Hi Everyone,

In an effort to liberate the various threads that this subject seems to be permeating, I'd like to invite folks to share what they are plugging their Stick into, and where the sound is going.

I've used lots of different preamps over the years, and still use the SWR, Rane and StepABout. These are the ones I liked the most:

Bass side:
TC preamp/parametric pedal
SWR SM-400 bass head
Rane SP-13
StepABout

Melody side:
Korg Tone Booster pedal
TC Distortion/line driver pedal
Symetrix SX-201
Focusrite Green Channel EQ
Rane SP-13
StepABout

Once I made the switch from preamp pedals, I began running into rack effects processors, first the old Boss halfrack effects and then varous digital delays, then multieffects:
SE-50, then SE-70s, lexicon MPX-G2, Eventide DSP4000, TC Fireworx, and then one last footbased unit the Yamaha Digistomp.

Except for the SE-50, which I think only runs at -20dB, all of the rack units were capable of handling a wide range of input signal levels.

Looking forward to hearing what's worked for you and what hasn't.

Setups I alternate between:

SIMPLE:
Stick->direct to Acoustic Image combo amp

JUST EFFECTS:
Stick melody->Boss GX-700->effects send to Boss SE-70 (parallel path, two stereo outputs)
Stick bass->Boss GX-700->effects send to Boss SE-70 (parallel path, two stereo outputs)
The four stereo outputs are mixed with a rack line mixer.

COMPUTER RECORDING:
Stick bass and melody to PreSonus BlueTube,
One pair of BlueTube outputs to computer (dry signal for bass and melody)
Other pair of BlueTube outputs to Boss effects rack above
Stereo rack outputs to PreSonus Firestation
This setup allows simultaneous recording of dry and stereo effects tracks.

DREAM SETUP:
Pair of Roland VG-99s, which allow the dual path effects like I use above, as well as computer integration via digital and/or USB interface- recorded signal can be extracted from different points in the signal chain and routed back though the VG-99. Perhaps a Stebabout driving the regular guitar inputs of the VG-99 as well...

Oooh, it's gonna be a very long topic, I think. So let's go!

I owned many units for 6 years :
- First, a Digitech RP7 (my first effect unit) running into a SWR combo (don't remember the model)
- Then a POD 2.0 and a POD Bass
- A couple of VF-1 linked with a Rane Preamp. As my Stick was equipped (and still) with a GK2A, I was using a GR33, then a GR20, all these devices going into the Rane, and An Yamaha MFC-10 MIDI foot controller. This gear was very convenient (all was connected on the rear panel, and I could get out in mono or stereo), but it's was too heavy for me when gigging, and I only used a very few differents sounds. My sound choices didn't justify such a big amount of gear.
- After trying a StepABout in Allaire (the first prototype Heiko made to Greg and sent to him for the Greg's Allaire show in 2005, I think), I decided to buy the very first unit of the very first batch, and then switching from rack unit gear to simple pedals. So, my gear is now :
- StepABout preamp going into :
* For the melody side : Ernie Ball volume pedal - Jacques Trinity wah/autowah/enveloppe filter - Boss SuperOverdrive Sd1 - Maxon chorus CS9 - Maxon delay AD9
* For the bass side : nothing (!) but using the StepABout allow me to send my bass signal into the processed line (he, he...)
The two sides are feeding a Roland keyboard amp (KC150) and I've just ordered today for my birthday a powered subwoofer for more "ooomph"
This very simple gearpack makes me very happy
- I own too a Line6 POD X3 Live, which is an incredible piece of gear, but I think I'll find him a new home very soon (amp simulation and multieffects are definitely not for me)

Greg, do you regulary use the Yamaha stompboxe? It's an old unit and it's very easy to find it at reasonable price. Does it worth the trip? (just for my information, I don't look for one)
Thinking about Greg way of playing, I recommend an incredible gear for the one who loves playing with delays : the Yamaha UD-Stomp (a bit difficult to find, these units are no more built)



Wooow, pretty long message... Sorry!

Oddly enough, as much as I used to GAS when it came to Stick gear, I pretty much settled into my ultimate rig and haven't changed it in several years. Some of my decisions are convenience based as much as sound based.

First, my pickup is a hybrid active EMG melody and Stickup bass.

Melody

• Active EMG goes directly to Boss VF-1 and I either apply a very mild acoustic amp preamp or a heavy 5150 simulation for distortion. I also apply some added EQ and filter to the distortion patch. Any additional effects come from the VF-1 except ...
• Digital out from VF-1 to TC D-TWO dedicated delay unit.
• TC D-TWO runs stereo into a Rane SM 82 line mixer.

