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**GodWentPUNK** · 12-23-2003, 04:12 PM

Re: Rack Gear--Just starting out

Damn time-out [img]graemlins/images/icons/mad.gif[/img] --- way too short....

I forgot to mention that I use a TSL100 head and a 1936 2x12 150watt cabinet.

joe...

**StuTDavis** · 12-23-2003, 04:30 PM

Re: Rack Gear--Just starting out

For a rack setup, you're going to need...

(1) Preamp unit (or Preamp/Effects combination)
(2) Power amp
(3) Any effects or other support units

Some people at this stage would be asking "what's a preamp?", so I'll explain, just in case. Your GT-6 is a "floor preamp and effects processor". The preamp is generally the initial (and sometimes most important, to some people) tone-generating portion of an amp. Your Marshall head has a preamp in it, as well as a power amp. If you use your GT-6 in front of your Marshall head, feeding into its Input, then you're feeding one preamp into another preamp, then out to the power amp section, then to the cab. If you have the GT-6 in the loop, playing directly into it, then out through the Marshall's power amp section, then you are bypassing the preamp section of your Marshall, and sending the signal to the cab from there.

Since you didn't mention getting a seperate power amp, I'm going to assume you were figuring on using the Marshall head you already own to power the setup. That's not generally a great way to go with rack gear, though it does work. What's usually the best way to go is to get a seperate rack power amp that's made to do the job. If you, say, got a rack preamp, then put it with your head, you might decide you hate it...whereas if you had a good rack power amp to go with it, you might love it.

Going from there, let's look at that $200-400. If you decide to ditch my suggestion to get a rack power amp above and just get a rack preamp, then there are several older units in that price range that might work for you. If you only have $200-400 for BOTH a preamp and a power amp, you're going to be severely limited in choices.

After reading that information, where are you, in terms of what you think you want to do, and what you think is possible monetarily?

Stu

**Dreamland_Rebel** · 12-23-2003, 10:01 PM

Re: Rack Gear--Just starting out

i suggest the Mesa 20/20 pwr amp.

and maybe a marshall JMP1

there are losts of cheap pre's that are descent.

**paddok** · 12-23-2003, 10:50 PM

Re: Rack Gear--Just starting out

Originally posted by Dreamland_Rebel:
there are losts of cheap pre's that are decent.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Just out of curiosity, could you list a few ? I'de be interested in slowly piecing together a rack system for cheap that could one day replace my 5150.

**GodWentPUNK** · 12-23-2003, 11:40 PM

Re: Rack Gear--Just starting out

Currently, I'm running my GT6 in my Marshalls fx-loop plugging my guitar into the Marshall input. Since I do have 3 channels on my Marshall, I'm not doing any pre-amping from my GT-6--I've turned that feature off. Marshall recommeds to not preamp your signal when using the fx-loop.The fx-loop gives me some options of blending the signal from a parelle signal to a serial--which I don't use.

I guess I really need to see how well I like my tone putting the gt-6 in front of the head. then the effects will go through the pre-amp. Is there really a huge different using the fx-loop vs line in? I like using the fx-loop because when I'm not using any effects, I can bypass it using the Marshall footswitch. I guess if I had an fx processor with a by-pass, this would react the same.

Guys, you've given me a lot to think about. As always, I think there is some 'simple' easy answer and there really never is.

Here's a shot....

guitar feeds to Marshall head using TSL's preamp/poweramp. Marshall feeds to fx-processor. fx processor(s) feed to cab. Does this sound right?

If this sounds ok, what fx-processor(s) should one include in a rack system? Is it better to get individual pieces or one that does many. If a single unit is ok, whats one thats good.

thanks,

joe...

**StuTDavis** · 12-24-2003, 01:27 AM

Re: Rack Gear--Just starting out

Ahhhh, okay, hehehe...I threw myself off, on your question, sorry about that. I had the impression for some reason that you wanted to build a complete rack-based setup. You're ONLY using the GT-6 for its effects, and you're NOT wanting full rack setup, ONLY to get a rack effects unit to use with the Marshall?

Sure, you could put the GT-6 in front of the amp, its output going into the amp's front input. Nothing wrong with trying that, just to see if you happen to like that setup better. You'll find people on both sides of that fence.

If you're talking ONLY changing from the effects on the GT-6 to a rack effects unit, sure, the rack effects unit might sound better. Probably would, but you never 100% know until you actually try it. It's also possible that you could buy a rack effects unit, only to find it's not really enough of a difference to have warranted the purchase. My suggestion on that one would be to just go to a guitar store and try out a rack effects unit like the TC Electronic G-Major and A-B'ing it with your existing GT-6.

As far as rack effects-only units for the job, a used G-Major would probably be in your price range. The Rocktron Intellifex is a big fave that should definitely fall into that range used. And for a REALLY cheap fix, you could try the old Alesis Quadraverb...only around $100 or so used, and lots of people still love em.

Now, if you want to look at putting together a full rack setup, with no amp head or combo in the mix, that's a different story...that's what I was talking about in the earlier post.

Stu

**GodWentPUNK** · 12-24-2003, 12:15 PM

Re: Rack Gear--Just starting out

Stu, thanks again for the input. I'm not sure if I want to dump my Marshall as of yet. But, I like the idea of building a entire rack unit from scratch--over time--. I guess I'll need to start my search!

thanks again [img]graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

joe...

**StuTDavis** · 12-24-2003, 02:26 PM

Re: Rack Gear--Just starting out

Joe,

Cool enough, glad my long blabberings can help somebody sometimes hehehe.

Doing the rack building thing is totally something you could do over time. What you're doing now, in looking to maybe get a rack effects unit, is probably a good starting point, when you decide to do it. That way, you keep the amp you have, and just throw one piece in the mix, and can maybe add others later down the road. I always think it's best, when you're maybe looking to change gear, to keep your existing gear if possible, just in case you find the new gear just doesn't cut it once you've had it for a while, yaknow?

It's particularly good when you're looking at a big change over to a rack setup, because some people end up going through preamp after preamp after preamp then power amp after power amp, trying to find just the right combination. The bonus you get from being able to easily mix-n-match different rack pieces, can also be a big pain in the butt, when you're trying to find the pieces that you like best, and that work best together, to get the sound you want. Lots of us have done rack swapping out for years, some of us ending up with as close to "perfect" as we think we can get...some of us feeling like the search will never end hehehe. But it can be a lot of fun, too. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Stu

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