Musician Gear & Tech Discussion

So you just kick the BB preamp on for leads, then switch it off when going back to rhythm, almost like a volume boost?

Sort of. It's not so much of a volume boost as it is a tone boost. I mean, watch the Timmons video on YouTube. Because that's a really accurate representation of what it does to your sound.

I wanted something that added sustain, gain, and tone without changing the way my Mesa sounded, because I love the base Mesa tone. And the BB Preamp does it.

As for the configuration: With the Rocktron PatchMate, my BB Preamp is always "on". It's a red foot pedal, but I house it in my rack unit. It's never on the floor. It's patched in through a Rocktron PatchMate.

So, with the PatchMate, sometimes the BB Preamp is active in my signal chain and sometimes it's not. Depends on which midi channels I have programmed it to be "in the loop".

So, I may have midi channel 9 setup as a "Lead" channel, and on that channel I want the BB Preamp to be in my signal chain. I press a button on the PatchMate which makes that particular patch "active" on that midi channel. Then I save it. So now, every time I change over to midi channel 9, the BB Preamp gets brought into my signal path.

This way, I never have to stomp on boxes. They're all housed in my rack and preprogrammed to be on/off for a given midi channel. So with one press of my Rocktron MidiMate (foot controller) I can switch to channel 9, and I may have several stomp boxes plugged into the PatchMate, and all of them can be brought in or out of the loop depending on if I've configured them to be in or out for that midi channel.

I really do need to make a YouTube video on this sometime

What I'm getting so far is that with my rack unit I should obviously keep the power conditioner, ditch the EQ, keep the BBE?, and ditch the compressor with the gate. Then get the G-major rack unit and the BB Preamp pedal.

Yeah, because the G-Major comes with a compressor and a gate (I use the compressor, I do not use the gate, obviously). The Decimator then getes you noise suppression. The BB Preamp - that's a personal choice. If you like it, I'd get it. I love mine.

I know the feeling Colors. I do the dance all night long. I have all pedals on the floor. A freind has that TC Electronics G System that thing its self is $1500.00 and the patchmate system is what another $800.00 throw in a few pedals and you could have 3 Grand tied up in effects. But that is one hell of a sound top of the line stuff man. Hell Neal Shcon uses the G System SWEET!
Hell play a PRS Guitar thru a Mesa Tripple Rec and you could tie up 10 Grand in guitar gear.

I tried to figure out what I'd spent over the years on my gear for insurance purposes. I figured I had at least $20K into it.

But I absolutely love my tone. It's thrilling to plug in and play when you have exactly the sound you want.

I so need to put some audio up tonight. And a YouTube video of my rack and how it works... Because that would be really cool.

I did watch that Andy Timmons video! Man what tone OMG! Which Mesa are you using Colors?

I did watch that Andy Timmons video! Man what tone OMG! Which Mesa are you using Colors?

I currently use a Triaxis in tandem with a 2:90 power amp. The 2:90 was designed to work specifically with the Triaxis due to it's Deep, Modern and Half voicings. I played a Triaxis on a 20/20 power amp once and it wasn't the same. The 2:90 is definitely an integral part, as far as I'm concerned.


I'll try and post some audio tonight. I really want you guys to hear this so you get an idea of what I'm talking about.

A freind has the Triaxis and he runs it into a Bogner and it sounds okay but I felt like he has spent a lot of money and the tone should be better IMO! I would never tell him that though as it would probably hurt his feelings and he is a good freind!

Please post something I bet you have an awesome sound!

hopefully you will find some of this useful!

And this is the reason that I asked the question here, rather than read the reviews at other websites. Everything that you mentioned looks good...and expensive, but it's cool. All the reviews bashed all 3 pedals for not being metal at all, but I use a very clean sound (most people can't hardly play on my rig/guitar because of this) anyway.

It seems that the "orange squeezer" (which is now Analogman Compressor) has a lot in common with the Ibanez tube screamer (the re-issue). As long as I can use the Deucetone Rat on the lead channel...that will work too, although I don't need anymore gain since I only use half of what the amp offers.

Not sure yet if I want to get into delay, chorus, ect. I used that on the Crate head for the clean channel only because the clean was horrible without it. This tube head is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better.

