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Topic: Stompbox Strategy-Suggestions? |
John Russell
From:
Austin, Texas
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Posted 3 Jun 2001 9:42 am |
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Does anyone have suggestions on how to best hook up stomp box effects for low noise, clean volume?
A sound tech recently told me that they do not need to go into the FX loop on the amp since that loop is for "line level" devices. He said just plug your guitar into the effects, then the amp. I tried it and it works. He said that multi-FX units such at the Profex and others do go into that loop.
I use an ART digital reverb, a Boss analog delay (great combination BTW) a Boss CE-7 graphic, occasionally a Boss chorus. I'd like to hook up my MXR Dyna-Comp which has been converted to run off an AC power supply and possibly a distortion pedal. Right now I'm using a power strip with three wall warts of various amperages. The ART reverb requires its own 1 amp converter, which, I think is too much for the other devices which require 200 or 300 milli-amps. So I'd like to run the Boss pedals and the MXR pedal off one converter, hooked up in the proper sequence. I know they make pedal cases with power supply included but I wonder how all that stuff is hooked up. Also, these are for rock guitarists and maybe clean tone isn't an issue?
Anybody else using these devices, suggestions? --JR
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 3 Jun 2001 10:23 am
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What kind of amp do you have?? The Peavey Steel Amps effects loop is low level, not line level.
However, with all the effects you have it's no wonder you are getting noise. Try putting a noise gate at the end of the string.
Go from guitar to volume pedal to effects to amp. or Guitar to effects to volume pedal to amp.
But, with all the effect units you have you are asking for trouble. |
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John Russell
From:
Austin, Texas
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Posted 3 Jun 2001 10:40 am
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Good suggestion about placing the vol. pedal after the effects.
The ART unit has instrument/line switches both in the input and output sides. The instruction sheet says that "you may have to set these switches at different positions, depending on the amplifier. These can boost and cut the overall volume considerably and the amount of noise seems to depend a great deal on where you're playing. My house current has rather dicey grounding and I generally set these in the "line" position.
Any suggestions on power supply setup? Aren't there special cables that allow you to run them in series and just use one converter?
--JR |
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John Russell
From:
Austin, Texas
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Posted 3 Jun 2001 11:04 am
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Jack, I didn't respond to all your questions.
I use a couple of amps, a Peavey NV 1000, an older Peavey Musician III, and, lately, a rack system with a TubeWorks Real Tube 2 pre-amp and a Gallien Krueger Micro for the power amp. Rather unorthodox but what tone! and very portable.
Actually, I'm not having trouble with noise that can't be resolved with the above mentioned switches on the reverb box. But I want to add the Dyna-comp to the chain and was wondering where to hook it in as well as how to run power to all these things.
BTW, I have a noise gate that didn't work well due to the range of volumes we use with the volume pedal. You could always hear it cut in and out when you swell the volume--very irritating. JR |
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Ernie Renn
From:
Brainerd, Minnesota USA
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Posted 3 Jun 2001 11:05 am
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John;
I, too, use a few stomp box pedals. I have the graphic first, the MatchBox, the distortion and then the volume pedal. From there is goes into a Dyna-Comp and into my rack which consists of a Roland SDE-1000 digital delay, a DigiTech IPS-33B harmony machine and a MidiVerb III for reverb, (which I barely use.)
I have never used the effects loop feature.
BTW: I just use batteries for the boxes. They last a long time and don't give me any problems. I check them from time to time and change them when necessary.
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My best,
Ernie
The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com[This message was edited by Ernie Renn on 03 June 2001 at 12:08 PM.] |
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John Russell
From:
Austin, Texas
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Posted 3 Jun 2001 11:26 am
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OK, makes sense.
A sound technician showed me how to hook all this up the other day and it works. He said go to the graphic first, then the reverb, then the delay. He had some technical reasons for this sequence which I can't remember, but he didn't suggest to place the volume pedal somewhere else. I'm gonna try that.
