New Pedalboard aka Nebulon B progress build

[László]

The last little issue is the Park Fuzz. The EQD is doing the soft switch bypass now in all V2 pedals. They are still true bypass on relays, but they don't store the switch position. They always load to bypass on the power-on. The pedal is in the inner deck, and it's operated on and off by my GigRig QMX. You can see the issue. Whenever I power on the board, I have to lift the deck and kick it in. It's just annoying. The future plan was to mod it anyway to my spec TBMK3. Not to flex, but MKIIIs are my thing, and I build quite a few. The problem is, I actually like the Park Fuzz in stock form, and I was not considering doing anything to it anytime soon. I'm at the stage where I want to play the **** out of my rig. It was in pieces for way too long, so I don't feel like faffing around with a breadboard, prototyping, auditioning transistors and putting that all together for a while. I may just get inside tomorrow and see if I can "slave" the bypass to always be on with some tricks or cut it all out and replace it with a 3PDT switch.

Other than that, all good

I'm way too lazy to change switches. I'd just put the Park Fuzz where the Maestro box is.

It looks to be about the same size. The Maestro box appears to have no controls, so for me at least, it belongs underneath the shelf. The Park could stay stock and be easily accessed.

I'm sure you have your reasons for not doing that, but it's what I'd do.

 

[Simon Says]

I'm way too lazy to change switches. I'd just put the Park Fuzz where the Maestro box is.

It looks to be about the same size. The Maestro box appears to have no controls, so for me at least, it belongs underneath the shelf. The Park could stay stock and be easily accessed.

I'm sure you have your reasons for not doing that, but it's what I'd do.

The Park won't fit there; it's too tall. I wouldn't be able to close the deck. That was the reason I got my always-on Secret Preamp rehoused to a shallower enclosure

EDIT:

Well, that was easy!

I just fixed the Park issue. I have noticed that if I press and hold the stomp on power-on, it starts in activated mode. I quickly cracked it open, disconnected the SPST switch (two contacts connected to the main board with a socket), and shorted the pins. Now, it stays on. Result.

On to the other issues

 

[Bogner]

NICE!

 

[Simon Says]

And the final update: All the issues except RC10R were overcome. The Volante and H90 are responding to DIN MIDI; the channel switching jack was replaced and is now working as expected. With the RC10R, I simply give up. I know it's not MC6 or me; the RC10 it's a shitty unit to work with MIDI controllers. I was hoping to fix it with a software update, but it's not linking to the computer either. I hope Boss will do a successor with better drum samples, velocity and one that actually works with MIDI devices, but for now, I can do just fine with onboard switches and with what it is.
To summarize the build, I have put a Dunlop Lemmy pick tin, which I have put on all my boards for the past three years. I'm still pimping out the MC6 Pro bank/preset layout, and I was able to reduce the number of banks to two. One with all the tones I may ever use with the help of dual function switches (press once: recalls preset A, long press: recalls pressed B) and a second bank for manual operation (Volante and H90 preset up and down, Amp channel switching clean/drive, return to home bank). Otherwise, I'm thrilled it's over.

 

[László]

it’s a work of art. Very cool!

 

[Simon Says]

it’s a work of art. Very cool!

Thank you, Mr.Les. I already have an itch to change things

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Thank you, Mr.Les. I already have an itch to change things

I’m coming to visit, just to play some music through that “bad boy”

 

[Simon Says]

I’m coming to visit, just to play some music through that “bad boy”

You know my address, you know you are always welcome!

 

[Simon Says]

