Advice for acoustic Pedalboard?

Sanddancer · #1 11-23-2018, 05:04 AM

Hi guys
I’m quite new to guitar (just over 3 years) and I’m thinking of tinkering with setting up a pedalboard
I’ve got a Fishman loudbox artist amp which has quite a few built in effects (reverb, chorus, flanger etc) and duel channel outputs, also got a boss RC 30 looper that I would like to start messing about with
What I would like to do is some vocal and guitar enhancement (I’m not the best singer in the world) Does anyone think the amp would suffice or would I get better effects with dedicated pedals? I’ve been looking at reviews on the TC Helicon play Acoustic, the TC Helicon voicelive 3 extreme and the Boss VE 3, anyone got any experience with these or can anyone recommend other options
I’m not really after getting electric guitar sounds just good clean acoustic
Also would like to do away with as many leads as possible so any recommendations on wireless systems would be appreciated
Thanks in advance for taking time to look and hopefully some good pointers in the right direction from some of you more experienced guys out there
Cheers
Bob

teletaylor · #2 11-23-2018, 06:20 AM

I liked the sound and interface of the TC Play Acoustic more than the Boss VE8. I went away from vocal effects so I no longer own any.

Best of luck and welcome!

nickv6 · #3 11-23-2018, 06:22 AM

For me, the best pedal available is the Aphex Xciter. A wonderful thing which takes your guitar sound and makes it.......more! Brings out the best in any amp. You don't need anything else when you have one of these.
Jus' my opinion of course.
Nick

varmonter · #4 11-23-2018, 07:07 AM

I've used a bunch of these all in wonder boxes
like the ve8 And tc stuff, tonedexter, etc.
I have come to the conclusion that the mfg
try's to jam a bunch of features into as small
a space as possible. Giving you some things that
work well and some that don't . For instance
i liked the ve8 effects but the eq was buried
in a menu and really inaccessible in a live
gig situation. So i've gone back to a pedalboard.
this way i can buy let's say a reverb pedal
on ebay, if i don't like it i can resell and buy
another. It's more cost effective doing it this
way as i don't lose any money usually reselling
used stuff. Get a good preamp eq (i have a felix)and add the
effects as you want them. I currently have a
ditto mini looper a jomeek floor Q comp a strymon
flint( reverb and tremelo) and a mxr carbon copy
delay. Oh and a 9,12,18 volt power supply thingy to power all the pedals so no wall watts.
The flint and the delay can go any where
from subtle to over the top ambien space music.
I generally keep effects to a minimum. and use
them sparingly. But it's nice to add a bit here and there.
But this way i get what I want . Not what tc or boss thinks i want
in an all in one wiz bang box.

steelvibe · #5 11-23-2018, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by varmonter

I've used a bunch of these all in wonder boxes
like the ve8 And tc stuff, tonedexter, etc.
I have come to the conclusion that the mfg
try's to jam a bunch of features into as small
a space as possible. Giving you some things that
work well and some that don't . For instance
i liked the ve8 effects but the eq was buried
in a menu and really inaccessible in a live
gig situation. So i've gone back to a pedalboard.
this way i can buy let's say a reverb pedal
on ebay, if i don't like it i can resell and buy
another. It's more cost effective doing it this
way as i don't lose any money usually reselling
used stuff. Get a good preamp eq (i have a felix)and add the
effects as you want them. I currently have a
ditto mini looper a jomeek Q comp a strymon
flint( reverb and tremelo) and a mxr carbon copy
delay. The flint and the delay can go any where
from subtle to over the top ambien space music.
I generally keep effects to a minimum. and use
them sparingly. But it's nice to add a bit here and there.
But this way i get what I want . Not what tc or boss thinks i want
in an all in one wiz bang box.

THIS. Excellent.comment- ask me how I know....er....well...he knows.

This method, while it seems more costly up front because you don't get the whiz bang box, is the only solution to curing the "fear-of-missing-out". You will never know how much you like or dislike a piece of gear until you try for yourself. It's the only way to get marketing hype and other people's opinion out of the way. Yes, it's more costly but it is the only substitute to getting what you are really after.

gfirob · #6 11-23-2018, 10:18 AM

Well, I'd put in a vote for a whizbang box or two. I have a Tonedexter for the guitar signal and a TCH Play Acoustic for voice, both going into a small Mackie mixer. That means only two power supplies and cables and I have them up on a heavy duty music stand with 2" velcro, where I can reach them, and an extension pedel (Switch 3) when I need that. These two boxes have more effects options in them than you would ever want to use. They are both compact and reliable and work great. Just my opinion of course.

Lost in Sound · #7 11-23-2018, 01:32 PM

Hi all, I'm currently putting together my solo acoustic rig for live use, and I'm really liking the look of the TC Play Acoustic. Seems like it covers a lot of ground and does it well. Also like the firmware updates TC seem to do to improve the unit over time. For the harmony stuff, it seems TC are rated quite highly, and apparently the guitar effects can be used with either an acoustic or electric which is handy.

