The ultimate bedroom guitar rig?

[Boudoir Guitar]

Trying to design my ultimate rig for guitar in the boudoir and would love to hear thoughts/ideas.

Been using various Fractal products for the last two years and have to come to a lot of conclusions regarding how they work best for me; currently own an FM3 and not terribly interested in going to a III.

Currently have a few pedals in the mix, but that will be expanding over the next few months. Currently have Strymon Volante, Chase Bliss Mood, Klone, JHS 3-knob fuzz, Hudson Broadcast. Currently use an FC6 to control the FM3, Volante and Mood.

Want to add in a Helix variant - either Stomp or Rack. I've used various Helix products enough to have come to a lot of conclusions regarding how they work best for me, also.

Currently leaning towards this iteration with Helix rack. In this configuration, the FM3 would be connected in stereo to the HX rack via loops 1 and 2. All pedals and loops 3 and 4 of the HX Rack would route to a patch bay concealed in the cabinet for flexible signal routing.

Going Stomp would obviously save some money and footprint. I could probably get by with the Stomp in terms of processing power/# of blocks given the heavy lifting being done by the FM3, but the more limited I/O would likely lead to a few routing headaches -- I'd keep the FM3 routed to the patchbay, and anytime I wanted to add a pedal between the Helix and the FM3, I'd need to re-route things in the patchbay. It would also mean I'd have to keep using my stand-alone audio interface because I do a lot of microphone recording. Though using the Rack as my audio interface in this configuration would also mean using something like the Makie Big Knob on my actual desk for volume control. No biggie. The limitations of the Stomp are significant enough that I think I'm gonna go rack.

Primary goal is to keep all processing up off the floor because if there's one thing bedroom guitarist must do at all times is keep it sexy. And bent over turning a knob is not sexy when done by the bedroom guitarist. Additional goal is to allow flexible/easy routing of various configurations via the patchbay

The only things I really need foot control over are looper type things (Mood and Volante). Other stuff I'm happy to turn on/off with my hands, though I would rather have a button or switch to press to make that happen without having to scroll through a signal chain on either HX or FM3. If I go HX Rack...I'd probably end up with a Control.

Total dimensions are 26" to the lowest desktop part, 1.5" depth total (might need to make feet that are deeper than that to keep it from being tippy) and 32" wide. Could go a little wider to make more room for pedals without cramping my guitar room much if needed. Would also have a stereo power amp for feeding 2 1x12" cabs incorporated in the cabinet.

For out of bedroom activities, I'd probably just pull the FM3 out and take it with me.

Thoughts? Stomp or Rack? No QC suggestions allowed, and Kemper as much I love...I don't think it would add anything to this setup.

 

[Gearzilla]

Done.

 

[SwirlyMaple]

Done.

She's playing C, C# and D all at the same time on one string. Clearly a shred wizard!

 

[Gearzilla]

She's playing C, C# and D all at the same time on one string. Clearly a shred wizard!

Mid descending chromatic….

Though I hadn’t noticed before

 

[DrewJD82]

Ok, I put some thought into this and I think I came up with something…..

It might look really cramped, but it’s not-

This way you have all the firepower of Fractal you could need AND switch over to something tube if you’d like. The pedals are just a placeholder. Sh*t! I forgot to take pics of it in 4CM, that might change some things. Just try to imagine some more cables.

I dunno, not really sure how you can get more flexible with something else.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

I should probably note that my guitar room doesn't actually have a bed in it, not would it be considered a bedroom for appraisal/listing purposes. But I'm still embracing the derogatory title of bedroom guitarist.

 

[DrewJD82]

I should probably note that my guitar room doesn't actually have a bed in it, not would it be considered a bedroom for appraisal/listing purposes. But I'm still embracing the derogatory title of bedroom guitarist.

The clear answer here is that you also now need a rig for your bedroom.

 

[yeky83]

View attachment 100

Trying to design my ultimate rig for guitar in the boudoir and would love to hear thoughts/ideas.

Been using various Fractal products for the last two years and have to come to a lot of conclusions regarding how they work best for me; currently own an FM3 and not terribly interested in going to a III.

Currently have a few pedals in the mix, but that will be expanding over the next few months. Currently have Strymon Volante, Chase Bliss Mood, Klone, JHS 3-knob fuzz, Hudson Broadcast. Currently use an FC6 to control the FM3, Volante and Mood.

Want to add in a Helix variant - either Stomp or Rack. I've used various Helix products enough to have come to a lot of conclusions regarding how they work best for me, also.

Currently leaning towards this iteration with Helix rack. In this configuration, the FM3 would be connected in stereo to the HX rack via loops 1 and 2. All pedals and loops 3 and 4 of the HX Rack would route to a patch bay concealed in the cabinet for flexible signal routing.

Going Stomp would obviously save some money and footprint. I could probably get by with the Stomp in terms of processing power/# of blocks given the heavy lifting being done by the FM3, but the more limited I/O would likely lead to a few routing headaches -- I'd keep the FM3 routed to the patchbay, and anytime I wanted to add a pedal between the Helix and the FM3, I'd need to re-route things in the patchbay. It would also mean I'd have to keep using my stand-alone audio interface because I do a lot of microphone recording. Though using the Rack as my audio interface in this configuration would also mean using something like the Makie Big Knob on my actual desk for volume control. No biggie. The limitations of the Stomp are significant enough that I think I'm gonna go rack.

Primary goal is to keep all processing up off the floor because if there's one thing bedroom guitarist must do at all times is keep it sexy. And bent over turning a knob is not sexy when done by the bedroom guitarist. Additional goal is to allow flexible/easy routing of various configurations via the patchbay

The only things I really need foot control over are looper type things (Mood and Volante). Other stuff I'm happy to turn on/off with my hands, though I would rather have a button or switch to press to make that happen without having to scroll through a signal chain on either HX or FM3. If I go HX Rack...I'd probably end up with a Control.