Well, it's been three weeks since I wired this board, and I managed not to gut it yet. Sure, I was considering changes; new pedals constantly tease us. But somehow, I believe I have a golden ratio in gear.
A few things are annoying me, like no Nixie support for the Volante; it wasn't a massive issue back in the days (like four weeks ago) when I was using three presets with a Multiswitch, but now, when I want to create a new preset and tune it to a new programme triggered by a MIDI switcher, it's a hell of a ball ache with no PC software. Strymon stated that the new Nixie 2 will support Volante, and they treat it as a matter of priority, but Volante has been out there for four years, and I doubt it will be anytime soon. I have breathly considered buying a second H90 in replacing Volante with it, like having one H90 the way it's now in a dual mode with one side sorting out all pre-amp stuff and the side B in an insert loop of the second H90 working in Insert Mode (three algo's at once, baby!), but there is a problem. @László will mess me up for this, but I'm not a fan of Eventide delays that much. They are not entirely bad; the Bouquet algo is phenomenal. It took me no time to set pure honey with it, but I can't make the Head Space to work. The first issue is the noise floor. I'm debating with Eventide about how noisy it is, and nothing works to lower the white noise level. The tone and behaviour are not in pair with Volante tonewise and setupwise. I'm still happy about going with H90. The pitch shifters alone (analogue and polyphonic octaves are a big part of what I do with a guitar) are next level to anything else I ever tried, and I tried it all. The reverbs are otherworldly. I'm using SP2016 on almost everything but won't go with a second £1k unit. I won't be able to dial it in with delays I got used to use.
I'm starting to like the MC6 Pro more and more every day. It's a way different MIDI controller from anything I ever had before (BOSS ES5/ES8, RJM); it's so advanced, powerful, and user-friendly. I'm taking advantage of activating presets with press/double-tap/long-press, so I can have three different ways of recalling presets or forwarding them to a different bank.
One problem I had was the upper deck wiring; I have been bypassing one of the pedals every time I was closing the deck, as the cable run was stacked on top of each other, creating very little headroom between the upper deck and the pedals in the inner deck. Crazy, right? That has been corrected. I had to run a second rail of cable ties to keep things flat, but it worked and looked much cleaner. So yeah, it's only three weeks, but it's a huge step forward for me, sticking to what I have.
There's one change coming, though. I'm still unsure exactly how to pull it, but I want to add two outs to the pedalboard to plug in an external Expression pedal with a function switch. I have a general idea and have already ordered parts, but the bench reality will verify that. So, a new update soon.

 

[László]

Well, it's been three weeks since I wired this board, and I managed not to gut it yet. Sure, I was considering changes; new pedals constantly tease us. But somehow, I believe I have a golden ratio in gear.
A few things are annoying me, like no Nixie support for the Volante; it wasn't a massive issue back in the days (like four weeks ago) when I was using three presets with a Multiswitch, but now, when I want to create a new preset and tune it to a new programme triggered by a MIDI switcher, it's a hell of a ball ache with no PC software. Strymon stated that the new Nixie 2 will support Volante, and they treat it as a matter of priority, but Volante has been out there for four years, and I doubt it will be anytime soon. I have breathly considered buying a second H90 in replacing Volante with it, like having one H90 the way it's now in a dual mode with one side sorting out all pre-amp stuff and the side B in an insert loop of the second H90 working in Insert Mode (three algo's at once, baby!), but there is a problem. @László will mess me up for this, but I'm not a fan of Eventide delays that much. They are not entirely bad; the Bouquet algo is phenomenal. It took me no time to set pure honey with it, but I can't make the Head Space to work. The first issue is the noise floor. I'm debating with Eventide about how noisy it is, and nothing works to lower the white noise level. The tone and behaviour are not in pair with Volante tonewise and setupwise. I'm still happy about going with H90. The pitch shifters alone (analogue and polyphonic octaves are a big part of what I do with a guitar) are next level to anything else I ever tried, and I tried it all. The reverbs are otherworldly. I'm using SP2016 on almost everything but won't go with a second £1k unit. I won't be able to dial it in with delays I got used to use.
I'm starting to like the MC6 Pro more and more every day. It's a way different MIDI controller from anything I ever had before (BOSS ES5/ES8, RJM); it's so advanced, powerful, and user-friendly. I'm taking advantage of activating presets with press/double-tap/long-press, so I can have three different ways of recalling presets or forwarding them to a different bank.
One problem I had was the upper deck wiring; I have been bypassing one of the pedals every time I was closing the deck, as the cable run was stacked on top of each other, creating very little headroom between the upper deck and the pedals in the inner deck. Crazy, right? That has been corrected. I had to run a second rail of cable ties to keep things flat, but it worked and looked much cleaner. So yeah, it's only three weeks, but it's a huge step forward for me, sticking to what I have.
There's one change coming, though. I'm still unsure exactly how to pull it, but I want to add two outs to the pedalboard to plug in an external Expression pedal with a function switch. I have a general idea and have already ordered parts, but the bench reality will verify that. So, a new update soon.

