Help With First Pedal Board

[njr911]

I've only used 2 pedals when playing live before a tuner and Bad Monkey for a bit of boost and bite. I'm now wanting to replicate the sounds of the songs we play a bit more closely and have a few more colours on my board.

You can blame that 100 Bass riffs video by the Chicago Music Exchange, that made me look at the variety of sounds you can get from one bass and 4 pedals.

I have a few pedals hanging around and an old Stagg pedal board but need a bit of help setting it up.

Here's a before pic -




Please could I get some feedback on pedal order and layout.

Are there some on the board I'll never use ? I'm also wanting another few pedals - Fuzz of some sort, octaver, corus...for no reason other than I'm a tart with a new obsession.

For power I'll be using a Boss transformer with 8 (I think) plugs coming off it, so will need a socket on the board too.

I doubt I'll use the A/B box so that can come off.

Input jack access to the tuner is tricky so was thinking of using a raiser block for the back row of pedals (Can you buy them? or do you make them ?)

I'm going to need velcro....lots of velcro, and patch cables..best place to purchase ?

Sorry for the ton of n00bie questions.

I'll post up and after shot as soon as it's complete

Edited September 23, 2014 by njr911

[inthedoghouse]

If you give us an idea of what sort of music you're playing I'm sure there a lot of people who will give you good advice.

Personally, if I use any pedals at all (other than the tuner) it's a Tech 21 BDDI and that's it.

Good luck!

[chrismuzz]

A lot of it is personal preference, but I would put the tuner first so you get the cleanest signal into it, then the compressor to even things out, then the overdrives/preamp (in whichever order sounds best), with the phaser last.

[mingsta]

Ello njr911. I'm a pedal newb too, but looks like a few weeks ahead of you, and thus a few hundred quid lighter.

This article gives some good guidance over considerations for order of pedals in chain, but there are no absolute rules so its a case of experimenting with what sounds best:

[url="http://www.ovnilab.com/articles/chain.shtml"]http://www.ovnilab.com/articles/chain.shtml[/url]


With that many pedals, you might want to think about upgrading your powersupply rather than daisychaining 8 pedals (this can cause hum, but if you're not having any problems then great!). Isolated power supplies are considered to be superior and reduce the chances of getting hum. They are very expensive, but Harley Benton do a very good value for money one. Each unit has five isolated power supplies so you could either buy two of them, or just the one unit and daisy chain the well behaved pedals and give the fussier pedals their own supply:

[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_powerplant_junior.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_powerplant_junior.htm[/url]



You can get the velcro off ebay, just search pedal velcro or something similar.

[njr911]

Thanks all

Playing rock and roll and 90's indie.

I know the power is a bit heath robinson. Ideally this board will help me find out the sounds I need with minimal outlay and then I can go mad at Pedaltrain for xmas

[tonyquipment]

You've got GAS

I would suggest a compressor - limiter

And maybe a noise gate

Get a LS2 as well, you'll probably end up blending various signals and want some clean left over

[njr911]

[quote name='tonyquipment' timestamp='1411476452' post='2559850']
You've got GAS

I would suggest a compressor - limiter

And maybe a noise gate

Get a LS2 as well, you'll probably end up blending various signals and want some clean left over
[/quote]

Bad gas, i've just bought a new bass so the excess gas had to go somewhere....Pedals are cheaper than cars so I'm thinking myself lucky.

I have a Behringer compressor so covered. What does a LS2 actually do ?

[xgsjx]

For what pedals & which order, only you can answer that. The fun of building a pedal board is playing about with the order & finding sounds that you like.

A good starting place to look is to google "Shep on bass" & read through his fx blogs. Verrry informative & useful.

[ratman]

[quote name='njr911' timestamp='1411477667' post='2559864']
Pedals are cheaper than cars
[/quote]

My board cost a lot more than my car is worth lol. And the car isn't a banger!

[mingsta]

[quote name='ratman' timestamp='1411555310' post='2560559']
My board cost a lot more than my car is worth lol. And the car isn't a banger!
[/quote]

I regret getting in to the pedal game...after 2 decades of just plugging and playing straight in to an amp.

I'm currently buying a host of pedals to cover every tone shaping possibility that I don't actually need.

But still....its a lot of fun!!!

