Board help! Extensive read!

[Chronicle]

Okay, where to begin- ohhh boy. Well let's start off with a current picture.






I have everything in the effects loop except the Sansamp and BBE Opto Stomp. I've been having a couple of issues and since i'm gonna get my band together soon- i wanna solve it quickly.


I'm buying a GK2001RB with an Avatar 4x10 so i can't buy anything new yet, but here's what i need help with.


1.
I hear some hissy noise when i start up the pedals. It stops after like 5mins of runtime but what is the cause of this i wonder? I've been using trail and error to see if it was a single pedal and came up with nothing.

2.
I don't want my board a total Justin Chancellor fanboy board. So i'll be changing the kind of pedals and adding effects. What effects would you recommend for a prog rock band? I'm gonna get a phaser in the future but anymore suggestions? By the way, i'm not getting rid of the following; the BR-2, Bass Whammy, Tonebender, Opto Stomp, as they are my favorite on the board ;]

3.
I'm not a big fan of the BF-3 flanger. It's not strong enough. So should i get the Maxon FL-9, MIJ BF-2, or the Ibanez FL-9? The Maxon FL-9 seems pretty expensive but is it even worth it?

4.
I've had the Sansamp outside the loop for grit reasons. One problem, since it's outside the loop- the grit mixes indifferently with the other effects. Especially with the BR-2, it just sounds crappy. With the way JC has it, his effects' tone isn't hurt but his grit. I do not have two amps and i can't mix my 350W Peavy and my GK2001 1000w heh heh. Well.. actually i could but is their another way i wonder....

5.
As distortion goes, i need something a tad better than the ibanez. I was thinking a RK Rat, Fulltone Bassdrive, OR the new Fulltone GT500.

[JanusZarate]

Originally Posted by Chronicle

1. I hear some hissy noise when i start up the pedals. It stops after like 5mins of runtime but what is the cause of this i wonder? I've been using trail and error to see if it was a single pedal and came up with nothing.

Not sure what it could be... does it happen when the loop is off (and everything is plugged in, but not on)?

Originally Posted by Chronicle

2. I don't want my board a total Justin Chancellor fanboy board. So i'll be changing the kind of pedals and adding effects. What effects would you recommend for a prog rock band? I'm gonna get a phaser in the future but anymore suggestions? By the way, i'm not getting rid of the following; the BR-2, Bass Whammy, Tonebender, Opto Stomp, as they are my favorite on the board ;]

Hmm... ditch the SansAmp, BF-3, and Phat Hed. Replace them with a good overdrive pedal that you actually like. After you get the phaser, decide if it's right for you, or if you'd rather have a good flanger. Most bassists tend to prefer either flanging or phasing... you don't see both together often on a pedalboard.

Originally Posted by Chronicle

3.
I'm not a big fan of the BF-3 flanger. It's not strong enough. So should i get the Maxon FL-9, MIJ BF-2, or the Ibanez FL-9? The Maxon FL-9 seems pretty expensive but is it even worth it?

If you aren't liking the BF-3, I'm not sure if you're going to like the BF-2 much more. As for the FL-9... I haven't used either version, but from what I understand, trying out the Ibanez version will give you a good idea of what to expect from the Maxon version.

Why not consider the new Electric Mistress?

Originally Posted by Chronicle

4. I've had the Sansamp outside the loop for grit reasons. One problem, since it's outside the loop- the grit mixes indifferently with the other effects. Especially with the BR-2, it just sounds crappy. With the way JC has it, his effects' tone isn't hurt but his grit. I do not have two amps and i can't mix my 350W Peavy and my GK2001 1000w heh heh. Well.. actually i could but is their another way i wonder....

Yeah... a different pedal.

Seriously, though.

Also, you could try a signal-splitter-to-mini-mixer alternative... that way, you could run the grit pedal parallel to your other effects, instead of in series.

Originally Posted by Chronicle

5.
As distortion goes, i need something a tad better than the ibanez. I was thinking a RK Rat, Fulltone Bassdrive, OR the new Fulltone GT500.

Try out the Fulltone Bassdrive and ProCo Turbo RAT, for starters. Also look into the Tech 21 XXL Bass Edition.

[Sir Edward V]

What flavor of distortion are you looking for?

For mid bump, try some tubescreamers, I like the TS5. haven't tried many others though... I think the fulltone bassdrive is a TS mod design...

[Chronicle]

Originally Posted by MysticBoo

Not sure what it could be... does it happen when the loop is off (and everything is plugged in, but not on)?

Nope it still goes when i turn the loop on/off.

Hmm... ditch the SansAmp, BF-3, and Phat Hed. Replace them with a good overdrive pedal that you actually like. After you get the phaser, decide if it's right for you, or if you'd rather have a good flanger. Most bassists tend to prefer either flanging or phasing... you don't see both together often on a pedalboard.

