How do you guys deal with the big foot controller on the Roadster? Carry it separately and then place it near your pedal board? Have it mounted on a pedal board? I'm debating if I should take up the space on my pedal board or not. Anyone using something else to switch channels?
Roadster Foot Controller
- Thread starter francric
- Start date
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I have a Road King and use a Behringer FCB1010 MIDI control and a DIY MIDI switch to control the amp. This setup also controls my rack fx processor with just one button press. There are several off-the-shelf MIDI switching devices available: Axess Electronics CFX4, RJM Amp Gizmo and RG16, Voodoo Labs GCX, Rocktron Patchmate, and possibly some others. There are also quite a few other MIDI foot controllers to choose from. In my opinion this type of setup is much easier that having to press several buttons to get a different sound while you're playing. Quite a few of the MIDI switching devices also allow you to setup stomp boxes as seperate loops either in front of an or in it's FX loop. This gives you the flexibility and ease of MIDI control and allows you to use your favorite stomp boxes. There are a ton of options out there....
jared
Active member
I have it on the bottom of my Furman board. It does take up nearly the length of the board, with enough room for my wah on the end. If I play a gig where the stage space is limited, I bring just the footswitch separately.
TheBlackman
Well-known member
i have a 2-tier pedal board with 5 pedals on each level. I used to have 5 on the lower level and the roadster footswitch on the upper level but i've found that having it off to the side works better as I keep the main pedals i use on the lower level and the infrequently used one on top. i find the side placement better since i don't have to lift my foot as high to change channels or hit the solo button.....ok, that sounds kinda lazy lol!
Ah, I researched some of the devices you mentioned. So I need another device to switch the amp with...................the CFX4 seems to be the smallest and least expensive. All the others are rack mounted devices.
I keep mine out in front of my loaded Pedal Train PT-2. It stows nicely with the board in the PT-2 gig bag (with a digitech whammy in the front pocket ta boot!).
I could never really justify having the floor board mounted on my pedalboard. There are many situations where I just show up with my Roadster and pedalboard and jam on channel 2 the entire night (great cleans and blues tones with a couple of screamers and a blues driver). In fact, I'd have to say I play the amp without the foot controller connected about 90% of the time. There are given songs/settings that require a channel change, but I just reach around and flip the channel manually. For the most part, channel 1 is dedicated to a clean jazz tone (don't use anything but my Epiphone Dot for that channel), channel 2 is the do-all-with-pedals channel, channel 3 is vintage crunch and channel 4 is modern crunch. Typically I don't need to change channels mid-song, but if I'm jamming with a group and I don't know what to expect, the foot controller is a must.
I could never really justify having the floor board mounted on my pedalboard. There are many situations where I just show up with my Roadster and pedalboard and jam on channel 2 the entire night (great cleans and blues tones with a couple of screamers and a blues driver). In fact, I'd have to say I play the amp without the foot controller connected about 90% of the time. There are given songs/settings that require a channel change, but I just reach around and flip the channel manually. For the most part, channel 1 is dedicated to a clean jazz tone (don't use anything but my Epiphone Dot for that channel), channel 2 is the do-all-with-pedals channel, channel 3 is vintage crunch and channel 4 is modern crunch. Typically I don't need to change channels mid-song, but if I'm jamming with a group and I don't know what to expect, the foot controller is a must.
This is the full-tilt setup...
If there is a situation where I'm worried about the foot controller or cable getting kicked about, I just break out the duct tape and tape it to the floor. I've thought about adding some latches or velcro to the PT-2 and the foot controller to lock the two together, but I don't really feel that it is required.
The PT-2 gig bag has more than enough room. The Roadster foot controller and cable are placed in the Mesa bag to provide a little protection between the foot controller and the other pedals. My patch and power cables are just placed on top of the pedalboard in the bag.
The Whammy, power supply and extra cable fit in the front pocket.
If there is a situation where I'm worried about the foot controller or cable getting kicked about, I just break out the duct tape and tape it to the floor. I've thought about adding some latches or velcro to the PT-2 and the foot controller to lock the two together, but I don't really feel that it is required.
The PT-2 gig bag has more than enough room. The Roadster foot controller and cable are placed in the Mesa bag to provide a little protection between the foot controller and the other pedals. My patch and power cables are just placed on top of the pedalboard in the bag.
The Whammy, power supply and extra cable fit in the front pocket.
This is with a rectifier foot switch, I move one of the distortion pedals off the board to make room for the Roadster Footswitch.
Lately Ive gone back to using a Mesa Subway Rocket and leaving the big stuff at home. We have such a good pa that this weekend Im going to take a POD PRO and pedalboard straight into the pa.
Lately Ive gone back to using a Mesa Subway Rocket and leaving the big stuff at home. We have such a good pa that this weekend Im going to take a POD PRO and pedalboard straight into the pa.
While I like the theory behind the pedalpad board, I hate the result. With a board that size, you should be able to stuff a crap-ton of gear on it. Instead, you have to position pedals so the cable slots are available. Given a Pedal Train or flat board of the same size, you could stuff so much more into the same area, including the foot controller for the Roadster.
The pedal pad is huge, but I kinda like my effects spread out. I got a deal on the thing and all I have to do is throw it down open it plug in a couple of cables and Im good to go. I could stuff a lot more on the pad and it actually changes all the time. I like that I have space for whatever amp switch pedal I need in the box itself. I know during transportation it is safe. I play around 5 gigs a month. One of the great things I added was a 25 ft power cord, it allows me to get the power back to wherever my amp is plugged up without having to use an extra extension cord.
On the other hand this weekend Im taking my POD PRO with full floorboard out for a gig and I might start using this unit instead of my amps. We have a great pa and monitor system so I may start using it for my sound 100%. I see people on here with huge setups that just seem impractical as hell for a true working musician. The guys I know who play for a living have very economical streamlined units. The people that have these elaborate setups obviously dont play out much, cause its a ***** to move a lot of gear.
Good Luck whatever you do.
On the other hand this weekend Im taking my POD PRO with full floorboard out for a gig and I might start using this unit instead of my amps. We have a great pa and monitor system so I may start using it for my sound 100%. I see people on here with huge setups that just seem impractical as hell for a true working musician. The guys I know who play for a living have very economical streamlined units. The people that have these elaborate setups obviously dont play out much, cause its a ***** to move a lot of gear.
Good Luck whatever you do.
I understand ya...
I went from a twin reverb with a 30+ pedal board to a Boss GT-8 with a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, then to Roadster and now I'm back to an analog board (although with far fewer effects this go 'round). Even though I'm happy with my board, I re-arrange things and swap stuff all the time. Who knows what the board will look like a few weeks from now.
A side note...some of the best amp sounds I've ever heard came from a guy with a GT-8 through a pair of JBL ION speakers. MASSIVE tones out of that rig, and it was on equal grounds volume and coverage wise with a triple rec half stack and another Mark IV rig.
I went from a twin reverb with a 30+ pedal board to a Boss GT-8 with a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, then to Roadster and now I'm back to an analog board (although with far fewer effects this go 'round). Even though I'm happy with my board, I re-arrange things and swap stuff all the time. Who knows what the board will look like a few weeks from now.
A side note...some of the best amp sounds I've ever heard came from a guy with a GT-8 through a pair of JBL ION speakers. MASSIVE tones out of that rig, and it was on equal grounds volume and coverage wise with a triple rec half stack and another Mark IV rig.
