Need Help

[AxeManBrill]

This is a duplicate post from the Rack pages. I know, I'm sorry, I just want to make sure I can get the most people read this and get some responces!

Hey guys,

I'm new to this forum and could use some help. For years I have been playing Road Kings, with outboard stomp-box effects and love it! But...I'm getting pretty tired of all that extra setup for my effects, footswitch, loops, cables, power.....all that extra crap I need to set up every night. For quite some time I have been looking at doing something to consolidate/cleanup my rig, and doing some rack stuff. I have had in mind a Triaxis/2:90 combo...but unsure what to do for effects and switching. I recently ordered (haven't gotten it yet), a TC Electronic G-System so I have some effects, with option for my stomp box effects, a foot controller, and something that can do channel switching all in one. The more I look up the G-System and setups the more anxious I get to actually get and play with the unit.

But now I'm having problems with amps. Do I keep my Road King head (series 1), buy an RJM Music Amp Gizmo to do MIDI channel switching, throw the G-System in a rack with my wireless and some other stuff, and still have to run cables back and forth between my "amp" and my effects, input, output, loops, channel switching so forth? Or do I bite the bullet and buy a Triaxis/2:90 (probably going to have to find something used $$$), have everything already mounted and connected into a rack, and just simply plug in the G-System foot controller, my guitar input, and speaker cab cable? I definatley like the "clean" setup of the Triaxis option, but is the money worth it?

From everything I find the Triaxis/2:90 and the Road King are both excellent amps. I can't go "wrong" either way. I have 2 Road Kings (head, 2x12 combo), but no where around me to check out a Triaxis/2:90. Maybe you guys with some real world experience can help shed some light on the subject.

As far as styles of music that I play; I'm in a cover band and do a wide variety of things: modern country, a few old country tunes, lot of 80's/90's pop stuff, some modern rock, classic rock, even some hip-hoppish stuff.

Thanks in advance!

-Jordan

 

[Elpelotero]

Why not try the G system with your current road kings, and see how it goes. The TC should be able to clean up some of the pedals you have going on.

 

[AxeManBrill]

Why not try the G system with your current road kings, and see how it goes. The TC should be able to clean up some of the pedals you have going on.

Yes, I can do that, and have considered it. Just between the cost of the RJM Amp Gizmo, plus the custom cable, and then I still have all sorts of cables to hook up back and forth every time I play, I'm wondering if that is really the way to go, or just spend the money and get the Triaxis setup and it's all out of the way? I guess another way of what I'm trying to say is, if I'm going to *spend* more money, I'd rather spend it once in the right direction, vs spend money now, not be happy, and spend more again later.

 

[Elpelotero]

In that case, the vibe I'm picking up is telling me that you really want to rack everything up, and just need a push over the edge to make it happen.



*PUSH*

 

[AxeManBrill]

That's part of it. I would like to rack everything up so it's nice and neat, easy setup, easy tear down. But also not sure about spending all that money on more Mesa equipment. I don't have anywhere to hear or play with the Triaxis/2:90 combo, so I really don't even know how they really "sound". I heard another band recently where the guy was playing with that rig, sounded good, but I really didn't get to REALLY *hear* it. Those Road Kings were a pretty sought after amp for quite a while too, so I'd hate to just shove it in a corner now too. I really don't know what I want, or how I want to do things yet. So I'm looking for advise from some other guys - hopefully ones that have more experience with situations like this and these products.

 

[Third Age Amps]

For ease of gigging, go with the rack. You'll spend time on the front end setting it up but it will be worth it. I would also check out the Ground Control switching devices. MIDI plus relays for pedals/effects and very quick switching.

I tried a TC a while back and the switching had a bit of a delay to it.

The triaxis is simply a high-gain preamp with a TON of switching capabilities so you can pretty much get any tone you want. I know it's expensive, but ALWAYS have some kind of back up. Even if it's just a small combo, at least you won't have to cancel a show or borrow something last minute.

 

[pokerrules47]

I recently went through this with my Roadster. I chose to go with the MIDI switching of my amp head route for a couple of reasons.

1) I can go with just the amp if I want to.
2) Using Midi switching with my TC and Amp turned my rig into the best "modelling" system in the world
3) I like the recto sound and the triaxis / 2:90 isn't quite the same
4) The rack I would have had to build would not be easily handled by 1 person. It would always take 2 people to get to/from shows

 

[domct203]

If you really love your RK, why not just rack that?

Here is my Roadster Rig:

Super fast setup, power cable, speaker cable, MIDI cable. Done.

I tried a Triaxis rig,

Great rig, but definitely not even close to the tone or vibe of the Roadster.

Dom