DON'T MAKE this CLASSIC pedalboard MISTAKE!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

In this episode, we're talking about programmable switchers for pedalboards and the right applications for using a switcher. And, *SPOILER ALERT*, most of us DO NOT need them! I'd love to start a dialogue, as I'm sure we'll be coming back to this topic in future episodes. Please comment with your thoughts below and please subscribe here: kzbin.info

[@simon_patterson]

@@torrentsofnothing2928 better and cheaper to learn how to swap out a pedal switch, in the highly unlikely event that it wears out in one of your pedals.

[@damonshanabarger2604]

Even if your a hobbyist, being able to switch between clean sounds and heavy, if that's your thing, a switcher can be your best tool for the task. I spent countless years trying to get a balance between heavy and light. With a switcher and some compressors and a number of effects pedals this becomes a far less difficult task.

[@arkavagoswami3068]

great content..do u prefer a/b switcher pedals to use as a clean/distortion in a switch n to use delay in the end for solo? can this be cost-effective n easier than pedal switcher, if I worry about only clean/crunch/solo set up?

[@peterwelsh1932]

When is says “Steel String” : does that mean it’s like a Dumble? Is that what those words and/or font implies ?

[@KyleDean66]

I’m a hobbyist. Here’s why a switcher, specifically the GigRig G2, is fantastic for me. First, as someone who buys pedals regularly, I was constantly adding new stuff to my pedal chain and needing to reorder. The G2 allows you to reorder with the touch of a button. I can replace an existing pedal or add a new patch if I have an open loop, press a button, and voila! Second, I found the noise that comes from a pedal chain to be nearly unbearable. If you have one or two pedals, not an issue. But if you have 7, 8, ....15 pedals, big problem. The G2 with power modules eliminates all that noise that comes from your pedal chain. If you are a hobbyist like me, tone is very important and significant noise can be such a disappointment that it becomes a deterrent to practicing. Lastly, with the G2, there’s no such thing as programming. Just select a switch and press the buttons for the patches you want to include with that switch in the order you wish for them to be in your signal chain. It’s fantastic and super easy. No scrolling through menus. I can’t imagine doing without my switcher now. It’s made my whole rig so much simpler and more enjoyable.

[@Stewnat7299]

Yeah i feel he totally ignored the easily programmable ones

[@VarunK117]

So for me I think the ES-8 has been a game changer mostly because of the MIDI capability-I've done a lot of varied work from more "traditional" live contexts as well as electronic music and experimental theatre and improvisation. Not only does the switcher make my life easier in terms of containing different "sets" but I'm able to control Ableton via MIDI without taking my hands off the guitar. Depending on the context Ableton is also great for changing patches on the switcher-I have been able to do entire gigs without touching the board since Ableton controls all the patch changes with PC messages . . .

[@FrozenCharlottes]

Great video (as always). And that intro with Walken...I was dying!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Frozen Charlottes hahahaha!

[@marketzero]

I'm glad I watched this, the switcher is something I keep asking myself if it would make sense but as a recording artist / hobbiest that never plays live I feel like just a solid board makes the most sense

[@jamescbender43081]

To me the biggest distinction between one and two is that if you're playing live you need to change sounds QUICKLY and pressing one button is faster than pressing three or four. If you're in the studio, you are tracking a single part at a time and don't need the quick-change that a switcher gives you.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Very true!

[@michaelking9465]

Now this is how it’s done. Concise and to the point. Informative. No waffling. Great video. I’m a hobbyist and have been debating getting a switcher for months. I found is video very useful. Thanks!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Glad it was helpful!

[@michaelfitze7894]

As a bedroom guitarist, I have to agree that I don't really need a switcher, but want one anyway. I mostly just want to learn about using midi. I want to get one to learn how to use it. Does that make sense? Probably not, but oh well. I have to spend my money on something!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Boss might be just fine then!

[@charlesb7831]

Great video, I thought I needed a switcher, I don't run lots of pedals, but I'm a "hobbyist " and don't do gigs or live stuff. Now this allows me to run a rig that I don't have to move around. I run a stereo set up, One amp is an old Carvin X50B with 4x12 cab and a Marshall jcm800 4010 combo. The pedal that worked magic for me was the Earthquaker Swissthings pedal is amazing. What an amazing pedal! Fixed many issues, organized my board better, got rid of phase issues I was having between the 2 amps, can't say enough great things about it. I found I didn't need a switcher after buying this pedal.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

glad you found something that works!

[@michael_caz_nyc]

Mason is keeping it so Real. Always sharing the knowledge. Enjoying this channel more & more. Peace from NYC brother.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thank you as always!

[@mistertv9930]

“Playing at home is not necessarily a place where I need to step on a button and have six pedals come on instantaneously.” As a hobbyist, I needed to hear that. If you don’t have an audience, you can take all the time you need to switch pedals on and off. Appreciate the reality check!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks for watching!

[@JJDon5150]

@MisterTV, Is that the way you're going to practice an actual song though? In most songs, you're never going to stop halfway through to turn on an OD and Reverb or Delay or all of them. Its better to practice the way you're actually going to play IMO.

[@truescotsman4103]

I use an es-8 its a lifesaver ive been waiting for something like this for 20 years.

[@enkiea8322]

I'm a home player but I still like having my Octoswitch. It's an 8 loop analog switcher with an optional buffer and I have it set up for 8 "core" tones. With just one click of a footswitch I can get to my dry clean tone, to a lead tone with boost/fuzz/delay back to a wet clean tone etc. Before that would have facilitated stomping on several pedals. Then after the analog loop switcher I have the more creative, "out there" type effects that I apply over those "core" tones. It works really nicely and it's still easy to adjustment the pedal's knobs as well as change pedal order with the Octaswitch's dipswitches.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Enki Ea ceremony can’t contest a preference, but functionally my argument was that you don’t benefit from that set up. I too followed the switcher down the primrose path!

[@tricko2286]

You’re telling people who own a bunch of unnecessary pedals that they don’t need an unnecessary switcher? Good luck with that. 😊

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Hahaha - true

[@revskull]

You don’t have to be a total piece of shit, just because you feel safe and secure from your side of your smartphone. Let people have their fun, duckweed.

[@multardthegreat4561]

​@@revskullsettle down litte fella. 😆 What are you gonna do about it anyway? Nothing. Nothing at all. Sit down

[@multardthegreat4561]

​@@revskullthis os why your head eats its hair

[@revskull]

@@multardthegreat4561 this is why your mom fingers your hole while you play video games. again, so brave..

[@mostyncole]

I use a gigrig quartermaster. Switchers also reduce tap dancing in order to turn on/off pedals at the back of the board. They also reduce wear and tear on the pedals switchs as the switcher is used instead. A switcher provides the shortest signal path. A switcher can make it easier to place pedals anywhere on the board reducing the need for pedals to be next to each other in order of signal. Using a switcher requires all the pedals to be on, therefore more lights, which looks cooler...just saying..