Thanks again Mike!!! Rock on brother!!!

just thought I should add... I'm no rack hater... I have a rack setup in addition to my pedal setup... plenty of great rack gear out there. both setups have advantages and drawbacks...
for instance, my rack preamp and fx unit can instantly be reset to the exact settings I used on a song when I open that song on my pc.
pedals have to be 'approximated'.

but on the pedal side... there is just no rack equivalent of an analogue delay. (except of course a rack based analogue delay!)

I don't play metal anymore... so my taste in amps is a bit different... it gets no better than a bassman or a deluxe reverb for me... but neither of these amps will do metal.

afa org sqz = tube screamer - not at all. one is a compressor one is a distortion/overdrive. if you listen to youtube demos you can see there is quite a dif ability for both.

srv used a ts808 in front of a bassman and if you want 'that sound' it's tuff to get without that gear.

the tubescreamer was marketed as a replacement for tubes but that IMO was a mistake. many of the greats have used them as tube amp enhancers to great end (scott henderseon!)

I have a tubescreamer in my pedal board. I ussually use a Triple Rectifier or a Roadster, same circuit, Ive found with my tube screamer it does a much better job to spike up a clean channel or slightly distorted channel. When I kick it in on a distorted channel it tends to make my sound too mushy.

Im not sure which generation my TS is. Ive had the thing since the mid 80s. I havent had it modded in any way.

To me in Fender amps, I used to use a Concert with this pedal, it seemed like it added another gain stage that worked really well for solos, or those heavy lower string one note lines.

Well I've been researching stuff after all of the amazing information that you guys have, and this is what I came up with so far. First, this is a pic of the rig that I used to use in Crowfeather and the 2 guitars I used with it (the ESP/LTD is now gone, but the Friedman Ibanez still remains, although I'm going to sell it as well).






So...I'm leaving the power conditioner first in the rack, pitching the EQ and the compressor (places 2 and 4 respectively), and leaving the BBE. Then I looked at the TC Electronics G Major rack unit and a Rolls MP128 Midi controller pedal to control it and an ISP Tech Decimater Pro Rack G.

It seems that this set-up would be similar to what Colors was talking about and I'd still have the ability to have pedals like he does, but control them through the midi control board. This way the only things that would be on the floor would be the midi control board and the 3 button control pedal from the amp itself.

If I'm not getting any of this right, then please don't hesitate to say..."hey dumbass, that's not right dude!" LOL!

Anyway, this is the gear that the rack and stuff would be used with (even though I never sold the Crate rig because it's a good rig, but can't touch the Peavey).

I have a tubescreamer in my pedal board. I ussually use a Triple Rectifier or a Roadster, same circuit, Ive found with my tube screamer it does a much better job to spike up a clean channel or slightly distorted channel. When I kick it in on a distorted channel it tends to make my sound too mushy.

Im not sure which generation my TS is. Ive had the thing since the mid 80s. I havent had it modded in any way.

To me in Fender amps, I used to use a Concert with this pedal, it seemed like it added another gain stage that worked really well for solos, or those heavy lower string one note lines.

good ear jw... I don't think the tubescreamer was really designed to go into an already high gain pre. Even tossing it into a mid gain setting is not ideal.
the place were it really excels is if you are going for a low gain sound that for the most part -is based on power tube saturation...
if you play metal or even hard rock it is not the thing to have.

if you are into the blues or fusion many consider it to be the holy grail.

dEcho, I don't think you could really go wrong with a g major... they are def one of the best digital processors money can buy.

The only drawback I see to midi control of analogue pedals is that, assuming you went true bypass in the first place, you are sidestepping that functionality, and the number of them you will be able to ultimately run in series without tone loss implications will likely be limited to a 'few'.

for the average user this will likely never pose a problem... but when you have, oh, I dunno, say some 45 pedals on your board......... that loss starts to add up!

You guys have gone so far over my head I'm sitting in the shade.

Wish I had seen t his earlier, wasn't lookiong over here much.

I use a couple of things, depending on what I want. Most common is a Marshall Bluesbreaker Overdrive. Like JW, I usually only use it with a clean amp, or the Super Reverb cranked to 10, it gets muddy through an already distorted amp. With the super on 10 it absolutely SCREAMS...also brings out a lot of overtones and harmonics.