Total dimensions are 26" to the lowest desktop part, 1.5" depth total (might need to make feet that are deeper than that to keep it from being tippy) and 32" wide. Could go a little wider to make more room for pedals without cramping my guitar room much if needed. Would also have a stereo power amp for feeding 2 1x12" cabs incorporated in the cabinet.

For out of bedroom activities, I'd probably just pull the FM3 out and take it with me.

Thoughts? Stomp or Rack? No QC suggestions allowed, and Kemper as much I love...I don't think it would add anything to this setup.

How about go Stomp and move the patchbay up on the surface to be accessible? If you have to reroute stuff, might as well do a little switchboard operator work than deal with the joystick & screen routing… but then again, you can save needed routings as presets and switch around quickly without having to use the joystick I suppose.

That angled Rack among the pedals sure looks good though. Stomp + eurorack patchbay + dabble in eurorack gear?

 

[Foxmeister]

She's playing C, C# and D all at the same time on one string. Clearly a shred wizard!

She's practising the 3 notes per string simultaneously method, pioneered by Tim Henson...

 

[sleewell]

i dont play in my bedroom but at home its just helix into a cheapo studio monitor and sometimes my digitech trio plus. sounds good enough to practice and get better.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

i dont play in my bedroom but at home its just helix into a cheapo studio monitor and sometimes my digitech trio plus. sounds good enough to practice and get better.

That's the acceptable bedroom rig. This thread is about the ultimate bedroom rig.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

How about go Stomp and move the patchbay up on the surface to be accessible? If you have to reroute stuff, might as well do a little switchboard operator work than deal with the joystick & screen routing… but then again, you can save needed routings as presets and switch around quickly without having to use the joystick I suppose.

That angled Rack among the pedals sure looks good though. Stomp + eurorack patchbay + dabble in eurorack gear?

The thing I use most in Helix are dirt pedals, almost all of which have gain and level on a different page in HX Stomp with it's 3-knobs. As not-a-big-deal as that is sometimes, others it just makes me wanna toss that little brick straight through a window. And it's a no go as an audio interface.

The patchbay - honestly won't be used much, but I'd like to have it. Most "rearranging" would be done in the Helix whether I use Stomp or Rack.

Everytime I think about a Stomp I get to "huh, I think I'd rather just buy a couple more dirt pedals and maybe keep the Woodrow ai still haven't listed".

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Ok, I put some thought into this and I think I came up with something…..

It might look really cramped, but it’s not-

This way you have all the firepower of Fractal you could need AND switch over to something tube if you’d like. The pedals are just a placeholder. Sh*t! I forgot to take pics of it in 4CM, that might change some things. Just try to imagine some more cables.

I dunno, not really sure how you can get more flexible with something else.

To comment semi-seriously to this, I love the sounds of the Fractal; I dislike it as the central hub of a guitar rig:

(1) Even ignoring the lack of mic pre, audio interface has always sucked for me.
(2) USB connection of my III to my mac was always stable; USB connection of the FM3 to my mac is not as stable and there's frequent need to reboot one or the other of the FM3 or FM3-Edit. Which makes computer editing less convenient than it should be.
(3) I don't mind the on unit UI for editing a pre-existing patch, or building a pretty straightforward, already determined patch; I don't enjoy "just fucking around with stupid ideas that I'll regret later" on the Fractal stuff. I do enjoy doing that in Helix world.
(4) Helix has always worked great as an audio interface for me. The more mic-based recording I've done over the last year, the more I've realized I'm never going to need more than one mic-pre, and that I'm never going to have a room/source that need anything more than a decently clean mic preamp -- plugins for color will more than do me. So Helix rack could work quite well as my only audio interface, and it has enough I/O, etc., that I could pretty easily reamp from computer through it and everything else in this rig and back to the computer

The only thing I worry about with this rig is whether it will in any way make "just plugging in to rock out on guitar with a basic OD ->amp -> verb -> poweramp/cab configuration" more cumbersome. In theory it shouldn't -- that would be my default preset that the whole rig loads up to. I mean, despite all this mess, a solid 75%+ of my playing is just wanting to plug in and play a very basic guitar tone through a cab like its a combo amp. If it doesn't work for that...I guess I could get a powered Kemper rack and finally build the Kemper Kombo...

 

[yeky83]

I guess I could get a powered Kemper rack and finally build the Kemper Kombo...

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

For combo use, it'd definitely be Stomp all day.

Still thoughts about cutting up my FM3 for that, too....


....

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Slight update on this project -- after lots of hemming and hawing (and absolutely no constructive help from this thread :) ), I've got a Helix rack incoming. Construction of the actual workstation probably won't be able to commence in earnest until October. And more design work needs to be finalized.

Should I continue in this thread, or start a new one that follows design/construction with a thread title that invites less off-topic comedic relief?

 

[Fireproof]

If you get frustrated with off topic comic relief, I think you may have a hard time here lol. But starting a new thread for that express purpose might help.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

If you get frustrated with off topic comic relief, I think you may have a hard time here lol. But starting a new thread for that express purpose might help.

It doesn't frustrate me at all -- but when its 9 posts off to 1 post on, in a "build" thread, things can get a bit hard to follow.

 

[Fireproof]

It doesn't frustrate me at all -- but when its 9 posts off to 1 post on, in a "build" thread, things can get a bit hard to follow.

Yeah agreed. I’d love to follow a clean build thread.

 

[mbenigni]

Total dimensions are 26" to the lowest desktop part, 1.5" depth total (might need to make feet that are deeper than that to keep it from being tippy) and 32" wide.

That cannot be even close to right.