Off Topic pedals or midi/rack effects?

[marduke]

ok so right now i have a vox tonelab se running into my mesa f-50, and its great, but im upgrading my rig this week and want to know from people who gig/play live what setup is more effective/practical.. im torn between going a pedal board or a midi/rack effects setup (i can get a g-major 2 pretty cheap at the moment)
the new amp will be a mesa boogie mark V.
realistically id need 2 delay pedals (different settings for what i play live), phaser, an o/drive pedal, volume and wah pedals...

im not a real fan of tap dancing either, hence why im leaning more towards the midi/rack setup.

any insight would be greatly appreciated

 

[sickindian]

Get Axe FX !

 

[wolf5150]

I use both

G major in the loop for delays ( if I were you, I'd get the line 6 delay modeler )

and this in front...

 

[sickindian]

I use both

G major in the loop for delays ( if I were you, I'd get the line 6 delay modeler )

and this in front...

Keen what? ive been thinking about using both as well simply by connecting axe fx and loop system together and splitting the signal paths which will create multiple combinations.

 

[Jimmyb]

Yeah, I'd say both. You can get a great mix of both, plus with some now, you can also put the pedals in a drawer and run a looper type of thing.

 

[joe web]

i combine best of both worlds together in a midi-switching racksystem.

as for the multieffects unit, i´m using a g-major (1), for some "eventide" effects i can switch in my old digitech IPS33B - both units are in the loops of the amps.
in front of the amps i´m using four MXR units (overdrive, phaser, flanger, dyna comp)
all the switching is controlled by the rocktron all access board.

 

[sickindian]

You see this phonic power conditioner in your rack is it any good?

All looks just fine i would show you mine but I havent finished it yet still need to buy FX1 + Axe FX and some cabling.

 

[Purple ASS]

Look out for a used TC G System and enjoy having the choice. You can also loop in your favourite pedals into it. A terrific piece of gear and logical to use even for my old brain

 

[marduke]

unfortunately the g-system is very expensive here in Australia... even used i think it would still fetch a hefty price..

 

[joe web]

You see this phonic power conditioner in your rack is it any good?

it is o.k. for powering all my gear, get some lights onto the rack and show me how much power is availible at the moment.


the g-system is a perfect piece, with a built for live controller unit. i could have built up my system with the g-s as well, but i wouldn´t have the flexibility as i have it now.

btw. i´ve you have the chance to get a Lexicon MPX-G2 unit used, try it!
the only thing which isn´t perfect with the MPX-G2 is the latency while switching from one to another preset.
but lexicon said: good algorythm take their time to load - and yes it really sounds awesome!

i have one at home. it has build in wahwahs (cry baby or vox), phase90, dyna comp, blue comp (boss), harmonizer, jamman looper, grey flanger (mxr flanger), overdrive and distortion pedals.

still thinking about putting it into my system, but i´ll have to reprogramm so many presets - so i´m not quite sure if it really brings my sound to a new level.

 

[ScoobySteve]

I use both. Lately I've been actually downgrading. I used to be in this phase for I tried to get my grubby fingers on every hot pedal and every superior processor out there. But lately I've been enjoying playing with just my amp's tone and some delay. But I still have the options I did before.

You mentioned the TC G Major 2, I used the G Major1 and would recommend it if you don't mind MIDI programming. A lot of people swear by G-Maj/Behringer BCB switch. But with that many options you're still gonna end up "tap" dancing to some extent.

My current set up is as follows, if I'm travelling internationally like I am now this is my set up:
1. EB Wah
2. EB VP
3. Tubescreamer (or your choice of overdrive)
4. TC Electronics Nova System.

All in front of the amp. I use the Nova systems distortion and drive settings for my dirty/crunch needs, and it makes travelling light. Plus my Nova system acts as my "channel switcher" of sorts. I move around Korea a lot, and shipping and carrying around this set up is breezy. No amp to haul around. I just require the places I go to have a decent tube amp with a solid and balanced clean channel. Size doesn't matter, I can always run it through a mic into the house PA.

At Home, with my Head/4x12 I use the same units except I have the EB wah and vp, plus the tubescreamer in front of my amp, and I throw the Nova system into the loop, eliminating the TC Nova System's Drive Portion (terrible design IMO but thats just me) as I prefer my amp's distortion.

I don't use too many pitch/mod/comp in my set ups, but I DO use them, so I have them. In a great convenient package.

I use the wah, vp and ts, and might consider throwing in a A/B switch for a dedicated acoustic amp for my piezo but thats it.

I have pedals, (only 3 mind you) and an FX Processor ( TC Nova System) but there's no Rack! That's the beauty of my set up that I love. the Nova system was designed after the G - System, to act as a pedal board of sorts.