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Mostyn I’m not discounting any of that, in fact I mentioned many of those points with in the video, however if were speaking generally about practicality, ease-of-use, budget, and overall best practices have in the ability to swap order, and tap dance for a hobbyist playing in their own home it’s not necessarily a problematic. Again, live performances where the benefits really come in, in my view. All else being equal, if you have quality true bypass pedals with a great input and output buffer, from a sonic standpoint, you’re not at any disadvantage comparatively to the true bypass series looper. There are advantages to reducing wear and tear on your devices, however one thing that people forget about is you’re also doubling the number of connections because you need twice the number of cables in order to accommodate a switcher, which is more moving parts, which also increases the probability of a failure. All in all - it comes down to a preference thing - I think that we can all find benefits and drawbacks of each system, it just depends on what your needs are.

[@mostyncole]

@@VertexEffectsInc Fair enough. Btw, I find your pedal board builds very inspiring, thanks for the quality videos and all the links pasted in the info too. I plan to rebuild my board using some of your tips.

[@leftypicker867]

Personally I just play at home and jam with friends. Still love having a switcher. Being able to recall patches and avoid kicking on and off 3-4 pedals, use midi to switch through pedal banks is perfect. In stomp box mode having simple on off per loop makes it super easy to have everything at your feet. Keeping my signal clean by taking a lot of pedals out of my chain and being able to rearrange my chain without moving pedals is awesome. Simple answer to me is, nobody NEEDS a switcher but if it makes your life easier and you can afford it then go for it.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks for watching

[@abteenz]

This is gold, not everyone is this honest on the web. Respect!

[@52Tele]

Didn't know Christopher Walken also being a pedal enthusiast.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Anmol Karki big time

[@CenterThePendulum]

A good compressor > octave fuzz > delay with maxed repeats > shimmer reverb is my favorite cowbell tone

[@rl2905]

For me it's all about removing the tap dance act. The MIDI functionality is a nice perk, but there are instances where I need to change from a chorused clean, to a non-chorused, overdrive lead (which is done by changing the amp channel, not a pedal) with delay and reverb. That would require switching the chorus off, changing the amp channel, switching the delay on, switching the reverb on. That's a 4 pedal stomp routine that is simplified by just pressing one button....couple that with the fact my switcher has a buffer and takes unused pedals out of the path, it's just so worth it. Having the MIDI on there to change settings on my Strymons is an awesome feature that I use too, but really I'm sold by no longer having to press 5 pedals at once to change a tone setting.

[@dustinmbox]

Honestly my switcher has become incredibly integral to my rig. I wish my board could be smaller and lighter and sometimes I wish it was simpler, but I just can't sacrifice the functionality of it. Because of the switcher I can use my board for the occasional session on bass, or acoustic guitar, when I'm doing rhythm and lead vocals, or lead guitar. Also with the boss manual mode I can just have a single patch for the starting setting for the song that pulls up the BPM and the midi patches for verb and delay and then enjoy the classic tap dance mode or just go spontaneous if I'm feeling something different in the song. The switch allows me to have a more compact design where my neanderthal feet don't have to reach all the different pedals.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Dustin Box Thank you for sharing this perspective

[@mattwalder1931]

I find the flip flop function on the gigrig quatermaster to be an absolute life saver, just one click to switch from one drive to another , and have mod/delays in the standard on/off setting. Works a treat for me

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Matt Walder That’s a cool feature to have for sure! I’m not discounting the benefits, but here I was hoping to shed some light on best practices, and practical applications for the broadest group possible

[@vinivola]

Got that C Walken going on in the intro Awesome. Thank you for doing what you do.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Yes sir! Thanks for watching and be sure to subscribe!

[@78tag]

The Helix with its 4 effects loops and multiple I/O's is all the versatility I need. Many of the multi-effects boards have a world of great effects but these features are why I went with it in the first place.

[@SouthPostAustralia]

Late response, but there are two functions that switchers make really simple, that are much more difficult without using a switcher. I. Paralell effects, and II. Quickly moving the relative position of Fx in the signal path. With a single button push, I can move my Univibe from in Front of the Overdrive to behind it, and with another button push, I can run two different effects in Parallel. Impossible to A/B the difference without a switcher.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Parallel paths, for the most part aren't used for this - I suspect it's a 5% of fewer function and there are loads of pedals that could do this that don't necessitate a switcher. The re-ordering is cool, but again a fringe thing. Most people establish an order and pretty much stick to it if they've vetted their rig out. However, there are some true bypass switchers now that can re-order the loops but don't have programming.

[@n3rdg4m3r]

I'm a hobbyist but I would like the Boss ES8 for the MIDI functionality for my DD200, MD500 and switching channels on my Amp from one board. I like the clean layout and I like that in the boss es8 I can easily change the order of the pedals without having to bend over and plug/unplug pedals. Even if I dont gig right now, I like the flexibility of the manual mode and the programming side of the boss es8. Only downside I can see, is it may be option paralysis trying to program the exact tone you want instead of just playing your guitar.

[@barberelectronics5672]

Big improvement in your channel format and video opening, great job!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

We had to hire a real voice actor! Lol!

[@barberelectronics5672]

Totally worth it!

[@dwmilo]

I bought the GigRig G2 and it's so easy to quickly program on the fly, no menus. What also sold me is that you can change the order of any loop. If I want my fuzz loop before or after my overdrives I can do that in under 5 sec. It's also really handy if you're playing with single coils and humbuckers because you can change the gain stages for any program. That's just scratching the surface. So for the professional musician I would highly recommend this switcher. Way more versatile than having your pedals in line and it honestly sounds better. The only downside is that it's expensive.

[@BurntMcgurnt]

Yes gig rigs are the best!

[@dubnessIII]

Good advice. I play live a handful of times a year, but by no means does it warrant me having a multi effect switcher. However, I do use a true bypass multi switch looper that allows me to turn on up to 4 pedals at once. Really cheap solution for those who want to be able to do that

[@VertexEffectsInc]

👍

[@OnfloorAudio]

Might be one of the best and honest videos i've seen on this subject !! Thanks Mason !

[@VertexEffectsInc]

My pleasure!

[@05jgardner]

If you need flexibility without messing about with presets get a gig rig quartermaster

[@RoeyHaviv]

Good video. I do both ( mostly live and some session work ) and the MS3 proved to be a great hub for my board. A few pedals in the loops that I can mix and match, stereo out, midi out and built in effects for the occasional oddball need.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Roey Haviv Have you checked out our video with the MS3?

