New Pedalboard Day - and a week of awesome gigs.

[RockStarNick]

So I finally, finally, FINALLY completed my new Trailer Trash pedalboard. I figured I'd share with you all here.

Details: 12x24". Signal chain is pretty self explanatory. The only really unique features are: The board is quasi-modular. The setup you see here is for grab and go gigs (plugging into the front of any amp). I velcro-d the top, so I can swap out the Bogner overdrives for a footswitch, and use with my channel switching amps. The switch above the wah wah is an AB box. I can instantly switch between Wireless (mounted under the board) and a cable input (locking Neutrik on R side).

I ran BNC LMR195(RG58) extension coax cables from the wireless unit, to feed-thru BNC Antenna jacks mounted in the TT frame.

Bottom isn't 100% done - still need to tie down two loose power cables and install my XTC 7-pin XLR Neutrik Jack.... but it was good enough to gig with!

The best part - I finished the board JUST in time to use for a week of incredible gigs! I got the call to fill in on guitar for one of NJ's top cover bands, Lifespeed. Had to learn a ton of songs, and go in completely cold, unrehearsed (even singing lead on 4 or 5 songs!) Overall, the gigs went great, and the tones from the board were perfect. (I plugged into the guitarists old JMP Marshall).

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Gig #1: City Square Bar and Grill. A big indoor entertainment complex in Freehold NJ. The inside looks like a "city square", and the stage was setup in the "intersection". TONS of high school kids - they went apesh*t ballistic for all the top 40 stuff. You want a good crowd reaction? Try playing Macklemore's "Thrift Shop" and watch the insanity that ensues...

The TT Board in all it's purple-LED lit glory!

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Gig #2: Seacrets, Ocean City Maryland: Hands down, the best gig I've ever had in my life. Huge stage. Metal risers to jump onto for solos. Wall to wall packed house. And a house camera crew that videos the band while you play, and broadcasts it onto this huge screen behind the stage. AND has a live webcast - my wife watched me play from home! The crowd was just incredible. I made a real conscious effort to look around, breath deep, take it all in - knowing full well that I may NEVER have the opportunity to play a show THAT good ever again.

You better believe I jumped up on these metal riser platforms for solos!!!!

And here's some pictures of the packed house.

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Gig #3: Bar Anticipation, Belmar NJ: My week of fill in gigs came to a close at Bar A at the Jersey Shore. For the band, it was just another day at the office, but for me, a great end to a great week. A Tuesday night, and the crowd was going crazy and dancing all night long.

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All in all, just one of the best musical experiences of my life. A crash course in what it takes to perform in a pro-level working band. I learned so much about what's important in a band situation, how to play with complete strangers, how to communicate onstage, watching and listening for cues... just all sorts of stuff that is impossible to replicate practicing at home. I feel like even after these 3 gigs, it's made me a better player, and a better musician.

Anyway... Long post, but I just wanted to share my experience with everyone here on RT.

 

[legend71]

Very cool - thanks for sharing!!!

 

[thiswaythatway]

HAHA, I looked at the first pic without reading anything and thought that looked like Henry from Lifespeed. I used to play with Henry's brother Jay in my last coverband 10 years ago. I played many gigs at Bar A and LBI, those gigs can be a lot of fun even though you have to play crap you don't like. The Osprey in Manasquan also gets pretty nuts in the Summertime.

Damm, Henry's been at it going on 20 years now but looks like they still pack them in on Tuesdays at Bar A in Belmar. Cool that you have fun!

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Now let's see some vid footage!~

 

[PBGas]

Well done! Great setup and great gigs!!

How do you like the Mobius? I'm going to pick one up at the end of the month.

 

[rupe]

Very cool post...thanks for sharing!

And a very cool board as well!

 

[RockStarNick]

Well done! Great setup and great gigs!!

How do you like the Mobius? I'm going to pick one up at the end of the month.

Well done! Great setup and great gigs!!

How do you like the Mobius? I'm going to pick one up at the end of the month.

I love, love, love the Mobius + Timeline combination. For anyone who wants as many top notch tones in as little space as possible, this is the only way to go.

I'm only scratching the surface, but I have my Mobius set for:
Chorus
Leslie
Phaser
Flanger
80's Multi Chorus
Tremolo

And my timeline set for:
General tape delay
slapback analog delay
Modulated Digital U2 dotted 8ths
Dual Delay big modulated sound

Honest to go, in any of these gigs, I barely had the chance to use ALL of these sounds. But having a board that can tackle ANY tone is what I wanted. Lots of these Top40 songs have very little guitar and them, so some of the wacky modulation noises in the Mobius will come in handy.

