link to "part 1"
http://musictoyz.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=647602957...941031892#6941031892

Here's the latest "incarnation" of the smaller board:


Been using this board most of the time. I just like the way it reacts to my playing. I found I wasn't using the Distortion Pro in this context. The character of its sound was so different from the other pedals. Running it in front of the LTD and TPT would drive the other pedals into an overly dark sound. For a week, I tried running it after the other two, but found it a little bit too aggressive a distortion sound here.

Replaced it with an Xotic BB Preamp. It immediately fit in with the other two pedals. Its smoothness and "amplike" compression definitely places it farther along the continuum with the other two. When I first plugged it in, it really reminded me of the Tour Pro Toggle (this is at bedroom levels). Upon closer listening, the BB Preamp has both a thicker, more "congested" breakup than the TPT (set to medium compression) with just a bit of noticeable edge, and is also more transparent. The TPT is a little warmer on the top end, and the distortion is not as thick and just a bit smoother.

The BB can also get a good clean tone with just a slight sheen of compression (makes a good clean boost). The Treble and bass controls are powerful(add OR subtract bass and treble) ad should cover whatever you need. At low levels with the treble and bass boosted just a bit, you get a better sense of the depth of the distortion. All three of the pedals retain good chord definition. The BB also allows the character of the guitar/pickups to come through (LP type guitars and Strats as well).

So now, the OD/Distortion pedals are set up from cleanest to dirtiest.

First, the LTD is set up for that light, warm overdrive of a pushed single channel amp. I tweaked the level to keep it very close to the clean tone, and the tone knob is now at or around 12:00 to better match the clean tone as well.

Next, the Tour Pro Toggle is still pretty close to how I had it before with light compression, volume just a bit above unity gain, and the gain is now dropped from around 12:00 to 11:00-11:30 to clean it up just a bit more. It still sings for solos, but is just a bit smoother.

Finally, the BB Preamp is set up with the gain maxed out, the treble and bass bumped up just a bit (around 12:30-1:00). Volume is at a similar level to the TPT. And by itself does good leads.

The TPT pushes the BB into a more aggressive, heavier sound. The LTD doesn't seem to have as great an effect on the BB as it does on the Tour Pro Toggle since the BB is maxed out on its gain already. With the gain reduced, there is more of an effect but still not as much as the Tour Pro Toggle.

Been using the McSqueeze in clean boost mode lately just to get the dynamics of a clean boost before the LTD (still use the compression mode for Knopfler type stuff).

The other big change is that I've added my old Boss CH-1 Super Chorus to this board again. The Analogman Mini Clone Chorus wasn't giving me that clear "ghost" shimmer that I prefer for my chorus these days, but it was sounding great as a fast Leslie (in fact, I tried it in front of a Leslie, and the fast swirl of the Mini and the slow swirl of the Leslie together is a pretty captivating sound (if you get the chance, try it).

The CH-1 is now the last in the chain and after about a day and a half of tweaking, I got something that shimmered a bit that you didn't really notice till you turned it off. The two choruses together sound great on bridge humbucker and all position single coil chords.

Things are a bit tight but it's working. Will get the One Spot daisychain cable (that will give me a bit more room/flexibility than the Boss cable). Also need a block of wood to raise the Super Chili Picoso up a bit as it's hard to hit that switch right now.

Old Order:
Tone Press=>
McSqueeze=>
Distortion Pro(@9v)=>
Mini Clone Chorus(@12v)=>
LTD(@16v)=>
Tour Pro Toggle=>Amp Input

(from FX Loop send)
Super Chili Picoso=>
Ernie Ball Volume Pedal=>
(TU-12 Tuner not in signal chain)
Boss Master Switch Loop pedal=> Amp
(Alesis NanoVerb in loop)
(to FX Loop Return)

Latest Order:
Tone Press=>
McSqueeze=>
Mini Clone Chorus(@12v)=>
LTD(@16v)=>
Tour Pro Toggle=>
Xotic BB Preamp=>

(from FX Loop send)
Super Chili Picoso=>
Ernie Ball Volume Pedal=>
(TU-12 Tuner not in signal chain)
Boss Master Switch Loop pedal=> Amp
(Alesis NanoVerb in loop)
Boss CH-1 Super Chorus=>
(to FX Loop Return)

Planned:
Xotic RC and AC Booster
Barber LTD (Dave's looking into making a custom sized version that would fit in an old MXR sized box)
PedalworX Texas Two Step

Brett