Suggestions on my board, please?

[DethByDoom]

[drpepper]

Originally Posted by JordanRasnic

Hypothetically, your setup could do all that mine can and more because you have a multi-effects pedal (assuming the pedal comes with an octave effect). Only benefit to individual pedals is that if I don't like my octave pedal, I can replace just that. If you don't like your octave effect, you have to get a whole different multi-effects pedal. That is the only reason I'm going the setup I am going with.

As far as I can tell, my TC Helicon product is just a little more fancy than the one you picked out. For instance, with mine I can set the key for the correction, and mine also actively adapts to my tone and actively adjusts levels to prevent feedback. I've never seen the one you picked out, thanks for showing it to me, I'd like to look into it more.

Cool. I can see both sides of mutli-effect vs individual pedals. If you know exactly what you want, individual pedals make sense. I, OTOH, don't know exactly what I want except to be able to build patches over time as needs come up...I want chorus, synth, octave and some others.

The B3 seems to be designed as a "simulator," rather that a unit with X, Y and Z effects. I guess the end result is no different, but it makes the interface feel different in terms of the selections you make. It has simulations for pre-amps, compressors, amps, cabinets, and a slew of individual pedals. It does have a number of octave pedals.

If you have any interest, check out the B3 and a preamp thread . Great thread.

TC has a product comparison page. The Mic Mechanic does have the adaptive tone control. The pitch correction is nearest note only; it doesn't have the song key detection feature. It also doesn't have the feedback protection. It has a couple of things the VoiceTone Correct doesn't have, but they're geared toward smaller PA/not having a sound man.

[CPplaysBASS]

I agree with your reasoning for going with the Boss TU-3, which is buffered, and it's good to have in front of a long signal path. I'm just learning about this myself now, years after having a board with several true-bypass pedals (9 actually). I have to be honest ... I've been a bit mislead by the information / misinformation shared on many online forums.

Read this ... it's an awesome resource: http://www.thegigrig.com/acatalog/Th...s_a_buffer.pdf

I generally prefer true-bypass, but each pedal and each patch chord with true bypass is basically the same as lengthening the cable from your bass to the amp ... which is likely going to suck more tone than a single buffered pedal in your chain. Having ONE buffered pedal at the start - and a tuner definitely makes sense to have in front - will help your tone more than having the signal go through numerous true-bypass pedals.

Another solution - and I just did this myself this morning since all my pedals are true bypass - is decide if you'll have an "always on" pedal. The issue of buffer vs. true bypass is only an issue when a pedal is off. All pedals, when on, act as a buffer. I always have my Way Huge Pork Loin on at all times, so I put it first in my signal chain (I use it for light gain, not fuzz, and it's fine placing it before my compressor). I'm sure if I had it second or third in the chain it would still be OK, but I'm not compromising anything else on my board by placing it first.

I also have a Radial EFX unit (http://www.tonebone.com/re-bigshot-efx.htm) - about $85 - and passive so no power needed. It has two loops, so any pedals that I use sparingly live in one of the two loops. I moved my tuner (which is true bypass) into one of the loops. Naturally, I'm only activating a loop if a pedal within that loop is on, so enough juice is continuing through the signal path for optimal tone. Click off the loop, and it's basically the same as shortening the cable between the bass and amp - taking any looped pedals out of the equation entirely.

My path:
Way Huge Pork Loin -> MXR Bass Envelope Filter - > MXR Bass Compressor -> Amp
Radial EFX Loop 1: Planet Waves CT-04 Tuner, Way Huge Swollen Pickle
Radial EFX Loop 2: EXH XO Micro POG, Catalinbread Semaphore, MXR Black Label Chorus, MXR Carbon Copy

Anyway, read that article ... will be less confusing than what I just typed

Edit: Just to clarify, there are BAD buffered pedals out there. The key is to have a GOOD buffered pedal. The Boss TU-3 is generally seen as being a good buffer pedal for those who use them and is specifically mentioned in the article I noted above. SolidGoldFX also makes a dedicated buffer pedal that sells for about $90.

Edit #2: Just noticed you no longer had the Boss TU-3 listed as your tuner. Oh well, I had fun typing all that!! lol

[DethByDoom]

Originally Posted by CPplaysBASS

My path:
Way Huge Pork Loin -> MXR Bass Envelope Filter - > MXR Bass Compressor -> Amp
Radial EFX Loop 1: Planet Waves CT-04 Tuner, Way Huge Swollen Pickle
Radial EFX Loop 2: EXH XO Micro POG, Catalinbread Semaphore, MXR Black Label Chorus, MXR Carbon Copy

You can build your own looper. Cheap and easy. Also George L's or a similar diy cable kit cut to minimal length will help signal strength. Short of getting a ground fx system there's no single end all solution to signal strength. It's all the little things.

Pic?

[thefruitfarmer]

Originally Posted by CPplaysBASS

Read this ... it's an awesome resource: http://www.thegigrig.com/acatalog/Th...s_a_buffer.pdf

+1

[JordanRasnic]

Originally Posted by CPplaysBASS

I agree with your reasoning for going with the Boss TU-3, which is buffered, and it's good to have in front of a long signal path... Edit #2: Just noticed you no longer had the Boss TU-3 listed as your tuner. Oh well, I had fun typing all that!! lol

All that input was well worth the wall of text. Now I'm back to sitting on the fence. Can anyone confirm whether or not the PitchBlack is buffered? And whether or not it is a "good buffer"?