Alembic Guitars Club

Connecting => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: jalevinemd on May 07, 2008, 06:08:50 PM

Title: Pedal-Racks true bypass strips
Post by: jalevinemd on May 07, 2008, 06:08:50 PM

Anyone have any experience with these?

Title: Pedal-Racks true bypass strips
Post by: elwoodblue on May 08, 2008, 02:26:19 AM

sounds like a good idea...what are they?

Title: Pedal-Racks true bypass strips
Post by: lbpesq on May 08, 2008, 07:12:24 AM

I have no knowledge about this particular company, but I've used a similar product by Keeley.  It's a bypass, no big deal.  It offers true bypass plus the convenience of putting all your pedal switches right up front on the pedal board rather than toe tapping around. The whole idea of true bypass is a little controversial.  Pete Cornish, the guru of $10,000 pedal boards is very dismissive of true bypass.  
 
Bill, tgo

Title: Pedal-Racks true bypass strips
Post by: jalevinemd on May 08, 2008, 08:47:06 AM

Here's the link:  True Bypass Strips (http://www.pedalboards.com/true%20bypass.htm)
 
Basically, I've not been able to find a 2 channel OD/distortion pedal that I like for Alembics and non-Alembics or that has two channels that I love. And I've tried a bunch. So I have 2 pedals for my Alembics (1 for crunch/1 for lead) and 2 for my non-Alembics. I'm toe tapping all over. I want to be able to engage the lead pedal and disengage the rhythm pedal with one step instead of 2. In effect, I want the convenience of 2 dual channel pedals, despite using 4 separate pedals.

Title: Pedal-Racks true bypass strips
Post by: gtrguy on May 08, 2008, 08:55:33 AM

I like the Duncan Twin Tube pedal!
 
Dave

Title: Pedal-Racks true bypass strips
Post by: jalevinemd on May 08, 2008, 12:26:47 PM

I've got the Duncan Twin Tube. Bill really likes it was well. I like the first channel for rhythm, but the second channel just doesn't do it for me when it comes to leads. I can't get enough treble bite without readjusting my amp settings.

Title: Pedal-Racks true bypass strips
Post by: David Houck on May 08, 2008, 07:02:25 PM

Have you looked at the Voodoo Lab (http://www.voodoolab.com/index.htm) stuff?  If not, check out the Pedal Switcher, Commander, GCX Audio Switcher, and Ground Control Pro.  Maybe one of those will do what you want.

Title: Pedal-Racks true bypass strips
Post by: jalevinemd on May 08, 2008, 07:25:39 PM

Thanks, I looked into those Dave. Especially with the Ground COntrol, they're a bit larger than I'm looking for and have more features than I really need. I also looked into the Carl Martin Octaswitch which is actually a pretty cool little device as well.

Title: Pedal-Racks true bypass strips
Post by: adriaan on May 09, 2008, 03:28:28 AM

Hm - you hook up the Alembic to one set of pedals, and you hook up the other guitar to another set of pedals. You put an A/B switch after the sets of pedals to go into the rest of the rig. What's so difficult?

Title: Pedal-Racks true bypass strips
Post by: terryc on May 09, 2008, 06:37:33 AM

Does this apply to active basses/guitar such as our Alembics?? I know passive instruments will suffer because of the high impedance and the amount of wire,circuit board, sockets and components that the electrical signal has to pass but active gear has more 'push' so to speak.

Title: Pedal-Racks true bypass strips
Post by: jalevinemd on May 09, 2008, 08:00:48 AM

Adriaan,
 
It's not so simple. The Alembics and non-Alembics share 9 other pedals which come both before and after the OD/Distortion pedals in the signal chain. Plus, I don't want separate inputs for Alembics and non-Alembics because the non's also sound good with the Alembic pedals (though the coverse is not true). I'm trying to avoid wiring the entire board into something like the VooDoo Lab Ground Control, though it seems like things are headed in that direction. I sent Tom from Pedal-Racks a schematic and ultimate goal. He's going to see if he can find a simple switching solution.

Title: Pedal-Racks true bypass strips
Post by: adriaan on May 09, 2008, 08:30:45 AM

Jonathan,
 
I'm a plug-it-straight-into-the-combo kind of bass player. Preferably a very nice combo, but still.

Title: Pedal-Racks true bypass strips
Post by: jalevinemd on May 09, 2008, 09:16:45 AM

Adriaan,
 
I'm a total stomp box whore!

Title: Pedal-Racks true bypass strips
Post by: adriaan on May 09, 2008, 09:34:56 AM

What is worse is that every new stomp box you buy (as you know you will) is going to add to your problems. You need a midi-based router or something similar - in any case programmable.
 
Try to reduce the number of stomp boxes to the point where you have all the crucial sounds you need for the stuff you play. You don't have all stomp boxes engaged all the time, do you?

Title: Pedal-Racks true bypass strips
Post by: jalevinemd on May 10, 2008, 06:00:05 PM

I wound up buying the Carl Martin Octaswitch. What an amazing device! Completely analog and intuitive. It solved my problem entirely. I'll try to post some pics later tonight.

Title: Pedal-Racks true bypass strips
Post by: jalevinemd on May 10, 2008, 11:07:19 PM

Here it is:  
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/51749.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/51750.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/51751.jpg)

Title: Pedal-Racks true bypass strips
Post by: gtrguy on May 12, 2008, 09:39:08 AM

Hey Jonathan, are you interested in selling your Duncan twin tube? I have been looking for one.
 
Bye,
Dave

Title: Pedal-Racks true bypass strips
Post by: jalevinemd on May 12, 2008, 11:18:35 AM

Dave,
 
Check your e-mail.

Title: Pedal-Racks true bypass strips
Post by: jalevinemd on May 12, 2008, 05:24:43 PM

Dave,
 
Your e-mail was returned to me. Send me a message at jalevinemd@comcast.net (mailto:jalevinemd@comcast.net)
 
Regards,
 
Jonathan

Title: Pedal-Racks true bypass strips
Post by: 2400wattman on May 12, 2008, 05:38:48 PM

my guitarist had an earlier version of this and complained of drop outs when switching (programs). have you encountered that at all?

Title: Pedal-Racks true bypass strips
Post by: jalevinemd on May 12, 2008, 09:13:45 PM

No signal loss at all.