Let's REVIEW those pedal boards you are using right now.

[marcello252]

I wanna play this game too, this is my home board, the one I use the most these days

[Aceman]

I will get to both of these as time permits. Likely this evening...

[Aceman]

Ok I'll play. My play out rig from tonight. Front of the Amp a Wampler Ergo Compressor and a Nobels ODR 1. Through the loop Rocktron Deep Blue Chorus,Boss DD 6 delay and a Strymon Blue Sky also running a buffer for the loop and have tye Amp channel switch. Amp is my Mesa Subway Rocket. Clip https://youtu.be/ghlrBV94iTA?si=j3tDOuUAYWoJwLuJ

First off, crappy photo. The lines-a-skew factor with angles and verticals hurts my head. Stop trying to be freaking artsy. Line it up with the tile, and lose the table or whatever in the shot. Is it too much to just take a freaking vertical pic down on a board? Apparently so.

Next - where did you take this shot? In some defunct out of business 70's Kmart or something? Those tile colors - WTF?

As for the cables, Medusa called, she wants her snake hair back. I got two words for you: Zip Tie.

The prefab board - looks nice, don't know who makes it. Of course, you aren't really using it, are you? I see a whole bunch of input outputs at the top of the board. They are probably Bly there for a reason. Use them!

And the dead space in the north east quadrant. What is that? Sacred Native American burial ground or something? Put something there! I know - how about a GREAT BIG BOOST!!!!!! Because we seriously can't hear the guitar in any of your clips.

The more I look at this the more I think it does not need anywhere near that much real estate for those few pedals.

It sure as hell is not sexy enough to deserve two pics! You need to put that ego compressor on your own skull.

Now for the pedals...

Mini Ego Comp - Nice always on option. Have the big one myself.

Nobles OD - the other Green Overdrive. You think you are ready for Nashville? Seriously, nice choice again. Too many screamers out there. I don't see these often enough.

Buffer? For those few pedals. Seriously? Buff my bald head.

Then A Rocktron Chorus? Way cheap up a nice start with a gaudy old chorus. Spent all your money on that giant board you are using about 40% of...

Boss DD-6/7/8/whatever. A standard.

And then Strymon. I would typically say this is pretentious, but I know you are a worship player, so I guess it is required. Then again, I have seen some of the shacks you play in, so I'm back to pretentious. Then again, wood church shack probably kills any natural reverb....so it might take Strymon to deliver some heavenly verb.

You need to take this and get a Pedal train of the appropriate size, all in one line.

Ego > Nobles > NEW Chorus > Boss > Strymon > Done. And then no need for all that cable mess either. 4 patch cables and then one to the amp, set the Mesa with on the ground.

Seriously - get a CE5 or something.

You have 5 pedals on a board that can hold twelve. Give some other people room on stage! You don't need it.

[Aceman]

I wanna play this game too, this is my home board, the one I use the most these days

All right - let's tackle this...

First of all, this is NOT a game an the casual attitude suggests that any advice given will not be adhered to. Musical lives have been saved by the tough love given here. And based on this, you appear to be one of those people in need. I don't care how neat and tidy the cables are. OK - I do care. We ALL should care.

Let me jump in and discuss YET ANOTHER EFFING ARTSY-@$$ photo!!!!

Diagonal floor tiles and angled guitar rack against straight board. This thread is business - not art school. Go take flowery photos elsewhere. They are a PITA to me! But, if you want to piss me off out of the gate, go ahead...

Next up - you do not deserve to have whatever guitar is attached to that horrible red guitar strap. You went for a basic black across the board. Yeah, that lacks style, imagination, and there are probably better choices for each guitar, but basic black isn't bad. When we see that red stitched crap that you put on the one time you got fancy - go back to black. Your mom probably dressed you in corduroy pants too and you thought they were "fancy" because they were special.


I will say this board has a few very good points. First, size and spacing is perfect for the number of pedals (I'm taking to you ASCENSION!).

Next, consistent, tidy, out of the way patches. EVERYONE can learn something from this.

No signal path...so I'll just have to guess....