[@RoeyHaviv]

@@VertexEffectsInc yes i have, been following the channel for a while since Rhett featured it.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thank you! You’ve been here since the beginning

[@NoBSMusicReviews]

The ES8 has a manual mode that lets you interactively add effects, in any order. I don't see why this wouldn't work for a studio musician. It should make it easier, not harder: put it in manual mode, set up the effects in the order you want, and twiddle whatever knobs you need to.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

The main issue was time and having to dial-in things very quickly on the face of the device or the guitar pedal instantaneously. I’m reporting hear what I’m hearing anecdotally from some of the most prolific session musicians that I know. Perhaps there are outliers here, but this is what I know guys are saying in the field.

[@JJDon5150]

@@VertexEffectsInc If that was true, than a multi-effects pedal like a Helix Stomp is going to be just as much of a problem. You still have to go in and potentially change your entire patch, adjust your global volume, menu dive to change stuff, etc. All a switcher really is, is making your pedalboard into a multi-effects unit, except you have access to individual pedals.

[@peterjessop1878]

I have to say as a gigging musician a switcher is the best thing I have ever bought. As a studio tool I have also found it excellent being able to switch pedal order and incorporate multi effects such as the Eventide H9 more easily within my rig. I don’t find the programming particularly limiting as its always possible to run each loop in stompbox mode. In addition it allows me to decide whether an effect with a buffer is on or off, not the pedal maker.

[@peterjessop1878]

One other point. I can see why some session musicians may not use them purely for speed but if you are interested in sound for creative reasons, in the studio they are essential.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Peter Jessop gigging musician can certainly benefit from the switcher undoubtedly, as outlined in this video

[@thesphericalguy9018]

Also regarding the Bradshaw rigs: There where no Strymons or compact Eventide units back then. Racks where the only way to get the schmo happening.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Undoubtedly!

[@larryjeffryes6168]

Excellent video! Organized subject matter, delivered concisely and clearly. The kind of format that squeezes into a YT lineup I am otherwise culling. Great info all around.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Larry Jeffryes Thanks for watching Larry! I hope we earned your subscription

[@brandonkeane10]

I play for my church almost every Sunday and also do some week long youth camps. It's typically a very pro setup and I have roughly 75 songs that I rotate in/out for sets. Every week is a different set. I think a switcher would be a benefit. I would use a Helix or Kemper Stage but I love pedals and tube amps too much!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks for adding this feedback and for watching!

That is my situation. I'm currently using a Fractal which helps a LOT with the almost 100 song playlist. But like you, I love actual pedals too much and I'm coming back to them.

[@keithladdbass4717]

I think you make great points. I recently had researched switchers and landed on the boss MS-3. You can’t rearrange your 3 loops(although you can rearrange the internal effects) but with the added effects in the MS-3 it really opens up a TON of possibilities while also being able to take pedals out of the loop, etc. And it’s also smaller than some of the other comparable loopers.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Be sure to see our video on this exact product, we made a really cool rig with it

[@vriendelijkegroet]

As a live player, but don't need to many sounds but do not want to tapdance, a simple switcher works good enough. Don't need complex switching etc. I have one loop with OD, one with modulation and one with both. I have to plan and put pedals on or off before songs, but can change very easily. My Lehle D Loop has been going strong for more than 10 yrs. Best product I ever ever bought.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

As I mentioned, for live, it’s a very useful thing, less so I think in the studio

[@consciousness7899]

Vertex Effects I use a midi controller even with BIas FX 2 to change presets. actually we don't need a midi controller for recording using Bias FX but it is really convinient. Similarily, ES-8 is not necessary but very useful for the amateutr guitarist playing only at home. It is true it would be more useful in live. and in some cases, pedalboard withour swither would be better, So I also have a pedal board without it.

[@goswo]

You are always so very inspiring, and even though I dont know you, its pretty clear to me that you are a great honest down to earth guy.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks for watching and the kind words!

[@danielhunsinger8017]

I think a switcher is essential to anyone who has more than a few pedals. There are songs you would want to have chorus delay and Reverb ON with you clean channel. Then you want to use your Drive channel, remove the Chorus and Reverb but leave on the delay. One press on the switcher will setup your clean channel and one other press to a different switch will setup your drive sound. This is something I do a lot. Then with the switcher , you can bring in and out different things with just 1 press. Once you have a switcher, I can't see anyway to go back to pedal dancing. It's the one reason I kept going to Multi effects units many years ago before the ES-5 and ES-8 came out. This was a dream to me as all I wanted to do was play clean with Chorus Delay and Reverb and then switch to my drive channel with just delay. Trying to switch your amps channel and turn off the reverb and chorus sucked. Now I don't think about it, I program my switcher and away I go.

[@nuthinbutlove]

Agreed

[@joelevine4635]

I purchased a non-programmable switcher for a few reasons.. one is and if I'm correct when I take any pedal out of the loop it somewhat becomes a direct connection between the guitar and the amp. Second is my huge feet tend to hit the knobs when I'm engaging the pedal and therefore tones are being altered as well. Nothing I hate more than hitting my overdrive the next time to only find out my boat feet turning up the volume knob on the pedal and suddenly I'm pissing off the sound man. Could use tape or other means to lock in pedal setting but I always find I have to tweak a little from room to room. Also, it makes engaging some of the pedals at the back of my board much easier to engage as all I have to do is engage the loop and not have to step over other pedals to get there. My board isn't complicated by any means and the non-programmable switcher I use works for me. It's all personal preference of what you use and how you use it. Do your thang!

[@Dokkensound]

Same here, just a Looper so I can avoid reaching my big feet for the rest of the board. Another plus is if a patch cable or pedal goes down I can remove just that one from the signal path.

[@joelevine4635]

@@Dokkensound yes, exactly. I've come across that situation before with patch cables going bad and just stay away from engaging that loop,and the show goes on! ✌🏻

[@novoroshollywood]

I use One Control Crocodile tail loop on one of my pedalboards. Alows me to use presets or individual pedals, very practical. The main benefits switcher provides is, I do not touch the pedals with my foot. In studio this is not a problem, but in live performance it is a big challenge not to turn the knobs while you switching the sound. Put some felt under the knobs, it works but still have to pay attention and I prefer to concentrate on the music not on the technical stuff. Oh and when you get older it is more difficult to dance on one foot 😄.

[@punkmusicmetal]

I'm in a few local bands that play originals and I would say I'm a hobbyist. I use a mix of standalone pedals, an HX Effects and channel switching for my amp all through a Boss ES-5. Being able to control all of those pedals and changes through one pedal is a godsend. No more forgetting to turn on a specific pedal or accidently turning one on. No more tap dance. Especially since we have like 20+ songs between us, having all of those sounds on one tap has made my life so much easier. For on the fly changes, I have 5 go to sounds I know will work in most contexts and have that as a separate bank on my switcher. If there's a specific sound i wanna find, i can always take mental notes and create something for next practice or during a smoke break. Thankfully I'm not recording professionally (yet?? :D) so I don't have to worry too much about changing on the fly when money/studio time is an issue.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

👍👍👍

[@megamania501]

Just because someone is a hobbyist player doesn't mean that they have the ability to switch several pedals on and off at once. That's where a switcher comes in. And many, many hobbyist players out there play with several pedals in different configurations, which is why switchers are on the market, because manufacturers know that hobbyist players are part of their target consumers. To lump all hobbyist players into a category that never needs a switcher to do what their pedalboards want is a false generalization.