 

[RockStarNick]

HAHA, I looked at the first pic without reading anything and thought that looked like Henry from Lifespeed. I used to play with Henry's brother Jay in my last coverband 10 years ago. I played many gigs at Bar A and LBI, those gigs can be a lot of fun even though you have to play crap you don't like. The Osprey in Manasquan also gets pretty nuts in the Summertime.

Damm, Henry's been at it going on 20 years now but looks like they still pack them in on Tuesdays at Bar A in Belmar. Cool that you have fun!

Yeah man, Henry is just a consummate professional. He still takes his job as a vocalist really seriously - eats right, works out, drinks minimally. Terrific frontman, and looks about 10 years younger than he really is, if not more. a

Here's the thing: most guitarists here would roll their eyes at the thought of playing Top40 dance songs, like Macklemore "Thrift Shop", Black Eyed Peas, Will.I.Am, David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Swedish House Mafia, etc.

But try playing it in front of a packed house of people dancing and just eating up every second of it. You'll change your mind pretty quickly. It's FUN.

 

[kasperjensen]

Man that is so cool!

 

[thiswaythatway]

HAHA, I looked at the first pic without reading anything and thought that looked like Henry from Lifespeed. I used to play with Henry's brother Jay in my last coverband 10 years ago. I played many gigs at Bar A and LBI, those gigs can be a lot of fun even though you have to play crap you don't like. The Osprey in Manasquan also gets pretty nuts in the Summertime.

Damm, Henry's been at it going on 20 years now but looks like they still pack them in on Tuesdays at Bar A in Belmar. Cool that you have fun!

Yeah man, Henry is just a consummate professional. He still takes his job as a vocalist really seriously - eats right, works out, drinks minimally. Terrific frontman, and looks about 10 years younger than he really is, if not more. a

Here's the thing: most guitarists here would roll their eyes at the thought of playing Top40 dance songs, like Macklemore "Thrift Shop", Black Eyed Peas, Will.I.Am, David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Swedish House Mafia, etc.

But try playing it in front of a packed house of people dancing and just eating up every second of it. You'll change your mind pretty quickly. It's FUN.

Does the other guitar player still have a massive pedal board? I remember that thing was huge.

 

[Matt7]

Awesome pedalboard! Congrats on the gigs as well. Looks like a lot of fun.

 

[Schaf]

Yeah man, make you feel good when you can take your past experience, apply it and then be successful. Give you the confidence to become an eve nbetter musician.

Good luck and great board. Pretty simple with lots of options.

 

[abrackas]

I like the Jamaica flag. The rig be jammin' too!

 

[glassjaw7]

Congrats on the board and the gigs! Looks like a good time.

 

[SkyhighRocks]

That's awesome...thanks for sharing!

 

[geetarmikey]

What kind of songs were you doing? Got a sample set?

 

[guitarmike]

HAHA, I looked at the first pic without reading anything and thought that looked like Henry from Lifespeed. I used to play with Henry's brother Jay in my last coverband 10 years ago. I played many gigs at Bar A and LBI, those gigs can be a lot of fun even though you have to play crap you don't like. The Osprey in Manasquan also gets pretty nuts in the Summertime.

Damm, Henry's been at it going on 20 years now but looks like they still pack them in on Tuesdays at Bar A in Belmar. Cool that you have fun!

Yeah man, Henry is just a consummate professional. He still takes his job as a vocalist really seriously - eats right, works out, drinks minimally. Terrific frontman, and looks about 10 years younger than he really is, if not more. a

Here's the thing: most guitarists here would roll their eyes at the thought of playing Top40 dance songs, like Macklemore "Thrift Shop", Black Eyed Peas, Will.I.Am, David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Swedish House Mafia, etc.

But try playing it in front of a packed house of people dancing and just eating up every second of it. You'll change your mind pretty quickly. It's FUN.

I did the same thing for 14 years unfortunately there are so many other bands started playing the exact same stuff it became impossible to get a following. I played the way I liked no matter what tune I was playing. I did Lady gaga's Bad Romance for a few years and even threw in a guitar solo

 

[guitup too]

Cool board and it looks like even cooler gigs. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Shark Diver]

Amazingly awesome

 

[rcm78]

Good for you Nick!!! You're second gig with them and it's at SEACRETS?? Pretty insane. That place is the coverband mecca. Did Henry sing that gig? I heard he had an issue there in the past...