The TC Viscous Vibe - this is actually a very cool Vibe pedal, and highly underrated. Now - I am not a vibe pedal guy (unless you count my T-Rex Viper), but my understanding is that this was modeled in excruciating detail after the original Shinei or however you say it. Besides that, and a vibrato, it has tone prints, to super flexible for that exact Bridge of Sighs or whatever ver mode you need.

So far so good...and this major screw up: WTF is the Vox pedal doing in the middle of all four of those pedals?!?!?!?!?1. It just screams 'I want to hit the knobs/switched on the Vibe or the Dual drive. Really - Move that to the very outside of the board or tell you bind your feet like a Chinese woman.

Next, T-Rex dual drive. No comment.

Rat - always in style, but I note the extremely low drive setting. Not knowing what you are using it for, can't judge. But it's probably some sad hippie rock that you use that red strap guitar for....

And dirt followed up with a classic GE-7 with a nice little mid bump. Solo boost for home use I suspect?

Vibe first, Vox style Wah, followed by three dirt modes and an EQ. Pretty textbook.

Moving to the back row. Waza Chorus. Modern classic. Nice.

Now - not sure what to say about the Subnup. Interesting settings. Equal parts dry, sub and up. Not sure about the location either. I'd say this should go first on principle, as a pitch effect. But explain a little more about where it really is.

Next up, Delay and Reverb.

Never heard of the Rubberneck - but Holy Hell! That is a mother &%$%# of an analog delay!!!!

The Trinity is a cool slightly extended TC Hall of fame with a couple of extra Ambience settings I believe. Worship player perhaps?

All followed by a Polytune at the end.

All in all, a really nice board with a few rare choices, but nice choices. I'm gonna watch some vids on that delay box though!

Nicely done. Now go fix that abomination of a guitar strap. You REALLY need to be careful when going jacquard style with a strap if it isn't an acoustic. I have 30+ guitars and ONE jacquard strap that was really carefully chosen.

[Ascension]

First off, crappy photo. The lines-a-skew factor with angles and verticals hurts my head. Stop trying to be freaking artsy. Line it up with the tile, and lose the table or whatever in the shot. Is it too much to just take a freaking vertical pic down on a board? Apparently so.

Next - where did you take this shot? In some defunct out of business 70's Kmart or something? Those tile colors - WTF?

As for the cables, Medusa called, she wants her snake hair back. I got two words for you: Zip Tie.

The prefab board - looks nice, don't know who makes it. Of course, you aren't really using it, are you? I see a whole bunch of input outputs at the top of the board. They are probably Bly there for a reason. Use them!

And the dead space in the north east quadrant. What is that? Sacred Native American burial ground or something? Put something there! I know - how about a GREAT BIG BOOST!!!!!! Because we seriously can't hear the guitar in any of your clips.

The more I look at this the more I think it does not need anywhere near that much real estate for those few pedals.

It sure as hell is not sexy enough to deserve two pics! You need to put that ego compressor on your own skull.

Now for the pedals...

Mini Ego Comp - Nice always on option. Have the big one myself.

Nobles OD - the other Green Overdrive. You think you are ready for Nashville? Seriously, nice choice again. Too many screamers out there. I don't see these often enough.

Buffer? For those few pedals. Seriously? Buff my bald head.

Then A Rocktron Chorus? Way cheap up a nice start with a gaudy old chorus. Spent all your money on that giant board you are using about 40% of...

Boss DD-6/7/8/whatever. A standard.

And then Strymon. I would typically say this is pretentious, but I know you are a worship player, so I guess it is required. Then again, I have seen some of the shacks you play in, so I'm back to pretentious. Then again, wood church shack probably kills any natural reverb....so it might take Strymon to deliver some heavenly verb.

You need to take this and get a Pedal train of the appropriate size, all in one line.

Ego > Nobles > NEW Chorus > Boss > Strymon > Done. And then no need for all that cable mess either. 4 patch cables and then one to the amp, set the Mesa with on the ground.

Seriously - get a CE5 or something.

You have 5 pedals on a board that can hold twelve. Give some other people room on stage! You don't need it.

