Misc Pedal settings questions...

[BloodRose]

Re: Misc Pedal settings questions...

Yeah, she comes first for sure!! And yes, I know it'll be ultimately my settings, but haven't had much luck finding the magic spot, so figured Id ask for some starting points. I think my biggest issue is that Im running my gain after my effects and its boosting the effects too much.

[Taz Rules]

Re: Misc Pedal settings questions...

FWIW, I just learned a lot reading this thread. Even though it isnt my post, and my board is MUCH simpler....Washburn Blues overdrive > Boss DS1 Distortion > Behringer VD400 Vintage Delay > Danelectro FAB 600ms Delay to a Roland Cube 15x.

Still, there's a lot of valuable experience and knowledge here, and I'm new to pedals. This gives me a head start for understanding how things work when the board expands.

Any time a giant offers a shoulder, you can bet I'm going to stand on it.

[BloodRose]

Re: Misc Pedal settings questions...

Glad it helped you Taz! I cant wait to have time to spend with my board and give this a try.

[BloodRose]

Re: Misc Pedal settings questions...

Started looking this over a bit today.. Wanted to address some things really quick.

To clarify. Devastone. If I have time to really hook things up properly, I run my top row,right (tuner) to left (grail) into the loop and bottom row, right (wah) to left (ns2) into the front of the amp. If Im in a hurry, I chain them together and go top row, to bottom row (Grail out to wah in) and out from the NS2 to the amp. Sounds like you Im reading that I should go bottom row to top row and into the front if I go that way?? Ill try that, cuz sounds like you and LUCYD are both saying dirt pedals should be first.. AND, Im thinking the dirt pedals should be first too as having them after seem to be over acentuating (sp?) my effects..

Lucyd. You were kinda open ending some questions about my set up.. Clean channel, buckers or singles.. So, thought Id clarify. I MOSTLY run humbuckers. I have a strat, and a coulple guits that are s/s/h. But the rest are H/H. Amp is a splawn Q/R. Clean channel is not bad, but I normally play on the gain channels. Also, I normally wah wah and not leave it set cocked. And, so far Im digging the JC WAh. My first wah was a bad horsie, because it was my buds fav and he gets amazing tones from his. but, wasnt my cup o tea, and I like having the option to leave it cocked. Then, I bought a Vox 847 (?), but it was too bright. I tried rolling the potentiometer some to get into a fatter sweep, but still wasnt what I was hoping for.

Back to my chain.. I see from both of you that Im gonna have to do some swapping around. And Yes, I KNEW in my mind I wasnt using the ns2 right. I figure the loop outputs arent on it for no reason.. So, Im gonna move some things around when time permits.

Gonna plug up in a few and at least try using the bottom row first then into top.

Does it matter a whole lot where the tuner goes?? I figured first would be best. IIRC, Devastone suggested a place for it..
Thanks again for the input

[Chickenwings]

Re: Misc Pedal settings questions...

sell them all and get a real nice amp if you dont already have one.
Plug your axe into said amp and get all the juice and nuance out of that.

[Lysergene]

Re: Misc Pedal settings questions...

I wouldn't put the noise gate last in the chain. When it kicks in you will end up with a gated reverb.

[Mincer]

Re: Misc Pedal settings questions...

Yes, time effects (delay, reverb) after a noise gate generally lets everything decay naturally.

[DKSEARS]

Re: Misc Pedal settings questions...

Definitely, spending time with your daughter comes first.

It looks like LD and the others covered most of it. If I am reading your signal chain correctly, the only suggestion I would offer would be to move the tuner out of the loop. I just prefer to run a clean tone directly from my guitar into my tuner rather than running through the preamp into the tuner.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[devastone]

Re: Misc Pedal settings questions...

Put the tuner after the wah/before the NS-2.

Try to think about what effects do, like reverb, it's basic function is there to mimic ambient sound bouncing around, "organically", that happens after the sound comes out of the speaker, not before the preamp. I've never heard it sound good before distortion, it might be a cool special effect for special occasions, but for 99% of the time, it just doesn't sound good. Delay is similar, except instead of a room, it's the grand canyon. Again, it has been done with decent results (definitely run the level/mix low if you have it in front) but most of the time it doesn't sound as good as after the tone shaping is done.

I personally like phase and flange before the dirt 'cause I think it sounds good there, and that's how King Edward did it, but it works sounds "cleaner" after the dirt.

As suggested, do some searching for the signal chains of your favorite pros/stars and see how they are running things. Sure, you may have a DD-3 instead of a TC 2290 delay, but where it goes in the signal chain will be similar.

[BloodRose]

Re: Misc Pedal settings questions...

So,IM working on the set up now..

Devastone, one more question.. This may be obvious, but Im not seeing it right now. Ive had a horrific day as they have demanded that I pick up my daughter and bring her home . So will be leaving in the morn to get her. This means I will lose my job because I will have to get her out of town and stay home and monitor her 24 -7 until I can find another place to put her, assuming I can get the @%##% insurance company to see the nature of her issue. Then, will have to go thru another court order to force her to go.. So... trying to get something done for myself tonight to ease my mind... Anyhow..The question..
If I do run the chorus, delays and verb to the loop, where is the cable from the loop return going to go? To the amp in?? (I wouldnt think this would be good..)?