[@michaelarthurmusic307]

I use my RJM PBC10 programmable loop switcher in the studio as only a loop switcher (not programming sets of loops as presets). This helps with guitar tone because you can run your signal only through the pedals you require at the time. No programming required. I also gain a buffer, ground loop to the second amp if needed, parallel FX processing, tuner...

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Michael Arthur Music No doubt, that’s the Rolls-Royce of switching systems!

[@phillipb9328]

What do you mean tones for different songs? You can’t use a boss Metal Zone for everything?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Some have tried, but they lied!

[@neilmakesmusic6805]

I'm using a Disaster Area DPC-8EZ on my board. I love it because it lets me program if I need to but also has the ability to just turn on and off individual pedals. Definitely gives some flexibility to change stuff on the fly.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Sweet! Thanks for sharing!

[@shawnbbbross9439]

Just want to change up 'order' of pedals, without having to pull and push many cable connections, as opposed to changing the order with a few switch hits on Switcher.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks for watching Shawn!

[@kyleingram8857]

Great point

[@s10belowu]

As a hobbyist I like the Walrus Audio Transit 4 that I modified and split the 4 loops to 2&2. 2 loops in front of the amp and 2 in the fx loop. In front of the amp is a wah loop and od/dist and the fx loop are Modulation and a delay/reverb loop. Really basic setup and true bypass to pull out a whole line of pedals that don't need to be in there. I can swap pedals all over the place on the board and keep them in the category. just turn on the pedals you want on ahead of time in each loop and switch in and out of each effect type with the switcher. You could buy 2 separate basic loop switchers and put one in front and in the fx loop if you cant mod them. Thats parts of the fun for me though I hope this comment helped.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Certainly from a functional standpoint that can be cool undoubtedly

[@musicmann1967]

I'm a hobbyist, and I'm going to add a simple loop switcher to my board. No midi,, just isolated loops for the cleanest signal path.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Larry Lachmann perfect! Thanks for watching!

[@michaelsuydam]

I'm really a hobbyist, but, when COVID's not messing with the world, I'm gigging about once a month in a cover band. That said, I have a switcher and use it to make fast changes and reduce the tap dance. Playing covers, you need a lot of different sounds so I've got some high end modulation, dealy, and modeling pedals that I control with midi and the switcher. I did try using a Helix floor, but felt like it wasn't going to hold up to lots of gigging. I'm currently happy with pedals and board that has velcro so I can change pedals easily. I also like being able to just drop the board on the floor, and plug it into the wall and amp. It makes setup and teardown fast and easy, which is helpful when you also need to deal with the PA and usually help someone else troubleshoot their setup. If I was just playing at home, I'd probably be happy as can be with the Helix floor and headphones.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks for sharing! I think there are more than one ways to skin a cat as they say.

[@dominiquefarese8061]

Thanks Rig Doctor ! I bought home the beautiful GigRig 3, and I've no clue how it works. Don't even know where to ask my questions about it...

[@VertexEffectsInc]

I suppose The Gig Rig would be a good place to start???

[@thesphericalguy9018]

Agree with many of your points for sure. I thought I needed a programmable switcher but I could never get along with presets really. Now I use a simpler true bypass strip and am happier than ever.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

I have seen guys like Tim Pierce take this approach for sessions, that could’ve been worth a mentioned in the video had I remembered.

[@rrojahn]

I did the same thing...I bought a Boss ES-8 and could never figure out how to use it beyond stomp box mode (simple loop switching) so I sold it and bought a Gig Rig QMX-8. Perfect set up!

[@telebiopic]

Very honest. You helped me dissuade myself from buying a boss switcher 👍😅

[@VertexEffectsInc]

What are you going for instead?

[@VictorEMusique]

So where does the Boss MS3 fit in? A multi effect unit switcher with 3 loops .. I'm an involuntary hobbyist - so I always practice as if I am onstage with the band that I am playing along with in front of thousands of delirious fans and I have a band I hire when I book gigs ... the MS3 is a great middle ground ....and you make great videos :)

[@skorotei]

Thank you! Nice explanation! Now I'm absolutely sure that I need only Boss LS-2 for use with delay and rever in parallel loop of my amp!))

[@VertexEffectsInc]

If the loop is a parallel one, why do you need the line selector?

[@skorotei]

@@VertexEffectsInc I'd like to use delay and reverb at the same time in parallel loop. I'm using 100% wet signals from both pedals. It sounds good only if I use one effect at a time. With ls-2 I can mix 2 wet signals in parallel loop. In theory.))

[@sigaar109]

not sure I agree...full hobbyist here, guitar gear never leaves my bedroom...BUT even using four pedals and quality patch cables I noticed a significant tone advantage of using a switcher (a Gigrig QMX8 which i did just for fun)...I would say a hobbyist does not need a programmable switcher but definitely benefits from using a simple switcher as soon as you have more than two pedals

[@VertexEffectsInc]

What are you calling quality patch cables? And where are you condition in the signal path properly with quality buffers? If you’ve done the above with high-quality patch cables that are soldered, along with quality line driving and impedance stabilizing buffers, assuming that the pedals themselves are not problematic, you should be able to achieve as good of a quality signal as with the true bypass looper. Where most people experience big changes is when they have pre-existing issues that they are unaware of in the signal path and by consolidating the signal more directly to the amplifier they hear a drastic improvement, and believe that it’s the switcher or the looper that made the improvement, when really it just eliminated a problem that was pre-existing on the pedalboard and took it out of the signal path. One things that the switchers do is create a true bypass that is grounded so that you don’t get any of the circuit noise that can be floating out there without a grounded input. Also if you have other buffered pedals in your signal path that are adding noise or coloring the EQ is can remove those, but again that’s a pedal issue - The symptom is only been masked by the switcher, not remedied.

[@eskilseter]

No mention of non-programmable switchers (unless I missed it)? They can be great tools to minimise signal loss, and for troubleshooting, but with none of the complexity of setting up and programming presets.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Eskil they have some drawbacks but still see them as somewhere between a switcher and what a studio guy might use - guys like Tim Pierce do this for session.

[@eskilseter]

@@VertexEffectsInc They also have the benefit of consolidating all your switches along one row, eliminating the need to step over pedals to reach that back row.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Eskil The same benefit with the switcher, however if you’re a hobbyist what would it matter if you need to step over row of pedals if it’s not performance-based? Again, I am not disparaging the merits of using a switcher in the context of a live performance or a gigging musician. I just see the returns diminishing once you get outside of a live application, and did the best that I could to demonstrate this through anecdote and experience.