All of your ideas sound reasonable to me. Even the Eventide delays can’t always be right for everyone!

I have an expression pedal on my board but also a jack for an external one for the other H9 or Suhr Alexa if needed.

Also there’s a patch bay loop between the two H9s so I can put one in an amp loop or use it for a second amp.

I also use the loop for an external volume pedal or other external pedals if needed.

All of the patch pay I/O is TRS, and it works with either TRS or TS cables.

However, I merely bought the patch bay Schmidt makes - so it didn’t involve any complicated jack panels. It was very easy. Yours is more custom because that’s what your setup requires.

The 6x6 I/O bay is sufficient for what I do. I also have an output for an amp channel switch that can be used with either Mesa.

When setting up for a session where both Mesas might be used, I use an external Lehle A/B box so I can switch either amp without having to move the channel switching cable between the two amps, but that’s a very unusual situation.

It’s been several years since I changed a pedal, but I did make room for another one if something comes along that I can’t resist. Probably won’t happen, but you never know!

 

[Simon Says]

All of your ideas sound reasonable to me. Even the Eventide delays can’t always be right for everyone!

I have an expression pedal on my board but also a jack for an external one for the other H9 or Suhr Alexa if needed.

Also there’s a patch bay loop between the two H9s so I can put one in an amp loop or use it for a second amp.

I also use the loop for an external volume pedal or other external pedals if needed.

All of the patch pay I/O is TRS, and it works with either TRS or TS cables.

However, I merely bought the patch bay Schmidt makes - so it didn’t involve any complicated jack panels. It was very easy. Yours is more custom because that’s what your setup requires.

The 6x6 I/O bay is sufficient for what I do. I also have an output for an amp channel switch that can be used with either Mesa.

When setting up for a session where both Mesas might be used, I use an external Lehle A/B box so I can switch either amp without having to move the channel switching cable between the two amps, but that’s a very unusual situation.

It’s been several years since I changed a pedal, but I did make room for another one if something comes along that I can’t resist. Probably won’t happen, but you never know!

The problem with H90 is that the unit is still in its infant years. Things need to develop; issues need to be fixed. The Head Space sounds decent enough, but the white noise is a big no-no. The difference with Volante is that it's a pedal solely developed to mimic tape/drum echo. The mechanics and little nuances that matter to tape echo nerds like myself. Yet it's making that noise-free, which Head Space in H90 isn't. I'm not giving up on H90; as I said, the polyphonic octave alone is worth the price of admission, but I don't think I'm ready to give up on Volante quite just yet either, no matter how much the dual H90 setup may be appearing to me.

My current I/O count is six;
- right side; input, channel switching, AUX 9VDC for a WahWah
- left side; output, send and return.

Two additional outs I'm creating are the TRS for the EXP pedal to MC-6, so I can assign the expression to anything within the H90 and Volante via MIDI, and a function SW - also in the EXP pedal, also connected to the MC-6 to trigger a patch via MIDI.

I have a back panel spot, and I could use a standard Schmidt socket plate or the patch bay, but the power supply mostly obstructs it. I only have about an inch of space to squeeze in these two 1/4" jacks, and they can't go too deep as the inner deck pedals obstruct the space. So doing this will be fun. On top of that, I only have a little room for two cables, so I have ordered a small diameter five-core cable (only 2.8mm diameter) to run both the EXP and SW wiring with it. I will use the Schmidt socket plate, which is blank with no holes. Already on order with Martyn, I will drill my holes for Neutrik jacks and hope to stay within a millimetre. Otherwise, I will be doomed. I should be ready for the build next week.

 

[László]

The mechanics and little nuances that matter to tape echo nerds like myself.

I share your passion!

In my case, this goes back to the original EP-3 solid state Echolexes I lived with in late ‘60s bands, my recent Tube Tape Echo, and the open reel tape delays I set up in my studio in the ‘90s.

There’s nothing digital so far that truly replicates the sound of tape’s subtle nonlinearities - though one day they’ll get it right, digital hasn’t gotten there yet.

Strangely though, when I had tape around I also loved my Eventide H3000 and TC M5099 digital boxes at the same time. Both types worked fine for certain things and still do, for me..

