Our Most Complicated Rig Builds

Episode 10: Our Most Complicated Rig Builds
Welcome to the Chairmen of the Boards Podcast! The ultimate pedalboard podcast with the foremost rig builders in the world: Grant Klassen (Goodwood Audio), Brian Omilion (Omilion Audio), and Mason Marangella (Vertex Effects/The Rig Doctor). We've teamed up to democratize great tone and provide you with our best tricks, tips, resources and hacks so you can build the pedalboard of your dreams!
//HOSTS//
Grant Klassen (Goodwood Audio)
YT - @Goodwood Audio
IG - goodwoodaudio
Brian Omilion (Omilion Audio)
YT - @Omilion Audio
IG - omilionaudio
Mason "The Rig Doctor" Marangella (Vertex Effects)
YT - @Vertex Effects
IG - vertexeffects
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#pedalboardbuild #guitarpedals #Rigbuild

[@arkistriph1]

Analytical minds at work, this is art on so many levels. Thanks everyone.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks for watching!

[@Mr_A_Mia]

That first rig looks and sounds like it was a complicated masterpiece.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Brian's rack! Oh yea!

[@omilionaudio]

It was 😂

[@Mr_A_Mia]

Loving these episodes Mason.👍🏾👏🏾

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thank you Mr. A!

[@sqlb3rn]

This is what I want to see. I have a complicated stereo rig using both amps' FX loops, with RJM rack switcher, amp switchers, and midi footcontroller. Using pedals like the Grindstein, which takes one of the guitar amp's preamps into the pedal's FX loop to blend the distortions, requiring two switcher loops, and a custom TRS/TS/TS/TRS cable that keeps the L/R signals separate.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Nice! Thanks for watching!

[@GoodwoodAudio]

YOu've got my attention.

[@strunkneb]

Ooo Brian the new mic and setup sounds awesome

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Hooray! Brian!!!

[@omilionaudio]

Haha thanks!

[@pomegranatesour]

I use a Lehle Parallel stereo mixer on my main amp/cab sim board to blend in my other pedalboard full of whacky, stereo time based effects. I also split off a dry signal before the Lehle mixer as my Center dry signal. Here’s the kicker- before my first OD pedal I split off a clean signal and can send that to the whacky effect board instead in case I want wet/dry/wet but with overdriven dry and clean wet. That’s about as complicated as I think I’ll get!

[@GoodwoodAudio]

Sounds good to me! Anything with parallel mixing and a dry output is a good time.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

❤️

[@Drtydeeds]

Do you guys have any advice on using an effects switcher (ie boss ES5 etc) in a 4CM rig… with a channel switching amp? I have a Mark IIC+ and want to limit my tap dancing, while using the amp’s FX loop and be able to switch multiple pedals on/off with as minimal stomps as possible. Do you reserve one loop in the switcher for the amp FX loop and have it always-on with pre-amp effects on one side of the reserved FX loop and FX loop effects on the other?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

You need to sacrifice as loop for the the amp output and the FX send.

[@jimi272]

Put the preamp in the volume loop of the ES, move the volume loop in front of reverb delay modulation. Like that you can save an extra loop:)

[@jimi272]

But yeah, that’s how to do it with the switchers… one side pre preamp one side post preamp👍

[@GoodwoodAudio]

Depending on how many dry effects you have, you might run all of your loops in your switcher before the amps pre-amp. So long as you have a switcher (like ES5, RJM PBC6x or PBC10, GigRig etc) that has an external switch (can change amp channels), then you can create presets on the switcher that turn loops on/off AND change your amps channels at the same time.

[@Drtydeeds]

@@GoodwoodAudio thanks for the reply! I hadn’t looked into the possibility of the switchers being able to change channels on an amp - but that is certainly something I’d use. As far as dry effects go, in my current rig I don’t have much of anything, really just a compressor and EQ - leveraging the “lead” channel of the Mark IIC+ for distortion. Wet effects are in the FX loop of the amp and only ever on (except for delay) when the amp is clean.

[@charlesabbott9605]

Is there a standard (thereabouts) in linear feet of signal cable that you use on a typical guitarists board using a Boss ES-5 switcher? Just trying to get an idea of how much cable to order. Thanks for any help. Charles

[@VertexEffectsInc]

I'd normally budget 3-4 feet per pedal per loop and 1-2 feet for pedals outside of the loops.