LOL that's an old-battered road worn 25-year-old SKB that had been gathering dust in my junk room, the input and outputs on it are all toast. I just put it to use as a grab and go board because it has a decent carry bag. Was using a Wallmart dish drying mat that I threw in an anvil briefcase so--. Have a nicer board for the bigger Amps.
On the buffer, it isn't the number of effects, it's the 15-foot run of cable to and from the amp loop. That 30 foot cable run plus effects kills a lot of high end, so the buffer is needed. On the cables it is all zip tied, there are just 5 cables coming into and out of the board (daisy chain, loop in and out dual cable, channel switch cable and the output for the Compressor and OD to the front of the amp).
The Compressor is only used for country lead work a solo boost or clean sustain OD is set for a light crunch or with a volume roll off edge of breakup. The amp has a built-in contour solo boost on the channel switch, so--.
That old Rocktron Chorus is there because I simply like the way it sounds. Like it better than all the much more expensive units I have owned over the years. That why I have kept it for over 20 years.
The room is the youth room in a Church, this group has been in a number of locations over 20 or so years. This is the best sounding room we have been in, plus it's free so--. Was a grocery store at one time, so dead on the assessment of the tile. The photo was just a quick snap on my phone from last night just before we started. Surprised you didn't catch the messy daisy chain, as really need a proper power supply for this board, that thing is a PITA and is a little noisy.
On the 2 photos, blame the forum software posting photos here used to be easy but after the last updates--well.

[marcello252]

Thank you for your in-depth analysis, I can assure you that I will follow all your enlightened advice, but, before adopting the measures indicated, I would like to detail some points in greater depth.

Diagonal floor tiles and angled guitar rack against straight board. This thread is business - not art school.

Got the point. I will adopt a rotating parquet to adapt it to the inclination of the pedal board.

Your mom probably dressed you in corduroy pants too and you thought they were "fancy" because they were special.

so much true that I blush

First, size and spacing is perfect for the number of pedals (I'm taking to you ASCENSION!).

Thank you very much, so many years of headache to millimetrically move everything to fit (hope you'll never see the cable mess under my board anyway)

No signal path...so I'll just have to guess....

trickier than it seems, for reasons I will explain because it could be useful for someone else.

Guitar > CE-2w > Viscous Vibe > Vox Wah > Dual Drive > Rat > Sub'n'UP > Rubberneck Delay > Trinity > Ditto > Polytune > Amp

Fact is the Vibe is the modulation pedal I prefer the most and I like it before the drive BUT the TC Viscous Vibe has a always On buffer (there's a switch to bypass it inside but it seems it doesn't work, don't know why) and this buffer has a big color on the tone, too big, it shelves the highs too much with high impedance source like a pickup, so it needs a more transparent buffer before.
Since the Wah has true bypass I did need something else, the choose was the CE-2W. This also cures a weird volume problem on this particular chorus, beautiful pedal but as soon you engage it there is a nasty volume jump, putting it in front of the drive the jump is not audible.
This also explains why the Wah is in the middle, anyway enough room to rock it without messing with other pedals, even with my 11,5 shoes

Next, T-Rex dual drive. No comment.

Actually they are two independent modified RATs in one pedal , the left with a mild gain and broader bass, the left more similiar to a standard RAT, a cooler pedal than it seems

Rat - always in style, but I note the extremely low drive setting.

Good point, good eyes.
Anyway I normally use it with the gain at 2 o'clock. It's actually a RAT I modified, changing the bass freq cutoff and the clipping diodes, it sounds this way more like a Fuzz, a cross between a Fuzz face and a Big Muff, but much more usable and without the mid scooped EQ. It's a surprising pedal this way, it's the first fuzz I have that can cut well through the band mix.

And dirt followed up with a classic GE-7 with a nice little mid bump. Solo boost for home use I suspect?

I often carry this board with me ouside home...

Now - not sure what to say about the Subnup. Interesting settings. Equal parts dry, sub and up. Not sure about the location either. I'd say this should go first on principle, as a pitch effect. But explain a little more about where it really is.

after hundreds of experiments, in this place, after a chorus and a mild drive (for example the left part of the dual drive), it surprisingly sounds like a Hammond organ, no kidding, try it. Without the chorus it's still interesting for solos coupled with a bit of drive.
If I put it before the drive it gets really messy, especially with a RAT type circuit, so I move it post the dirt pedals.

