Archive for January, 2010

Pedalboard Project

January 31, 2010 by john 1 Comment »

About a month ago I rebuilt my guitar pedalboard and have been making some adjustments to the setup since that time. It’s been performing beautifully and I’m happy with the results. This effort included the following ingredients:

  • VoodooLabs Pedal Power 2 : For powering any 9V or 18V pedal, this is the way to go. It has multiple outputs that are isolated and regulated. Smooth, quiet, clean power for those stompboxes.
  • Power Strip : As noted below, there are a few items on the board that require AC. I decided to mount a filtered powerstrip underneath the board to accommodate their power supplies.
  • George L cable and right-angle connectors : These are reputed to be the finest cables in the world. They’re the best I’ve ever used.
  • PedalTrain PT Pro : one of the best setups for pedalboards. They come in several sizes and can be ordered with a soft carrying bag or flight case. I opted for the large board with the flight case. They thoughtfully include brackets for mounting the PedalPower 2 under the board.
  • Input Select switch : this is a simple circuit of my own design. It’s described in another post here on my site.
  • Line6 POD XT Pro : I’ve had this unit for some time and it sounds great. My only gripes with this pedal are (1) it could be smaller (the need for the biggest PedalTrain unit was based on the size of this device) and (2) it has a wall-wart power supply, which is ridiculous in something designed for touring. I wrapped up the power supply and routed the wire to the power strip on the left side of the board.
  • Keeley-modified Crybaby wah : technically this wah pedal has undergone the “Mello” wah modification. I sent my Crybaby pedal to Robert Keeley last November and had him perform the “full meal deal” of mods. It has 2 inductors with a small switch to select one or both, true bypass switching, a three-way switch to select the bass profile, a knob on the side to adjust midrange / volume, and of course, the signature blue LED to indicate when the wah is active.
  • Keeley compressor : Robert Keeley makes the finest compressor pedal I’ve ever used. This was a simple choice. I wanted a nice smooth compressor to punch in when needed. After testing several options, I selected the Keeley.  
  • Way Huge Pork Loin : This pedal is a great “soft clip injector” that provides smooth overdrive at the front of the signal chain. The Line6 POD XT provides many models of amps and distortion / OD pedals, but this is something special for that magic grit at the front of the chain. It also is great for punching up solos in big rock songs.
  • Peterson Strobo-Stomp 2 tuner  : There probably isn’t a better tuner out there. It’s slightly larger than I’d like, but does a great job of  tuning guitar, bass and Warr guitar.
  • Line6 XDS Wireless receiver : This is the only wireless unit I’ve ever been 100% satisfied with. It sounds like it’s not there, and has great range. Being able to freely roam the stage is mighty nice. It runs on 9V DC and appears to require only 500 ma, but this receiver was not happy running off the Pedal Power 2, so I wound up having to mount its power supply (another wall wart) on the power strip.
  • Bare Pedalboard
    For this incarnation of my pedalboard I used a Pedaltrain PT-Pro which came with a flight case. The pedalboard base is welded from aluminum and is lightweight and very solid. The first steps in putting this new system together are (1) mounting the VoodooLab Pedal Power 2 power supply and (2) installing a powerstrip for the AC-powered effects. Then the velcro gets applied to the top of the board. So the picture of the bare pedalboard isn’t much to look at, but the foundation work is complete.

    The next step is “pedal tetris”. Before mounting the pedals on the board I spent several hours trying out some layouts to see which would be best. I had a bit of a head start… before I ordered this board I got all the dimensions of my pedals and did several test layouts in Visio to ensure this would work as expected. There are also some interesting online tools that allow easy setup and configuration of pedalboards.
     

    Pedalboard with pedals
    Here is a picture of the pedalboard with all pedals installed. Each pedals is mounted with velcro, and some also got a zip-tie “seatbelt” to keep them from shifting. You can also see a number of zip-ties securing the cables between pedals. This helps keep the layout neat and manageable. When installing zip-ties it’s nice to clip the tails off once they’re nice and tight. This usually leaves a sharp end where it was cut. I used a lighter to melt those sharp ends slightly, reducing the potential for pokes and cuts. Part of the setup process involved making the custom-length George L cables and connecting the power cables. I adhere to a simple rule of routing power below the board and audio above it. This is both for aesthetic and electrical reasons. By keeping these runs separated (even by half an inch) it helps prevent noise from getting into the signal chain. It’s good practice to do this when wiring pedalboard and studio rack equipment.