[@eskilseter]

@@VertexEffectsInc Oh I absolutely agree, I'm not arguing in any way. Sorry if that seemed to be the case :)

[@mattg9169]

I am all 3. Hobbyist, session & studio player and sometime live player. After seeing this video, you convinced me that I probably don’t need a switcher. Although when playing live, it would be cool to click one button and have 5 pedals come on for that one tone I need for that one song, I would rather dial things in as I need them. Always good content Mason and you are tackling the questions that not many think about but all need addressing.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Matt Gardner Thanks as always Matt!

[@dougc84]

I know this will probably never get read (it's long), but I think you missed one important part: what I'm calling the "having fun" experience. Up until earlier this year, for the last 10 years, I had between one gig a month (at a minimum) to two gigs a week (at most) as a worship guitarist. There was always at least one new song to learn, and at least one song that another band performed but I hadn't played yet (meaning, usually, two new songs I had to learn weekly). This also meant programming everything. I had a Kemper with a Timeline, BigSky, and a few overdrive pedals, all MIDI controlled, and it sounded great. I downsized to a Helix Floor (1 large pedalboard vs. 1 large pedalboard + a rack), but continued using the BigSky, Timeline, and outboard overdrive pedals, still all MIDI or loop controlled. My boards were *sick* too - perfectly ran cables, soldered stuff, zip ties and tie downs to keep everything in order. I liked the multi-FX/amp modeling units simply because I could play something different at home when I wasn't working on gig songs. I spent a lot of time trying (and failing) to be a shred/prog-rock/prog-metal guitarist in my younger days, and I still love playing things like Dream Theater and Satriani at home to keep my skills in check. The last few years, I've also gotten into ambient, post-rock, and generative/granular/synth stuff. The problem with all that is it meant finding time to dial in a good sound. I spent years honing my "worship" tone, but always just went with a preset for heavier stuff, so I was never happy. I'd spend hours trying to dial in a tone I liked and was never content with it, and I'd never actually practice anything. For the ambient/generative stuff, it also meant that picking up a new pedal meant I would have to completely rewire my board and take apart everything. It also meant that any changes - like changing out the Timeline for something else - would mean dialing in all new presets all over again. It was not "having fun." I found that, after a while, I just wasn't picking up my guitar, and, when I was, it was working on creating presets and patches for individual songs, reading my MIDI cheat sheet, programming in things, learning the new tunes as quickly as possible, going to practice, doing the thing, then leaving the gear packed up until Sunday morning. Then I'd show up, play, and take everything back home, only for my gear to remain in their respective cases until the time I needed to play my next gig. For the gig, though, it was perfect. One press and two drives engage, my delay and reverb kicked on, and I didn't have to even think about what was below my feet. Things like the Helix's scribble strips and the RJM Mastermind's displays (what I used with the Kemper and my various MIDI-connected devices) made it so I could have multiple settings for each song, since some didn't have any real changes until the bridge or I was covering the parts two guitarists and a keyboardist played all at once - I could dial in everything. But... I wasn't "having fun." Earlier this year, I stopped playing at church for a myriad of reasons. I was given the opportunity to visit my best friend - a musician - that lives halfway across the country. I decided to build out the smallest possible pedalboard I could that would fit in my backpack that covered all the essentials for me. I also decided there would be no menus. No MIDI. No switching besides the pedals themselves. I ended up with an 18x7 board, filled with a Pigtronix mini compressor, a Fulldrive 2 (which has always been a favorite of mine), a Chase Bliss Mood (I got a great deal and it was something I really wanted to mess around with), a Walrus ARP-87, an El Capistan, and a Neunaber Immerse. After having these tightly-packed, 32" and 42" boards, full of control and presets... I finally felt like I was actually in control of my sound. I wasn't afraid to twist a knob. I wasn't scared about some preset junking up the works for 3 other songs. I was able to just play. And I was "having fun." And that's the part I think you missed - finding inspiration and excitement with your rig is more important than some switcher, MIDI control, or immersion of options. I'm a software developer, and programming a Helix or RJM or Kemper or whatever was tiring. It lead to option paralysis, especially when I wanted to try new things out or experiment. "The hobbyist" example is just as important as "the professional" when it comes to being actually creative. For some, perhaps having 5 or 10 locked-down sounds is exactly what is warranted and wanted, and enough for some to be creative, but I like being able to spin a knob, just like "the studio guy" does. Maybe I'm a hybrid. And that's where I'm going now. For now, I've decided to rebuild my main board, with the goal of creativity, inspiration, and not feeling locked down, but able to function quickly when I get back into worship music or other gigs. I sold my Helix and replaced it with a Strymon Iridium. I don't need different amps (or multiple amps and multiple cabs) for each patch anyway, but I do need direct-to-house. I have a Morningstar MC-6 that I'll use to pull up presets on the BigSky and Timeline, but I've also incorporated the Mood, El Capistan, Immerse, and ARP-87, which have to be turned on and off manually. I'm picking up a basic switcher soon (Disaster Area DPC-5) with MIDI for my drives - simply to keep the audio path clean and have the buttons on the front row, but be able to make some presets on my MC-6 when I get back into it (which I won't even be using now). My wiring isn't as clean, but that's by design: I'll be able to drop on whatever pedal I feel like, whenever I want, without having to swap out the entire board or make massive changes. I've switched to solderless cables (which I know you hate), but, in under a minute, I can build out the cable I need - low hassle, as I don't have a dedicated place to solder anyway. But I've made smart wiring decisions to be able to pull something off and replace it quickly, as long as it has some dual lock on the bottom of the pedal. I can control what I need when I need to, or do things manually when I'm feeling inspired. I can get "metal enough" when I want to. I can play ambient when I feel like it. I can thrash with some post-rock. And I'm confident it works within the worship scene as well. And I haven't had this much fun playing music in a solid 10 years.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

I'm with you Doug, it's just a guideline. A lot of guys bite off more than they can chew and end up having to re-do the rig multiple times. The idea here is to save you time.

[@J1JL]

Doug Clark I like your book

[@sibilino4]

hey Mason, THANKS for being that clear, precise and humble :) super great info

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Carlos Subia Narvaez My pleasure!

[@eichpil]

Well, I'm a hobbyst, no gigs nowadays but some recording, and I own a small collection of small pedals. I want to use them if I feel like it. A use a non-programable switcher, from The Gig Rig so it avoids any tone sucking, which I hate, but it is very flexible.

[@nsc217]

Why can’t you change the knobs on the pedals if they’re connected to a switcher? You can’t manually turn on and off the pedals if they’re connected to a switcher?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

nsc217 I don’t understand your question can you clarify?

[@PickledDill907]

Usually boards with switchers are designed to be compact, which means the board ends up hiding controls. Presumably if you're looking to change settings all the time you don't mind the extra space use and having a switcher would be a wee bit pointless.

