Anyone Using an Acoustic Pedalboard?

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Unicorn Warrior
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Anyone Using an Acoustic Pedalboard?

Post by Unicorn Warrior » Sun May 19, 2019 1:47 pm

My wife plays acoustic and was thinking of building her a small pedal board to give the acoustic a better live sound. We typically like the ability to go pretty ambient, but just subtle effects as well. Probably using subtle effects more often


For those that use pedalboards with acoustics, what would you consider to be essentials?

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Re: Anyone Using an Acoustic Pedalboard?

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Sun May 19, 2019 6:52 pm

I don't personally, but when I think of doing it, I immediately think of David Gilmour's acoustic version of Shine On You Crazy Diamond. I think his volume pedal is a pan (stereo) pedal and it sounds SO cool. Especially if you guys like ambient stuff :? :?
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http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384

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Re: Anyone Using an Acoustic Pedalboard?

Post by somanytoys » Mon May 20, 2019 10:18 am

I haven't done anything with it yet, really, but I do have a few pedals set aside for specifically that.

Years ago I had bought a couple of Aphex Aural Exciter pedals, the acoustic and bass models, to use with my classical and my acoustic bass (not sure if they even make those anymore). I'm sure something similar would work instead, it's just something to give more control to the signal and some boost, if necessary.

And even though the acoustic guitar amp has a lot of modeled onboard effects available, I have had 2 TC Nova pedals (the modulation and the reverb), that I haven't really used much in a long time, so I thought I'd give those 2 a try in the amp's effect loop, and see how they sound vs the onboard effects of the amp. I'm thinking the TCs will be a big improvement. I could also probably use the Zoom MS 70 CDR, but I think I'll probably stick with the TCs, they need some use.

I also have a Digitech Freqout that I think might be kind of cool to use with it (or maybe not, guess I'll find out). I've actually been trying to think of something else to use, to maybe give it some very different flavor. Originally I was thinking of using a synth wah, but I decided against that and sold it.

I think it would be really cool for you to do that, it might make it more exciting for her, maybe even inspire some things. If you already have some pedals that you aren't using, or can spare some out of your board for a little while for some testing, throw a bunch of different things into the mix and see what works. Then you know generally what you want, you just have to figure out specifics.

If you aren't already familiar with it, I will say that the Zoom CDR has an amazing amount of good stuff for $120. Pretty much everything but distortion. It's a bit of a pain to program the 10 memory slots (40 are pre-programmed), but it can also help someone learn about the different parameters for each effect, and how the order of them makes a difference. Just an inexpensive suggestion...
-David

It's a boost booster, to boost your boost - it makes your tone much muchier.

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Re: Anyone Using an Acoustic Pedalboard?

Post by chrisrnps » Fri May 24, 2019 9:39 am

For acoustic, I’d want some sort of acoustic-specific input preamp / DI / tone-shaping device, a tuner, and a couple effects.

In my case, my secondary “other than electric guitar” pedalboard uses a Fishman Aura Spectrum, which acts as a preamp / DI / tuner / impulse response thingy / EQ / compression / feedback notch filter, and has an effects loop that goes to and from a Line 6 HX Effects unit for any effects. I use this for a/e acoustic guitar, and electric violins.

There’s a secondary signal path for when the board is used for bass: TC PolyTune, MXR Bass Compressor, L6 HX Effects, out to bass amp. What inputs and outputs are used are programmable on the HX, so different presets can be saved to use the “acoustic signal path” or “bass signal path.”

I really like the Fishman because of its feature that blends in “acoustic instrument body resonance plus microphone” impulse responses to fill out the sound and counteract the usual “piezo quacky sound” of most “acoustic pickup” instruments, although I have been finding that using the “wrong” impulse responses often works better than using the ones that “match” a particular instrument - one of my violins sounds better through a “nylon classical guitar” IR, for example.

The LR Baggs “Venue” would be another great option as the centerpiece of an acoustic pedalboard - it has similarly rich features, an effects send return (so your “di” output to the house sound system includes your effects), and whenever I’ve run FOH for acoustic players that use it, their sound has always impressed.
'Excellent! A little more practice will make you a regular whale. Now, if I may trouble you to unlace my back and front plates two holes more, I'll try that fascinating bend that you say is so easy. Won't Painted Jaguar be surprised!' ~ Rudyard Kipling

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Re: Anyone Using an Acoustic Pedalboard?