 

[Simon Says]

I share your passion!

In my case, this goes back to the original EP-3 solid state Echolexes I lived with in late ‘60s bands, my recent Tube Tape Echo, and the open reel tape delays I set up in my studio in the ‘90s.

There’s nothing digital so far that truly replicates the sound of tape’s subtle nonlinearities - though one day they’ll get it right, digital hasn’t gotten there yet.

Strangely though, when I had tape around I also loved my Eventide H3000 and TC M5099 digital boxes at the same time. Both types worked fine for certain things and still do, for me..

Yeah, Echoplex has its place in history, rightly so, but what it's all about the vintage echo machines to me is the multi-head stuff; Roland Space Echo (tape) and Binson Echorec (drum) are the quintessence of mechanical echo units. They are more complex with the rhythmic, musical repeat patterns they produce; they are more than just delays. They are instruments themselves. I think you should give Volante a shot. Sure, it's just a digital recreation of tape and drum stuff, but you would be pleasantly surprised. Considering what I like about Volante makes me love the unit again. Other than the colour of repeats, and the mechanical behaviour of the rolled tape, I like being able to select and deselect virtual recording heads, turning the feedback on or off for each independent head, setting the head in full or half volume, setting the spacing between the heads to make the repeat patterns more interesting. Owning an actual mechanical echo machine is just a question of time. I do have a TTE and RE-201 on my Reverb.com feed. I need help finding the right time to have money and have a suitable unit available simultaneously. Some say the tape echos are constant maintenance pain; I wouldn't mind that. It is part of the fun of checking the health of the rollers, cleaning heads (alright, settle down!), and rewinding new tape into old cartridges. With companies like Echo-Fix, the service components are easily accessible, and it seems a bit less painful than it was ten years ago or so.

 

[Simon Says]

I forgot to say. Overuse of multi-head delays, like Volante, will make you sound like an insurance commercial

 

[Bogner]

I forgot to say. Overuse of multi-head delays, like Volante, will make you sound like an insurance commercial

That Is Funny...And True!

 

[László]

I forgot to say. Overuse of multi-head delays, like Volante, will make you sound like an insurance commercial

In my case that'd be a very desirable thing.

 

[Simon Says]

I'm here to do a walk of shame, as my "final" pedalboard lasted only three months, out of which past month I was planning changes.

The 2023 version of my board was close to perfect but had a few things that needed to be clarified and improved. I never managed to integrate the RC10-R looper into the MIDI switcher. I was surprised to find out why it's not working on the dedicated Omniport from the MC6 Pro controller when I saw a statement on the Morningstar forum that some pedals do not work with the MIDI/Omniport route due to diode protection. The Boss 200 series pedals must be fed with MIDI via DIN to TRS 1/8". it's a pain as I will now have to create a rather complex multi-end cable patch for multiple pedals accepting different connectors for MIDI. It will take some time and effort.

Another thing is that the Volante is on its way out. I will list it on Reverb tomorrow. This one is taught. I love this pedal. We mated just fine, but the need for never-delivered software, the ability to back up my presets or see where I am during programming, is a nuisance. I'm parting my ways with this pedal with a broken heart. Simply the best sounding, the most inspiring delay I ever had the pleasure to use. I will dedicate the H90 solely for all things FX Loop duties and reprogram it to the Insert Loop mode; I will no longer have it in 4CM. The only part before the preamp section I was using was the polyphonic octave. I will need two Insert loops more than a polyphonic pitch shifter, which a Pico POG will now do the job in the first QMX loop.

The EQD Park Fuzz previously occupied the 1st loop in the QMX. This is also on its way out. As suspected, I was not glued to it well. I'm just not a fuzz person. They all sound broken to me. I'm not as vintage-flavoured of a player as I want to be. I enjoy listening to cats using fuzzes, but they feel wrong under my fingertips. It's gone and forgotten, on its way to a new owner.

So what's taking the space on a top deck is two new units. Firstly, the return of a Boss EQ-200. I used to use one, and I loved it a lot. It is such a powerful tone-shaping tool. I will plug it in 4CM. The A side will be after the QMX and before the always-on Secret Preamp for preamp tone shaping and boosts. It will be linked to the MIDI rail. The side B will be plugged into an Insert A of an H90 for easier cable management. So, Side B will sit in the FX loop for the final EQ.