[@nsc217]

Vertex Effects If I have a switcher, I could still go to each individual pedal and tweak the controls (i.e. tone, levels... etc)., correct? And If I have one switch/channel dedicated to my dirty tone but then I want to turn on my wah pedal or delay manually (turn on each of those pedals), I could do so?

[@jasonhughes5219]

I use 2, an MS3 for front input, and an American Looper 6 channel for the back end FX loop. The MS-3 acts as an awesome boost for the front end. The Looper takes all the tap dancing out of the routine.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Jason Hughes very cool! Thanks for watching!

[@NicholasGreenwood]

I was brought here by the clickbait title, but watching this video made me want a pedal switcher even more!

[@jeffreymaeatro2]

I don't have a switcher but one thing is a BIG PLUS with a switcher is if you have 8 to 10 pedals and one cable goes bad its real hard to figure that out with a room full of people watching you. You may go into panic mode and ruin your otherwise good set. However, if a cable goes bad with a switcher the signal will continue but the effect won't be there. The exception is if the cable is the main in from your guitar or main out but that would be the only cables you'd need to check.I had my pedal board run perfect for the first set but when I came up for the second it was no sound and I ended up just yanking the entire board and did the last set just with my amp. Get the board home and it's working perfect again. To me that would be the biggest advantage with a switcher if you're a professional (I'm not) and don't want to stop the show because of one bad cable. Just my thoughts anyway. Love this channel and keep up the good work doctor!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

jeffrey oliver There is a Darkside to the switchers as well, which is you double the number of connections, the number of cables and also you have all of the input and output jacks on the switcher that could go bad at any time, relays in all of the switches, etc. the bottom line is we need to do your due diligence and use quality stuff if you want to expect it to work every time, outside of that context is key for deciding when you may or may not want to switcher.

[@jeffreymaeatro2]

I agree, you increase the number of connections and more things that could go wrong. I was weighting this against what happens WHEN a connection fails. I stay in the mid-grade range of cables; not cheap not expensive and yes, you get what you pay for. What recommendations would you give from your experience for the best cable without the name branding price? Thanks!

[@silverdroid]

How is the video portion of the production this high, yet no lavalier microphone?!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

silverdroid there is , out of shout

[@bertrandmajorik6589]

BASS player here, YOUR THE MAN !!!!! What a filling video, WOW!!! I always limit my FX's but i had an 'octaver fever ' recently.Decided to stop at three radically different sounds. Live quick switch, is crutial. You tought me a great tool, thank you very much.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks for watching! I hope we earned you as a subscriber

[@bertrandmajorik6589]

You got the goods, man ;)

[@VertexEffectsInc]

@@bertrandmajorik6589 thanks again!!!

[@ranchsironi7736]

Totally disagree almost 100% with the second point about session guitarists. For one, you don’t need to use the memory function of the switcher and deal with pre programmed sounds if you don’t want to. There’s manual mode that works like stepping on individual pedals so they could use it as such and still “turn the knobs on the fly”. And doing so keeps your pedalboard neat and organized and also makes it easier to turn off or on your pedals sometimes, especially when you have a lot of big or odd shaped pedals. But then again, if you’re a professional session guy that knows his gear, it’s not hard to create presets “on the fly” while you listen to the song and sculpt sounds the producer you’re working with would like you to incorporate. It’s actually helpful to have make a few programmed sounds so you can get through the whole song smooth and seamlessly in one take. Also those line 6 helix, or kemper pedalboards or any modeling boards are all preset models of amps and effects that you have to program, so that comment kinda contradicts the whole “ programming gets in the way” statement. Lastly, saying session guitarists aren’t really artists now a days kinda cheapens the real art that session guitarists create in their career. In my experience it’s not rare in this day in age that a session guy gets booked for gigs because producers are after their sound or style. TLDR: I disagree and think switchers can be a helpful asset to a session guitarist and I think session guitarists as still artists even in this day and age.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Individuals can find reasons why a switcher may work for session guitarists, but we don't often see session guitarists use switchers, not since the late 1990's or early 2000's and a lot of that was a function of most rack gear not having a way to bypass it fully from the systems and they were doing less programmed effects and more true bypass looper style on/off to dial tones per the producers and songs. If you look at any major session guy now from LA to Nashville, they're all pedalboard based with serial effects.

[@Mauitaoist]

I'm a hobbyist I just like the old-school switcher there's like 10 buttons in a row so I can turn the effects on and off without stepping all over them it just brings all the buttons to the front of the board and it makes it easier there aren't any programmable Loops or anything everything's just in series also it's just easier cuz some of the petals are upside down or sideways or in different locations for size and space considerations

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Sure, just a true bypass looper.

[@jamesearl389]

Why do I always feel like this is a character on Kids in the Hall played by Bruce McCulloch?

[@friedsensei]

Goddamn man this is a very Canadian reference but with this short hair cut he looks and talks exactly like him.

[@jamesearl389]

@@friedsensei 😂😂😂

[@nickm.9474]

I just play at home but I do have a boss es5. Mainly so I can change the order of the pedals easily without having to dissconect them. So awesome! I am a guitar tech for a band and I also use it to experiment with. 2 guys have the es8 so I picked it up so I can really learn it inside and out.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Nick M. Awesome Nick! Love the Boss switchers too

[@vinivola]

In the end '' nice overdrive,nice delay'' is the answer.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Vini Vola That’s always where I end up

[@vinivola]

@@VertexEffectsInc Because you can get delay to do a reverb thing and IMO it's cleaner and more present,that with proper drive will get you 90% there for most situations and of course modulation to taste but I find I only use modulation for recording.Good Day.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Vini Vola agreed

[@Ufozoo1]

As a hobby player I found the Boss line selector to be awesome for looping certain pedals but now that I saw this switcher pedal I may have get one. It’s like building your own custom processor. That’s kinda of cool. One pedal at a time but wouldn’t hurt to a have switcher available to the gig bag even though I don’t gig:D

[@VertexEffectsInc]

I think anything can be useful, however many players just get switchers because they heard they need one - this video was to help put switchers in context and that they aren't needed for most players.

[@Ufozoo1]

@@VertexEffectsInc as a hobby I like tinker no with sound just as much as playing I know I don’t this but I also don’t need another expensive guitar but I’m a music geek with a good job so..... lol

[@ZIGSVIDS]

I'm a guitarist not a tap dancer and that's the advantage of a switching system.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

👍

[@pclindholm]

You broke that down so well and with respect to those of us who rock out at bedroom volumes while the wife and kids try to sleep. Right on. I wonder if you have any advice for quick changes in gain stages for a live setting without a big switcher.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Phillip Lindholm You could consider doing the Eric Johnson thing where he would put multiple devices in a single loop with just a single button true bypass A/B looper and then have another side of the looper as the B-side have a second set of devices in it and he used it as a really analog way of doing a switching system. There are lots of diagrams of this online

[@DennisRyan27]

i've played both with and without a switcher. I wouldn't want to play live without one again.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Cool!

