Set up of First Rack Unit

[kirkster57]

Wel..I put toghter my first rack setup and I think it works good, but I am not 100% sure i did it right. Here's what i have:

 

Preamps - Axe FX Ultra / Mako Mak4

 

Effects processor - G Major

 

Noise Gate: ISP Pro Rack G

 

Power Amp: Fryette

 

Switcher: T-Rex polyswitch - To switch Between preamps

 

The only thing i am wondering about is if I have the pro rack G in the right order

 

The set up:

 

Axe Fx/poly switch/power amp

 

Mako/G major/prorack G/polyswitch/power amp

 

Any insight is welcome. Thanks!

[jimosity]

You may want to try putting the Mako in the loop of the AxeFX, then you have the flexibility of having either preamp available.

The effects in the AxeFX are far superior to the G-Major, not sure I'd even bother with using it in this setup.

That being said, the gate in the Axe is good too, I'd just use it; or if nothing else, run it after the pres and before the power amp.

If the Mako is noisy, you could still have it in the loop, then instead of just the Mako in the loop, it'd be Mako->ProG in the loop.

Then again, I play out live quite a bit and like to keep my rack setup as light as possible...so I'd tend to use as little as possible to get by.

(when you get the Axe finely tuned, I'd then phase out the Mako... and roll with the Axe->Fryette and be done with it, saving the rest for a second rig.

[kirkster57]

Thanks for the insight. The Axe Fx pretty much does it all. I could have saved thousands if I would have bought one earlier. I bought most of the other stuff just before I got the Axe FX, so i'm not ready to part with it yet. Teh Mako has some bad ass tone that I'm not able to dial into the Axe FX at the present time. The Mako looks pretty serious in the rack too.

My use is primarliy a home set up, so I really want to have the ability to switch preamps. that's where the T-Rex comes in.

If I were playing out I would have two seperate set ups.

 

 

You may want to try putting the Mako in the loop of the AxeFX, then you have the flexibility of having either preamp available. The effects in the AxeFX are far superior to the G-Major, not sure I'd even bother with using it in this setup. That being said, the gate in the Axe is good too, I'd just use it; or if nothing else, run it after the pres and before the power amp. If the Mako is noisy, you could still have it in the loop, then instead of just the Mako in the loop, it'd be Mako->ProG in the loop. Then again, I play out live quite a bit and like to keep my rack setup as light as possible...so I'd tend to use as little as possible to get by. (when you get the Axe finely tuned, I'd then phase out the Mako... and roll with the Axe->Fryette and be done with it, saving the rest for a second rig.

 

[mparsons]

 

Thanks for the insight. The Axe Fx pretty much does it all. I could have saved thousands if I would have bought one earlier. I bought most of the other stuff just before I got the Axe FX, so i'm not ready to part with it yet. Teh Mako has some bad ass tone that I'm not able to dial into the Axe FX at the present time. The Mako looks pretty serious in the rack too. My use is primarliy a home set up, so I really want to have the ability to switch preamps. that's where the T-Rex comes in. If I were playing out I would have two seperate set ups.

 

 

That's why you'd put the Mako in the loop of the Axe-FX.

 

Guitar > Cable > Axe-FX > Axe-FX Loop Send > Mako preamp > Axe-FX Loop Return > Axe FX effects > VHT power amp

 

When you want the Mako preamp tone, you'd turn the loop of the Axe on, and all of the amp simulation off. This also allows you to use the effects of the Axe.

[kirkster57]

Thanks much, more for for me to sell on Ebay now.

 

 

That's why you'd put the Mako in the loop of the Axe-FX. Guitar > Cable > Axe-FX > Axe-FX Loop Send > Mako preamp > Axe-FX Loop Return > Axe FX effects > VHT power amp When you want the Mako preamp tone, you'd turn the loop of the Axe on, and all of the amp simulation off. This also allows you to use the effects of the Axe.

 

[AJ6stringsting]

Get some isolation tabs like Humfrees to isolate the unit from ground loops that will cause hum from the other units via the rack rails. Another thing to get are hum cancelers like some of the Ebtech or Behringer units. You can have the input from the rack unit go into those units, it break ground loops and converts unbalanced signal into balanced signal too. Noise reduction units and a sonic maximizer would clean up the tone / signal to pristine sonic nirvana .