Never heard of the Rubberneck

please try it, it's a sleeper. It's not the cleaner analog delay ever made but it's heaven for me, even with its hiss, I almost get emotional sometimes when I play it

The Trinity is a cool slightly extended TC Hall of fame with a couple of extra Ambience settings I believe. Worship player perhaps?

no, cheap 2nd hand buy, but it resulted in one of the best reverb I've heard, I use it in Hall mode the most, or Church mode for some Jeff Buckley type things sometimes.

Nicely done. Now go fix that abomination of a guitar strap.

At once Sir

[Aceman]

Thank you for your in-depth analysis, I can assure you that I will follow all your enlightened advice, but, before adopting the measures indicated, I would like to detail some points in greater depth.

You are new to this, so I'll just say this.

This is I review your board, not discuss. It isn't I review and you make excuses either. If I didn't ask, I don't care, and it can only get you in trouble usually.

[marcello252]

right, my bad

[NotDemanic]

Time to stir the pot yet again.

[marcello252]

Ok, I'll try again with another board I have in my mountain home, forgive my sins Aceman

(please don't blame the pavement , it's a late 60s thing, don't have money to change it yet)

[GuitarStv]

Time to stir the pot yet again.

No metal zone? You're going soft. Also I think aceman likes bare feet more than covered.

[NotDemanic]

No metal zone? You're going soft. Also I think aceman likes bare feet more than covered.

Soft?
That's not a foot you know. I was kneeling when I took that photo. And that's not one of my knees either.

[Aceman]

Time to stir the pot yet again.

My god this is a cry for help.

But - to quote Cool Hand Luke "That's the way he want's it, well, he gets it"

That isn't a pedal board, it is just a board and looks like an old one at that. Put a crowbar in that pocket and at least go to Lowes/Home Depot and get a decent fresh piece of wood.

That said, not surprised because it's going into a $40 Joyo Dirt box. Does it sound good? It might. Who cares. If you can't afford a real pedal, I guess you don';t need a real pedal "board" either.

What are those sad black plastic end cables going into and out of this Uber-tone box? I've seen pics of better constructed lineups and gear in homeless encampments in San Fran.

Now, in the redundancy department: Has a decent old (or better) Keeley four knob compressor going into the Craptortion box. Yet - get this; The pedal in its low-budget glory actually has a compression switch!

Tidy up the loose copper on that custom cut patch cable.

And yeah - that IS an old man shoe in the pic, with a hint of man-foot skin showing. , so Foot in pic, man foot showing, and effeminate sexy cut out shoe style. So much fail it almost makes the Craptortion box look not half bad.

As always - two pedals does not a board make. You don't need a freaking board for this, let alone the single power patch. Don't plan on turning the Keeley on, or just didn't feel like bending over to plug it in.

If this is the best you can do, I'm thinking it's about time for assisted living for guitar players home.

[NotDemanic]

My god this is a cry for help.

But - to quote Cool Hand Luke "That's the way he want's it, well, he gets it"

That isn't a pedal board, it is just a board and looks like an old one at that. Put a crowbar in that pocket and at least go to Lowes/Home Depot and get a decent fresh piece of wood.

That said, not surprised because it's going into a $40 Joyo Dirt box. Does it sound good? It might. Who cares. If you can't afford a real pedal, I guess you don';t need a real pedal "board" either.

What are those sad black plastic end cables going into and out of this Uber-tone box? I've seen pics of better constructed lineups and gear in homeless encampments in San Fran.

Now, in the redundancy department: Has a decent old (or better) Keeley four knob compressor going into the Craptortion box. Yet - get this; The pedal in its low-budget glory actually has a compression switch!

Tidy up the loose copper on that custom cut patch cable.

And yeah - that IS an old man shoe in the pic, with a hint of man-foot skin showing. , so Foot in pic, man foot showing, and effeminate sexy cut out shoe style. So much fail it almost makes the Craptortion box look not half bad.

As always - two pedals does not a board make. You don't need a freaking board for this, let alone the single power patch. Don't plan on turning the Keeley on, or just didn't feel like bending over to plug it in.

If this is the best you can do, I'm thinking it's about time for assisted living for guitar players home.