[@SocksworthRiffs]

I remember commenting on the MS-3 video too! I still advocate for that pedal or even a smaller switcher, and I'm a home player (right now). I really like the feeling of being able to bring settings in and out and I'm still an obsessive tweaker. I think I'm rather an exception, not the rule here though. I advocate heavily for them because it makes some things just much easier that I think are essential (stacking gain pedals and flopping between clean/stack gain/clean and wet) and Sure at home no one but me is going to notice the time it takes to switch between these but I feel to me it helps sort of feel less...clunky, more or less! I also have a couple of patches that are basically set up to be sort of "blank test" states. I find myself buying more fuzz and drives than actual delays or reverbs or other modulation effects, so something like the MS-3 specifically is great since I can quickly just pop the pedal in, play around with how it sounds before/after a boost and even on clean/gain channels with a single click. I honestly hadn't really used that till recently but it just sort of fell into place and now I couldn't be happier. love the vids as always!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Socks Thank you for watching and thank you for sharing your insight!

[@johnmaloney1681]

The point about it being difficult to change up tones in the studio just isn't true. You can always go into manual mode & turn on/off any loop you want. Or reorder them in about 10 seconds. What could possibly be faster/easier than that?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

John Maloney As I understand it from the studio pros and their anecdotal accounts, having to go through extra steps when they can just reach down and start turning knobs is ideal. I am pretty proficient at this stuff, and even sometimes I will get into a little snafu trying to make easy corrections and changes. Some are easy to do on the fly, others may require the editor software, which opens up another can of worms. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but I’m saying the practicality is such that we don’t see very many studio professionals making this choice, and for good reason. The people that I have seen you switchers are typically playing a very specific type of music which they are being called into the studio to play, so the necessity to go outside of their comfort zone is minimal in terms of a sonic landscape. However, if they were asked to sound like Eddie Van Halen in one take, then John Mayer in the next, understandably it would take a little bit more finesse with the switcher to get there.

[@dezionlion]

Maloney’s right, it’s just as easy to change parameters on the fly with or without a switcher. The benefit of the switcher is it isolates your pedals so you can put them in any order without having to take your pedal board apart. And if you have vintage pedals that don’t play well with others, it also helps to have a switcher. Those are the main reasons for having a switcher.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

dezionlion I’m not discounting those advantages on a macro view, but in realm of the studio this is why we don’t see people taking this route, more moving parts - no predetermined sounds. Having to creating new presets instantly on a switcher it’s not in the wheelhouse of the majority of session musicians at this point in time. most of the sounds are set up for a part by part bases, intro, bridge, chorus, it’s not like in a live performance where these need to be seamless, each sound is set up individually for the part. Adding additional steps to this is impractical when everybody’s been paid by the hour in the impetus is immediate gratification in many circumstances.

[@johnmaloney1681]

@@VertexEffectsInc - TBF, not all loop switchers are the same and only the newer ones allow you to reorder pedals on the fly. I have an ES-8, which is one of the newer, full-featured loopers. I don't do any midi with it or use the "deeper" features such as overriding a switches default function - such as assigning tap tempo or other function to a switch. In this regard, it could be confusing. I keep it fairly simple though & I dig it, but honestly the biggest cons for me: cost + adding size and weight to your board.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

John Maloney In this case, what made you go this route instead of just getting a true bypass looper if the idea was just having a central hub for your foot switches?

[@AP-ui7oi]

That live shot was from Brewster's in Petaluma CA, I play there all the time.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Nice! I went to high school there, Casa Grande HS

[@MrRadialdrift]

Studio or live, a switcher is a key tool in a musicians kit. Not sure why the Pro's you mentioned struggle with pressing an extra button to save a new preset. Let's be honest, a lot of time is wasted in studios faffing around, I hardily think a few extra minutes here and really is a legit reason to not use a switcher in a studio. It sounds more like a reason for half of this video content than a real reason. Look at the Edge, uses a massive switcher all day long, live and studio, because of the ease and ability to be creative.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Well I’m talking specifically about session musicians that need to be able to pivot quickly. The Edge, conversely is doing his own thing, Bono is not asking him to sound like Van Halen, and then in the next song sound like Christopher Cross. Again, these are not absolutes, but generalizations to help those that watch the channel figure out what is the best application and fit for using a switcher since it’s such a common question that gets asked.

[@LewisDavieMusic]

Hi, session musician here. I use a switcher for my gigs, but you're right that making sounds on the fly poses a challenge. I've found that the best method is to have a 'jam patch' wherein you can turn individual effects on and off manually, or with the Boss MS-3, have some of the switches programmed to effects you don't otherwise have. That way you're sorted in the moment and can worry about programming later.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Well said!

[@ahall3823]

Explaining what people “need” in a paddleboard doesn’t make sense. I don’t buy pedals, or boards or switchers because I need them, but because I want them... and now, I’m going to go and eat an ice cream.

[@RobCmusic]

I use a compact loop switcher in a pretty simple, practical way. Rather than trying to combine all my effects (I only have 4 presets at my feet), I just use it to switch my different levels of gain from clean to lead and then other effects like pre-drive modulation & post drive delay etc. separately.

[@rudals1281]

I like his honesty. He saves me money and he makes me spend money.0

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Hope it was helpful!

[@stevelark9840]

I have quite a few vintage pedals, with less than perfect buffering. I use a non programmable looper to make these older technology dinosaurs true bypass. Also, some of these pedals are quite valuable and the looper cuts down on the wear on physically stomping on them.

[@danielhoskins4690]

Yup, also, if one of them craps out you can switch the loop off and finish the song/set without rummaging around on the stagein the dark for 5 minutes.

[@mid-westmusic3472]

Toss a coin to your switcher.

[@1stVeo]

Oh, valley of pedalboards

[@BRUNOCMUSIC]

Excelent video! Please would you recomend a switcher for a hobbist who wants the hability to turn off and on his pedals + change the channel of his amp quick for playing along with backing tracks and recording with no edition for youtube? No need of tons of memory, patches or that, just that hability of quick changing, that simple. I've been watching the octa switcher, what do you think? . Thanks so much!!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

To have multiple devices come on at the time it’s no way around it except the MIDI programmable switcher

[@rx2enemy190]

I bought a switcher and it ruined my life. Now I live under a bridge and eat out of dumpsters. Buyer beware.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Oh no!

