AXE FX Guys......looking to start building my rig, some help

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The_Kid

The_Kid

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I'm gonna get the pedals and such now, cause I can afford that. As soon as I start playing out, should be easier to get the axefx. Anyway....

What controllers do you guys use? and why did you choose that? I've looked into the GCP, Liquid Foot Pro, Little Giant.....but just can't convince myself which one to really get.

What are your experiences, pros/cons of pedals you have or didnt choose. Right now, I'm leaning towards the Ground Control Pro, with two expression pedals. My concerns coming from my rig now are:

1) which ones will show tuner info (not a deal breaker, but would be nice)
2) do any offer momentary switchening instead of latching?
3)Also (i think I know the answer), can I set up a patch and have the expression pedal turn on several things at once? say a lead boost, delay, wah in an auto engage type setting?
 
bump for the later night crew....and hopefully some info. :thumbsup:
 
I have the FCB1010, which is a great cheap solution. The biggest problem with it is that you can only send 2 CC commands with a footswitch. The way I have it layed out right now is that the bottom row is on or off for groups of effects and activating the tuner. The top row is program changes.

If I free up some funds, I would probably get the Liquid Foot Jr. with an expression pedal - I'm more real estate concerned (with how I use the axe) than capability concerned. Being a MIDIot, I figure I can always use banks to set up how I can switch the Axe and don't need 20 buttons at my feet...
 
which is why I was looking at the Ground Control, it has less buttons than the liquid foot, but I do like being able to see the tuner info on the pedal if possible.

Does anyone know if the GC or other pedal do the momentary and latching pedal types....I thought I remember reading that the GC did somewhere, but can't find it anywhere now....
 
The_Kid":1isleb6s said:
3)Also (i think I know the answer), can I set up a patch and have the expression pedal turn on several things at once? say a lead boost, delay, wah in an auto engage type setting?

You can hook individual effect 'blocks' to a single modifier, then control the modifier with a single CC. So yeah.

I do it all the time to turn on/off multiple effects with one button. And the setup can be different from preset to preset.

Hooking delay and boost to an exp pedal 'auto-engage' might be kinda quirky, especially if you have a wah hooked also. But it can be done.
 
Hooking delay and boost to an exp pedal 'auto-engage' might be kinda quirky, especially if you have a wah hooked also. But it can be done.

well right now on my GT-10, I have patch 1-3 as my heavy patch, 1-4 as my lead patch.

1-3 - Heavy - CTL 1 turns on my lead sounds, but the switch is momentary switch not latching so I can step on it for short little lead fills and step off to go back to rhythm. Exp 1 - is setup activate such - Wah on, Delay on, Preamp Level up, and OD on as soon as the expression pedal moves from 127 to 126 in the range of the pedal (0-127) so essentially is an auto engage factor, that turns on all those effects while the expressions movement is controlling the wah sweep, the other effects stay on till the toe is all the way down, then its back to the rhythm sound.

I did that so that solos that start with a wah for the lead (enter sandman) I can just step on and wank away right away instead of turning a lead on, then stepping on a wah pedal, then trying to play in the matter of half a beat.

I'm still leaning towards the Ground Control, but I need to know about the momentary switching of the buttons.
 
squealie":gg4a1hxv said:
The_Kid":gg4a1hxv said:
3)Also (i think I know the answer), can I set up a patch and have the expression pedal turn on several things at once? say a lead boost, delay, wah in an auto engage type setting?

You can hook individual effect 'blocks' to a single modifier, then control the modifier with a single CC. So yeah.

I do it all the time to turn on/off multiple effects with one button. And the setup can be different from preset to preset.

Hooking delay and boost to an exp pedal 'auto-engage' might be kinda quirky, especially if you have a wah hooked also. But it can be done.

Mine is set up as:
Delay/Reverb/Detune all set to the same modifier
Phaser to another
Wah to one pedal
Volume to the other

I know with the liquid foot and the mission engineering pedals, you can get a pedal with a switch so it can be used to control two things depending on whether you've hit the switch or not.
 