Also I sometimes use an Ibanez SD 9 Sonic Distortion pedal, for when I want ZZ Top style distortion. (TV Dinners, My Head's in Mississippi, that type sound) Same as the Marshall pedal, it just screams no matter whether it's a clean amp or wide open, but again never through a distortion channel, that gets really muddy. When it wants to feedback it's almost out of control, but usually it gives me no trouble.

Lately it's been acting up, so I stumbled on a newer pedal, and of course can't even think of the name of it right now, but I like the Ibanez much better...Maybe there's a reason I can't think of what pedal it is...but it actually does a nice job, I just haven't had it long so it's hard to remember what the thing is.

Also have a Boss distortion pedal, the old orange one, does a decent job but can't even stay in the room with the Ibanez. Had a ProCo Rat a while back, good pedal, but too much treble for me and no tone control. If it had had a tone knob I'd probably still be using it.

Bottom line, if I ever find another SD 9 I'll grab it, I've never played a pedal I liked better. If I can ever get this one working right again I'll be a happy camper, but it's intermittent...almost impossible to troubleshoot...plug in one day and it works great, then suddenly one day it will get no clean at all, totally dead, no sound, but turn it on and distortion works great. Turn it back off and no signal at all. Then a few days later it will work perfect again...I've sprayed it with contact cleaner a dozen times...

If you can find one, try it out. Good luck though, they're not common these days, I've had mine 25 years.

Some thoughts...

For solos, the number one thing to me has become pickups - I'm a strat player, I like some gain, but I want loads of character & definition. So SD Antiquities (Tx hots) and the stock pups in my G&L really bring it. Lots of sort of oddball harmonic content that I find really gorgeous, even with some grit dialed in. And I don't do "bluesy" stuff, kind of aggressive radiohead-ish things, sometimes kind of spacey/Jeff Beckish stuff.

My primo effects were all purchased in the early 80's - MIJ Boss Comp & Chorus, and two Roland SDE rack delays. They're huge, but nothing touches 'em.

For recording - I'll often use the boss comp. I'll use delay & verb in the headphones, don't like to record it. Just so many more options when mixing, stereo effects, etc. Recording with reverb & delay makes editing a massive PITA. I have some gorgeous retro delay plugins that are amazing.

The best solo tones I get recording? Play LOUD - loud enough that the guitar is "reacting" to the sound coming back at it. More sustain with less effects or boost. And use less distortion than you think you need. Lately I've been using a ribbon mic up close to the speaker, and a 57 a few inches back. Ribbon gets the "thump".

Live - comp for solos, sometimes a Tim Jeurnig "gristle" pedal which is sweet. Lately I patched an old ART rack reverb into my loop, which is really sounding stellar. And of course the Roland delays. Delays and verb in the loop, after the amp's pre section is usually a must. My chain is Vol. pedal>harmonizer>comp>chorus>distortion... then amp, (loop to a DDL and a digital reverb), and EVM12Ls - which just bitch-slap ya. I don't like speaker breakup sounds, 12Ls can take peaks of like 300w.

I find the big fight for solo tones (not for you metal guys maybe) is having enough gain to make the guitar really come alive and boost harmonic content, yet still clear enough for plenty of character to come through. Compression's your friend there.

For leads I like to use an analog delay with some slow modulating chorus or flange. Sometimes analog delay and a univibe. If I'm just doing wah, it will be wah w/volume boost. I always have a compressor running in my rhythm sound.

Looking into effects again. Had some difficulty with my BOSS delay pedal while in studio this weekend. Was making my whole volume fluctuate ?? May have been a power source issue, don't know. Nor did I have time to figure it out so I just unplugged it.

So which effects do you prefer to bring your solo work to life ??
Favorite brands ??

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Which pro guitarists really get your mojo going? What are they using? That is always a good place to start. Once you can reproduce their signature tone and effects then you can create some of your own. Great guitar tones don't have to cost a lot of money. I believe most great guitar tone comes from the fingers rather than the gear.

My current faves: Brian Setzer, Larry Carlton, David Gilmour, Brad Paisley, The Edge.