[njr911]

[quote name='mingsta' timestamp='1411557637' post='2560581']
I regret getting in to the pedal game...after 2 decades of just plugging and playing straight in to an amp.

I'm currently buying a host of pedals to cover every tone shaping possibility that I don't actually need.

But still....its a lot of fun!!!
[/quote]

Andy they look cool.

Has everyone see the Distortion and Wah documentories on You Tube ? Well worth a watch

[tonyquipment]

[quote name='njr911' timestamp='1411477667' post='2559864']


Bad gas, i've just bought a new bass so the excess gas had to go somewhere....Pedals are cheaper than cars so I'm thinking myself lucky.

I have a Behringer compressor so covered. What does a LS2 actually do ?
[/quote]

It's a great and expensive journey you've embarked on, such discovery, such wow.

Results very pleasing.

The LS2 allows you to blend two signals or switch between two sets of effects

Allowing more complex tone blends and crazy combinations not possible in a single linear chain

It's worth buying one, most bass humans has one in their toolbox.

Many would be lost without their trusty LS2

Line SELECTA

[xgsjx]

Or if you want a more complex split, then throw a Moog Bass Murf in there & sum it back together with the LS-2.
Mines was tremendous fun & the filter patterns can get you some interesting textures.

[cheddatom]

the Boss SD-2 is a great pedal, but I do like a bit of a clean-blend on it with bass. There are a few different ways to do this but the LS-2 is most common

[njr911]

Thanks!

OK so added to the shopping list over the last few days are -

Boss LS-2
DNA Bass Dragger
Marshall Guv'nor (1)
Eno OCD Clone
Eno Rat Clone
Boss or MXR chorus
Aguilar Octimizer

For no reason other than I have GAS!

#brothercanyouspareadime

[xgsjx]

That's a lot of dirt pedals.
It would make more sense to go try out & have a listen to each pedal to see what you like. You'll find you could possibly narrow down to 2 good dirt pedals on your board.
What you need to do is work out what sort of music you're playing & what you need to do in relation to the other musicians in your band.
There's not a point to having 2 dirt pedals that sound just slightly different, as the minute you add other instruments, the bass sound becomes less definable.

This is dependent on what your band sound like though.

[cheddatom]

shhhh, we can buy them all used when he gets bored!

[njr911]

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1411646870' post='2561487']
shhhh, we can buy them all used when he gets bored!
[/quote]

lol

I know too much dirt but I can't help myself lol.

I have no real need for any of these in the band, maybe a couple of dirt/boost pedals but nothing more than that.

I should buy a Pedaltrain mini and have tuner and a couple of dirts and a compressor and be done...BUT i won't know what pedal I like until I buy them all

[tonyquipment]

Get synth pedal

Crazy sounds from this

Digitech or boss

Both good

[njr911]

[quote name='tonyquipment' timestamp='1411648320' post='2561511']
Get synth pedal

Crazy sounds from this

Digitech or boss

Both good
[/quote]

lol, look, I don't need you to help me increase my GAS

[xgsjx]

You need a good LPF too.

Edited September 25, 2014 by xgsjx

[tonyquipment]

Oh yeah LPF is good too

ESP when live, hits those low freqs nice

[cheddatom]

digital and analogue delay too

on a serious note, if you've never played much with pedals, I'd get a multi effects like a Zoom B2.1U or B3. Then you can use this to find the effcts you like. You may be happy with the sounds you can get from the unit, or you might decide to replace it with other pedals, but at least you'll know which effects you like.

[njr911]

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1411734748' post='2562359']
digital and analogue delay too

on a serious note, if you've never played much with pedals, I'd get a multi effects like a Zoom B2.1U or B3. Then you can use this to find the effcts you like. You may be happy with the sounds you can get from the unit, or you might decide to replace it with other pedals, but at least you'll know which effects you like.
[/quote]

You bastard...I want a B3 as well now!

Might have to sell a few bits to fund a B3...

Anyone want a Bad Monkey, BDI21, DC9 etc..

[cheddatom]

haha, can't be that hard to get rid of them on here but you do have to pay subs (not much)

The BDI21 in particular won't hang around, but then you won't get that much for it, maybe £20 at best. Thomann have the B3 at £105 plus shipping. Amazing value for what you get