     

    Pedalboard with notes
    So which is which? In the diagram on the left I’ve identified each item. The routing is as follows: The Input Select is a simple A/B footswitch for choosing either the XDS Wireless Receiver or the second input. This allows me to easily go from wireless to wired inputs without having to pull out any cables. Next is the Peterson Strobo-Stomp 2 Tuner pedal followed by the Keeley Compressor, Keeley-Modified Crybaby Wah and the Way Huge Pork Loin. This signal chain feeds into the Line 6 POD XT Pro which is then routed to my amp.

    It was an interesting project to assemble this setup. It’s definitely the cleanest and most flexible system I’ve ever had. I’d love to find a way to get this kind of power and tonal versatility from a smaller system, but good tone requires good gear. The next gear project will probably involve searching for / building a really great Stratocaster.

     

    Bauhaus Reissues : A Glut Of Goth

    January 19, 2010 by john No Comments »

    BauhausBauhaus remains one of my favorite bands of all time. As a young guitarist in the 70s I was a fan of Led Zeppelin and KISS. I liked dark, big music (and I still do). In the early 80s I also became enamored of new wave and the “new romantic” music that was coming out of the UK. But I’ve always had a rock and roll heart and Bauhaus was a fresh sound. The first thing that struck me about Bauhaus was the intensity and ferocity of the musical texture. Some of their songs are dense noisescapes and others are utterly stark and desolate. All aboard the goth train! Unfortunately by the time they became well-known in the US, the band had broken up. The family tree of post-Bauhaus projects is pretty big and includes Dalis Car, Tones on Tail, Love and Rockets, and solo albums by the band members. In 1998 the band reunited for a live tour which led to ongoing performances and recordings. Upon hearing of the planned reunion tour I decided I didn’t want to go; my fear being that it’s usually such a disappointment to see a favorite band reunite after so long. Rather than risk seeing post-peak it seemed safer to leave my fond memories of the band intact. Less than one week before the Seattle performance I repented and bought tickets. It was one of the best concerts I’ve ever seen. I was blown away at the energy and intensity of the band, and felt lucky to see them delivering such a great performance.

    Recently, Beggar’s Group USA re-released special versions of the first two Bauhaus albums. These are beautifully packaged box sets including additional tracks and live performances. Naturally, I’ve picked up both of them along with the bonus disc, AND ordered the “Studio 79” disc from the UK. My hope is that the other Bauhaus albums will receive the Omnibus treatment.

    bauhaus_in_the_flat_field
    In The Flat Fields

    http://beggarsgroupusa.com/releases/in-the-flat-field-omnibus-edition/
    This album has been remastered and restored to its original track order. The Omnibus edition box set also includes a second CD of singles / out-takes / alternative takes, along with a 48 page booklet with photographs and reproductions of early performance posters. Although not a big seller initially, this album later became regarded as very important and well0-crafted release. Previous versions of this CD feature the tracks in a different order than on the original vinyl release.

    Mask
    Mask

    http://beggarsgroupusa.com/releases/mask-omnibus-edition/
    The Omnibus edition includes the remastered album, a second CD of non-album singles / demos / alternative takes, plus a third CD featuring a live 1981 performance. This set also includes a 48 page booklet with photographs, memorabilia and full lyrics. As sophomore efforts go, this was a pretty solid release. Hearing some of the alternate takes is interesting, and the live CD is great.

      

    ...And Remains
    …And Remains

    http://beggarsgroupusa.com/releases/bauhaus-box-sets-bundle/
    This bonus disc includes 7 additional tracks. If you order both of the Omnibus edition CDs from Beggars Banquet, they’ll include this as a free bonus. I’m something of a completist, so I’m pleased to have these songs. They’re not the band’s strongest material but interesting to hear. If you are planning to buy both of the Omnibus releases you might as well get them directly from the label and enjoy the freebie.

