Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Tech => Topic started by: maxingwell on July 20, 2005, 04:01:26 PM

Title: Signal chain quality
Post by: maxingwell on July 20, 2005, 04:01:26 PM: Looking for a bit of advice or opinions here:

I have a pedal board with 6 boss pedals (soon to be 5). I have noticed a big difference in signal if I plug straight into my amp rather than go through the pedal board. This is not ideal though as I need effects.

What I was thinking was: would it be worthwhile getting a line selector (like the boss model) and putting 2 pedals in one loop and the other 3 in the other loop. This way my signal will only go through the line selector pedal when I'm not using any effects.

Thoughts / advice / opinions very much appreciated.....
Title: Signal chain quality
Post by: rinse_master on July 20, 2005, 04:04:50 PM: That sounds like it might work, or maybe putting some of them in an FX loop if you have one, that might help?
Title: Signal chain quality
Post by: Ratrod on July 20, 2005, 04:25:45 PM: Wich FX do actually NEED? A wah can be modified to true bypass. Compressors, delay/reverb pedals and such can be tone suckers.
Title: Signal chain quality
Post by: HJM on July 20, 2005, 09:05:44 PM: Don't bother with the boss, get a loooper box, or Keeley Looper.

And yes, do as Ratrod says!

:twisted:
Title: Signal chain quality
Post by: maxingwell on July 21, 2005, 03:31:17 PM: Thanks for the advice guys.
Not heard of the Keeley Looper before - I'll check it out.

I s'pose if it came down to it I only really need one DS-1 but the others just give a bit more depth the the songs with the band.
Plus my pedalboard case cost me £100 so I might as well use it!!

I think I'll end up putting the chorus and delay pedals in a loop and only go through them when I need them. The EQ and DS1 seemed OK when I was only using those 2.
Title: Signal chain quality
Post by: big steve on July 22, 2005, 11:44:04 PM: i would recommend sending the ds1 to keeley for modifications- he does amazing things to pedals - sure to reduce noise.
Title: Signal chain quality
Post by: Tim on July 23, 2005, 09:43:01 AM: don't go with the Boss Line selector, it's a real tone sucker............like HJM, I use Keely Loopers, they're cheaper and totally transparent 8)
Title: Signal chain quality
Post by: maxingwell on July 25, 2005, 04:03:33 PM: big steve - do you have a link / details of what Keeley does to DS-1's?
Title: Signal chain quality
Post by: maxingwell on July 25, 2005, 04:29:38 PM: Or I could stop being lazy and do a search myself!!
I like the look of the DS-1 and the tube screamers.

With the Keeley Looper do you know if you can have 2 effects loops to switch between AND bypass them both as well?
Title: Signal chain quality
Post by: HJM on July 25, 2005, 08:02:05 PM: Quote from: maxingwell
Or I could stop being lazy and do a search myself!!
I like the look of the DS-1 and the tube screamers.

With the Keeley Looper do you know if you can have 2 effects loops to switch between AND bypass them both as well?

check out Loooper www.loooper.com
Title: Signal chain quality
Post by: rinse_master on July 26, 2005, 07:03:42 AM: I have a looper a/b pedal, it is supposed to be for output, but you can run it backwards to select input instead, well built and it only needs a battery if you want the led's on, cool little box.

The website is pretty good, they make just about anything you could need...
Title: Signal chain quality
Post by: Brow on July 26, 2005, 02:33:18 PM: http://www.monkeyfx.co.uk/index2.html is also a site that makes custom loopers and switchers in any combination you may need :)

Craig
Title: Signal chain quality
Post by: maxingwell on July 26, 2005, 04:14:15 PM: Guy - thanks for your help.
Ill check these suggestions out - and let you know what I decide to go for.

(Its good to be on a forum where you can ask fairly basic questions without getting flamed or sarcastic comments so, again - thank you).
Title: Signal chain quality
Post by: HJM on July 26, 2005, 06:16:13 PM: we can do sarcasm if you want :P
Title: Signal chain quality
Post by: Joe Dorcia on July 26, 2005, 08:15:13 PM: I have always had a few pedals before my amp and even if they are true bipass, they can still sometimes take away some of the clarity of your notes because impedences and pedal circuitory (i dont no exactly how though). I checked out some new tubes for my amp and put a 12AX&M (the Groove Tubes Mullard Reissue) into V1. This brought back the clarity and high frequencies lost in pedal chains. It just added that extra kick back to my sound. Maybe try that.

Joe
Title: Signal chain quality
Post by: HJM on July 26, 2005, 09:43:59 PM: It's probab;y cable loss - the down side to true bypass can be a loss of volume and bite when effects are off, as the guitar has to drive long cables through the FX board and beck to the amp, without he help of a buffer found in non true bypass effects.

Pete Cornish has a great rant about true bypass on his website - worth reading! I like one buffer on my board - usually my Fulltone Choralflange. Keeps the tone constant - but too many buffered effects thins the tone imho!
Title: Signal chain quality
Post by: TwilightOdyssey on July 27, 2005, 12:27:53 AM: Hmmm, I only use 2 pedals, and only 1 is in front of the amp.
Does this make me a troglodyte?!!!
Title: Signal chain quality
Post by: HJM on July 27, 2005, 08:17:37 AM: Quote from: TwilightOdyssey
Hmmm, I only use 2 pedals, and only 1 is in front of the amp.
Does this make me a troglodyte?!!!

No, sensible! :lol: