Off Topic Building an inexpensive pedalboard

[luv]

My TC pedals are picking up radio stations. If I engage two of them together...doesn't matter which...reverb and delay, reverb and flanger, flanger and delay, etc.....I get a healthy dose of a sports radio thru my amp.

I'm going to try running my power through different outlets to see if that might be the cause of the problem. I've tried two different ones already with same result. I don't think it's my cables, but going to check that too.

Any other suggestions?

 

[beej]

Whoa. I'd suspect that's power. Do you get the same problem with batteries? If so, try a better isolated power supply (rather than just a switching supply with filtering). Or call TC.

 

[JMD]

Reminds me of one particular Nigel Tufnel......had a similar issue at an airforce base....didn't take it so well.

 

[luv]

No, we're not doin' f'n Stonehenge!

I need a power conditioner....I think. There are a couple of lower priced units that are supposed to clean up the AC circuit and eliminate or reduce noise. I'm going to try that next.

Beej...I haven't tried batteries yet, because I don't have 6 nine volts here. Might give that a shot though.

 

[beej]

You just need 2 to test, right? Pick 2 TC pedals and see if that fixes it.

You're using the Brick for power? It doesn't have isolated outs (they share the ground), just filtering at each output. If the battery experiment works, consider something like the Voodoo Labs PP2+, which has all iso'd outs. Even a power conditioner isn't really going to address the issue of noise between pedals like an isolated supply will do. Just my two cents.

 

[luv]

Good info Beej.....thanks.

Yes, the problem occurs between two TC pedals. If I engage a third TC pedal then all hell breaks loose and it's compounded when some drive is added. I guess I was thinking of running batteries through the whole chain and seeing what the results were. Then possibly incorporating the Brick one output at a time and see if there was an issue with one of the 9v outs. I'll look into the Voodoo Lab option as well.

 

[luv]

Just a shot of where the board ended up.....it's current configuration.

 

[ScoobySteve]

For the Riot..... Nice and ballsy. Looks great man! Most things covered. How are you digging the sounds?

 

[luv]

Hey Steve,

Loving the sounds, not without issues though (TC). I feel I've got the OD and Dist covered. Those two pedals rock! I can get just about any kind of dirt I want. The Riot does the "brown" sound too...maybe with a slight modern twist, but pretty convincing. The EBMM vpjr is an awesome pedal. I got it for $50, nearly unused. Covers some of my ambient moods and works as a kill switch.

The TC pedals are good, but not great. They are giving me interference when it's cloudy outside. They pick up a certain AM radio frequency. All my other pedals are dead quiet....no issues, but the TC's are not. TC has offered to repair them. (I think it is a common problem with the pedals - hissing and radio frequencies). They need them for a month though....uuurrgghhh.
I'm thinking about looking other directions for the Reverb and Delay.....dunno. When they are not acting up they sound great. The flanger is nice.....it's mild and very musical.

 

[reilly]

I would start with getting an isolated power supply. I have 2 flashbacks, a polytune and a corona. they were noisy with a One Spot power supply. I got a good power supply and everything is dead quiet now. The Voodoo Lab PP2 is great, so is the T-Rex Fuel Tank and Fuel Tank JR.

Good luck!

 

[luv]

I would start with getting an isolated power supply.

see pic above.

 

[beej]

The TC pedals are good, but not great. They are giving me interference when it's cloudy outside. They pick up a certain AM radio frequency.

Odd- have you tried different cables (or checking yours for continuity)? That's often the sign of a cable that's not properly grounded at both ends, turning it into an antenna.

 

[luv]

Jason I've tried everything that I can. It's weird, there are good days and bad days. The only thing I can pinpoint is that it's worse on cloudy days. I don't know if the clouds conduct the signals in a different way. I do know that my normal stereo picks up radio signals better on cloudy days.....fwiw.

I drove around my neighborhood the other day to see if anyone had a big hamm radio antenna or anything unusual that might be the source of the interference. I never thought that playing guitar would lead me to driving around my neighborhood staring at peoples houses.

 

[beej]

So strange ... that sounds extremely frustrating.