[@charlesabbott9605]

@@VertexEffectsInc Thank you Mason for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer this. I am in the process of purchasing the last of the supplies and watching every video I can find of yours. To be quite honest the sheer volume of your content hours is so informative but at the same time is so much it becomes overwhelming. You are a freaking beast of a KZbin MACHINE! I have no idea how you run a business like you do and keep up with it all!? Again, Thank you sir.

[@Adventuresingearland]

The old dirt trick - love it! And with that, TTU adds Geology 101 to the curriculum.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Ha!

[@bluestringmusic]

That first rig was insane. Gonna find you on Instagram to see what each of those pedals were.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Go for it!

[@bluestringmusic]

@@VertexEffectsInc your build was amazing too. I can route wires sorta cleanly and program stuff, but modding all those pedals to reduce noise, add trim pots, relocate jacks etc. is awesome.

[@omilionaudio]

Thanks so much!

[@rikkousa]

I definitely have a need for the 6 shelf rack…or 2 connected Schmidt arrays (two level):)

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Nice!

[@mattjazz3]

Dirt for the route to tone town

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Dirt road!!!

[@GoodwoodAudio]

@@VertexEffectsInc and some potholes every once in a while.

[@soloflightwest]

I have an amp sim pedal (dream) in the loop of the Mesa Highwire buffer. I’m using the MISO for my XLR DI. Is the optimal placement for the MISO inside the loop after the Dream, or after the Highwire between House system/DAW? Or will it even matter as long as it’s after the Amp Sim

[@VertexEffectsInc]

The Amp Sim probably doesn't need a buffer around it, it's probably already low impedance on the output.

[@GoodwoodAudio]

...and if you want to use the XLR output of the Dream, you'll need to place the MISO last so it can convert your signal to XLR.

[@soloflightwest]

@@GoodwoodAudio Yes In this case the Dream is in the loop of the Highwire. Is the MISO functioning at its best after the Dream inside the loop, or after the output of the Highwire. Outside of the loop?

[@GoodwoodAudio]

@@soloflightwest I guess my only thought here (unless I'm missing something) is that the MISO Has to be after the highwire if you want to use it's balanced output. If it's in the loop, then the highwire output stage won't be used. If you're ok with that, I'd just try both and see what you like best! I'd probably guess that MISO after the highwire is the way to go though.

[@soloflightwest]

@@GoodwoodAudio I was thinking the same thanks for the input, you guys are literally the best. My rigs are 100% better thanks to you guys- can’t thank you guys enough.

[@omarmoran3097]

I would like to hear more funny and wierd storys about a time you guys had to deal with pedalboards. I had known about the WE-40 that was quite funny to rub some dirt😂😂

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Hahaha!

[@gregsLyrics]

That build gives me a bad headache just looking at it. I can't imagine what it did to you. I hope you were fairly compensated. Congratulations for surviving the creation. All of that could be created in a Fractal FX III.

[@WickBeavers]

You’d NEVER get fairly compensated for that “2020 COVID rack” pedalboard.That client is gonna learn that getting 2 great tones out of his amp with a Klon is where it’s at. That or Plug in’s!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Ha!

[@hoboroadie4623]

49:20 Naptha is like the clean part of Gasoline, doesn't really leave much residue.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Good call...or some alcohol works too!

[@smeemusic]

I'm hoping someone here can help me out. I have the EHX super switcher and absolutely love the unit except for one thing. I can only send 1 pc per patch. I would like to utilize the full functionality of my midi messages. My question is, is there a midi unit that I can send a basic 1 pc message to, to trigger a more complex midi message?

[@smeemusic]

So I need to be able to switch my amp and up to 3 pedals at any given time but my switcher only supports 1. I didn't understand midi messaging when I purchased this item so I may have accidentally causing more of an issue. But whatever the solution may be if there is one, I'm looking for smallest possible form factor.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

As I recall this was one of the drawbacks of this unit.

[@smeemusic]

@@VertexEffectsInc i did find a fix. Its a little expensive but it is a solid fix. Its called a status studio pedalboard midi display clock and mapper. It has a great digital display and I can send a single pc message to it and trigger up to 5 more as well as 16 control changes. I haven't messed with cc yet so I'm going to wait to get more hands on experience with the whole setup. But the display is rather nifty as I can now label any patch to say what I want. It basically expands my ehx control switcher into a much more powerful setup. Its also not very big and stays out of the way on my pedalboard

[@stevekannes89]

Hey guys!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Howdy!