LucyD, Yeah, took alil trial and error, but I have the distortion pedals dialed in ok.. They were alittle more straight forward to set up. Again, the programming of the other pedals was more hit an miss because of how I was running everything. If I ran the dirt pedals first, it was boosting the effects too much. It made a big difference

Oh, and just for the record, Id MUCH rather have a good spring reverb built into my amp than to use a reverb pedal... But since this amp doesnt have one, Im using a pedal..
Thanx again for your help! Hopefully, you guys will be "on board" to help with board two when this is done!!

[devastone]

Re: Misc Pedal settings questions...

Sorry, just seeing this... fx loop send>chorus>delay>reverb>fx loop return Be aware that the loop may be line level and may be too hot for the carbon copy, holy grail, and Boss chorus, not sure what the level of the Splawn loop is, the DL-8 is made to handle those levels so it will be fine. The way to tell is to hook them up, play through it clean and see if you get distortion through the effects when on. It won't hurt the effects, well, don't try it wide open, but if it is too hot you will hear some clipping in the signal when the effect is on. There are ways around that too, like the Ebtech LLS, of course it isn't exactly cheap. I had to use one with my Randall RM50 head, it had a really hot loop.

It sounds like you have your hands full with your daughter right now, prayers for you to find a solution and not lose your job. I can't imagine what you are going through with that.

[BloodRose]

Re: Misc Pedal settings questions...

Thanks!! Still on probation with new job, so cant miss, but going to have to so I can stay with her.. Its been VERY difficult situation..

Not to badger you or beat a horse, but Im still unclear on something.. I know how to run the effects thru the loop, but in your previous response you mentioned running the ns2 out to the chorus, delay,verb and then into the amp. I assume you meant into the front of the amp.? If I run that to the loop, it looks like my only option then would be to run the loop out directly to the in on the front of the amp, and Im guessing that isnt a good idea..? Again, sorry if Im missing the obvious, but in my mind Im seeing it as one or the other. Use the ns2 out to the chorus,delay, verb and into the amp or use the loop.. Thanks for clarifying!!

[PFDarkside]

Re: Misc Pedal settings questions...

Hey man! Best of luck, life is really dealing you a tough hand, and taking care of your daughter supersedes all this gear stuff. Really sending out the good vibes that everything works out and settles down for you.


That being said, from the gear standpoint....
You've basically got 2 "loops". The loop in the NS2, and the effects loop in the amp.
NS2 Loop: Generally speaking you put your drives here. It allows the NS-2 to sense if you are playing, then clamp down when you stop.
Effects loop: As suggested above, put your chorus, delay and reverb here.

So guitar -> wah -> tuner ->NS-2 -> (Green Rhino, OCD in NS-2 loop) -> remainder of pedals in front of amp -> amp input -> effects loop send ->Chorus ->delay ->reverb ->effects loop return

Hope that makes sense.

All that being said, once life calms down and you have some time for yourself to sit down and have some fun... I'd suggest breaking the whole rig down and building it back up one pedal at a time. Start with just the amp, add in a drive at a time until you get a good feel for where the gain, volume and tone work best with your amp and guitar. (As I saw in a video lately, avoid "noon-itis" where all controls have to be at noon, experiment with the whole sweep) After you get the amp and drives dialed in, add one color pedal at a time really exploring different positions and how the controls interact with the pedal settings you've previously dialed in. I suggest this because that's how I dialed in my latest pedalboard and I feel like I have a complete understanding of all the tones it can produce and how to get them. And of course the most important thing is to have fun in the process!

[Taz Rules]

Re: Misc Pedal settings questions...

Sorry to hear about your daughter. I knew there were issues, but didn't realize just how serious.

Full credit to you for what you are doing for her. It may seem like the obvious choice to you, and to others looking in from the outside, but rest assured, there are MANY parents out there that would shunt their child off in that situation. She's lucky she has one of the good ones that will stick with her. Hopefully karma comes back to you and you find an even better job. Who knows, maybe this boss will even see the situation and give you a break. Here's hoping. (Looking for a silver lining...think of the songwriting potential that could come out of this!)

Thoughts go out to you and your daughter in her recovery. This sounds like a tough one.


Sorry I can't help with the gear, but there are far more knowledgeable people than I who are contributing on that front.

[devastone]

Re: Misc Pedal settings questions...

Thanks!! Still on probation with new job, so cant miss, but going to have to so I can stay with her.. Its been VERY difficult situation..

Not to badger you or beat a horse, but Im still unclear on something.. I know how to run the effects thru the loop, but in your previous response you mentioned running the ns2 out to the chorus, delay,verb and then into the amp. I assume you meant into the front of the amp.? If I run that to the loop, it looks like my only option then would be to run the loop out directly to the in on the front of the amp, and Im guessing that isnt a good idea..? Again, sorry if Im missing the obvious, but in my mind Im seeing it as one or the other. Use the ns2 out to the chorus,delay, verb and into the amp or use the loop.. Thanks for clarifying!!

Sorry to be confusing, when I wrote that about the NS-2 I was thinking you were running the whole board into the front of the amp. If you are running the chorus, delays, and reverb in the loop, yes, run the output of the NS-2 to the front of the amp (had to go look up my other post).

Basically, what PFD said, and I also agree with him about building it up one pedal at a time, get to know what each one does on it's own, and if something isn't doing what you want it to, or isn't useful to you, leave it out.

Check this out, Satch doing Surfing with a cheap strat copy into a Peavey Backstage 30, take from it what you will.