Post by Unicorn Warrior » Sat May 25, 2019 9:52 pm

chrisrnps wrote:
Fri May 24, 2019 9:39 am
For acoustic, I’d want some sort of acoustic-specific input preamp / DI / tone-shaping device, a tuner, and a couple effects.

In my case, my secondary “other than electric guitar” pedalboard uses a Fishman Aura Spectrum, which acts as a preamp / DI / tuner / impulse response thingy / EQ / compression / feedback notch filter, and has an effects loop that goes to and from a Line 6 HX Effects unit for any effects. I use this for a/e acoustic guitar, and electric violins.

There’s a secondary signal path for when the board is used for bass: TC PolyTune, MXR Bass Compressor, L6 HX Effects, out to bass amp. What inputs and outputs are used are programmable on the HX, so different presets can be saved to use the “acoustic signal path” or “bass signal path.”

I really like the Fishman because of its feature that blends in “acoustic instrument body resonance plus microphone” impulse responses to fill out the sound and counteract the usual “piezo quacky sound” of most “acoustic pickup” instruments, although I have been finding that using the “wrong” impulse responses often works better than using the ones that “match” a particular instrument - one of my violins sounds better through a “nylon classical guitar” IR, for example.

The LR Baggs “Venue” would be another great option as the centerpiece of an acoustic pedalboard - it has similarly rich features, an effects send return (so your “di” output to the house sound system includes your effects), and whenever I’ve run FOH for acoustic players that use it, their sound has always impressed.
Thanks. Both the LR bags and Fishman seem to be what I'm after. In your experience, which do you prefer?


Also, You mentioned that you're using this board for more than just acoustic. You're doing this with 2 inputs on the Helix, right? It's interesting to me because I'm now thinking we could use the same pedal board for her keys and maybe if she ever decided to venture into electric guitar. Why do you split the signal chain from the helix rather than running the same signal for all instruments?

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Re: Anyone Using an Acoustic Pedalboard?

Post by marqueemoon » Sun May 26, 2019 7:03 am

The SansAmp Acoustic DI is a magical little box.

I have one, but don’t play acoustic live that much these days. That plus a compressor with a dry blend, a badass tuner and a versatile reverb would be all I’d really want.

For now I just use my bass board for the compressor and tuner.

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Re: Anyone Using an Acoustic Pedalboard?

Post by chrisrnps » Fri May 31, 2019 5:22 pm

Unicorn Warrior wrote:
Sat May 25, 2019 9:52 pm

Thanks. Both the LR bags and Fishman seem to be what I'm after. In your experience, which do you prefer?

Also, You mentioned that you're using this board for more than just acoustic. You're doing this with 2 inputs on the Helix, right? It's interesting to me because I'm now thinking we could use the same pedal board for her keys and maybe if she ever decided to venture into electric guitar. Why do you split the signal chain from the helix rather than running the same signal for all instruments?
For me, I went with the Fishman for my personal board because the “Aura” impulse response processing feature was intriguing to me ( and seems to help less than stellar sounding piezo acoustic pickup systems sound less quacky / tizzy / thin ).

If you don’t need the IR “Audio band aid” of the Aura system to help out a lacking piezo pickup sound, the Baggs Venue is at least as good if not better than the Fishman.

The HX Effects has dual inputs / sends / returns / outputs - instead of using these as “stereo” I’m using them as two signal paths on one pedalboard - mainly to avoid having even more pedalboards (especially since this is already a secondary pedalboard). However, I’m not using both signal paths at the same time - it would be used either as an “acoustic instruments pedalboard” or “bass guitar pedalboard” but not both at the same time.

That could probably be done (such as by using the “input - send” for one thing and the “return / output” for another), but seems like it could be a little overcomplicated / fussy / crowded / too many cooks in the kitchen / risk of ground loop issues / etc.
'Excellent! A little more practice will make you a regular whale. Now, if I may trouble you to unlace my back and front plates two holes more, I'll try that fascinating bend that you say is so easy. Won't Painted Jaguar be surprised!' ~ Rudyard Kipling

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