Ditch the Sansamp for what though? I'm looking for a grit box :]

If you aren't liking the BF-3, I'm not sure if you're going to like the BF-2 much more. As for the FL-9... I haven't used either version, but from what I understand, trying out the Ibanez version will give you a good idea of what to expect from the Maxon version.

Why not consider the new Electric Mistress?

I'll try the ibanez first then. The eletric mistress is a little too much for me though.

Also, you could try a signal-splitter-to-mini-mixer alternative... that way, you could run the grit pedal parallel to your other effects, instead of in series.

Explain more please :] I'm new to mixers.

Try out the Fulltone Bassdrive and ProCo Turbo RAT, for starters. Also look into the Tech 21 XXL Bass Edition.

Yeah i gotta check those pedals out.

[Chronicle]

The kind of distortion i want is something like the ibanez. Not too fuzzy though cause i already have the tonebender.

[bassgod0dmw]

Originally Posted by Chronicle

1.
I hear some hissy noise when i start up the pedals. It stops after like 5mins of runtime but what is the cause of this i wonder? I've been using trail and error to see if it was a single pedal and came up with nothing.

My first guess would be the one spot you've got. They can be noisy sometimes, but if it only does when you first power them up, I'm a little stumped. Try running everything you can off of a battery just to see if that is the culprit.

Originally Posted by Chronicle

2.
I don't want my board a total Justin Chancellor fanboy board. So i'll be changing the kind of pedals and adding effects. What effects would you recommend for a prog rock band? I'm gonna get a phaser in the future but anymore suggestions? By the way, i'm not getting rid of the following; the BR-2, Bass Whammy, Tonebender, Opto Stomp, as they are my favorite on the board ;]

I play prog metal and I have:

A few distortions/overdrives (EBS Valve Drive, SA GT2, Boss ODB-3)
Compressor (Demeter Opto Compulator)
Chorus (VL Analog Chrous)
Flanger (Boss BF-2)
Phaser (MXR EVH Phase 90)

I use all of the modulation effects evenly for different purposes. They each have their own time and place. If you want a phase, I would start with that.

Originally Posted by Chronicle

3.
I'm not a big fan of the BF-3 flanger. It's not strong enough. So should i get the Maxon FL-9, MIJ BF-2, or the Ibanez FL-9? The Maxon FL-9 seems pretty expensive but is it even worth it?

Try the BF-2. I really like mine. I've never tried the BF-3, but I haven't heard too many good things about it either.

[Sir Edward V]

Originally Posted by Chronicle

The kind of distortion i want is something like the ibanez. Not too fuzzy though cause i already have the tonebender.

Never played through a phathead... can't help you with just that description.

try the diesel dawg... what do you say boo? actually, you are getting the amp boo has aren't you? in which case, try the dirt channel on it and get back to us

[JanusZarate]

Originally Posted by Sir Edward V

try the diesel dawg... what do you say boo? actually, you are getting the amp boo has aren't you? in which case, try the dirt channel on it and get back to us

That's why I didn't suggest the Diesel Dawg.

Anyhow... responding to Chronicle...

You can use an A/B/Y box to split the signal, or you can use the Dry Output of your Bass Whammy to achieve the same goal. If your Whammy is near or at the front of the chain, this should work beautifully for you, and would save you from the expense of an A/B/Y box.

Send both lines of effects into a mini-mixer of some sort; the Rolls Mini-Mixer is cheap and will work efficiently for this purpose. Run that output into whatever you want.

As a second option for that mixing... I believe you might be able to use your Barge Concepts VFB-2 for this. Try running one line into the regular input, and the other into the "Return" jack. See if that works.

I haven't tried that myself, if it works, you've saved yourself from an extra expense on a mini-mixer.

As for the Mistress... it can be pretty mellow if you want it to be. It just happens to offer more than that if you need it.

[Racermech]

I have been watching how your board has come together for quite a bit and taken a lot of your advice in assembling my own. Here are some things that I have found and some of my opinions on your questions.

1) As far as the hiss goes, I have no idea. Might be unisolated power supply. I use a PP2 and a DC Brick to power my big board and haven't had any hissing issues.

2) I got the Boss PH-3 recently and really like it. It has a lot of different sounds in one box, from almost chorus/flanging noises to crazy step phasing. Some of it is really subtle, but when you kick on a distortion in from of it, the thing is way noticable. Some other suggestions to look into is envolope filters, wah, synth, and reverb. I picked up a Digitech BSW for my small board and totally dig it. Very versatile.

3) if you are running the BF-3 in your effects loop of the Barge, it might easily get lost. Over this past summer, I played a week long gig where I ran an amp totally clean signal, and another amp totally effected signal. A lot of my modulation effects got lost in the mix. I had to run my phaser, flanger, and chorrus really extreme to even hear it. Try taking it out, and seeing if it is less subtle.

