Unboxing / Build thread

T_dub · June 28, 2020, 11:55am

It’s really just for keeping things in the limited space I have for this.
Plus my DAI goes to my IPad. I don’t have a desk or workstation computer, or even a laptop set up anywhere, my stuff needs to be 100% mobile in the place I reside.

I pull it out, set it on the wood table I have in the corner, plug it into the power, rout it one of the ways I said, and headphone, most of the time from the amp.

Or I headphone out of the B1-four and forget the amp.

This is when I want to. Tweak my sound, otherwise I play out of the B1x-four, with minimal stomp boxes set, or in bypass for regular practice and exercises, and the board is put away in the corner looking neat and organized instead of like a rat nest.

Funny it may be, but I find it the best option for my needs in current situation.

terb · June 28, 2020, 12:29pm

yeah there is nothing wrong with this, it’s just a bit uncommon but as long as it fits your needs it’s perfectly fine !

T_dub · June 28, 2020, 12:30pm

Yeah, I am a bit uncommon too

T_dub · July 25, 2020, 4:46pm

Ok, got some new stuff here, and some new arrangements.

First I was looking for an Auto Wah to use when I am playing NIB solo, and tried the Sonicake Cry-Bot auto wah, returned it, and ended up with this.

I really like this pedal. The Sonicake Cry-bot sounded good right when you dialed it in, or turned it on, but it seemed to go away and just be clean sound after the first one or two cry’s.
The MXR obviously does not have that problem. It works ok for what I am wanting it for, but I think I am going another direction, however I am keeping the pedal, it is too cool.
There is a mini Bass Cry Baby on Offer Up for $65 and it is just across town, so I am going to go get that and see if I am coordinated enuf to use it during the NIB intro, and see if I can get it to sound just right.

T_dub · July 25, 2020, 5:13pm

Next.
I have been using and loving my Zoom MS-60b as my Compressor, actually as 5 different compressors, each set just slightly different.
I never planned on getting another compressor so soon, I had planned to use this for a while.
But
wen ordering a butt load of pedals just to get it over with and try out, and to do side by side comparisons with the models in the Zoom boxes, I stumbled upon this inexpensive OPTICAL compressor, so I said, what the hell, I will order it and test it out and return it.

WRONG

This is a keeper.

I was blown away by this compressor. It has so much control, and so many options for compression levels and actions, I can say this is the best compression I have gotten from any pedal. By that I mean, the best compressed sound I have gotten, not saying the amount of compression, its the quality, and type and dialed in just right.

Got this on Amazon for $66.99

If you are looking for a compressor, and want a. Really good one, and don’t want to break the bank, I would put this up against any of the ones I have tried so far,
Boss LMB
Behringer
TC Electronics
Gokko
Donner
MXR Dyna (not Bass Compressor)
Joyo
Celine
Pigtronix

I can’t just say its better then all of those, but I can say, IME, I like it better, and think it is better then any of those I had tried. It is also better then all the ones in the Zoom boxes, and all 5 of them I really liked, until this.

T_dub · July 25, 2020, 5:42pm

And now (hope people not missing the last 2 posts, as they are just as new as this one, but since they were all long, broke it into 3, so

Part 3…

Here is the new lay out of the pedal board, some notable changes:

TC Electronic Nether and Donner Harmonizer
Removed - replaced by
TC Electronics
Sub n UP

San June Optical compressor takes over for Zoom Multi Stomp as a compressor

Noise Supressor added
Chromatic Tuner - removed

MXR Envelope Filter Added
Zoom Multi Stomp set up in line as TC Electronics Corona Chorus pedal

Here it is

I upgraded from a cheaper power supply to two of these Caline’s, which have six 9v 300ma, one Selectable 9/12/18v 300ma and one selectable 9/12/15/18v 500ma outputs

For now the Wiretap is not hardwired anywhere, I can either add it first, between the bass and noise reducer, or last between the Bass Driver and Amp, depending on what I am going for.

