Pedalboard Build #2/NPD Catchup

DrewJD82

Moderator
Staff member
TGF Recording Artist
Messages
12,569
When I bought the flightcase for my FM9 it came with it's own pedalboard, which is a little bigger than the one I built for the FM9 so I figured I'd use it for the regular pedals I started accumulating-

IMG_0473 2.jpg


Initially I was going to base it around EJ/Gilmour tones as I didn't have any specific need I had to cover, but then I got the Plexi50 and that was like a second life started on guitar for me, after being into scooped chugging tones for so long I just fell in love with the tones I was getting for the first time ever, really. My previous Marshall experiences were all DSL's and JCM2000's my former band members had, I only played a Plexi once or twice before getting mine.

So I figured I'd make a board that would cover all the non-chugging tones I dig; aka 'a pedalboard that's more likely to earn gig money than my other rigs' :rofl
Then it was a 'non-modeling' board right up until I started picking delays and modulations and the more thought I put into it, the more the VP4 started to make sense. I was stuck on dirt pedals for a long time, I was attempting to find a combination that would stack and create a modded Marshall tone, but I could spend the rest of my life searching for that combo, in the meantime I snagged a Friedman BE-OD, first the regular one and then the Deluxe once I saw it has a mid knob.

Here's where we're at today-

IMG_1862.jpg


This is all going to get controlled with a Morningstar MC6 Pro and a couple ML5R loop switchers. I was going to go with the ML10 until I realized there's only 5 actual send/returns and you need fucking Y-cables for every loop. There's no way in hell my cable management OCD would allow for that.

Absolutely staying for sure- Keeley Compressor +, NOTADUMBLE, BE-OD.

There's some overlap with the NOTADUMBLE and Tchula, both could be an always-on pedal and I REALLY love them both for that, I'll keep both if I "can", but if not the Tchula will go as I'll always take some control/variation over a fixed circuit and I don't even use the Bias side of the Tchula. There's also overlap with the Blue channel of the BE-OD and the NOTADUMBLE's dirt section with how I have them set up. If I can get them closer than I'll likely switch to the regular BE-OD, I'm kinda bummed there's so much less gain on the 2nd channel of the Deluxe as it's not enough for me to use for a rhythm, but the green channel is fucking ACE!

A Fuzz Face WILL be on the board, but I'm not sold on which one yet and it'll likely end up being a DIY Fuzz Face. If space became a major issue then I could ditch the Fuzz Face for the Germanium Dover Drive as there's some definite simiarities.

The Vibronaught isn't wooshy enough of a vibe, so the vibe search continues. My Dry Bell is definitely dead. I was hoping it was a PSU issue but nope. All the modulation stuff will get handled via VP4, it'll basically be in 4CM with one loop covering pre-input modulation and the other loop handling post-amp effects. I initially wanted a dedicated Whammy pedal but adding a Wah, Expression and Whammy takes off a lot of real estate quick, so the VP4 will do the Whammy and Volume and I'll just have to navigate the 4 blocks with a little more thought.

I know I've accumulated enough frickin pedals in the last few months that when I finish this board I can slap together another one with the leftovers and still have a fully gigaggble board, maybe I'll wire one up and try to sell it as a turn-key thing.

Lastly, here's a clip of how things are sounding with that setup above. Once the whole board is done I'll make a more detailed breakdown video of the different tones, but the idea is to run either my Strat or Les Paul in front of it and not needing to adjust any amp or pedal settings between the two guitars. This is my Gilmour Strat with super dead strings-



REALLY impressed with that BE-OD, when I start noodling around with the higher gain tone that's so close to being my ideal modded Marshall tone. I can't wait to hear this shit through an amp later today when the Power Station finally shows up.
 
Last edited:
Will be coming back to read this later but just wanted to say

1) awesome board!
2) I always forget how big the full fat fuzz pedals are 😂

Hahahahah they're obnoxious for sure, especially considering the circuit inside, but if it weren't for an old blue Fuzz Face and a bunch of random, unlabeled switches on EJ's old pedalboard, I might not even be here. Seeing his old Fuzz Face when I had zero clue pedals were even a thing and hearing the sound it made was 100% the catalyst of me being a gear nerd, so while I mini-FF or regular box would be far more efficient and logical, I won't have it any other way but a big ass one.

I had the original red Hendrix FF in high school, that thing sat on all my boards for like 3-4 years and I never even used it, not once. I just love the way Fuzz Faces look!
 
There’s a lot of overlap in our recent gear journeys. “like a second life started on guitar for me” is exactly how I’ve felt after going back to amps and pedals!

How do the blue Hendrix and EJ FF compare to each other? Is the SDE-3000 sticking around after all?

I wish my board didn’t had to be so specialized; I’ve got no room for a full size FF. I’m thinking I need to build a separate board that’s just a full size FF and a bunch of the big old EHX pedals
 
There’s a lot of overlap in our recent gear journeys. “like a second life started on guitar for me” is exactly how I’ve felt after going back to amps and pedals!

How do the blue Hendrix and EJ FF compare to each other? Is the SDE-3000 sticking around after all?

I wish my board didn’t had to be so specialized; I’ve got no room for a full size FF. I’m thinking I need to build a separate board that’s just a full size FF and a bunch of the big old EHX pedals

If ya check the Fuzz thread there’s some comparison vids between the two Fuzz Faces. I’m digging them both overall and ordered that badass Fuzz Face Explorer kit from @huntingtonaudio about 10 minutes after playing around with the Hendrix. So far my favorite way to use them is before the Friedman BE-OD, I have a channel on it specifically to use with the fuzzes and it’s so close to the Fuzz Face sound I’m chasing. The EJ is a lot thicker with more mids.

The SDE-3000 most likely won’t be sticking around. It’s on the board now just because I don’t have a VP4 yet but I’m about ready to list a bunch of stuff as I’m getting the “I bought too much shit” anxiety! I love the way it sounds but I’ve also been gaining a bit of an overkill vibe with it; for the size it’s a lot of real estate for one delay sound. Sure, you got the modulation in there but it’s still primarily one main delay sound that can be tweaked a bit. It’s just hard to reason in comparison to the VP4 that’s going to give me considerably more delay options.
 
Just ordered the Morningstar MC6 Pro and ML5R. All I’ve got left is the VP4 to get sorted (Reverb informed me the seller provided a case number for the lost item, I think at this point I should just get the damn refund since there is no product to purchase) then I need to grab another pedalboard patchbay/breakout box and this thing will be “done”.

Ah shit…..just remembered I’m not sold on the Vibronaught and still need to sort out a vibe solution as well as a rotary pedal. Damnit, every time I turn around there’s $250 to spend!
 
You running all of these into the front of the amp?

Everything but the SDE-3000, which was in a ‘loop’ (between the Suhr RL and my AxeFX, now in the loop of the PS100). Once I have the VP4 I’ll be using it 4CM with the delays/verbs being in the loop and pitch stuff up front.

I’m not opposed to running everything straight in, though. I’ve had pretty good luck with delays in front of the amp, but definitely prefer them in the loop.
 
Back
Top