Dedicated FX loops for each Mark III channels

[guitarsawicki]

I have always wanted dedicated loops for each channels. I just found out that there are 4pdt footswitches:

http://banzaieffects.com/Japan-4PDT-Switch-pr-16235.html

With this footswitch you can not only have a dedicated FX loop for each channel but you can also switch a compressor (for clean) and an over drive (for R2) on and off simultaneously.

My set up would be:

Clean:
From Guitar output: MXR Dyna Comp
Loop: Boss CE-2 Chorus, Boss DM-2 Delay

R2:
From Guitar output: Boss OD-2 Over Drive
Loop: MXR Phase 90

Lead:
From Guitar output: Jim Dunlop Crybaby 535Q
Loop: Boss DD-5 Digital Delay, Boss DC-3 Digital Dimension, Boss HF-2 Hi-band flanger, Boss HR-2 Harmonist

So if I have this kind of song:
Clean channel for verse (with compressor and short Analog Delay)
R2 channel for chorus (with over drive)
Lead channel for solo (with long Digital Delay)

I can switch all the effects with just one click of a Mark III Channel Footswitch. 8)

First I must find out what kind of company is that banzai thing :wink:


Cheers David Sawicki

 

[phyrexia]

Sorry, long day at work. How are you planning on making this work? Are you going to route the loop through the switch, or what?

 

[guitarsawicki]

I will route FX loop throgh two switches. R1/R2 Switch and Rhythm/Lead Switch in series. Also I will route guitar cable through both switches in series. But maybe I was wrong when I thought that 4PDT switch is needed. Probably 3PDT switch will do:

http://www.banzaieffects.com/Fulltone-3PDT-footswitch-pr-16223.html

I didn't know that there are 3PDT footswitches. I really tried to find them!


David S

 

[guitarsawicki]

Footswitches arrived. Banzaieffects rules!

 

[jvk]

Hi David,

I'm trying to get my head round this, but unfortunately I don't see how it can work in the way you'd like it too.

A 4PDT has 4 poles - that's 4 pairs of pins that can switch 4 separate circuits, but these poles are either turned on or off, all together at once. Unless there's something I've missed, uou can't perform what you want to do with this switch alone. Another thing is, bringing the loop out of the amp with cables can introduce alot of noise into the audio signal path.

The best way to do this, short of buying a pedal switcher or fx processor and controlling them with MIDI, is to devise a newer improved FX loop, with 3 ins and 3 outs, which is a bit complex. You'd need to design a clever switching system based around 6 LDRs!!

All the best,

/jvk

 

[Restless Rocks]

And probably get some loud popping noises each time you switched.

 

[guitarsawicki]

Footswitches that I bought are 4xA/B Switches.

I don't worry about the hum and pop noises. There should be some method how to handle them. I will give you the instructions when I have it working.

I leave FX loop as it has always been. I connect the FX send to my Footswitch box. In the Footswich box there will be three loops and normal FX Ret cable.

 

[AR]

Footswitches that I bought are 4xA/B Switches.

I don't worry about the hum and pop noises. There should be some method how to handle them. I will give you the instructions when I have it working.

I leave FX loop as it has always been. I connect the FX send to my Footswitch box. In the Footswich box there will be three loops and normal FX Ret cable.

4 A/B stompboxes, or 4 pots/switches?

You could always just buy a looper w/ 3 ins/outs and either wire in the amp switches.

 

[guitarsawicki]

My Footswitch handles my "add treble and volume1 pot for the clean channel" modification. Loopers cannot be used there or at least I don't how. I just tested it and there's no hum or pop noises when I switched from Rhythm to Lead.

 

[jvk]

That could work. Good luck mate.

 

[phyrexia]

Oh I think I get it now.

Is english your first language?

 

[guitarsawicki]

Finnish is my first language

 

[Dutchman]

I do all of my effects and channel switching with a Rocktron Midimate, this controls the channel switching on 2 amps via a Rockman Midi Octopus. The Midi Octopus also controls the on/off of onboard effects on the amps.
My Boogie has an Intellifex on the effects loop, and the other amp has a Xpression in the effects loop. They both are controlled at the same time by the Midimate.

Pretty simple to use and set up. Everything is done with the touch of one button.

