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Topic: Best Single Spaced Rack Effects Unit |
Jim Palenscar
From:
Oceanside, Calif, USA
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Posted 9 Oct 2009 8:14 am |
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| I've used a fair number of single spaced rack units including the Lexicon MPX1, Lexicon MX200, TC Electronics(various units),etc. and found pros and cons of each regarding quality of reverb, ease of programming, etc, and wondered what fellow forumites found their preferences to be. Thanks in advance for your replies. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 9 Oct 2009 9:11 am
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Jim,
I think it all depends on what effects you are looking for.
If all you want is reverb, it is almost impossible to beat the Tube Works reverb unit built several years ago. They go for a premium even on e-bay. The unit has 12, yes, I said 12 springs in it. It is two channel with 6 springs per channel. however, if desired, the channels can be stacked to utilize all 12 springs together, awesome.  |
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Jim Smith
From:
Midlothian, TX, USA
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Posted 9 Oct 2009 9:28 am
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| I've tried several and always go back to my trusty old Boss GX-700. The best thing I like about it is that I can run my volume pedal in its built-in effects loop to put some effect before and some after the volume pedal. The only thing I don't like is that it has auto wah instead of an envelope filter. |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 9 Oct 2009 11:43 am
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well I vote for the original Peavey Profex, the one with the Headphones out....
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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Tony Dingus
From:
Kingsport, Tennessee, USA
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Posted 9 Oct 2009 5:38 pm
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I've got a Midiverb 4 that's pretty cool. Easy to program. A Lexicon MX200 that I like too.
Tony |
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David Higginbotham
From:
Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA
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Posted 9 Oct 2009 7:38 pm
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| Roland GP-100 |
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Ron Randall
From:
Dallas, Texas, USA
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Posted 10 Oct 2009 12:07 am
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Hi Jim
Lexicon PCM 81.
It will do most anything but... it will not do overdrive distortion etc.
The older PCM 80 is almost as good, limited in harmonizing. Check Lexicon's web pages.
Ron |
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Paul Wade
From:
mundelein,ill
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Posted 10 Oct 2009 9:07 am
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alessie midi verb 3 using it for 15 years
p.w  |
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Peter Freiberger
From:
California, USA
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Posted 10 Oct 2009 9:14 am
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| Jay Dee sounds really good through an old Yamaha SPX-90. But then again he also sounds really good without it... |
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Don Drummer
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 10 Oct 2009 11:59 am
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| Jay Dee uses an SPX 90? That's cool, so do I. Actually I use two with the rev pre. A very nice single space unit. I stmbled upon using one after I bought some recording equipment in the late eighties. Tried it with steel and never looked back. Had them both refurbished by Yamaha tech services two years ago. Most FOH engineers offer to buy them when they notice. In my first one I used the ptch shift patch #23 for stereo dry and + 3 cents with 15 milliseconds delay. Great for the chorusy sound popular in the eighties and nineties. It did get old, that sound. Now just litle rev #03, and delay, #07. Don D. |
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Bill R. Baker
From:
Clinton, MS USA
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Posted 11 Oct 2009 9:03 am Boss GX 700
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Jim Smith mentioned the Boss GX-700. This is a great unit for the rack and I still have one for
$175 includes shipping in cous. |
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Dave Grafe
From:
Hudson River Valley NY
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Posted 11 Oct 2009 10:20 am
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I have used a lot of great effects units over the years since the old Fender spring tank went away, first a Lex PCM70, which has awesome reverb parameter control; the Yamaha SPX90 and REV7 both have several excellent reverb/chorus/delay patches - the REV7 is probably my favorite digital reverb for PSG in fact, but this may have something to do with the fact that one can be purchased for under $200 these days; I have used the Eventide H3000D/SE, which has amazing sounds but it is not the easiest unit to work with on-the fly while playing the steel;
best bang-for-the-buck in new gear would have to be the TC Electronics M-One which is a dual-engine device, meaning that with a little fiddling with the controls you can get two top-flight effects set up in various configurations, my favorite is what amounts to a detuned doubler (+7 cents @26ms, -7 cents @ 34ms) feeding a hall reverb with 100ms pre-delay and a long, smooth tail. At $300 street price nobody makes anything that even comes close to this completely professional quality unit.
FYI I have ditched them all and now play exclusively through a Randall SGA500 Steelman with an Accutronics 3-spring long-decay tank - NO MUSS, NO FUSS - and it sounds absolutely as good or better for the straight PSG provided you do not want a chorus or overdrive effect. |
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John Bechtel
From:
Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.
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Posted 11 Oct 2009 9:12 pm
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The Alesis QuadraVerb~Plus has been my favorite External~Effects Unit for many years! Especially when using (2)-Amps. in Stereo! The 90-Factory Pre-Sets are not particularly suitable for PSG, but; besides the 10-Custom Program spaces, the 90-Factory Programs are all Editable also, if you think you need more than (10)-programs!
_________________
<marquee> Go~Daddy~Go, (No), Go, It's your Break Time</marquee> L8R, jb
My T-10 Remington Steelmaster |
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Clete Ritta
From:
San Antonio, Texas
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Posted 12 Oct 2009 9:15 pm
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So far, a great list of effects.
| Dave Grafe wrote: |
| ...the REV7 is probably my favorite...I have used the Eventide H3000D/SE... |
Dave,
Though these are great units indeed, they arent single space. Is the TC single space? I havent seen it yet.
| John Bechtel wrote: |
| The Alesis QuadraVerb~Plus has been my favorite External~Effects Unit for many years! |
Im a fan of Alessis as well.
