I have two setups, one with pedals, one with a rack effects processor: Pedals: Goes like this: Bass - Rack Wireless - pedalboard with: Boss Tu-2 tuner Dunlop Bass Wah Ibanez Tube Screamer Digitech Bass Synth Wah Digitech Multi Chorus Boss Ph-3 Phase Shifter MXR Phase 90 Boss BF-2 Flanger Boss PS-5 Super Shifter Danelectro Dan-echo to amp input (Mesa Bass 400+) OR Bass Rack Wireless Amp input Effects send to Boss SE-70 Effects Return. Digital Music Corp Ground Control for switching. Issues: Too much freaking tap dancing, but really solid, pure sounding effects with the pedals. The noticeable 1/4 second 'mute' when changing patches on the processor. The signal loss going through so many effects. Any discussion?
LOTS of discussion. I run a similar set-up, but I run pedals AND rackmount. I find that pedals give a certain sound that you can't get from rack effects, and vice-versa. As for your signal loss, you MUST run a bypass box with that many pedals. It's probably really thinning your tone out, huh? Here's my set-up: Bass > Frantone Ingot (bypass)> Akai Deep Impact EBS BAssIQ > Akai Unibass > Ibanez SB-7 > Digitech Bass Synth All gets fed to a Mesa Boogie M-2000, with a Boss VF-1 in the "Mix Mode" effects loop. When I need a more compact set-up, I leave the pedals at home and I just use the VF-1 for effects. Again, you really will hear a huge difference when you hook a bypass box into the pedal line.
well, it sounds like to me, you are leaning towards the pedals, because you had more issues with the rack than the pedals. personally, I like the rack effects, mainly because with a rack, I can go right from one effect to another, say long delay to short delay or something like that. With a midi switchboard, I can go right to any effect I want, mild to strong distortion, long to short delay, i can go from delay+reverb+flanger to a comp+distortion+chorus+wah is 1/4 a second instead of hitting a bunch of buttons with my big clumsy feet. Of course, I am also with you when you say how you can get a certain sound with a pedal that you can't get in a rack. I also decided on a rack when I saw this one puck rocker guitar player who had to 2 boss PS-5 super shifters, one to add a fifth, and the other went up an octave. Right then and there I decided I didn't want to have to get a whole bunch of the same pedals, not only because I didn't have the cash to do it, but I think that makes you set up too many pedals. plus I think rack effects (with the midi foot controller) clean up the stage better than 10 pedals on the stage. I don't know maybe thats just me though Charlie
I have a stupid amount of pedals (see below), and I usually rackmount the ones I don't need on the floor. My tone stays intact even when running through them all, due to having high quality pedals and a nice onboard pre on my bass. Rackmount those guys if you can! It will save your life. As far as the delay between patches, that happens alot with lesser rack gear. There's not really much you can do without replacing it.
