Throw back to old pedals

[danktat]

I just set up my old analog pedalboard again. Since I haven't been needing to lug a bunch of pedals around to rehearsals, or to play out for a while, I figured I would plug it back in. I'd forgotten how much the vibe was different from digital modeling. Replaced my old jamman solo with a loop station too. The simpler usage made playing more fun today. Which means I may have a perfectly good, jamman solo up for sale soon. I zip tied down all of my pedals along with the velcro that was on the bottom of them. Feels a bit more stable. I'm getting a popping sound out of the switch in my tube screamer mini. Which is a pain in the butt....So there may be a swap out to another fulls sized TS9 with that softer switch. Funny though, that cheap a$$ delay with that same switch doesn't pop. Still. Fun stuff to throw back to.

 

[toothace]

Looking good!!

 

[Lister]

Nice!
How do you like the Bugera attenuator?

 

[danktat]

Nice!
How do you like the Bugera attenuator?

I haven't really put it through its paces. I have had it for a while, but I live directly above the lobby of my shop, so I am not bothering too many people if I play at like 2. So I haven't set it up and really used it. I plugged it in once or twice when I first got it just to be sure it worked. I didn't notice a LOT of tone difference. But, it did allow me to go much lower on volume than without it. Especially on the Fender. That thing goes from zero to like "OOOUUUCCCH"!! in like barely a twist of the volume knob....lol

 

[Bill SAS 513]

Great set-up!!! Is there an amp switcher hidden somewhere???

(Insert Coffee filters over speaker attenuator joke here...see the photo again)...As usual, too much coffee already this AM.

Love me some older analog pedals...can you really ever have "enough"???
Lister, I've got a Dr. Z Air Brake *(A little pricier) , but it's way cool...the bedroom setting allows me to drive an amp,
and keep it to where I don't bug my wife upstairs too much. It does effect the tone a little, but not too much.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Nice set up KB. Nice to see Dottie again!

 

[aphantomvaper]

Pedals are the shiz-nite for me. The sound and immediate tweaking just do it for me.

Glad to see someone come back to old tech...your board looks awesome, and you have room for a couple more!

 

[StephenShort]

It looks great, I like it.

 

[bodia]

It's fun to re-visit the old days. Lookin' good!

 

[danktat]

Glad to see someone come back to old tech.

Well, thus pandemic is keeping me from going anywhere to play. I bought a multi effects processor when I was doing a lot if back and forth to rehearsals and was doing some playing out. But, it since I'm not going anywhere, I dusted off the old board. . . Made the pedals more sturdily mounted. . . And was messing around with it yesterday. They are still more natural and intuitive for me.....even though I got my hd500x to sound almost identical.

 

[László]

You probably know that I'm a big advocate of analog gear (to the extent possible, which these days is admittedly difficult if you have a lot of ground to cover). However, I use true bypass to bypass digital pedals like my H9s unless I need them.

Sometimes switching pops are fixed using a DC Filter, because some amps (particularly vintage style amps) seem to need them. Doesn't mean it'll fix yours, just sayin' it might be worth exploring for a minute.

There are also switching pops that have something to do with power supplies. I was getting them with a Strymon power supply, and not getting them with a Voodoo Labs power supply. I have no idea why, though I know the Strymon is a switching power supply, while V-L uses a transformer. Go figure. I wound up selling the Strymon supplies and sticking with my Voodoo Labs stuff, not because I didn't like the Strymon, but solely because of the clicks I was getting with certain pedals.

I wish it had been different, because the V-L stuff is smaller and lighter. But...I'm that guy who needs silence when switching.

 

[danktat]

Sometimes switching pops are fixed using a DC Filter, because some amps (particularly vintage style amps) seem to need them. Doesn't mean it'll fix yours, just sayin' it might be worth exploring for a minute.

There are also switching pops that have something to do with power supplies.

It may be the outlet in my music room at home. I took the board to work and plugged into my little Blackstar practice amp.....NO POP! At all. So I may switch the outlet to see if that was it. Anyway. I have another [older 2000s] TS9 coming in. I couldn't help myself.

 

[László]

It may be the outlet in my music room at home. I took the board to work and plugged into my little Blackstar practice amp.....NO POP! At all. So I may switch the outlet to see if that was it. Anyway. I have another [older 2000s] TS9 coming in. I couldn't help myself.

If you ever find yourself needing a DC filter - I need one for only ONE amp - I can recommend the Lehle. It's not expensive. I think it's around fifty bucks.

It's a good thing to have in the toolbox.

 

[danktat]

If you ever find yourself needing a DC filter - I need one for only ONE amp - I can recommend the Lehle. It's not expensive. I think it's around fifty bucks.

That is also a cheap a$$ SKB powered pedal board. That could be part of it. But it didn't pop in the shop...just at home.

 

[László]

That is also a cheap a$$ SKB powered pedal board. That could be part of it. But it didn't pop in the shop...just at home.

I wish I had a spare Voodoo Labs power supply I could send you. I had one, but gave it to a buddy who needed it. So far, they're the least noisy and most pop-resistant I've found. But it's been a while since I went power supply shopping. I'm sure there are others that are equally as good. I've had great results with V-L, so I've kinda stuck with their power supplies as a result.

Of course you probably already know that I'm a fanatic about eliminating noise, ground loops, and other power supply problems. I have to be, since I make my living at this stuff. So far - I'll emphasize, so far - the Voodoo Labs supplies have been the quietest I've tested, and they seem to have the best isolation from clicks, pops, hum and noise.

Probably has something to do with the isolated outlets and the toroidal transformer.

I'll admit I'm a lunatic, but in my line of work in the studio, I kinda have to be 'that guy'.

 

[aphantomvaper]

Switch pops can come from ambient EMF building up a charge on internal switch contacts and then discharging when engaged. It takes very little voltage to make a pop.

I agree with LS. A loop switcher (not a Looper) is a good solution. Leaves all the pedals on and brings them in when you activate the loop. Some can be programmed so pedals can be chained in different ways to cut down on the tap dancing.

I intend to build one of these someday and say goodbye to the pop: https://buildyourownclone.com/collections/fx-kits/products/super8-programmable-looper

 

[Alnus Rubra]

I kinda have to be 'that guy'.

We love that you’re guy Les!

Switch pops can come from ambient EMF building up a charge on internal switch contacts and then discharging when engaged. It takes very little voltage to make a pop.

I agree with LS. A loop switcher (not a Looper) is a good solution. Leaves all the pedals on and brings them in when you activate the loop. Some can be programmed so pedals can be chained in different ways to cut down on the tap dancing.

I intend to build one of these someday and say goodbye to the pop: https://buildyourownclone.com/collections/fx-kits/products/super8-programmable-looper

Kind of like this currently in my eBay watch list. They made my patchbay for my pedal board. Great company and they’re stuff is billet proof. #keepingthelittleguyinbusiness.

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation.

 

[danktat]

Its odd. At the shop, my solid state amp has a digital reverb. No "pop". At home, it is a spring reverb and I hear that more than the actual "pop" itself. It is like when you jump on a loose stage and the reverb tank crashes.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Its odd. At the shop, my solid state amp has a digital reverb. No "pop". At home, it is a spring reverb and I hear that more than the actual "pop" itself. It is like when you jump on a loose stage and the reverb tank crashes.

It’s for that “Rawhide” moment!