The GCP can do 4 preset buttons and 8 I/A's. You can set the swithes to be latching or momentary.

You cannot see te tuner on the display. I don't have any issue with this because the tuner on the AxeFx display is quite large and I can see it fine from the front of the stage in most situations (rack 15ft back).

Easy to setup but not as many bells and whistles as say the Liquid Foot or FX1.

When the Fractal foot controller comes out THAT will be the cat's ass :)

Mark
 
any word on that piece of gear? I'm still leaning the Ground control way.....dont mind spending more if need be, but so far I havent seen the reason why. the tuner thing isnt a deal breaker for me. I can program the patch names into the GCP no problem, little extra work doesnt scare me. The momentary thing is important to me though. I use that a lot like in Rebel Yell to get a Ray Gun sound on the solo....

What expression pedals are you using Mark? I do tend to find your vids most similar to my needs of the axe. I would be wanting two, one for volume and one for Wah/Effects.....any advice here?
 
The_Kid":15ezyznm said:
any word on that piece of gear? I'm still leaning the Ground control way.....dont mind spending more if need be, but so far I havent seen the reason why. the tuner thing isnt a deal breaker for me. I can program the patch names into the GCP no problem, little extra work doesnt scare me. The momentary thing is important to me though. I use that a lot like in Rebel Yell to get a Ray Gun sound on the solo....

What expression pedals are you using Mark? I do tend to find your vids most similar to my needs of the axe. I would be wanting two, one for volume and one for Wah/Effects.....any advice here?


I use the EBJR's. I much prefer the feel and quality of the Boss FV500's.
They had the prototype at NAMM but I have not heard anymore on the ETA's.


Mark
 
just cause I'm a newb, which one would I want the 500L or the 500H...i looked on the site, but dont know the difference for my application. I would think the mono one is the one that I would want, correct?
 
Totally happy with the GCP and EB Jr's. I've been running this way for about a year or two with no issues. A Pic of my latest rig...

DSCN2809.jpg
 
that is basically what my rig will be exactly like. different pedal board, but exact same concept. Do you run direct to board? or out to cabs for jamming?

which EBJR's are you using? Passive?....I've never looked into different expression pedals and such.
 
FV500L is low impedance, FV500H is high impedance. Both will work fine as expression pedals.

In the regular world you would use the L in an amp's low impedance FX loop or with active pickups...an H in front of an amp and with passive pickups.
As an expression pedal it doesn't matter.

The EBJR's are fine until you break the string. That only happens at a gig.
If you've ever have one go and have to field replace one, you'll know what I mean by what a PITA!!!!


Mark
 
I'm running the EB Jr volume passives. I run to the board and run FR monitor to hear my self and the rest of the group. It takes a little bit to get use to it at first, not having a back line if you go that rought I actually do both but prefer monitors.

Edit: Also wanted to add if you have the coin the Liquid foot is really nice. The GCP is probably the best bang for the buck and will get the job done without braking the bank. And if the boys at fractal ever get their offering finnished will be nice board as well. Can't recall pricing but I though it was in the 6-$700 range.
 
i'm ok with direct, i gigged this past year with a Boss gt-10 direct and loved it.

Mark - I did read a bit about the 'breaking the string' thing. I guess, I would tend to stay away from that sorta thing and probably go the boss route like you recommended...those pedals do look nice...how is the travel on them?'
 
The_Kid":se73n7ha said:
i'm ok with direct, i gigged this past year with a Boss gt-10 direct and loved it.

Mark - I did read a bit about the 'breaking the string' thing. I guess, I would tend to stay away from that sorta thing and probably go the boss route like you recommended...those pedals do look nice...how is the travel on them?'


The travel on the Boss FV500's are PERFECT!


Mark
 
Thank you Mark, you confirmed the way I was planning on going. Thanks a million. I was wanting to go the GCP route and exp pedals, and now have gear in mind. Thanks, I can't wait to get this setup going.
 
So for the Ernie Ball Jr. Pedals, will i need a certain type of 1/4" cable? or will the George L's I made last year be sufficient?
 
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