    Studio 1979
    Live In The Studio 1979
    http://archive.beggars.com/releases/74/bauhaus-live-in-the-studio-1979
    This recording recently was made available via the Beggar’s archive in the UK. This is the original studio recording of Bauhaus 1919 (they later shortened the name to just “Bauhaus”). The recording date was January 26 1979, only four weeks after the band formed. I’ve heard other fans discuss these sessions with a sort of goth reverence. I haven’t received this overseas shipment yet, but I only ordered my copy about five days ago. I’m sure it will be a fascinating peek into the early moments of the band.

     

    The Preons Rise Again

    January 6, 2010 by john 1 Comment »
    Warr Guitar - Front

    Warr Guitar - Front

    Last night we had the first Preons practice in quite a while. We intentionally took a little break last fall, though it wound up being a longer break than we anticipated due to work, vacations, Swine Flu, and the holidays. But we’re a hard bunch to keep down, and last night we reconvened for a full-band rehearsal. We played through the material from the most recent CD, along with the songs that we’re planning to record for the upcoming release. Generally it felt pretty good. There were definitely some moments where we had to search our mental files to recall our parts to songs, but I was satisfied that we got through everything we attempted.

    I only brought my 5 string bass last night since there would be so much to remember as it was. Just a few songs into the evening I found myself wishing I had my fretless and Warr guitar. It’s pretty standard for me… I definitely love to play all those instruments. I’ve been putting some effort into Warr guitar lately and look forward to expanding my use of the sonic range, along with improving my general technique.

    The band has the potential to really rise to something special and I think this will be a good year for us. We’ve been talking about a slightly different approach to composition and performance, and there may be some opportunities for us to introduce new instruments or technology into what we do. Brad and I chatted over dinner before rehearsal, and we’re both considering how we might spice up the band’s sound. I’m planning to transition more of my bass parts to fretless bass and Warr Guitar. The band has an interesting dynamic and I appreciate having so much freedom in what I do with them. Look for us in your local saloons. The Preons will be getting twisty.

     

    Blu-Ray Blues

    January 4, 2010 by john No Comments »

    Blu-RayOur DVD player died last November and we’ve been using the XBOX360 to watch movies. That’s been a pretty decent movie machine but we started to think it might be time to get a blu-ray player to take advantage of our TV’s HD resolution. So this past weekend we did a bit of comparison shopping and based on consumer / professional review, we decided to go with a Samsung BD-P1600. The player was on sale at a good price, and I had it hooked up and running in a matter of a few minutes. I successfully connected the player to the internet and all seemed good.

    That evening we invited some friends over and watched the blu-ray version of  “Cars”, which looked great. At some point during the evening the player went online and downloaded a firmware update. Once the update was applied, things went very wrong. First, the player would not connect to the network or play a movie normally. After powering down and back up again, the player was stuck in “LOAD” mode and no longer responded to either the remote or front-panel buttons.

    I spent about four hours online researching this issue and discovered entire forum threads dedicated to consumers complaining about this issue with the player. Samsung recommends that consumers download a firmware update to a USB storage device and then apply it twice to the player in order to fix the issue. I couldn’t get the player to recognize my USB device for the first several attempts. When it finally did, and applied the update, the machine auto-restarted. Then I had to do it again. Finally, I restarted the player and discovered after all that work it still was unresponsive. Fortunately, I could return it to the dealer and get a different unit.

    So this evening I took it back and purchased a Sony BDP-N460, which seems to be working just fine. It receives a pretty solid review from users and technology pros, and the picture looks very good. And yes, this time I went and searched the user forums to ensure it didn’t have a history of behavior issues. This player also downloaded a firmware update; after downloading, installing restarting, all is good. Hopefully it’ll be less problematic than the Samsung. My biggest disappointment with the Samsung player was that it needlessly died after applying a manufacturer-supplied update, that for OVER SIX MONTHS has been known to cause the player to catastrophically fail! Bad software patches occur, but it’s appropriate to pull them down or update them once consumers report a problem. I can’t understand why Samsung would continue to allow this firmware update to be accessed by users.

