Members cmw Posted October 2, 2008 Members Share Posted October 2, 2008 I really need to get off my butt and build those new racks, because I'm running out of room. I got the Digitech Studio 400 yesterday and my second Rane PE-15 just today, so I'm still tweaking stuff. I got the Nobels Split-Master on friday (see picture 3). I can split my input signal seven ways with that guy (it's 4-2 or 2-8, but I jumpered one of the outputs to the second input, thus giving me 1-7). I'm currently using four outputs ... rockmaster, real tube II, Gnx3000, tuner. That leaves me three more for a couple more preamps someday and some sort of harmonizing unit down the road. Not a bad unit for $89.00. I hooked up my old Digitech RP-12 as a foot controller (sorry about the blurriness): Now if I can just figure out how to make it do what I want it to. I'm digging the Boss FV-500L though. This part isn't so great though... (some may have to avert their eyes) It's a bit of a wiring nightmare. Now, all I need to complete my initial infrastructure is another Rane SM26 so the wet signals can meet up with the dry signals (party time), and another Nobels Split-Master, so I can split off the output of the dry submix into up to 3 stereo effects units. Well, that and about dozen more cables, some serious cable management, a couple of power distribution units, a boss GE-7, a wah pedal .... ok ... so maybe I still have a ways to go. Edit: Sound clip available on page 2 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Spacehog26 Posted October 2, 2008 Members Share Posted October 2, 2008 Cool stuff... I was thinking it didn't look too bad until I saw the wall warts hanging out the back Be interested to see how you pull the whole thing together, and what it looks and sounds like when you do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bryan316 Posted October 2, 2008 Members Share Posted October 2, 2008 Holy spaghetti, Batman! First question... do you really NEED everything in that rack? I mean, I rag my brother for needing 12 spaces for all the gear in his rack, but you're DOUBLING his needs! Second question... have you the available currency to start investing in new custom-length wiring? Cuz there's a LOT of excess signal cabling and excess power cabling. If you went with a Planet Waves wiring kit or a spool of George L cable and jacks you could get a very very clean signal-routing setup, along with shortening all the power cables and routing them properly. Remember, run signal wires to one side, power cables to the other side. Never cross signal cables directly over power cables. If you must, cross it at a right angle. Use zip ties to make a cross, to keep the cables at 90-degrees to each other. Velcro is your friend for wrapping cables together in bundles, as well as sticky-back zip tie anchors. You can build a huge rack and have it looking as clean as this: As long as you plan ahead, your rig should be clean and easy to access. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members petejt Posted October 2, 2008 Members Share Posted October 2, 2008 I really need to get off my butt and build those new racks, because I'm running out of room. I got the Digitech Studio 400 yesterday and my second Rane PE-15 just today, so I'm still tweaking stuff. I got the Nobels Split-Master on friday (see picture 3). I can split my input signal seven ways with that guy (it's 4-2 or 2-8, but I jumpered one of the outputs to the second input, thus giving me 1-7). I'm currently using four outputs ... rockmaster, real tube II, Gnx3000, tuner. That leaves me three more for a couple more preamps someday and some sort of harmonizing unit down the road. Not a bad unit for $89.00. I hooked up my old Digitech RP-12 as a foot controller (sorry about the blurriness): Now if I can just figure out how to make it do what I want it to. I'm digging the Boss FV-500L though. This part isn't so great though... (some may have to avert their eyes) It's a bit of a wiring nightmare. Now, all I need to complete my initial infrastructure is another Rane SM26 so the wet signals can meet up with the dry signals (party time), and another Nobels Split-Master, so I can split off the output of the dry submix into up to 3 stereo effects units. Well, that and about dozen more cables, some serious cable management, a couple of power distribution units, a boss GE-7, a wah pedal .... ok ... so maybe I still have a ways to go. The back of your rack looks like my music room floor, lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pmtrub Posted October 2, 2008 Members Share Posted October 2, 2008 Holy spaghetti, Batman! That's just plain sexy, and an inspiration for the tedious wiring job I'm doing in my rack as I write this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bryan316 Posted October 2, 2008 Members Share Posted October 2, 2008 Zip tie anchors, velcro, and keeping your cables labeled. KEY. Go buy a Brother P-Touch Labeler, and print little flag labels. http://www.ecomofficesupplies.com/ProductInfo~productid~PT1280.html An indispensable tool when building a huge rack. "Where's the Effects Return cable? AH! Here it is!" Trust me, it'll save you precious, precious time and hassle and worries. especially at the gig with a dark stage. OH! Speaking of dark stages, TAP LIGHTS. Go buy a few of those Big ol' GE Tap Lights, or the smaller Sylvania Dot-It lights. Why? Because your Furman power conditioner's rear-mounted goose-neck light doesn't work when there's no power going to it! A tap light works WHENEVER you need it. And these newer LED tap lights last forever with just AAA batteries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Keebz Posted October 2, 2008 Members Share Posted October 2, 2008 That's just plain sexy, and an inspiration for the tedious wiring job I'm doing in my rack as I write this... That IS Impressive! Mine isn't wired up THAT clean, but it's nice and tidy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zachman Posted October 2, 2008 Members Share Posted October 2, 2008 That's just plain sexy, and an inspiration for the tedious wiring job I'm doing in my rack as I write this... That was Custom Audio Electronics' wiring job (A very old one), if I recall correctly. In case you are interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bryan316 Posted October 2, 2008 Members Share Posted October 2, 2008 There's no reason a young upstart can't have a rack as clean as that, as long as he starts his assembly with everything in mind to keep it clean and organized. It may take quite a few afternoons and a whole case of beer, but the end result is worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pmtrub Posted October 2, 2008 Members Share Posted October 2, 2008 That IS Impressive! Mine isn't wired up THAT clean, but it's nice and tidy. Can we see the back of your rack Keebz? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cmw Posted October 2, 2008 Author Members Share Posted October 2, 2008 Yeah, the wiring is atrocious. I really can't defend that. I'm going to try and tidy it up, but I need to construct wooden cases before I can get too carried away. Then I can actually mount cable ties / power strips to the sides of the cabinet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bryan316 Posted October 2, 2008 Members Share Posted October 2, 2008 Install some extra rails inside your case, just behind the rear rack rails. Use whatever you want. Bend up some flat barstock with some screw holes at the ends to mount to the walls, and then stick on these little zip tie anchors: These guys are the bee's knees to keeping a rack tidy. I buy these in 100 bags at a time, using them for everything from home stereo wiring to automotive to band gear to entertainment centers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zachman Posted October 2, 2008 Members Share Posted October 2, 2008 I figured some of you guys would enjoy checking out some of these wiring jobs: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zachman Posted October 2, 2008 Members Share Posted October 2, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bryan316 Posted October 2, 2008 Members Share Posted October 2, 2008 Ladies and gentlemen, this is now a rack junkie's porn thread. m/ m/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pmtrub Posted October 2, 2008 Members Share Posted October 2, 2008 Thanks Zach, that's giving me a lot of ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zachman Posted October 2, 2008 Members Share Posted October 2, 2008 Thanks Zach, that's giving me a lot of ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cmw Posted October 2, 2008 Author Members Share Posted October 2, 2008 Is anybody else using power strips in their rack? I understand that a couple power conditioners would be the way to go ... but I'm just askin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pmtrub Posted October 3, 2008 Members Share Posted October 3, 2008 Is anybody else using power strips in their rack? I understand that a couple power conditioners would be the way to go ... but I'm just askin. nope http://www.monstercable.com/productdisplay.asp?pin=2141 Switching to this from an old furman made me a million times happier with my rig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zachman Posted October 3, 2008 Members Share Posted October 3, 2008 Is anybody else using power strips in their rack? I understand that a couple power conditioners would be the way to go ... but I'm just askin. IF you have a "Power Conditioner in your rig and need more connectors, you can plug a multi-outlet power strip into that. I have a rack mounted multi- strip see pic: If you'll note the rack pics I posted a few have multi-outlet power strips mounted in the back of their racks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bryan316 Posted October 3, 2008 Members Share Posted October 3, 2008 It doesn't matter if you use a Furman, a Monster, a power strip, or a three-outlet extension cord. SECURE YOUR WALL WARTS SO THEY DON'T SHAKE LOOSE! You can get a power strip that lets you install wall warts sideways to completely fill it. However you decide things should fit, PLEASE remember that wall warts are heavy, will wear out the outlet's connections, loosen and fall off. They always do, and always will. So either tape em in place by wrapping them with electrical tape to your power center, or use plastic cable ties, or even those stick-on zip tie anchors then wrap the ties around them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Spacehog26 Posted October 3, 2008 Members Share Posted October 3, 2008 Or just replace your wallwarts altogether with alternative power supplies like I have (Pedal Power AC and I've got a Burkey Flatliner Pro on the way) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cmw Posted October 8, 2008 Author Members Share Posted October 8, 2008 Cool stuff... I was thinking it didn't look too bad until I saw the wall warts hanging out the back Be interested to see how you pull the whole thing together, and what it looks and sounds like when you do! Allright ... well, I mic'ed up one side (the rockmaster side) with an SM-57 tonight and dinked around for a few minutes before my daughter had to go to sleep (thus ending loud-guitar-time). Now, if your next-door garage band sounded this bad, you'd call the cops on them (at least I don't wake the neighbors) but here goes nothing ... onemanjam.mp3 I started by improvising a rhythm guitar track (which unfortunately clips in a couple places), stuck some keyboards on there, and they tried to put some drums on top of that (one take at each, mistakes and all). I didn't have the foresight to lay down a click track first, so the timing gets crazy towards the end (not in a good way), and I'm not much of a keyboardist either ... I managed to stay mostly in the same key ... Here's a few other short simple guitar only clips: bstn.mp3 (mids boosted in post) grndy.mp3 random.mp3 I need to get another microphone so I can mic both 2x12's and get both pre-amps in the mix. Actually, I can record four tracks simultaneously with my M-Audio Firewire 410, and my yamaha MG16/4 can effectively deal with four output tracks on two different buses. So then all that's left is to get 3 more SM-57's and a 4x12 cab. Then I can run the 4x12 as my dry signal, powered by my Peavey classic 50/50, and the two 2x12's can be my wet L/R signals, powered by my Crate SPA200. Then I can track all four mics at once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sacredgroove Posted October 8, 2008 Members Share Posted October 8, 2008 Instead of 3 more SM57s, I suggest: 1 SM57 and 2 Sennheiser e609. This way you could mic each cab with 2 different mics and then blend them together. This way you're capable of capturing the tone that's coming out of your speakers, more accurately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bryan316 Posted October 8, 2008 Members Share Posted October 8, 2008 The Senny MD421's are excellent amplifier microphones as well. Give one a try, you'll love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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