The other pedal is a Fortin Zuul+ Noise Gate. My rig is pretty silent, but I will welcome a new, high-gain amp later this year. I need a noise suppressor. Out of all of them I ever tried, Zuul was the best. It will also work in 4CM for the Key feature early in the chain and the actual gate function in the Insert B of the H90, so I will be able to bypass it easily via MIDI when I don't need the gate.

I will add two new inserts for the EXP and the function switch pedal to MC6 Pro.

Small yet complex changes to execute.

Rig Diagram below.

 

[László]

I'm here to do a walk of shame, as my "final" pedalboard lasted only three months, out of which past month I was planning changes.

The 2023 version of my board was close to perfect but had a few things that needed to be clarified and improved. I never managed to integrate the RC10-R looper into the MIDI switcher. I was surprised to find out why it's not working on the dedicated Omniport from the MC6 Pro controller when I saw a statement on the Morningstar forum that some pedals do not work with the MIDI/Omniport route due to diode protection. The Boss 200 series pedals must be fed with MIDI via DIN to TRS 1/8". it's a pain as I will now have to create a rather complex multi-end cable patch for multiple pedals accepting different connectors for MIDI. It will take some time and effort.

Another thing is that the Volante is on its way out. I will list it on Reverb tomorrow. This one is taught. I love this pedal. We mated just fine, but the need for never-delivered software, the ability to back up my presets or see where I am during programming, is a nuisance. I'm parting my ways with this pedal with a broken heart. Simply the best sounding, the most inspiring delay I ever had the pleasure to use. I will dedicate the H90 solely for all things FX Loop duties and reprogram it to the Insert Loop mode; I will no longer have it in 4CM. The only part before the preamp section I was using was the polyphonic octave. I will need two Insert loops more than a polyphonic pitch shifter, which a Pico POG will now do the job in the first QMX loop.

The EQD Park Fuzz previously occupied the 1st loop in the QMX. This is also on its way out. As suspected, I was not glued to it well. I'm just not a fuzz person. They all sound broken to me. I'm not as vintage-flavoured of a player as I want to be. I enjoy listening to cats using fuzzes, but they feel wrong under my fingertips. It's gone and forgotten, on its way to a new owner.

So what's taking the space on a top deck is two new units. Firstly, the return of a Boss EQ-200. I used to use one, and I loved it a lot. It is such a powerful tone-shaping tool. I will plug it in 4CM. The A side will be after the QMX and before the always-on Secret Preamp for preamp tone shaping and boosts. It will be linked to the MIDI rail. The side B will be plugged into an Insert A of an H90 for easier cable management. So, Side B will sit in the FX loop for the final EQ.

The other pedal is a Fortin Zuul+ Noise Gate. My rig is pretty silent, but I will welcome a new, high-gain amp later this year. I need a noise suppressor. Out of all of them I ever tried, Zuul was the best. It will also work in 4CM for the Key feature early in the chain and the actual gate function in the Insert B of the H90, so I will be able to bypass it easily via MIDI when I don't need the gate.

I will add two new inserts for the EXP and the function switch pedal to MC6 Pro.

Small yet complex changes to execute.

Rig Diagram below.

From the diagram, it should be another terrific setup. I saw that Eventide has finally released the Bluetooth remote software for the H90. I'll obviously need one.

 

[Simon Says]

From the diagram, it should be another terrific setup. I saw that Eventide has finally released the Bluetooth remote software for the H90. I'll obviously need one.

Yeah, they did, but only for Apple products. There are currently no plans to release it for the PC or Android.

I'm excited about the changes, but I'm not sure if I'm excited about the rebuild. It wasn't easy last time, and with the changes I want to make, I will have to redo a lot of cable layout

 

[László]

Yeah, they did, but only for Apple products. There are currently no plans to release it for the PC or Android.

I'm an Apple device and computer person, so there's that at least.

I'm excited about the changes, but I'm not sure if I'm excited about the rebuild. It wasn't easy last time, and with the changes I want to make, I will have to redo a lot of cable layout

Sounds very painful.