Alessis had three Micro effects that would fit into one rack space, does that count?
| Don Drummer wrote: |
| Jay Dee uses an SPX 90? That's cool, so do I. Actually I use two |
Gee, Im gonna get my old rack SPX90 outta the garage now!
Off topic: I also have a TubeWorks MV-962 (anyone use these?), which needs work, but might come in handy.
I havent used either in years! Thanks for recommending.
Adding to the topic list, I used to use the Korg A2 for guitar, back in the day.
It was a pretty awesome one-rack space multi-effect unit in the late 90s.
The additional floor 6-pedal switch and 2 expression (volume and chorus) pedals were great.
A real small footprint I imagine would fit under a steel well.
In fact, before I recently bought a Hilton LP, I was using the Korg VP with my Starter; Cheap but effective.
Clete |
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John Bechtel
From:
Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.
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Posted 12 Oct 2009 10:10 pm
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I use:
Reverb
Reverb + Delay
Reverb + Delay + Detune
Reverb + Delay + Stereo–Chorus
Reverb + Delay + Leslie
Reverb + Delay + Resonator
Reverb + Tremelo
Some with variations in the amount of Delay and some MONO and some with Stereo–Delay. These programs are all available in these combinations of Effects in this one unit. That's why I choose the Alesis QuadraVerb +! I have a total of about 10-Custom–Programs although I mostly only use about (3) or (4).
_________________
<marquee> Go~Daddy~Go, (No), Go, It's your Break Time</marquee> L8R, jb
My T-10 Remington Steelmaster |
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John McClung
From:
Olympia WA, USA
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Posted 17 Oct 2009 10:59 am
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Has anyone found a way to mount a smallish pedal board so it's next to your seat so you can turn stompbox knobs on the fly? And ideally, I'd love to have a panel of true-bypass switches so I can easily just flip one or more effects on or off, anyone done that, or know an expert techie who can pull this together for me?
Anyone on the forum have that capability?
Like a lot you, I've been through a series of progammable multi-FX rack gear, but all have been not very intuitive to learn how to use, and just frustrating in general. I think I want discrete units now, but in a format useful for a steel player. I wrangled with my PodXT yesterday for a couple of hours, still found it baffling and not easily configuring to what I wanted to do.
Perlowin, I've seen your homemade leg clamp cluster, I'm looking for something a little cleaner than that, ha!
My main FX: delay, reverb, chorus, overdrive, distortion, phaser, fake organ, tuner.
_________________
E9 INSTRUCTION
▪️ If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net |
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Darvin Willhoite
From:
Roxton, Tx. USA
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Posted 17 Oct 2009 4:02 pm
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Here's a small pedalboard I made to sit at the end of my steel. I switch the effects in and out with my right foot, with a little practice it is easy to do without changing the volume setting when I take my foot off, or put it back on the pedal.
I've changed pedals on it a few times, but I now have a Proco Rat, an EH Nano Small Stone phase shifter, a Boss Chorus Ensemble, and a Boss RV-3. (The last picture shows the current configuration.) I put a volume pedal patch between the Proco and the phase shifter, and put dual outputs and a power adapter jack at the other end. The bottom panel is removable for access to the wiring. I don't trust velcro to hold the pedals to the board, so I use long zip ties. If I change pedals, I just cut the tie and put a new one on. I have a velcro strap in the lid to hold the one-spot power supply. This works well for me.
 
 
 
_________________
Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, a restored MSA Classic SS, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Also a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored Rose S10, named the "Blue Bird". Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also have a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks, and a showroom condition Sho-Bud Super Pro. |
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Jonathan Cullifer
From:
Gallatin, TN
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Posted 17 Oct 2009 6:07 pm
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| I have an MPX1, which I love, and on my "wouldn't it be nice if" list would be a PCM81 or a PCM91. I've played rigs with both, and they sound superb. Too bad they discontinued all three. Maybe the PCM92 will hold some promise in a few years if the price ever drops. |
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Bruce Bouton
From:
Nash. Tn USA
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Posted 17 Oct 2009 9:37 pm
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| Get a Pedaltrain and some stomboxes. It'll sound better than a rack. |
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Jeff Hyman
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 18 Oct 2009 9:46 am
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| John Bechtel wrote: |
| The Alesis QuadraVerb~Plus has been my favorite External~Effects Unit for many years! Especially when using (2)-Amps. in Stereo! |
This was my favorite for many many years. It broke, and I don't see new ones still being made (is this correct) and I am now using a TC-350. I'd go back to the Quadraverb if I cound find a new/good one. |
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John McClung
From:
Olympia WA, USA
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Posted 18 Oct 2009 8:33 pm
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Darvin, nice clean rig, thanks for sharing the pics.
Bruce, thanks for the PedalTrain tip, I'll look into that. If you use that, do you have the switching on/off feature? Do you use rack gear for sessions, and the PedalTrain for live gigs? What effects are you currently using? (Sidebar: you still in touch with Frank Michels? He and I were LA bandmates for a few years, you sat in with us at a little dive in Long Beach eons ago, quite an honor!)
_________________
E9 INSTRUCTION
▪️ If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net |
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