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Hey all! I'm John M. I've been playing for over 40 years, primarily in the Jazz genre. But of course, session work just happens. Right?
I keep a couple of pedalboard amplifiers now. In my opinion, the pedals and hardware have matured to the point where this just makes sense when it comes to grab-n-go, especially when session work demands tend to vary from ambient to rock to bebop and everything in between. If you haven't yet noticed, and maybe because I have a deep history with Boss, my pedals tend to be Boss pedals whenever possible because they do what I need them to do, they last, and they're a great value on the reseller's market, or more to form for me… family hand-me-downs.
So, without delay, and in Signal Chain Order:
Chromatic Tuner TU-3W - It is as reliable as the original TU-3 and supports drop tuning and my bass player's unwillingness to buy his own, which is why it's not mounted on the board. Oh, and it's black… enough said.
Super Octave OC-3 - I use this to add bassiness when playing live chordal meloody gigs or comping behind a solo artist. This pedal doesn't drop a thing in poly or single mode when it comes to tracking.
Chorus CE-2W - I love the chorus this pedal produces, and I usually add it in CE mode due to its mild effect, though all three modes are fantastic, and man, if you want to do the 80s, easy peasy.
Flanger BF3 - I seldom use it, but it has come up, and when it has, it usually makes producers cry tears of joy when it's dialed in right.
Vibrato VB-2W - This is one of my favorite pedals, period. When used sparingly, it adds a noticeable shimmer to a guitar's voice. If used full-throttle, it's awesome for ambient texturing.
Tremolo TR-2 - This is a classic!!! A great no-frills tremolo peddle that just delivers, especially when paired with a great reverb pedal.
Delay DM-2W - And this is one of my other favorite pedals!!! I use it sparingly and usually with a thin vibrato and whatever reverb is required, of course. It adds depth and texture without slap-back, but you can certainly do that if that's what you need.
Reverb RV-200 - This was an upgrade over an RV-6 — an all-time great reverb pedal — and man… It's like a Swiss army knife when creating ambient textures, and honestly, the EQ knobs (LOW & HIGH), help to tame any boominess or shrillness relative to the depth of the reverb effect that's conjured up. This is a great pedal with more features than I'll ever need, and it sounds amazing.
Amp & IR Cabinet IR-200 - This made me a believer when it comes to emulation. Honestly, there's a learning curve, but once you're over the hump, there's not much you can't pull off sound-wise with this pedal. Oh, and no… I don't find the output sterile. I've used valve/tube amps all my life, and I wouldn't have made the switch if I thought I was giving anything up. There are a lot of great IR and Amp Emulation options out there, and it's wild and cool. The 21st Century. What a Century! Seymour Duncan PowerStage 200 Amplifier - This amplifier is awesome!!! I drive most tonal coloration via the IR-200 and pedals before it, so I leave it neutral. It delivers a superb, clean sound.
And, at the end of the chain (Not Pictured) is a Quilter Labs BlockDock 12CB 1 x 12" Extension Cabinet. Sorry, but you can't get these brand new any longer, but if you find one, they're a great platform. They support 250W of output, and the 12" Celestion Copperback is a fantastic neutral yet warm speaker, and they only weight 20lbs; a lot of the time, I'm straight into the board with my setup, but mic'ing up the cabinet in an isolation enclosure is not uncommon in ensemble sessions, which is when the setup shines.
I know, I know. Where's the Overdrive, or the Metal Pedal, or the Fuzz? Well, I have ‘em, and, when necessary, they find their way onto a board via the PedaLock mounting system - read on. :)
The Boss standard-form-factor pedals are all mounted using the PedalLock mounting system, so I can swap ‘em out easily whenever necessary. The Pedalboard itself is a Fender Small Professional Pedal Board, and the power supply is an Engine Room LVL12, which gives me all the juice I need to run the pedals, including the PowerStage 200, which uses the daisy-chain plug-in on the power supply. The fastening tape used to keep everything on the actual board is the 3M Dual Lock Reclosable fastener. Aside from permanent construction adhesive, I'm not sure there's any Velcro solution I would trust over it.
Note:
I love the Fender Pedal Boards and power supplies. I've owned custom-built solutions, along with Voodoo boards and power supplies, and all of them were fantastic. The Fender boards just seem to fit my size and power needs to a "T" in this moment.
And, there you have it!
For Hank:
You're my go-to for cables now, and I'm coming for a loom!!! It's going to happen. :)
About a million years ago, I used to run a blog called EffectsBay. On that blog, the most popular feature I would run was Pedal Line Friday. This is where readers of the site would send pics of their pedalboard and a short (sometimes long) write-up of routing and thoughts about specific pedals and the reasoning why they liked it, etc. Readers. loved this. It was a great way to learn about new applications or techniques regarding pedals. It also brought a little inspiration and knowledge about pedals you were not familiar with. It also brought a great sense of community - people like sharing and absorbing cool things, right? It was a super popular feature, and I loved putting them together.
All you have to do is send a pic of your pedalboard (or pedal line - it doesn't have to be on a board) along with a short (or long) write-up of the board. We want a list of pedals (manufacturer/model), routing would be great, and, most importantly, why you use those particular pedals. Also, this is a great way to promote your band or musical project - include that information as well!
You can send the pic and the write-up to pedalline@rattlesnakecables.com.
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