger and requires a lot of power.

I've considered using an Amplifire for grab-n-go several times, but every time I work it through, I realize that by the time I add what I need to it, it's about the same size and weight of the AX8 but with less functionality. I love my AX8!

I'm completely willing to own up to that the whole idea is bonkers, but I think it has merit. I have most of the pedals already, and I plan on gaming it out using my Axe-FX II to simulate different environments to see whether it works in principal before investing in a the board, power supply, and the Ampli-firebox.
Click to expand...

Why couldnt you put it into the front of an amp? Im curious because I am considering the same sort of grab and go board. I was thinking I could probably get by with just the Amplifire and a volume pedal.

Is there any sort of high quality multi FX pedal that would cover all the FX including drives? Then all you would need would be an amp modeling pedal the FX pedal and a volume pedal.
 
Well, the Amplifire is an amp modeling device with effects...more or less like the Fractal units. As I understand it, the drive section of the Amplifire is not very popular. I suppose you could turn off the power amp modelling and use one or more of the preamp sections as drive pedals into an amp. There's a demo on Youtube showing exactly that.

However, I'm looking to build something that works in a pinch when I have less control over my environment. I want some of the benefits of a modeler but without the 'preset mentality'. Reworking an AX8 patch on the spot to match some random tube combo and/or a shitty PA is not my idea of fun--and the AX8 interface is much better than the Amplifire. I want a setup that can quickly and easily be twiddled into submission to compensate for whatever I find.

The other part of my idea--running into an amp and direct simultaneously without micing the cab--can't be done by the Amplifire by itself. The Ampli-firebox on one side of a buffered splitter box might provide that part of the equation. We'll see when it shows up.

As an aside, every time I've considered the Amplifire for it's size, I run up against the three switch limitation. When you add a MIDI footswitch and a tuner to an Amplifire board, you're already edging toward the size and bulk of the AX8.

Edit: A better question would be why I don't just buy a Flyrig and be done with it. The answer to that is that it would be less fun. :D
 
Last edited:
I get it!!! Ive looked into the flyrig a bit but its just not very sexy!!!

Are you trying to keep cost down or just size? I am trying to keep cost under $600.00. Which makes it hard to use individual pedals.

Have you checked out Mooer pedals? They have a bunch of tiny pedals and they have a pedal switcher which is pretty small.
 
lwknives said:
I get it!!! Ive looked into the flyrig a bit but its just not very sexy!!!

Are you trying to keep cost down or just size? I am trying to keep cost under $600.00. Which makes it hard to use individual pedals.

Have you checked out Mooer pedals? They have a bunch of tiny pedals and they have a pedal switcher which is pretty small.
Click to expand...

Size.

I'm basically trying to create a better quality, more versatile Flyrig out of pedals. I like the Mooer Orange Ninety, but I want to leave off anything non-essential.
 
ElectricPhase said:
I'm completely willing to own up to that the whole idea is bonkers, but I think it has merit.
Click to expand...

Hey, I completely resemble that remark ;)

It's interesting. If you have the pedals, then go for it.

Personally, I would grin and bear taking the AX-8 to the gig with a couple of DI boxes, give the soundman the feed from the DI's for FOH and plug the amp outs of the DI's into the FX return loops of the backline for monitoring. Then no matter what it sounds like for monitoring with the backline, you have a known quantity going FOH.
 
You're absolutely right....if there's a sound man(!), and time to find/use the return loop of the amp--if it has one. Under those circumstances, I would absolutely use the AX8. I have patches set up that way. This is for less civilized and more rushed situations. Basically where you're handed a 1/4" cable, given 30 seconds of setup time, and told told 'Go!' I'm even trying to think of ways to make the thing battery powered.
 
ElectricPhase said:
tuner > tube screamer > Marshall-in-a-box > boost > delay > splitter > Ampli-firebox (when it comes out)
Click to expand...

I would go DIY as I'm a solder jockey and the idea to drop a lot of money on overpriced pedals when I don't have to seems anathema to me. Also its way more fun to build your own gear.

Tuner is best to get a commercial one. I'd get the TC polytune as that is what I use myself.
Tubescreamer, Marshall in a box and boost I would build on vero board using layouts from tagboardeffects.
Tubescreamer, easy:
http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.nl/2012/02/ibanez-ts808.html (I'd use the version with the clipping switch mod)

Marshall in a box, either the MI Crunchbox or the Marshall Guvnor. Both sound great in my opinion and would make nice additions as new drive models for the Axe (hint hint):
V1 http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.nl/2011/04/mi-audio-crunch-box.html
V2 http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.nl/2012/02/mi-audio-crunch-box-v2.html
http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.nl/2012/12/marshall-guvnor.html

Boost, so many choices. I like the MXR Micro Amp, but the Zvex SHO and the EHX LPB are also good choices.
http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.nl/2010/10/mxr-microamp-compact-layout.html
http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.nl/2013/02/zvex-super-hard-on-compact-layout.html
http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.nl/2013/01/electro-harmonix-lpb1-with-trimmer.html

You could probably combine all three circuits into a single multi. Personally I would use 3 separate 125B boxes, as you can make them very easy with topmounted jacks, which would allow you to stack them as close together as you want. And unless you have feet the size of main battle tanks that should still be plenty of space not to hit more then one at once. Unless you want to. Separate boxes would also allow you to place the boost after the delay. Why would you want to do that you ask? Because then you could also build a buffered splitter circuit into that box as well, killing two birds with one stone. And boost behind delay works for Tom Morello and others too.

For the splitter circuit I would use the AMZ buffered splitter:
http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.nl/2014/08/amz-2-channel-splitter.html
They all seem to be JFET transistor based, although there is an IC version, which I used extensively, but for which I can't find a vero layout. It is however being sold by General Guitar Gadgets.
http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/effects-projects/boosters/buffer-ic/

For delay that depends on what you want to do with it. This would be another pedal I would look for commercially, as the DIY are a bit limited in my opinion, and the ones that are versatile get bigger and bigger. A TC Flashback would allow you to cover a lot of ground. The TC Nova Delay used to be my main work horse for years. The Flashback can be powered by standard 9v though so easier to power with a daisy chain if need be.

Total cost for the DIY pedals would probably be $25 in parts per pedal, and I'm probably generous there as there aren't that many electronic parts inside. There are no mojo parts inside each pedal, although 2N5457 JFET transistors are probably pricey as they're no longer in production.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom