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dubkitty wrote:i'm largely happy with my board, but find myself wanting to have things in a different order than the carefully-planned layout i have. for example, it'd be nice to have the tremolo before the Randy's Revenge. i'm thinking about taking the Goodbye 24 off the board, but i'd need something in a single-size box with top jacks that also makes sense in the order of the signal chain.

Sounds like you need a patchulator, baby!!

As a solution for my complete board overhauls that were making my OCD become a real problem for getting in any actual PRACTICE, I added the patchulator to the center of my board, so I can swap pedal order in seconds with zero effort, and I started using "foundation overdrive" pedals at the end of my dirt section, so I can revoice my entire boost/overdrive/distortion/fuzz section by swapping out for a different foundation overdrive. So far it's working brilliantly. I had nothing to do yesterday but practice scales, and speed/uniformity drills. Scary that I might actually start improving as a musician again. *gasp*

Technically, it would be nice to have all my foundation overdrives on the board, so I didn't have to swap a pedal to revoice...but that would mean a larger board, which would mean longer patch cables, and would mean more power distribution, etc. etc. etc. and then I'm ready to eat a bullet again...so swapping the ONE foundation overdrive is my compromise for the sake of my ever-loving sanity.

the problem is that the Patchulator IIRC only has eight inputs, and i have 15 pedals on my board.

7 inputs. One has to be your guitar/amp.

1: Superego
2: Superego Effects Loop/Meet Maude Effects Loop/Bi-Filter Effects loop (manually switched)
3: Compressor, Arpeggiator, Envelope Filter
4: Dirt Section
5: Mel9
6: Modulation Section
7: Delay/Reverb

For me, I'm very unlikely to want dirt>modulation>delay>modulation>dirt. Haha. So I have the pedals grouped into functions that I will only use once per signal chain, and in only one location, even if I use multiple pedals within that group.

I will never need a delay at the front, and a delay at the end. I will need delay somewhere in there...and depending where I put it, it will change the sound.

Similarly, if I want dirt, I probably want it right after the guitar, or right after compression...but I have the option of sticking modulation in front if it...delay in front of it...sticking dirt in my effects loop of one of my pedals...

If you can't work with the constraints of 7 groups of pedals, then you could always go to a full size rack mounted or tabletop patchbay...

Before I'd go with something like the Patchulator, I'd either mount a 24-ish pt rackmount one to the pedaltrain or (more likely) go with something like the Boss ES-8.

If I'm only going to have 7-8 input options, I want patch-level control over what's going on.

well, there you go. If I ever get more detailed, I'll get a foot control looper with presents, but for now, the Patchulator is exactly what I needed. I just needed something to end my need of moving things around physically. I don't play live, so that gives me plenty of time for fiddling with settings, and routing, before playing and/or recording.

And I absolutely do not need one input per pedal.

But then...nobody told you that you aren't allowed to have 4 patchulators on your board.

Yea, it's why I have the patchbay in the rack.

PT2 is the "master board" that feeds everything and is my standard, I'm happy with it order. Can insert in on it in two places as well (patchbay in the rack), as well as every item in the rack is fed through the bay.

I figure it's go big or stay home, since I'm already stuck there.

When this type of desire and doubt starts to eat at the back of my brain...I put together a grab-n-go board/alt setup from pedals not on my main board. Just to mix things up and see if that scratches the itch...which it typically does...before I'm reminded how satisfying my main setup is when I revisit it. I have approx 20 pedals total and my main board is about half of them at any given time. Almost all of them are fx which have survived multiple purges and are "keepers" through and through...as well as being things not easily replaced.

rustywire wrote:When this type of desire and doubt starts to eat at the back of my brain...I put together a grab-n-go board/alt setup from pedals not on my main board. Just to mix things up and see if that scratches the itch...which it typically does...before I'm reminded how satisfying my main setup is when I revisit it. I have approx 20 pedals total and my main board is about half of them at any given time. Almost all of them are fx which have survived multiple purges and are "keepers" through and through...as well as being things not easily replaced.

i set up a second board today after deciding on a 'main' setup finally (i never record or play with others and am super fickle so it doesnt really matter) and it was fun

im having a bit of a jwar purgey mindset today/lately, i feel dumb for the amount of $ i have tied up in pedals. wanna get rid of a bunch of pedal stuff and use the money for life shit or for instruments (i cant stop thinking about mustang basses). but i cant seem to sell anything lately so i might just keep stuff around and do nothing
i dont know gear is weird

Well, this has evolved into me actually wanting to change some things about my board.

Step 1: replace Timeline with Nemesis is already underway.
Step 2: insert WET Reverb into paraloop - will only need some rearranging
Step 3: replace Scrutator with an actual filter pedal will come soon enough

Plus I'm getting worried about my Goodbye 24. It seems to be malfunctioning once in a while and I'm worried it will crap out on me.

I've been dreaming up alternate boards that I could use to the same effect and have found some stuff I might actually like a little better if I changed them from my actual real board to be like the hypothetical ghost board.