Hey all,
I know I have an M13 thread that is similar to this already, but I don't think the M13 is going to work for my setup (I am planning on keeping it for the quickness of recording with amp sims though!) so here is what I am in need of...
I need an FX unit that can do 4-cable method. I need to be able to have a volume effect which I can use to turn down channel 2 of my EVH 5153-50watt. I need to be able to have reversed delay and regular digital delay at the same time, as well as a TS-style distoriton, phaser, noise-gate, reverb. I need near-instantaneous patch changes with no gaps of silence. I don't care about delay and reverb trails too much. Of course tap-tempo, and delays that don't wildly shift their pitch when doing so. If possible I would be able to send a PC and a CC at the same time, as there is no switch to enable the FX loop on the EVH - you can only do it on the footswitch. But this isn't a deal breaker, as the footswitch is light and fairly portable anyway.
I am looking at the Zoom G9.2tt, but want to consider others. I would consider a separate midi controller and rack unit. I did think a Digitech GSP1101 and the Control 2 pedal. It doesn't give me the two delays and it doesn't have a reverse delay. But it does do everything else AFAIK. I think I could probably get by with using a Boss DD-7 for the reverse delay, and just activate it manually.
My ideal chain would be something like this (with effects enabled or disabled as I need):
Cleans: Guitar -> tuner -> wah -> tubescreamer -> phaser -> reverse delay (20% mix) -> digital delay (25% mix) -> Hall reverb (25% mix) -> EVH Channel 1 preamp -> out to speaker cab
Crunch: Guitar -> tuner -> wah -> tubescreamer ->
phaser -> reverse delay (20% mix) -> digital delay (25% mix) ->
Hall reverb (25% mix) -> EVH Channel 2 preamp -> Volume attenuation -> out to speaker
cab
High Gain: Guitar -> tuner -> wah -> tubescreamer ->
phaser -> reverse delay (20% mix) -> digital delay (25% mix) ->
Hall reverb (25% mix) -> EVH Channel 3 preamp -> Noise Gate -> out to speaker
cab
So essentially all my presets would look like this, but with certain effects enabled or disabled.
Cheaper solution the better really, because this is all still experimentation. I went a long time without any kind of multi-fx or midi switching, because I couldn't find a setup that worked for me. But that was nearly two years ago. I suppose nothing has changed except my requirements are a little looser now.
So is there anything out there, rack based or not, that I should really be looking at?
(I apologize in advance for yet another multi-fx thread!)
Comments
I jump to zoom because, now I've tried a g3, I know how bloody good they sound. I remember the old plastic cheap ones (g1 maybe?) that didn't sound so great, but they've really, really upped their game.
Studio: https://www.voltperoctave.com
Music: https://www.euclideancircuits.com
Me: https://www.jamesrichmond.com
In fairness, his rig must sound the absolute ballzacks.
Studio: https://www.voltperoctave.com
Music: https://www.euclideancircuits.com
Me: https://www.jamesrichmond.com
I'm more open to rack effects now than I used to be, hence the thread!
And yes.. some nut-kicking is seriously needed!
Not impressed. Zoom, sort it out!
<pre amp FX> <pre amp switching> <FX Loop FX>
Can't you use multiFX infront of the amp, 1 or 2 pedals in the FX loop, and the amp's channel switching for now ? (or is this the problem you've already got and want to solve it with the 4 cable doo-dat ?)
Feedback
There must be a cheaper all in one solution but I can't think of anything that lets you run two different delays and a reverb.
He needs something with patches in the amp loop to control the volume - that's where the doo-dat comes in.
If you don't mind using a pedal and manually switching it for one of the delays then it would open up a lot more options.
Thus adding extra tap dancing to the whole thing.
Another option could be to use a multi FX with decent clean amp models and ignore the EVH clean. You'd avoid attenuation issues and keep the gain channels of the EVH. No amp master volume would mean setting the modelled clean volume up and saving the patch each time you play at a different volume, depends how much hassle that is for your patch needs.
Chris, that is kinda what I was thinking of doing. Leave the FX loop on always, and bypass the effects that are in it. But that would still leave me with momentary jumps and dips in volume.
I think the easiest way around this is with a distortion pedal for the time being.
As you said earlier Drew, the Digitech gsp1101 will do most of what you want, except for running two delays at once and reverse delay. It can also control individual patch volume levels so should address your problems when switching channels too.
The Control 2 is a good controller and, if you update the gsp with the beta C63 firmware, you can use an fs300 footswitch to give you three additional midi cc switches that can be assigned on a per patch basis. If you use loads of effcts at once then it's probably not the right unit for you but otherwise it's the next best thing to an Axe fx in my opinion (and I own both).
And it looks like the iConnectMIDI stuff *might* handle it!!
http://www.iconnectivity.com/
Add a midi controller and a Boss FSU5 with a single jack to two jacks cable, in order to tap tempo both units... and this could solve my situation.