I know I didn't answer your question directly, but it kind of gives you an idea of how you can simplify and then mix the two.

 

[bkrumme]

Look out for a used TC G System and enjoy having the choice. You can also loop in your favourite pedals into it. A terrific piece of gear and logical to use even for my old brain

The G-System is an awesome piece of gear. I recently started collecting overdrive and distortion pedals and putting them on a shelf in my rack saves a LOT of space on the floor. I have the G-System controller and 2 volume pedals on my board and that's it (one is expression for the G-System). I switch the overdrive/distortion pedals in and out with the loops on the G-System.

Secondarily, I have an Axe-FX rig which I control with the G-System as well. Just an Axe-FX and a Carvin power amp. There's a midi-switchable a/b/y box between the two rigs and a Radial Cabbone to switch the two rigs with my speaker cab, but live I go direct to the board from the Axe-FX.

 

[sickindian]

The G-System is an awesome piece of gear. I recently started collecting overdrive and distortion pedals and putting them on a shelf in my rack saves a LOT of space on the floor. I have the G-System controller and 2 volume pedals on my board and that's it (one is expression for the G-System). I switch the overdrive/distortion pedals in and out with the loops on the G-System.

Secondarily, I have an Axe-FX rig which I control with the G-System as well. Just an Axe-FX and a Carvin power amp. There's a midi-switchable a/b/y box between the two rigs and a Radial Cabbone to switch the two rigs with my speaker cab, but live I go direct to the board from the Axe-FX.

Your opinion: AXE FX over traditional rig- yes or no?

 

[bkrumme]

Your opinion: AXE FX over traditional rig- yes or no?

Well. No. It really depends on what you want to do. The Axe-FX is an amazing piece of gear. It is extremely well suited for the studio as an "all-in-one" solution for recording and getting some amazing tones.

I say no not because it's not amazing, but because it works much better as a supplement to a traditional rig. Now, I'm only using it in one of the ways you can. The Axe-FX could be a drop-in replacement for my G-System were I to get another MIDI controller, so it could fit right into a traditional rig in that respect as well.

I've used it live and in the studio and in both places it is amazing. For traveling, it's superb by itself.

 

[sickindian]

Supplement as an another fx unit? Does any other units like TC, eventide compare to it?

 

[bkrumme]

Supplement as an another fx unit? Does any other units like TC, eventide compare to it?

The effects are definitely top notch.

You've got to remember, the Axe-FX is an animal of its own. There isn't another product out there that can do what it does.

The way I use it is as a secondary rig to supplement my traditional rig. I could certainly use it as an FX unit, but the G-System is an exceptional FX unit and its FX are also top notch. I was looking for a piece that could give me a lot of tones in a small package. There just isn't an amplifier out there that can do that as well as the Axe-FX. Line6 makes some really cool gear, but none of it sounds as natural.

There are FX units which compare to the FX available in the Axe-FX. The G-System effects are on par. The real power of the Axe-FX comes in flexibility. You can route the FX, Amp models, speaker models, etc. however you want them. With the G-System you can NOT do any of that. The FX are where they are and that's it.

Think of it this way: Big Poppa just let us in on his game changer which will let us program how we use the pickups on our guitar. Take this concept and apply it to effects and you have the Axe-FX.

 

[sickindian]

i combine best of both worlds together in a midi-switching racksystem.

as for the multieffects unit, i´m using a g-major (1), for some "eventide" effects i can switch in my old digitech IPS33B - both units are in the loops of the amps.
in front of the amps i´m using four MXR units (overdrive, phaser, flanger, dyna comp)
all the switching is controlled by the rocktron all access board.

Can you show me back of your rack please?


@BKRUMME
So its basically a power tool(that i need) but im still thinking how to connect it in conjunction with my actual rig so i can use rack wah+tc 2290 features other than delay plus connecting it to mark IV?

Im using looper which gives me same flexibility that axe fx can provide. nice

 

[bkrumme]

@BKRUMME
So its basically a power tool(that i need) but im still thinking how to connect it in conjunction with my actual rig so i can use rack wah+tc 2290 features other than delay plus connecting it to mark IV?

Im using looper which gives me same flexibility that axe fx can provide. nice

Go check out their site. They have a Wiki also.

Main Fractal Site: Welcome - Fractal Audio Systems / Atomic Amplifiers
Wiki: Main Page - Axe-Fx Wiki

 

[sickindian]

Wow man! there is so many options in this thing and the funny thing about that is that i cant buy one in states and dealer form Germany asks you to w8 ages.

 

[jhmusicman]

Here is my rack..I use voodoo lab GCX switchers with a ground control board..I have rack gear and pedals in my rack which it switches, as well as my amp channels....I have done 6 big tours with this gear..its great!!..jamie