The TC Electronics Sub-n-Up
I really loved the combo I got from the Nether and Harmonizer pedals. The. Nether has 1 and 2 octaves down, and the Harmonizer all sorts of stuff, up and down, detune and degrees, etc…
That combo was really cool, I had a lot of fun with it.
But
I got the Sub-n-Up to try out, and WOW
MAN, it is just too fucking awesome and amazing.
I really had no plans to keep it, but once I started playing around with it, and doing side by side tests, the sound is just that much better, that I had to keep it and remove the other two.

Speaking of side by side tests,
I ordered the TC Electronics Corona Tri Chorus pedal, mostly to do a sound test, and also to play with the tone prints.
Side by Side with the Zoom MultiStomp, with a patch of the Corona Chorus
I honestly could not tell the difference.
The Zoom model has the same 4 dial options, and when I set them the same and tested, I could not tell the difference.
Verdict, Corona Chorus back to Amazon (like I expected, I just did not expect to not be able to tell the difference)

MXR Envelope filter. I wanted one because I wanted an envelope filter, and because I wanted auto wah while playing the NIB intro. It works OK for that, but not close enough, so I am getting a Mini Bass Cry Baby off of Offer Up for $60. It will go where the Zoom U-22 DAI is sitting in the photo. that is not part of the board, it is just replicating where the wah pedal will go.

The Boss Tuner - seemed redundant.
I mainly wanted it for the buffered bypass.
I already have 2 other tuners, both Zoom’s are tuners.
The noise gate eliminates the need for buffered bypass, and other pedals on the board can be set up buffered, so I removed it.

For now, for convenience, the Zoom B1-four is the main tuner, it is in the easiest place on the board to activate the tuner.
Also
Possible uses for the Zoom B1-four
Reverb
Amp / Cab sims
Phaser
Tremolo
Delay (I doubt it, not such a fan)
Any other things that may come up.
The B1-four will stay on until I get a Chorus pedal to replace the MultiStomp, but I have no plans too replace it since it is just like the Corona and works just as well.
unless I come across a MUST HAVE Chorus Pedal, the MultiStomp will remain there. Of course, I can change it to anything else if not using chorus, and it is another tuner too.

Think that covers it for now.

This is the first permenant lay out that has been both patched together and had power ran to all pedals.
A huge relief, I always look at it, and think, just get it done. Well, after the last few pedals, and knowing this is what I want for now, I got it done, and when the Cry Baby gets here and wired up.
And
I get some of the straight across 1/4” male couplers for some of the pedals that can use it instead of the cable.
When those are put together, it is done
For now…

I have enuf left overs to create a small travel pedalboard, along with a Zoom B1x-four.
Maybe I will make a little pedal board with the others, or just sell them on Offer Up (not the zoom, that’s the easiest headphone practice option)
Or just keep them for my daughter to grow into.
Options…always options

TNKA36 · July 25, 2020, 8:16pm

Hey @T_dub,
How about sharing some music up with all these amazing pedals so we can hear the difference between them.
I’d love to hear how they all work, then I can develop my own rack and get the jam happening.cheers Brian

T_dub · July 25, 2020, 10:06pm

Is in the works. I should have an iMac with GB and or Reaper mid to late next week

eric.kiser · July 26, 2020, 8:18am

Does the Zoom have an Envelope Filter. If so, how does the MXR compare?

The straight couplers can damage pedals. Here’s an article that talks about it… Why not use pedal couplers? – stinkfoot.se

That’s a pretty great setup of pedals you have.

howard · July 26, 2020, 8:39am

Yes DO NOT use those straight or dog-leg couplers. it’s a trap! You’ll understand immediately once everything is velcroed back in place.

I was lucky, I was able to extract it from my pedals without breaking anything. But I was very lucky. Getting those two pedals to peel off the velcro without torquing their jacks and breaking them took me like 10 minutes of careful prying.

Worst idea EVER.

T_dub · July 27, 2020, 12:25am

Thanks for the warning, sending them back without opening the box.