Like I said, that's not a foot (so to speak, but close enough I suppose for you).
$40 Joyo? You're being generous, try half that. The Monster cable between the two probably cost me more 15 years ago.
And the Keeley doesn't need a power cord if it's got a battery in it, duh.
And as far as fresh wood goes, don't you know that a seasoned board is the only way to get the toanz?
And given how much crap you've always given me for using a Metalzone (especially using compression into it), why not go with a cheap craptortion that has the option of even more compression!

Face it Acebob, you're just jealous of both my minimalist approach AND my codpiece. lol

[Aceman]

Like I said, that's not a foot (so to speak, but close enough I suppose for you).
$40 Joyo? You're being generous, try half that. The Monster cable between the two probably cost me more 15 years ago.
And the Keeley doesn't need a power cord if it's got a battery in it, duh.
And as far as fresh wood goes, don't you know that a seasoned board is the only way to get the toanz?
And given how much crap you've always given me for using a Metalzone (especially using compression into it), why not go with a cheap craptortion that has the option of even more compression!

Face it Acebob, you're just jealous of both my minimalist approach AND my codpiece. lol[/QUOTE]

As mentioned, don't argue...


Like I said, that's not a foot (so to speak, but close enough I suppose for you).
- Yes it is, there are other pictures I have seen that can verify it.

$40 Joyo? You're being generous, try half that.
- Whatever. It's a design made by Joyo too. If Joyo is to High end, I have to ask - do you need some financial help? I can send you a fiver if you need it.

The Monster cable between the two probably cost me more 15 years ago.
- What it cost is even more of a reason to do a top notch cut job. Not everyone should be allowed to use Monster cable. Not to mention, wouldn't want to lose any signal before it hit that $20 Craptortion pedal.

And the Keeley doesn't need a power cord if it's got a battery in it, duh.
- Welcome to 2024 where we have invented far better ways of powering pedals. Of course, if you spent all your scratch on that Craptortion box

And as far as fresh wood goes, don't you know that a seasoned board is the only way to get the toanz?
- I have no interest in discussing your wood here. This is not a secks forum.

And given how much crap you've always given me for using a Metalzone (especially using compression into it), why not go with a cheap craptortion that has the option of even more compression!
- It isn't me giving you crap about the Metalzone. It's the entire Tone-world. And that dirt hole of a dirt box isn't helping improve the situation. Dual compression doesn't mean before and during the pedal.

Face it Acebob, you're just jealous of both my minimalist approach AND my codpiece. lol​
- again, trying to get me to discuss your jock strap and the old fish stuffed into it. I'll tell you what smells like Cod - the toanze this "Two junky-@$$ pedals sitting on scrap" generates. That's what.

But - in the spirit of Uber-goodwill that I'm known for, I'm going to help you out.

#1 Lets get a real board. Keeping with your minimalist philosophy about everything, how about we start with a Pedaltrain Nano. Soft case, matching black zips & velcro. Ready to tour all the old folks homes!





#2 Next up, lets bring your Compressor up to date: Trade that old Keeley in for a sweet and sexy GC-2. Ultra transparent and powerful.



#3 Then, let's get you a REAL heavy metal/thrashable death pedal; The Humbolt Black Clouds with a preamp or mid boost mode for straight into the power section, and a built in noise gate, plus a boost switch and real 3 band EQ.


#4 We have two more spots and we are not going to waste them.

This is an oldie, much like yourself, but a goody: The Boss RV3 Delay/Reverb. It will provide Boss reverb, 2 Rooms, Hall, or Plate, for a little space if desired, as well as 32 to 2000ms of delay, for fattening, crunching up, or really making that creepy intro lead line pop. You can have Reverb or delay individually, or both together. For those times when you need that "little something extra"




For final ultra tonez we are going to add an EQ at the end for ultra tone shape options out a level boost for really punching someone in the throat with "that" riff or chug. The Source Audio EQ 2 - quiet, programable, able to stereo split, Midi controllable



#5 And, to really keep you head banging and not needing to keep changing batteries all damn day...A Onespot with a four barrel adapter to give you all the juice you need:







Tell me you couldn't rock the &^$%$^ out of that setup....