routing question using return

InsideOut

Power User
I have an Epi LP Ultra that has 2 jacks. One can be for both passive pups and piezo, OR one can be used for passive pups and the other used exclusively for piezo. I obviously have the main jack going to the front input of the axefx. But I'd like to run the second (piezo only) jack to the return. If I build a patch just for acoustic sound where I have the return block first in the chain and run the piezo guitar jack to return on back of axefx, will it bypass the front input as I hope? My goal is to be able to hit a patch button on my floor controller and have my sound go to completely "acoustic" without having to twist volume knobs etc (if you have a LP Ultra you know what I mean - it's a pain). Hope that makes sense :?
 
My (heavily modified) strat has a stereo jack, one side sending the regular magnetic pickups' signal, the other side sending the Fishman undersaddle piezo pickup's signal. I have a stereo jack cord which splits at the Axe-FX end into two regular tip&sleeve mono 1/4 inch jacks. One goes to the front input for the strat pickups, the other goes to rear input 2 for the piezo.

A typical signal routing chain would look like this:

.............[FXL]--[amp1]--... to ouput
--[wah]--[amp2]--[cab]-/

Sorry for the poor Ascii graphics... there is nothing between the left-most "input" and the FXL block, I had to use dots as spacers to line things up. The rear input 2 is fed (through the Effects Loop block) into a clean acoustic-like amp model, then whatever other effects I need. The front input 1 is fed through the grid into a wah, an amp, a cab, and more stuff. I usually then join the two rows for shared blocks (i.e. delay and reverb following a volume block). I use an expression pedal to gradually phase from one signal chain (piezo into clean amp) to the other (magnetic pickups into higher gain amp and cab).

This works perfectly with one exception which had me scratching my head when I first set it up. My FRFR monitors are plugged into Output 2 (I use Output 1 balanced out to my computer's audio interface when at home or to FOH when at a gig). When I first added that Effects Loop block, however, it cut off my signal to Output 2 (I use "copy out1 to out2" in the I/O menu). You see, the copy out1 to out2 works only when no Effects Loop block is used (the Ultra manual says "If the effects loop block is in the grid then this setting is ignored"). So it's just one thing to keep in mind when you set it up.

Other than that, it works beautifully. My example is for a single patch that allows you to fade from piezo to magnetic into different signal chains, but if you set it up as distinct patches, it will also work. You will need to have your Effects Loop block in any position except the first column (if you put in in the first column, a connection is automatically made between input1 and that block). When you switch to that patch, no signal will come from input 1, and your effects loop block will route your piezo signal from rear input 2 to whatever else you put in that chain.
 
Ding!! That's the answer I was looking for. I couldn't figure out how to make it bypass the front input. So (just repeating you so it sinks into my fragile little mind) as long as I keep the first row empty
that should create the disconnect from front input.

Thanks for the response - this is going to be great :cool:
 
InsideOut said:
Ding!! That's the answer I was looking for. I couldn't figure out how to make it bypass the front input. So (just repeating you so it sinks into my fragile little mind) as long as I keep the first row empty
that should create the disconnect from front input.
That's correct.
Thanks for the response - this is going to be great :cool:
That's also correct ;-)
 
:(

Well, this method works as planned but the downside is having both jacks on the guitar plugged in introduces tons of noise :x . Tried ground switch both ways - no help. I think it's just cheesy wiring in the guitar. I guess maybe I'll just plug it in that way for tunes that I need acoustic on and leave it unplugged the rest of the time.
 
Tons of noise? That's odd, mine is dead silent.

Do you get noise no matter what patch is selected, the moment you plug it in that way (one jack in front input, and another in rear input 2)? Like you said, it could be cheesy wiring in the guitar, but still, I'd investigate a bit and see if you can get it to work. If you have to unplug it when not in use, you lose one of the major advantages of this method...

Daniel
 
Yeah, it's kind of a bummer. I get the buzz on all patches (not just the acoustic patch). And obviously, the higher the gain, the worse it is. Noise gate only solves it when I'm not playing but as soon as I touch the strings, buzz. It was worth a shot.
 
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