 

[paranoid70]

I am really new the whole 'pedal board' concept, but so far I am having fun with it. For years I used a Fender Cyber Twin modelling amp that had all the effects built in and I could just call up dozens of settings. But after a while I figured I wanted something different. About a month ago, I bought a Blackstar HT-60 combo amp after the impressive demo at NAMM in January. I knew I was going to want some effects, so I spent alot of time checking out those manufacturers at NAMM as well.

I really liked Pigtronix, but well... they are pretty expensive and probably beyond what I would really need. I found the TC Electronic booth and REALLY liked their products alot, I was very impressed. I have since bought their Flashback Delay and the Corona Chorus. I really really really like the Corona Chorus (I actually found it slightly used on CL). If I just dial it back a bit, I get a real subtle response without sounding like Alex Lifeson circa 1984. (He is a hero of mine btw).

So, so far my 'board' consists of the TC-Electronic Chorus and Delay Pedals, a Boss Flanger and a Cry Baby Wah. I currently don't have any fuzz or distortion as the Blackstar has two overdrive channels that sound pretty good... but I may wish to get a fuzz pedal anyway. Any recommendations, especially for a fuzz pedal that could work on top of an overdrive channel?

 

[luv]

Covers some of my ambient moods and works as a kill switch.

or really a signal cut, not a kill switch

 

[ScoobySteve]

I am really new the whole 'pedal board' concept, but so far I am having fun with it. For years I used a Fender Cyber Twin modelling amp that had all the effects built in and I could just call up dozens of settings. But after a while I figured I wanted something different. About a month ago, I bought a Blackstar HT-60 combo amp after the impressive demo at NAMM in January. I knew I was going to want some effects, so I spent alot of time checking out those manufacturers at NAMM as well.

I really liked Pigtronix, but well... they are pretty expensive and probably beyond what I would really need. I found the TC Electronic booth and REALLY liked their products alot, I was very impressed. I have since bought their Flashback Delay and the Corona Chorus. I really really really like the Corona Chorus (I actually found it slightly used on CL). If I just dial it back a bit, I get a real subtle response without sounding like Alex Lifeson circa 1984. (He is a hero of mine btw).

So, so far my 'board' consists of the TC-Electronic Chorus and Delay Pedals, a Boss Flanger and a Cry Baby Wah. I currently don't have any fuzz or distortion as the Blackstar has two overdrive channels that sound pretty good... but I may wish to get a fuzz pedal anyway. Any recommendations, especially for a fuzz pedal that could work on top of an overdrive channel?

Hey man, for straight up Hendrixy fuzz, I used a Keeley Fuzz Head which was great.

As for a fuzz to get that rich creamy tone on an overdriven signal, I'd recommend Analogman's NKT275 sunface fuzz. It's basically a clone and improvement of the vintage dallas artiber fuzz face. The type of fuzz eric Johnson uses to add some more hair to his dirty tone.

 

[Roubster]

Mine is very minimal right now but I'm working on it. It does pretty much everything major I need though in cases of playing out. Have a Suhr Riot, Xotic BB Preamp, TC Corona Chorus and Boss DD3 Delay. I love all these pedals. Only gripe I have with the Riot is that it does not sound as huge at low volumes. The BB Preamp is one of my all time favorite pedals. I'm loving the Corona as well and plan on getting the Flashback as well. The DD3 does the job for now...I cant live without delay .

 

[acwild]

Mine is very minimal right now but I'm working on it. It does pretty much everything major I need though in cases of playing out. Have a Suhr Riot, Xotic BB Preamp, TC Corona Chorus and Boss DD3 Delay. I love all these pedals. Only gripe I have with the Riot is that it does not sound as huge at low volumes. The BB Preamp is one of my all time favorite pedals. I'm loving the Corona as well and plan on getting the Flashback as well. The DD3 does the job for now...I cant live without delay .

Since you love delay, have you tried the El Capistan? I can't live without this delay.

 

[Roubster]

I havent tried it, but seen some demos and it sounds phenomenal! A good amount of change though, but I'm sure it's worth it. Strymon make some nice stuff. The reverb one Blue Sky sounds awesome as well. I do want to have two delay pedals for a shorter and longer time like Morse, Timmons, Satch...I guess like a lot of players.