Zoom has a model of EHX Qtron envelope filter set to low pass.
FWIU, the Qtron is not a bass specific Envelope filter. That is not to say anything against the quality of the filter, or the product, also FWIU, it is a good filter for Guitar and Bass. The Low Pass setting on the Qtron is what a bass player TYPICALLY would use, so that is how they modeled it.

Qtron are hard to find (well, on Amazon, and this is the one place I buy pedals I don’t know, for the obvious reasons, I have a bunch of credit there, and hassle free return) so I did not get a chance to compare. Since Josh said he liked his MXR envelope filter very much (on his pedalboard VIDEO). I went ahead and got it. Also cuz (as Josh AND others on YouTube point out) it has separate Wet and Dry signal controls, instead of a blend control.
This feature I Love, and I think so many pedals could benefit from this design. IDK how practical, or possible, it would be for other pedal types, but either way, I am sure it would jack up the price of already hugely overpriced product (if clones can make them for $30-$40 and turn a profit, then they are all overpriced IMO)
I found and almost offered to buy a used Qtron on offer up, but decided to give the MXR a try first since it can be returned, the Qtron could not. It is still available, if I get bold enuf, I could purchase it in the name of science, so I could side by side compare it with the Zoom model.
Hmm
Maybe if it’s still there after I get my recording set up, and learn how to use it, then I can share the results. Then if it’s still available (it’s a year old post, and seller confirmed it’s still available) I may grab it, if he will accept my offer. That’s a lot of if’s and when’s, but who knows…

T_dub · July 27, 2020, 6:44am

Ok, I was thinking about this 1/4” coupler warning. As it turns out, I had been preparing for this in advance so it would not be such a big deal to remove pedals. However, I will be listening to your guys warning and not using them afterall, but I thought I would share how I had been preparing for this. I was not actually preparing for the 1/4” couplers really, it was more my hate for the Velcro bottom on the pedals to stick to the board, and I was thinking of a way to minimize the difficulty it is to remove pedals (where the Velcro sometimes stays attached to the Velcro, and peels off the bottom of the pedal) without so much of a fight, WHILE still being able to attach the pedal to the board and have it stay in place.

I tried a few variations and this is what I came up with.
First I tried a square of Velcro, almost the width, but square, not the full length of the pedal. Still had problems, mostly the Velcro peeling off the pedal.
Then I tried two smaller squares, about 1”, with one at the front of the pedal and one at the rear of it.
This was better, but still the Velcro would unstick from the pedal at times.
Next I tried strips, about 1/2” wide, one at the front and one at the rear of the pedal. This worked best, holding the pedal down and was not very difficult to remove. Still the Velcro would unstick some times.

Now, I imagine that the Velcro may have set, had I left it stuck to the pedal longer, but I was still looking for something different. So the best I came up with (not time tested, as it will need to sit for a week at least before I can speak to longevity and difficulty to remove the Velcro from the pedal)
Which. Holds the pedal well, will come off very easily, and the Velcro stays attached to the pedal.
Since I just added a pedal to the board, here is the way I applied the Velcro to the bottom.
Notice how the previous owner already flipped the bottom of the pedal over, so when I don’t want it anymore, I can remove the Velcro, and flip the bottom, and the original bottom is still in tact, with the rubber pad and pedal name looking brand new.

Start with two strips 3/8 to 1/2 inch wide (really the 3/4” or 1” wide Velcro strips cut down the middle) along the front and rear of the pedal.

Make the strips long enuf to just fold over the edge of the pedal. This keeps the Velcro from staying on the Velcro and un sticking from the bottom of the pedal.

This also makes it easier to remove the Velcro from the pedal. It peels up off the side quite easily, and since the edge is not 100% contact, it keeps removing from the bottom quite easily.
Like I said, the time factor. Next week will the Velcro remove as easily as it did in the hour I tested, I can’t say for sure, but based on some pedals that I put Velcro on 3-4 months ago, and based on the Velcro I removed from this very pedal, that came with the pedal, which was used a lot by the previous owner in a band, I think it will be easier to remove these strips if and when the time comes.