The Dyna Comp is a pretty cool device, I don't know how much I'll use it with steel, but it's nice for guitar. --JR |
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Buck Dilly
From:
Branchville, NJ, USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 3 Jun 2001 6:51 pm
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I have been using effects with guitars and steels for 25 years. The more crap you use between you and the amp means a greater capacity for noise, breakdown, and one of the greatest tone killers of all: DISTRACTION. A pre amp of some sort for matching impedance is essential, a reverb is essential. I like amp -verb and tremelo. I have used every device under the sun; and I believe that proper use of amps, hands and vol ped is better than any effect, HOWEVER:
Sometimes I just gotta have that delay or some other thing. A looping device, or and A/B box, that will get everything in or out of the way will give you the best of both worlds. I used to use an MXR Dynacomp for steel. I no longer do. Doesn't a steel sustain long enough for you? It robs the attack and you'll get lost in the soup. I will never stop experimenting. I have been using a POD line 6 Delay Simulator. WOW! The dynamic delay is sweet.
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Steels and Guitars. Emmons, nationals, Dan-O, Tube Amps only! "Blue Sparks From Hell" and "Kings in DIsguise". |
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Dennis Detweiler
From:
Solon, Iowa, US
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Posted 3 Jun 2001 8:26 pm
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I've always had better luck with the stomp boxes between the guitar and volume pedal. Match Box first(right out of the guitar). After the volume pedal I have a Furman PQ3 then into delay then to reverb then to amp.
Seems to be the quietest setup for me. However, I seldom use the stomp boxes anymore. Maybe plug one in for a song and then pull it out again.
Dennis |
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ajm
From:
Los Angeles
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Posted 4 Jun 2001 6:29 am
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What kind of volume pedal do you have?
It may make a difference.
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Ernie Renn
From:
Brainerd, Minnesota USA
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Posted 4 Jun 2001 9:07 pm
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John;
I use the DynaComp all the time. I had had one for a while and only used it for guitar. Then I noticed that Buddy was using one at the convention, (when he was using his rack of MXR stuff, around '79.) So I asked him where to set it to start. He said to set both knobs at 12 o'clock and go from there. I ended up with them at 12 o'clock and 1 o'clock respectively. They have been in that position since then. Give it a try. 
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My best,
Ernie
The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com
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John Russell
From:
Austin, Texas
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Posted 4 Jun 2001 10:06 pm
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Thanks, Ernie.
I did hook up the Dyna Comp at home, just foolin' around and wow! I think there's potential for this effect--maybe for certain songs. I've had this box for about 15 years and I don't know why, just never used it onstage. I agree with the above comments, too much stuff in the chain can be a distraction and may degrade the signal. I carry a Boss chorus effect that I only seldom use.
I wonder, if we took a poll, do players who use Lexicons and Tubefexes, etc. use very many of the effects? Just the reverb and delay? I know these boxes have all kinds of reverbs, delays, distortions, plus the pitch shifting effects, flange, chorus and so forth. But just how easy is it to dial up these combinations? I have a little Zoom 9002 effects processor with a 4-pedal board, and it's so complicated I'd never attempt to use it on a gig. --JR |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 5 Jun 2001 2:27 am
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John, I have a Transtube Fex that I use with my rack system. 99% of the time it's my basic program with Rev and Delay only. I have others and use them occasionally such as chorus, leslie, phase, etc but mostly they are only used for certain songs or for a change of pace.
When I use my Nashville 400 amp, I use the internal reverb and a Boss DD-5 delay that is run in the effects loop.
I had an MXR dynacomp mounted in an effect rack unit but I rarely used it. (I took several effect units and mounted them in a rack with AC power supplies).
Speaking of stompboxes, a MXR microamp will do basically the same thing as a Goodrich MatchBox - buffer the signal, amplify the signal if necessary and provide a low impedence output. I compared the MXR to a MatchBox and the sound was identical. |
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