Anyways, best of luck with your choice! Have a rockin' day all! Love the forum.

varmonter · #8 11-23-2018, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelvibe

THIS. Excellent.comment- ask me how I know....er....well...he knows.

This method, while it seems more costly up front because you don't get the whiz bang box, is the only solution to curing the "fear-of-missing-out". You will never know how much you like or dislike a piece of gear until you try for yourself. It's the only way to get marketing hype and other people's opinion out of the way. Yes, it's more costly but it is the only substitute to getting what you are really after.

Yea thanks.. If you account for buying wiz bang
boxes new then trying them then selling them
at a loss to by another potential grail box.
This is actually cheaper. yea the felix is a grand
and i rarely see them used. but your preamp
doesn't have to be a felix. I bought the flint
for 200 it's 299 retail. And i can sell it for 200
all other pedals you can get used between
65 and 150 And can recoup all or most of it
on reverb or ebay.Sometimes i come out ahead

if i don't like one i can sell and get another.
Not having to replace the whole wizbang box.
I recently bought a joemeek FloorQ compressor
because i liked the idea of having more knobs to
tweak for attack release and input output.
After using it awhile i may go back to my diamond comp.
Jurys still out but i have the option and can
sell either for what i have into it.
I've had zero issues buying used on reverb or ebay or agf .
Patience and best offer are your friends.

The Kid! · #9 11-23-2018, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickv6

For me, the best pedal available is the Aphex Xciter. A wonderful thing which takes your guitar sound and makes it.......more! Brings out the best in any amp. You don't need anything else when you have one of these.
Jus' my opinion of course.
Nick

There is no "best," but I like the Aphex. I use it as a global EQ / tone shaper.
The Tonedexter and the Sunnaudio Stage DI are magic.

https://imgur.com/a/5iUa7rz

A buddy swears by his Line 6 Helix. Says it's amazing.

Photojeep · #10 11-23-2018, 09:10 PM

I use a Boss AD-10 which has many built in effects but have chosen to use it along with a Boss TU-3 tuner and a LR Baggs Align Reverb:

Works for me,
PJ

Hurricane Ramon · #11 11-24-2018, 03:25 AM

I've got a VL3X . This unit is a acoustic guitar players ultimate unit if you are also a vocalist .

You can use any FX from the vocal , or electric guitar on your acoustic guitar .

Yep , besides the 5 acoustic guitar presets you get to use all the available FX of the VL3X on you acoustic guitar , that's
hard to top , plus you get a looper too .

EZ :

HR

varmonter · #12 11-24-2018, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hurricane Ramon

I've got a VL3X . This unit is a acoustic guitar players ultimate unit if you are also a vocalist .

You can use any FX from the vocal , or electric guitar on your acoustic guitar .

Yep , besides the 5 acoustic guitar presets you get to use all the available FX of the VL3X on you acoustic guitar , that's
hard to top , plus you get a looper too .

EZ :

HR

Looks like a pretty cool unit, lots of features
Does it have any kind of tone controls eq . ? Sweepable mids.
or just presets? Have you used it live at a gig?

buzzardwhiskey · #13 11-24-2018, 11:40 AM

I'm using a Metro 16 pedaltrain board that I love and took me a long time to perfect.

Power is supplied via a Strymon R30.
The tuner is a Polytune 3.
The preamp is a Tonedexter.
The EQ (via the Tonedexter effects loop) is an LR Baggs Align Series.

I've tried a bunch of other pedals and sold them off...

Strymon Big Sky is too much work and I end up not liking reverb because I never know what the sound guy is going add on top.

Aphex Aural Exciter is almost cool. Really. But yeah, umm, no. Gimmicky.

An Ibanez tuner pedal. It was OK until I tried the Polytune, and it doesn't even compare to the ease.

MXR ten band EQ pedal. Noisey. Waaayy too much noise.

Woodstock School Of Music · #14 11-24-2018, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by varmonter

Looks like a pretty cool unit, lots of features
Does it have any kind of tone controls eq . ? Sweepable mids.
or just presets? Have you used it live at a gig?

Another vote for the VL3 and yes it has sweepable mids.

dcopper · #15 11-24-2018, 07:50 PM

I am now using a ToneDexter, and just purchased an HX Stomp from Line6. The Stomp will accept IRs from the ToneDexter and has some Acoustic Guitar IRs pre-loaded into some Acoustic presets. I also picked up a Headway EB2 brand new at the price of an EB1.
My prior board revolved around a BOSS VE8 and I still have that board set up with my IEM wireless system and Shure Wireless headset mic. On that board the guitar goes into a RedEye Twin preamp, then into the VE8. Mic goes into the VE8 than out to the wireless Shure transmitter. It all works very well.
Once I had this prior board set up, and used it a couple of times, I bought a ToneDexter and that has changed my set up.
I am not buying any new guitars any time soon so I have been having fun unloading all my unused gear and buying new stuff to actually improve and simplify my setup.
When all else fails- I can run my K&K Taylors right into the BOSE S1 guitar preset and a mic into the second channel and I have great and simple tone.