Bass

• Stickup into SWR SM-500 bass preamp
• SWR into 2nd Boss VF-1 (no preamp, just effects)
• VF-1 stereo out into Rane SM 82 line mixer

Additionally, the FX send/return loop on the line mixer runs into a stereo pair of Echoplex looping units but those units are not part of the main signal path. I try to have as few units as possible between my fingers and the speaker cabinets.

And for the record ... yes ... quality cables do matter.

Being sort of new to this community and to Stick playing, I don't have a long history of gear that I have used. However, I am very pleased with my rig. Although I am am happy with its' sound, I often wonder if the routing could be altered for even better results.

Melody
Presonus MP20 preamp> Lexicon Dual reverb>Boss SE-70> BBE eq> BBE Sonic Maximizer> Back to Presonus MP20.

Bass
Presonus MP20 preamp> Lexicon Dual reverb> Boss SE-50> BBE eq> BBE Sonic Maximizer> Back to Presonus MP20.

The signals are then sent from the stero mixing buss of the Presonus to a Carvin DCM 1000 power amp and bridged into one signal to a 4X10 Carvin cab.

It seems so simple that I often find my wondering if there isn't a better way. The sound is very powerful, full and transparent. Usually when I begain to play with the routing, I find myself wishing that I were just playing instead.

Steve

Great Thread!

I just bought an Electro-Harmonix LPB 2ube.

I have been searching for a small floor unit preamp. I missed finding the LPB 2ube for months as it is listed as a distortion device everywhere. I think Electro-Harmonics would do themselves a favor to name their units in plain speak.

The LPB 2ube is a stereo preamp with 1M Ohm input impedance (this is not on their site but they did email me back with the info). It is a full tube circuit with 300 volts going to the tubes! Not just another starved plate setup. It sits on the floor so I can go straight from it to my other pedals before heading up to the rack.

I've had a small bit of time to mess with it and so far, me likey. I did not expect to get a tube pre that seems built to my specs, in fact I was thinking I wouldn't find a solid state stereo pre with the right input impedance without going outside my tight budget. And on top of that it sits on the floor (my rack runneth over). Anyways, so far I've found the sound to be sweeeet. I plan to run it with the gain cracked just enough to give it a bit of hair, not even noticable distortion unless I really dig in to a chord type thang. After playing around I think I might vary it now and then to give it a bit more bite cuz the distortion is sweet as well. (Note: you can chain the two channels and have two volumes and two gains to play with; all kinds of cool sounds there including "fuzz")

Note that this is not a distortion pedal per se but a true full voltage tube guitar pre and I think it rocks for the Stick. The Stick seems to blossom, the highs a little more shimmering and the lows more round and in yer face, but it does not impart a strong flavor, the Stick still sounds like it did but just bitchener. Gawd, I fell into the trying to describe sound thing for a second there....... Help Me!

Plus you have a nice gain increase to punch the signal thru all yer toyz.
They go for about $190 and I picked mine up used for $120.
I'll report back if I find any deal breaking deficiencies but if not, consider this to be a strong recommendation. Unfortunately I don't know any stores to send you to for a tryout as no one seems to stock it. Come by my place any time.

Ciao,

Rob Cathcart

Oh, as far as what I run it into....... sheesh, all kinds of stuff, MXR Super Comps, Big Muff, Boss Dimension C's (yes I have two, don't hate), Kaoss II, Adrenalin III, Digitech Expression Factory, two VF-1's, VoiceWorks, etc, etc. And then once it's in the computer all bets are off. Vote early, vote often.
Bitchener is a word, right?

For me, it is simple: my actv2 mono into a Lexicon Vortex or Reflex or both chained.

I started off going straight into a Carvin combo guitar amp (don't recall the exact model - one of the "X" series from the '80s).

An ART SGX2000 for melody and a TC Electronic Parametric preamp for bass

Then the ART SGX2000 for melody and Mixer preamp channel for bass (don't do this if you value the life of your sound!).

Next, an ART TPS (dual channel tube preamp with different bias settings for mic, acoustic guitar, keyboard...). Actually, I am still fond of the tone from this setup, just the number one channel has always had a ground buzz in it (ART couldn't get rid of it through servicing it).

Currently, I'm using the 2 channels on my SWR California Blonde.

I am still in search for my "ultimate" pre. The StepAbout makes my XG Grand sound great and may be my next choice.

I haven't tried any pre's for the NS yet, but am noticing the battery for the bass side is getting weak (subtle distortion). Don and Gary must have played it out shooting those videos!

Take care,

Paul

http://www.myspace.com/paulwaltersstick

Hi Bruno,

I no longer have the DGstomp. I thought it was a great-sounding amp modeler, especially with the Stickup. The UD stomp looks great! where can I find one I wonder...

I used to have the UDstomp, It's a very good delay unit , sound very good but yamaha missed to build one of the ultimate delay box :
No midi clock sync
and only 6 sec of time max for 8 delays.
And the loop mode was a little bit tricky to use.