    If you’re on the hunt for a solid basic blu-ray player, you might consider the Sony BDP-N460. It seems to get positive reviews and is a good value for the money spent.

     

    Thoughts On The 1/1/10 1 Uppers Gig

    January 2, 2010 by john No Comments »

    TelecasterOn Friday 1/1/10 the 1 Uppers performed at the Conor Byrne in Ballard. This would seem to be a day of destiny with all those 1s in play. We were a little concerned when this show was booked; our assumption was that most people (and possibly the band) would be appropriately exhausted and hung over from New Year’s Eve the night before. Therefore we feared it might be a light crowd. We were pleasantly surprised to find our assumption was incorrect. We had a great crowd and people stayed until the very end of the show.

    Because we were playing last on the bill, we didn’t get a soundcheck and had to pretty much wing it for a mix. I actually like the fact that Conor Byrne doesn’t put drums or amps in their PA system. It seems more honest to me, requiring the bands to manage their own mix from the stage. It is interesting to see how people react to the band. We’re an unusual country act, but I’m pretty confident that we present a faithful interpretation of the music we do.

    This was the second night using my newly expanded pedalboard. The new Keeley compressor really shines in this context. I found that it really helped fatten up my guitar tone for those parts where the guitar is more exposed. It’s also very pleasing to have such good ears all around me on stage. Lots of interesting comments from my bandmates. Definitely worth every penny it cost to add that gizmo to my arsenal.

     

    Thoughts On The 12/31 Dudley Manlove Quartet Gig

    January 1, 2010 by john 1 Comment »

    Stratocaster HeadstockNew Year’s Eve is always a great party, and this year was especially fun. The Dudley Manlove Quartet spent the evening performing at The Sunset Tavern in Ballard and we had a great crowd with many fine friends in attendance. Events like this are all the more fun when we look out from the stage and see familiar faces. In preparation for the show I went out and purchased a bunch of party supplies including hats, noisemakers, leis, beads and tiaras. Each member of the band had a pile of stuff to hand out to the audience, which gave us chance to fan out and individually greet / thank people for joining us. Among the dozens of bead necklaces were four all-black sets; I set those aside and wore them during the show, although I did wind up giving two away to friends. Receivers of black beads: consider yourselves awesome.

    Soundcheck for this gig included a few new songs: “She’s A Lady” and “Thank You For Being A Friend”. The latter turned out to be quite an effort to perform. It has a pretty long arrangement and lots of backup vocals. I thought it went pretty well and we performed it to end the first set. This was the first show where I used my newly expanded pedalboard. The newest additions to my setup include a Keeley compressor and a Keeley-modified Crybaby wah pedal. I also used the “Pork Loin” overdrive pedal for several songs. The new setup is very good and I love the tone. The down side is that it’s a bit bigger than my previous pedalboard – only by about 6 inches – and it’s a bit heavier. Still, it’s absolutely worth the extra effort to haul this beastie and the sonic results are tasty.  Although the trusty black Stratocaster is my primary guitar, I always bring a backup / alternate. For this show I decided to bring my Eastwood; it’s a Les Paul style instrument with P90 pickups. I used it for the first set and it sounded great on the new pop tunes. For the second and third sets I went with the Strat, and as always it was wonderful to play that guitar.

    As we closed in on midnight, we performed “The Final Countdown” followed by a fairly traditional “Auld Lang Syne”. Another highlight of the night was seeing our good friend Heather Fenech in the audience. Heather, Stefan and I were all in 80s Invasion together. Always a pleasure to see her.

    At the end of the night we were all suitably exhausted from playing and dancing. It was very nice to spend the evening this way. Performing with The Dudley Manlove Quartet is a true pleasure. We’ll be taking a few weeks off to work on new stuff and we’ll be back at it again soon! If you haven’t already visited our new web site, hop on over and have a look… and while you’re there sign up for the mailing list. Happy 2010!