The pedals are not 100% as firmly attached to the pedal board as when the whole bottom of the pedal has Velcro tape on it, but I will venture to say that they are at 80% as effectively in place. Plenty enough for my use. I have held the pedal board upside down, and I have had it up on its side while wiring the electrical and patching the pedals together, and nothing came close to falling off.

If you hate normal Velcro, and want to try something that seems to be easier on all fronts, and effective enough for most use, give this a try, hope you like it like I do.

T_dub · July 27, 2020, 7:21am

And the full board, with the new Mini Bass Crybaby attached.

I found a Boss Super Chorus on Let Go for $20. I might get that and see if I like it for chorus. If I do, I will then use the MS-60B for Reverb and Cab Sim most likely.

TNKA36 · July 27, 2020, 8:05am

Can’t wait to here these babies @T_dub.
Cheers Brian

T_dub · July 27, 2020, 10:35am

Ok, first review.
The Zoom B1-four sucked up the sound. I never ran a pedal before it before, so I was not expecting this. After finding it to be culprit, I just went from the MXR EF to the Bass Driver and everything was good.
I think it was @howard that said something about using too many Zoom MS-60B. I am not sure if that is the problem. The MS-60b is not sucking any sound, so I don’t see why using 2 zoom products would be a problem, but maybe it is. I did not try bypassing the MS-60b, leaving the B1-four inline to see.
My guess is the B1-four is buffered, so I am wondering if there is a setting for this. I will look into it later.
There is a Boss Super Chorus on Offer up for $20, but the seller changed it to $40, I am guessing he got a bunch of people wanting it so he upped the price.
He is close by, and I am still hoping to get it, cuz for $40, I can use it instead of the MS, and put it in it’s place, and then put the MS where the B1-four was, set up for reverb instead.
If I ddon’t get it, I will leave it like it is, research the B1-four settings, and spend time looking for a good reverb pedal option, which is fine, the MS does a great job acting like a TC E Corona pedal

So the Mini Wah. That took some getting used to, but after a bit, I was jamming with it, and it is cool as hell.
I need to spend time dialing in the control for the Q setting and the other one for the sensitivity I think, ot whatever it is, I need to get is set right, then it will be awesome.
All the other pedals are awesome, however, with the Crybaby, IDK if I need to keep the MXR Envelope filter. Hmm. I can still return it to amazon for the $160 credit.
IF I find I am not using it in the next week, I may send it back and hold onto the credit. I can always buy it again.
I bought it mainly for adding the wah effect to the Black Sabbath NIB into, for which it does a fair job, but after 20 min on the CryBaby, I was hitting it just right.
Well, just right as I could with the settings not just right.
So, since I got that covered, for a $60 used crybaby, I might just get rid of the MXR, at least for now.
IDK, anybody out there think that would be stupid?

T_dub · July 29, 2020, 3:55am

So, I ordered 3 Reverb pedals, and one Chorus pedal, some cheap ones, and some inexpensive knock off’s, and I plan on returning all 4, or possibly 3 if I like the one I expect to like, the others are just for comparison, to each other, and to the models in the Zoom B1-four and MS-60b

This one I expect to like, but will trade it back for either the Mini 2, or the full sized 1 or 2 to get more controls. This is one of the two reverb pedals I actually think will be my Reverb pedal winner. Based on decent price and overall performance and features.

TC Electronics Mini Hall of Fame (one)

This Valeton looks like a nice, inexpensive copy pedal. i think this, and the Joyo are pretty much copies of the Other pedal I expect to like enuf to keep (that is not in this order, due to availability, same reason the TC E Hall of Fame and HOF 2 full pedals are not ordered) which is the Oceans 11 by EHX.
the Valeton Coral Verb II (even named similar to Oceans 11, but using II for 2)

This seems like it could be a similar copy to the Ocean 11, or another multi verb pedal out there, I think this might be a good pedal, but will need to wait and see, or hear rather

The Joyo Atmosphere

And this was just foe fun, to compare to the Chorus pedals inside the MS-Stomp pedal. I am not sure what pedal this is a copy of, and weather there is copy of the same pedal in the MS or not, but it will be interesting to pus a cheap $30 pedal up to something that is all but equivalent to a good chorus pedal such as the Corona Tri-Chorus, so I just got it for fun.

