Designing and Building A Full Guitar Rig

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AdjiAdji Frets: 142
in Making & Modding tFB Trader
Okay, so what better way to introduce myself to the forum that posting something (hopefully) useful?

I've been designing, theorising and starting assemble / build my new guitar rig. There is a lot of information out there on the net but I think sometimes some of the more obvious / simple stuff seems to get overlooked or we just assume that everybody knows it. I'm starting a new video series talking through the planning, design and building stages of a full guitar rack comprising of rack and pedalboard so hopefully there is something in it for everyone.

PART 1 -  Introduction to the project, discussion on format and teasing a few of the pieces for my rig.


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www.youtube.com/Adji87
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Comments

  • digitalscreamdigitalscream Frets: 26460
    edited July 2014
    Nice, and welcome :)

    Are you going to consider using a MIDI loop controller, or is that jumping ahead too much?

    I'm thinking about something similar at the moment - pedalboard with a MIDI controller and a couple of pedals in front (most likely just a tuner and a phaser), then an ADA MP-1/Marshall 20/20 combination in the rack with a D-Two or a G-Major in the loop (mainly because I'm a sucker for multi-tap delays).
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  • AdjiAdji Frets: 142
    tFB Trader
    Nice, and welcome :)

    Are you going to consider using a MIDI loop controller, or is that jumping ahead too much?

    I'm thinking about something similar at the moment - pedalboard with a MIDI controller and a couple of pedals in front (most likely just a tuner and a phaser), then an ADA MP-1/Marshall 20/20 combination in the rack with a D-Two or a G-Major in the loop (mainly because I'm a sucker for multi-tap delays).
    Thanks for the welcome, seems like a really great forum this!

    I've thought about a MIDI looper but at the moment budget says no. Eventually I will probably go full rack with stompboxes in the rack setup and the whole thing controlled by an RJM system or similar a la most of the pro rigs. I think I would miss a pedalboard though.

    ADA Mp-1 is a great choice, would love to get my hands on one but need to focus on this set up first. I'll probably go full rack like yourself within the next few years I reckon and just bring an amp head out for 'special' gigs.

    ____________________
    www.adamironside.com
    www.youtube.com/Adji87
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  • digitalscreamdigitalscream Frets: 26460
    Adji said:
    Thanks for the welcome, seems like a really great forum this!

    I've thought about a MIDI looper but at the moment budget says no. Eventually I will probably go full rack with stompboxes in the rack setup and the whole thing controlled by an RJM system or similar a la most of the pro rigs. I think I would miss a pedalboard though.

    ADA Mp-1 is a great choice, would love to get my hands on one but need to focus on this set up first. I'll probably go full rack like yourself within the next few years I reckon and just bring an amp head out for 'special' gigs.
    The Joyo PXL Pro (or PXL Live for MIDI) seems like a good shout, to be honest. They're pretty cheap (around the £140-ish mark), and have all the features you'd want - including relay control outputs for switching amp channels if your head doesn't have MIDI.

    At the moment, I'm stuck between selling the 20/20 to get a spare Jet City head and getting an ADA MP-1 to act as my alternate rig. I can still use the MP-1 with my pedals, until I get round to getting a D-Two for delays.

    Quick question, as I can't be bothered downloading the manual right now...with the D-Two, I presume you can use the external control input as a tap tempo?
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  • AdjiAdji Frets: 142
    tFB Trader
    Not by default I don't believe But you CAN programme it so that the external footswitch controls tap tempo I beleive. Not something I've greatly explored as it is not a feature I need.

    First response mentions it: http://www.hugeracksinc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=437931

    ____________________
    www.adamironside.com
    www.youtube.com/Adji87
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  • monquixotemonquixote Frets: 17485
    tFB Trader
    Good vid.

    Welcome to the Fretboard.
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  • digitalscreamdigitalscream Frets: 26460
    Adji said:
    Not by default I don't believe But you CAN programme it so that the external footswitch controls tap tempo I beleive. Not something I've greatly explored as it is not a feature I need.

    First response mentions it: http://www.hugeracksinc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=437931
    OK, so I'm curious enough that I had a look...this is what the manual has to say about the external control input:

    The pedal Input of the D•TWO can recognize
    two pedals simultaneously. One on the tip, and
    one on the ring of the 1/4” jack connector.
    The Ring pedal is fixed to Tap tempo.
    The Tip pedal can be set to Bypass, Tap tempo
    or Rhythm tap. The Pedal used must have a
    momentary switch.

    So you can either have a single tap tempo switch, or - potentially much more interesting - tap tempo and then rhythm tap. I think if you set the tempo by tapping, have it set to quantize your rhythms and then use the rhythm tap to do something more interesting, you could actually get some seriously cool effects.

    Of course, that sort of thing would confuse the daylights out of me if I was doing it live, so perhaps it's not such a good idea ;)
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  • AdjiAdji Frets: 142
    tFB Trader
    Adji said:
    Not by default I don't believe But you CAN programme it so that the external footswitch controls tap tempo I beleive. Not something I've greatly explored as it is not a feature I need.

    First response mentions it: http://www.hugeracksinc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=437931
    OK, so I'm curious enough that I had a look...this is what the manual has to say about the external control input:

    The pedal Input of the D•TWO can recognize
    two pedals simultaneously. One on the tip, and
    one on the ring of the 1/4” jack connector.
    The Ring pedal is fixed to Tap tempo.
    The Tip pedal can be set to Bypass, Tap tempo
    or Rhythm tap. The Pedal used must have a
    momentary switch.

    So you can either have a single tap tempo switch, or - potentially much more interesting - tap tempo and then rhythm tap. I think if you set the tempo by tapping, have it set to quantize your rhythms and then use the rhythm tap to do something more interesting, you could actually get some seriously cool effects.

    Of course, that sort of thing would confuse the daylights out of me if I was doing it live, so perhaps it's not such a good idea ;)
    Yeah man, it is a pretty powerful unit considering the modest-ish price range.

    ____________________
    www.adamironside.com
    www.youtube.com/Adji87
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  • AdjiAdji Frets: 142
    tFB Trader
    PART 2 - Start designing!


    ____________________
    www.adamironside.com
    www.youtube.com/Adji87
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