Switching Help

[dmt]

I need some help devising a switching system, preferably DIY on the cheap. Although I am not against buying one so long as it does what I need it to do.

I would like to be able to control the following:

Amps:
Mesa Quad Pre-Amp (Possibly a Studio Pre as well)(Channel Switching/Verb/Solo/EQ/Signal Routing)
Mesa Simul-Satellite (This will be the main amp) (Lead Boost/EQ Switching/Signal Routing)
Ampeg b-2 (Signal Routing)

Effects:
Various Analog Pedals (On/Off/Order/Blend)
Ibanez Analog Delay ad202 (On/Off)
Digitech Whammy (Midi)

Basically I want to be able to have immediate control over the signal routing and which effects are on. I want to be able to send the signal from the Quad to either amp. So if I have Channel 1 of the Quad go to the Boogie, and Channel 3 go to the Ampeg. Additionally, I want to be able to Switch the EQ on/off and route from the Quad to the amp if nessisary. I beleive the Simul-Satellite could do that with the Mark IV.

I also would like to switch analog effects on/off and blend them into the signal as well as change the order. Basically have them always on and on a true bypass circuit, and when I need them on have that patch be activated. This would be good for making presets without tap dancing. This way I could clear out my pedal board and just mount them on a drawer in the rack.

Oh yeah, presets. Got to be able to make presets with some display system.

I just have no clue what commercial products are out there and what they would cost. I just dont want to lug around a giant rack and a pedal board for the amp, preamp, delay, and pedals. Suggestions?

 

[Gregwor]

Look into some products made by Sound Sculpture. I know it's expensive stuff but they are one of the only routers that allow you to rearrange the order of things (like you want to do with your analog pedals)

www.soundsculpture.com

 

[dmt]

What is your opinion of the Voodoo Labs GCX Audio Switcher and Ground Control? The seems like a lower cost option. I'm just not sure if it has as many options and or inputs. I know it doesn't do signal routing, so I can't rearrange the order of effects, but that may be unnecessary. I think that the only crucial routing would be to which amp does the Quad preamp channels go as well as distortion if nessisary.

Hmm...

 

[Gregwor]

I personally own the Ground Control Pro and GCX. They are built well and work fantastic for what I need. I don't need to blend anything or rearrange things though. I only use a GMajor for my effects and I don't use any pedals. It does allow for A-B switching and Tip/Sleeve momentary/latching switching. Hopefully these units could fit your needs.

 

[dmt]

It probably could, however I think if I need to use pedals as well as the switching for the Quad then I would need an extra Switch. That takes the rpice upt to like 700$ or so. If I could find a Midi controled Quad then I wouldnt have any problem wiht just one unit and I'd juts have to make do without the routing/blending until later. Just having presets and being ablle to activate multiple effects would be nice.

 

[dmt]

Does the Voodoo Lab GCX allow you to turn on lets say one pedal if its in the loop? So if I had 6 or 7 pedals I could choose which ones were on individually? I assume that all of that is done via midi. So if i had a preset that turned on the whammy and a distortion I could do that?

 

[Gregwor]

You can put any combination of audio products (pedals, rack pieces, etc) in any loop of the GCX, then using the ground control pro, you can create presets that could consist of any loop being on. So, you could have loop 3, 4 and 7 on when you click that preset. Unfortunately though, each "loop" can only be an audio loop OR a switch.

Check out this RJM switcher/looper:

http://www.rjmmusic.com/rg16.php

It might accomodate enough loops and switches to do what you need.

 

[dmt]

are any of these pc programmable? that would be really nice.

 

[dmt]

Wow. Expensive. I mean really. There is basically nothing cheaper than 800$ and that is the Voodoo Lab. Thats really crazy. The Switchblade GL and Headtrip look to be the right combination with a good floor board, but thats like3 grand. The voodoo lab looks like it ocld do the trick on the cheap, if 800$ is considered cheap. I like the Rocktron All Access LTD, but thats 900$ right there. The RG16 looks really good too, it can probably do what I need it to as well, but it still needs a foot pedal.

Well, looks like I need to worry about getting the Quad first and ensuring that it has MIDI. Can MIDI be retrofitted into a Quad that is missing it? Whats the cost on that?