[@hukl3945]

I'm using a non programmable, optical relay based switcher for my 9 pedals. Mostly for the reason that I want all switches in one line at the bottom of the board. I swap pedals constantly and it is not an issue. The other goal is to have only those pedals in line which I'm actually using. My Fuzz will always be unbuffered if I don't switch in pedals before it. Unlike when you have a boss tuner or other pedal in front of it. Also when a pedal is noisy, it's much faster to debug at a gig which one it is as you can take it out of the signal path without ripping your board apart. I am a hobbyist playing a few shows a year with a band but I'm rehearsing with the band every week and this set up is so reliable and sounds great that it satisfied all my needs. My needs do not include programming presets though :)

[@soundofseventythree]

Sounds great. What switcher are you using hukl?

[@hukl3945]

@@soundofseventythree The Quartermaster 8 by the GigRig. I've tried a few and this one is exceptionally well made I have to say. The opto-relay switches in particular are the best in the industry I'd say

[@VertexEffectsInc]

hukl Thank you for sharing your opinion! I don’t have any objections to true bypass loopers, and the only thing I would caution people about if it’s about isolating failures, you have double the connections when you use any sort of looper system so there are more overall moving parts, more that can go wrong. If you are building with quality soldered cables, it will mitigate a lot of the risk and I don’t know at the end whether you’re at a net gain, maybe neck and neck optimistically. However a lot of these true bypass loopers are not that much smaller than some of the newer switchers, depending on your application you might as well upgrade.

[@hukl3945]

@@VertexEffectsInc I'm using the Evidence Audio solderless cables which are different to any other solderless as they have a solid copper core and actually screw into the plug. I'm using these for a couple of years now and they are great. Had not a single one fail even though I'm re-using them when swapping pedals. They are very noise resistant compared to many other cables I've tried - and I'm in a very EM noisy room. The plugs are just a bit expensive and require some kind of gear acquisition syndrome to justify it :) If you don't want to spend that kind of cash I'd also go with soldered cables. Here is a picture of my set up - most important parts are the googly eyes of course :) instagram.com/p/Bu10Q-yHKHG/ Power Supply is from CIOKS, which are absolutely stellar and not talked enough about. Impossibly well made and noise free - again even in challenging situations. I know you're more the chained pedal board person. But that's cool too as you say for many many cases.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

I don't see the photo, but I know the cables. I think for a consumer standpoint their fine, and appreciably better than what's come out before it. It's not an option that I can recommend however - the physics are simple - vibration & movement are problematic for something that relies on tension to maintain the connection (and a high resistance one at that). Our pedalboards (for most of us) don't exist in a vacuum and will be used, stepped on - dare I say vibrated and moved. For this reason, among others, you don't see any of the prolific pedalboard builders (Pete Cornish, Nice Rack Canada, Racksystems, XTS, CAE, etc...) use these. They can't rely on them the way they can a soldered connection, plus they aren't restricted to using a specific cable, connector, etc. as there is as much variability in cable sounds as anything on a pedalboard. I think they have a place for DIYers that don't wanna solder, but soldering opens up the door to limitless possibilities for cable types, plug choices, and unless you're going crazy with hand-soldering Vovox cables, you'll come out at a net positive, as the solderless cables are not cheap, and buying bulk Mogami and even the nicer Switchcraft plugs are pretty neck and neck, if not cheaper.

[@theambienthand5579]

I classify into a broader and bigger category: broke guitarists. Seriously, The Rig Doctor is such a blessing to the community. Thank you for all that you do!

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks for watching!

[@stephengabree]

I recently incorporated a PXL Pro switcher into my rig. I have programmed 2 banks of 4 presets that correspond to 2 banks of 4 presets on a Vox Tonelab. These account for most of sounds I need for any given show. To change things up quickly I put the amp on standby and enter program mode which turns all loops on, then I quickly shut off everything I don't want on and then turn standby off and I'm ready to rock. 20 seconds tops and I'm in manual mode for on the fly spontaneous jams. 🎸

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks for sharing!

[@simon_patterson]

Only buy gear if you have a problem you need solving, and the gear will solve that problem, and the cost of the solution is worth it to you, and you can afford it. Otherwise, enjoy playing with the gear you already have.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

agreed

[@JeffKeel]

Great topic. I play professionally and I am trying to get my board as small as possible. Touring doesn't happen as much as it use to so. Drives and Hx Effects works great for me. Steel String soon. Great stuff Mason. This is perfect for all of us.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

JT Keel I think that’s a great solution, and looking forward to seeing your rig with the steel string!

[@rocknrollrich1]

Kids in the hall

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Not sure what that means

[@jacobpardee]

I think what makes my MS3 work well is to save blank patches that when you switch to manual mode the switches are just for the pedals themselves. So if I want to use my board in the old fashion method I just keep it in manual mode and then it really is just acting as a fancy true bypass switcher. I think from a recording standpoint the MS3 works for me because I have it in manual mode and I only turn on the built-in noise gate within the patch. I’m not using 90% of what it can do at that point but those patches make manual mode feel like an in line traditional set up.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Jacob Pardee It’s a cool piece of equipment, be sure to check out our video on it if you have an already!

[@samuelrutherford8107]

Is this a anti that pedal show channel?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Samuel Rutherford Ha ha ha! Well as you can see I didn’t follow my own advice if you watched until the end. The reality is I don’t have a dog in the fight, I don’t manufacture any switching related products, so I think in some ways this would be a more objective analysis.

[@samuelrutherford8107]

@@VertexEffectsInc i dont use switchers either.

[@billytremoloband7456]

I’ve switched (pardon the pun) to an es8 feb/2018 from having my board wired up in series and to be honest I couldn’t imagine not using a switcher out of pure convenience and time saving! I did use a gigrig qmx6 for a few weeks after Christmas as one of the es8 outputs was on the fritz but once I got hold of an analog delay with midi control on it (syncopy by stone deaf UK) I had to get the es8 back on the board for midi presets and cc control. Technically I’m only a hobbiest but my hobby is gigging at the weekend in a (covets) power trio so the option of quick change of tones is a must !

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Thanks for sharing this perspective!

[@manifestgtr]

I have two boards that I use professionally. A big board with a switcher and a rehearsal board. The rehearsal board is just a standard 24” pedalboard with “traditional” wiring...nothing fancy. The midi switcher is a problem solving tool on my big board. You hit one button and BOOM, I have a dotted delay sound...another button and it’s a lead, then a flanger. I have an entire bank setup for gigs where I need to cover keyboard parts...shimmers and space-filling patches. It’s super convenient...but it also cost about 4 grand, all in. Unless you’re a seriouslyyyyy dedicated hobbyist, that’s a lot of money to throw at something that’s ultimately a “problem solving” tool for pros who need quick access to patches. Switchers are awesome and they’re a lot more accessible than they used to be but they’re still a major investment. You have the cost of the switcher plus another couple hundred for good patch cables (which are necessary, by the way...a switcher is only as reliable as the patch cables you have). You’re talkin at LEAST a thousand for your board, switcher and cables alone.

[@braxal6983]

Mason your video is excellent. What about this concept of using your board for recording a direct sound and reamping?

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Braxal That could be a cool idea for a future video