Simplicity......Not to mention the unreal tones and sounds I can have programmed.

The Midi Octopus would work for you also, and it's a one button operation with a Midimate. Up to 100 channels to program.

http://grailtone.com/images/rockman/rockman-midi-octopus.jpg

 

[guitarsawicki]

I changed my plan. I didn't like compressor pedal with clean channel. My original plan was to use Boss SD1 Super Over Drive pedal with R2 Channel but I made just one more modification: The EQ Footswitch is now switching EQ Auto/EQ Off. It means that EQ can not be used with R1 and R2 (I dont want to!).

Lead channel:

I play Solos with no EQ (Digital Delay, Harmonist and Cry Baby are available). I use Boss Super Over Drive with EQ (riffs and power chords), and when Super Over Drive and EQ are on, Digital Dimension and Hi-band Flanger are available.


R2 channel:

MXR Phase 90 is available


Clean Channel:

Analog Delay and Chorus are available.

 

[guitarsawicki]

I thought I can connect every channel's effects loops in parallel. And just switch to the input of one particular effect. Effects leaked to every channels so I had to add relays. The return of the loops must also be disconnected, not just the sends. The red channel leds of my footswitch are now brighter, because the footswitch needs the same power as my effects. The relays inside the footswitch chassis are 6 Volt but need 7.5 Volt! I also added green led for EQ. I will put the pictures somewhere.

IT WORKS PERFECT NOW

And here's some really good news: I managed to simplify my "Add volume and treble knobs for clean channel" method.

 

[dcgdc5]

Hi all
A much simpler method and probably cheaper once you get into all the cables and mods is to buy an effect switcher. The Ground Control GCX is the industry standard runs around $300-$400. It has 8 effect loops and eight on/off latch type switches for channel switching or amp routing all contolled via midi.
I came across a Rolls EFX switcher which works like the GC GCX but only has 4 effect loops and 4 switches. This unit sells for only about $150 and works great!
With my old Boogie DC5 I ran my Rocktron Xpression through one loop and my old Yamaha SPX90 through another loop and channel switched with one of the latch on/off switches. All were accessible in any combination with one press of footswitch (midi controller-Rocktron Midimate-$175)

With my new Fuchs rig I run my 4 pedals which are rack mounted, into an effect loop of their own. My Rocktron Xpression goes into the amps affect loop while the pedals run to the front end (via the switcher/loops)of the amp...where they sound better anyway. I can have any combination of effect and/or pedals with one touch. Awesomely easy and convienient and no tap dancing on stage.

 

[guitarsawicki]

All these equipment are more expensive in Finland. I have spent about 130 US Dollars to make my modifications. It's not difficult to do and I am making instructions. My Footswitch needs some multicore cable and a big hole must to be drilled. Mark III chassis is like a tank and expensive tools were needed (I borrowed them). And it's got four channels now!

I have 9 effects pedal + Noise Gate. Noise Gate is shared by all channels. The MIDI A/B Switch could also handle clean channel's own Treble and Volume knobs. Midimate, Four A/B MIDI Switches and GC GCX is about 1500 US Dollars in Finland. That's too much!

 

[dcgdc5]

Too bad you can't buy the stuff here and ship it. It's probably cheaper. Plus, I hate seeing you hack up your nice old Boogie MK III by drilling holes in the chasis. But, if it's working for you, rock on!

 

[guitarsawicki]

See diagrams here:

Footswitch:

http://www.polonium.fi/file.php/1/Footswitch.pdf


Changes in the Boogie chassis:

http://www.polonium.fi/file.php/1/Boogie_chassis.pdf

You can see that there is no R1/R2 led. It won't work and my footswicth needs power from effects power supply so I had the R1/R2 led working that way.

 

[guitarsawicki]

Do you want compressor for clean channel, over drive pedal for R2 and Wah for Lead channel?

You need two 3PDT footswitches and no power to your footswitch chassis.

Here is the footswitch diagram:

http://www.polonium.fi/file.php/1/Guitar_to_amp.pdf

Mark III channel switch has only two pins but you just connect the same wires to 3PDT switch. Diagram doesn't have Channel switching wires.

This works also for effects loops of course. If you want both, you need relays and power to your footswitch. Connections with a relay are just like with 3PDT footswitch.