The Gokko Angel Chorus.
Hmm, maybe I only bought it cuz it is so pretty, hmm, maybe I will keep it on my pedal board just for looks alone, not even run power to it.

But this is all for fun.
I expect that I will like the TC E pedal for its versatility (TonePrint) and possibly for its ease of use with one control dial, but for that very reason, I am sure that I will return it, and end up with the any of the other 3 versions of Hall of Fame that are available. The Mini HOF2, or the standard HOF or HOF2

But before I decide on either one of those, I will put it against the Oceans 11 pedal, and I will want to run that next to the Joyo and or Valeton pedal too.

Lots of fun, thanks to Amazon free return policy.

Mac · July 29, 2020, 4:40am

I can see why the Gokko pedal would appeal to you

T_dub · July 29, 2020, 4:48am

Why, cuz it is a Chorus pedal?
Yeah, the Source Audio AfterShock is orange too, and it is one I would probably keep if I were to get it.
There are a couple for sale locally for $100. I don’t think I need more fuzz / OD, but if I decide I do, that is one I would want. Extremely versatile, and 100% customizable if you link you r cell phone to the pedal via the mini usb, you can configure it any way you want, and load all sorts of pedal models on it.
The day that I can’t get what I want out of my Plumes and Muff, I will look into the AfterShock, or the Orange Pedal, forget the name of it, but it is a sick sounding distortion pedal by the speaker mfg.

howard · July 29, 2020, 4:52am

The HOF is loved by a lot of people. For reverb you also should check out:

Boss RV-3/5/6 - great, cooler sounding combo delay/reverb pedals; iconic. I love mine.
EHX Oceans 11 (as you mentioned), lots of variety.
Any of the Strymon reverbs - these are considered top notch.

Generally I like digital reverbs and delays over analog. Personal preference.

For chorus, the Tri-Chorus sounded good to me but I’d also recommend:

EHX Bass Clone (or Clone Theory) - iconic chorus, very post-punk. The bass version has a cool inversion feature to prioritize the low end. One of my favorite pedals.
MXR Bass Chorus Deluxe - I haven’t used it but people seem to like it.

T_dub · July 29, 2020, 9:19am

I could not get into the delay pedal. It is probably my least favorite effect.
There is a Boss reverb pedal for $60 or $70 on offer up right now.
I can’t return the things on offer up is the thing.

I am not totally sold on that Corona Chorus thru the MS-60b for my final chorus choice. Side by side, it held up to the Corona, so its a decent chorus, just doesn’t mean it’s what I want in the end.

The Bass Clone intrigues me, that’s for sure, and at just under $100 it might be what I end up with, but I will run the Amazon Gamut and go thru a bunch of them before I decide.

If I were to make a prediction for the not so distant future of this pedal board, I would put money on me ending up with
EHX Bass Clone Chorus
&
EHX Oceans 11 Reverb

One version of the HOF mihjt edge out the Oceans 11 however. If it is anything like the SUB and UP, and captivates me, it may win out.

I start looking for pedals with lots of controls, to be sure to be able to dial everything in just right, but for some effects I find I am better off with less controls, and one or two dials.
This is the case with the EHX Bass Clone. For chorus, I am prob better off with simplicity, something tried and true, and just one dial to set the level.
For chorus, I will be better off, possibly with some others, the only one that I have found I want more control for sure is in compression pedals. I guess it’s cuz I more or less understand them, and get desired results with them. I don’t always get the controls on some pedals, and the more there are, the more bad results I can concoct.

Talking about the SubnUP. I have an octave already, but this pedal makes me want to try it. I may order it on the next round.

And buy the way, WTF is Rotary Speaker? I don’t get this pedal, what does it do? Does it go by other names too? Like a type of reverb or something?

Anyway, this looks fun. I am sure to try it out.
And I should be able to record by the time I do.