Help me configure my first pedal board ;)

[Chris Long]

Howdy,

I was wondering if you good peeps would help a lost soul out a little.

I have never bothered with pedal boards, usually just opting to use a multi fx unit instead....but I have gotten to a point that I have amassed a few pedals (most I use mainly for synths) so I decided to take the dive.

I am attempting to work out the best way to configure them for ease of use, clean signal chain and have the ability to still use them with my synths as I have previously.

Pedal list...

Korg Pitchblack +
Boss CS-3
TC electronic Mojomojo overdrive
Dunlop Justin Chancellor fuzzwah
HX Stomp
Strymon Big Sky
Strymon Time Line
TC Electronic Flashback
TC Electronic Chorus
MXR Bass Preamp
Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 3

I am looking to get a setup sorted that allows me to have both a clean and effected signal from the board at the same time.

Any help would be greatly appreciated as I am going down a rabbit hole that I know little about.

Thanks
Chris

 

[Chris Long]

Hate to be that guy n bump my own thread but I honestly could do with some help and pointers from those using hxstomp and similar.

Cheers
Chris

 

[el murdoque]

What are you using the HX Stomp for?
As I see it, you have two devices that can put out a DI signal - the HX Stomp and the MXR Preamp.

I do have to ask before I type any further: You have a Time Line on your board AND a Flashback? Why?

You could run the HX Stomp first in chain and splice off a clean signal, then go from there through all the rest to the MXR.

 

[Chris Long]

The aim is to set the board up to be used with bass and synth setup.
One output of clean signal di and one effected signal to amp/ cabinet.
I use quite a few analogue synths in the studio and the strymons are my preferred reverbs and delay for most of my synths. They sound great on pretty much everything tbh and I would like to have the option to use those along with the other effects on my board when recording (both synth and bass) and for live.

 

[Chris Long]

With regards to the flashback, primarily when using synths I will sometimes use multiple chained delays with different timings.

 

[Chris Long]

From what you are saying, my signal path should be....

Bass > Tuner > Compressor > HX Stomp > HX Stomp out L (Clean to Amp)
HX Stomp out R > Mojo > Corona > Flashback > MXR
HX Stomp Send > Time line > Big Sky > HX Stomp Return???

Main reason for the MXR is groundlift as I've had to deal with Hum in the past at some venues.

 

[Killing Floor]

There’s no best way so grain of salt and have fun.

I’d go bass > comp > preamp… or preamp > comp beginning of chain because “I” (aka dummy) prefer compressing the bass for my purposes instead of compressing the final signal. Ok to experiment because there isn’t a right way.
You might also try the wah dead first.
Then I go dirt, modulation, and end with time based. If you use your delay and reverb same time you just need to play with both orders. As far as the HX it depends on how you use it.
I also like tuner for unprocessed so I do it first or on a separate output.

Experiment before attaching. Every circuit affects every circuit.

 

[Chris Long]

There’s no best way so grain of salt and have fun.

I’d go bass > comp > preamp… or preamp > comp beginning of chain because “I” (aka dummy) prefer compressing the bass for my purposes instead of compressing the final signal. Ok to experiment because there isn’t a right way.
You might also try the wah dead first.
Then I go dirt, modulation, and end with time based. If you use your delay and reverb same time you just need to play with both orders. As far as the HX it depends on how you use it.
I also like tuner for unprocessed so I do it first or on a separate output.

Experiment before attaching. Every circuit affects every circuit.

I think my issue is going to be that I do like the preamp/amp selection in the HX, so I would want to use them as it's like that I will be going into a power amp rather than an a bass head and to the cab. Clean signal from DI to FOH and Mic'd signal from Cab to FOH.

 

[OnlyFlats]

Mentioning synths just scared off much of TB!

Synth inputs are so different from bass guitar that swapping between the 2 would mess up gain staging. Synths can be real hot in level.

For my string synth rig I've made a seperate pedal board exclusively for that: klon clone drive > tremelo > delay > phaser > chorus. I had to be very careful setting the synth output level and klon level. Now it's set I don't touch it.

For your setup the Spend Nothing approach will be placing a mark on your mxr preamp input knob that is your synth setting, really low.

Your mxr preamp is the key to your goal. Place that first in your chain before the tuner, set it to a nice clean tone without much growl or drive. The XLR output is your clean, the ts output goes into your pedal chain.

Do whatever you want with the other pedals.

Tuner last (it'll have a buffer in it for long cable run to the amp). You'll get used to turning off the pedals prior to tune. You can't have it first as you're plugging synths in it might not cope with the hot level.

 

[Chris Long]

Thanks for that

Yeah, I already had the level matching issue in mind. I have an attenuator down the studio that I was going to use if needed and was going to plug both synth and bass in to the tuner as it has two inputs. This would mean I could, if needed, then switch between patches on the HX for whatever is in use at the time. I won't be playing the Sub37/Bass Station at the same time as the bass, so it isn't an issue.