4) Heck, if you have 2 amps, use them. Walbassplayer (toolbassplayer on youtube) uses his little fender bassman for a grit channel sometimes. I used my Mesa BB750 with a Goliath III for my main signal, and a Super Redhead for my second amp. Your new GK rig could be the wet out from yor whammy, and the peavey could be your dirty channel. Boo's option of a mixer is one I am looking in to as well. A blender isn't necessarily the same, because the blended signal would still be affected.

5) I just got the PD7 as well and I am digging it for grit and distortion. Before you get rid of it, maybe try re-arranging your signal chain. you can try Boo's idea as using the Barge as a mixer before you get your second amp. This is what I would try in your shoes.

Bass > Tuner > Pulsar > Whammy >

(Wet Out) > Sansamp > BF-3 > CE-5 > BR-2 > Tonebender > DD-3 > Input of Barge Blender

(Dry Out) > PD7 > Return of Barge Blender

Out of Barge Blender > Opto Stomp > Amp

Your PD7 essentially becomes your grit box, but when you disengage it, it is a clean signal blend. At least hopefully, if the barge works that way.

I am way GAS'ing for a turbo rat or diesel dawg, but money is sucking right now.

[Chronicle]

Very interesting ideas... I'm gonna go try them out :] The ones of me not spending money

Oh and i do plan on having a flanger and a phaser. Both are really awesome. Flanger's are nice and smooth and phasers are cold and sharp. Now i gotta find that picture in the pedalboard thread part6 for that guy who has a phaser with tape on it called "jet Phase" lol that sounds interesting..

I don't think the BF-3 is lost in the chain- it is really subtle just alone too! So i'm gonna give a Ibanez FL-9 a try first as the BF-2 is going for a lot of money right now ._.

I also don't think it's my power supply making the hiss as i have TWO one spots. One has 5 pedals and the other has 6.

[Chronicle]

Originally Posted by Sir Edward V

Never played through a phathead... can't help you with just that description.

try the diesel dawg... what do you say boo? actually, you are getting the amp boo has aren't you? in which case, try the dirt channel on it and get back to us

I forgot my GK2001 is gonna come with a footswitch so you're right- i'll try the 2001's distortion ;P

[Chronicle]

So i tried it out and it works great! Just a little confusing....... haha So now I have the Sansamp as the "clean signal" and the other effects in the dirty channel. If i just want my effects or no sansamp, i turn the BC off... it's like everything in reverse lol


If i choose to do it this way, i would need a boost pedal because the dirty channel is noticibly lower than the clean signal.

[assboglin]

1. Could it be the Sansamp? I had one and it was extremely hissy.

2. Prog rock is fairly experimental, so try anything you might think would be cool. Through experimentation, I believe you will find some sounds of your own.

3. Also check out the MXR Flanger. I own one and it's pretty cool on bass.

4. In my experience with them, I don't like the way Sansamps sound with other effects. I guess that's the nature of the beast.

5. I recommend checking out the Fulltone Bass Drive Mosfet. I just received mine and am happier with it compared to the previous Fulltone Bass Drives I've had, which were earlier models. I actually did not like the Keeley modded Rat; it didn't respond well to my passive guitars, but that's probably a matter of personal taste.

[Chronicle]

I was thinking it was the Sansamp making the hiss too. Another reason to get rid of it ;] Prehaps i'll have the GK2001 Channel A be full-time grit and then Channel B have full-on Distortion... We shall see how the other effects bare with that. If that doesn't work, i'll just have to find a grit box.

And I'll try out the Fulltone if the 2001RB's distortion[not grit] doesn't cut it :]

[assboglin]

I didn't see the other posts referencing your new amp before I made my last post. Most definately check out what your amp has got before resorting to other pedals. Hope the new amp gets you the grit you want too.

[Chronicle]

well i want grit AND distortion. Doesnt mean i want it in the same box though.

[JanusZarate]

The 2001RB's overdrive channel is very different than what you'd get on the clean channel if you cranked up the Boost.

Also, since they share a common Boost knob, common tone filter controls, and a common EQ, it affects the resulting tones of both sides. What's nice is that the distortion channel has a sufficient number of controls to balance out any "issues" you might have.

It never hurts to have more than one option for distortion.

[funkalicious101]

the subdecay quasar is a great phase shifter.

[Chronicle]

Originally Posted by MysticBoo

The 2001RB's overdrive channel is very different than what you'd get on the clean channel if you cranked up the Boost.

Also, since they share a common Boost knob, common tone filter controls, and a common EQ, it affects the resulting tones of both sides. What's nice is that the distortion channel has a sufficient number of controls to balance out any "issues" you might have.

It never hurts to have more than one option for distortion.

true that

the subdecay quasar is a great phase shifter.

gotcha!

[Chronicle]

Now i need a MXR Micro amp, oye! :/