Peavey Rockmaster en route - looking for setup suggestions.

[Inazone]

I just got an email letting me know that a Peavey Rockmaster preamp is on its way to me, which I am hoping to use as the basis of my live rig. If you've read my recent rack-related questions, you'll probably already have seen this list, but here is my current live rig:

ART Xtreme pedal > ART Tube EQ > Rocktron Hush II > Boss DD-3 > Peavey VTM-60 head - or - Peavey Classic 60 power amp > Jackson 4x12 cab

Once the Rockmaster arrives, I plan to ditch the pedalboard and use the Rockmaster's footswitch for all of my channel and effects controls. Assuming the preamp's effects loop is decent (and I sure hope it is), I'm planning on running the EQ, Hush and DD-3 in the loop for lead boosts. However, I've never used a Rockmaster before, so this is new territory for me. Are these preamps truly capable of getting a 5150/XXX tone? Am I going to benefit from adding a BBE? Are the distortion channels really similar, so that I could keep the same tone for lead and rhythm?

My goal is to have clean, rhythm and lead tones, all controlled from one footswitch rather than lots of MIDI controllers and/or pedals for everything. I have ADA and ART MIDI preamps, and they sound great, but they are absolute overkill for my live needs.

[Twisteramps]

I had one about 10 years ago... not as high gain or 'crispy' sounding as a 5150 to my ears, but again, it was awhile back. If the loop on the rockmaster doesn't do much for you, remember that you can run effects between a preamp and poweramp also. I'd try it both ways and see which one is preferable.

Pete

[catzodellamarina]

I had my Rockmaster modded by Jerry Pinelli at FJA mods. Well worth it. Stock it was full of gain but thin and frizzy. I always ran it at 10 for gain. Since the mod, it's got guts and 5 is max I need to go. Also, the clean channel improved with the mod. Rockmasters are notorious for bad clean channels.

My next suggestion is based on simplicity, ease of use, and tone: ditch your pile of stuff and get a G-major. The G has a channel switching feature which allows you to change the RM's channels COMBINED with fx with just one MIDI controller. My RM's f/s has been in a drawer for 5 years. The G-Majors gate is excellent and the effects are top notch.
Maybe I'd keep the EQ. The Rockmaster has a bunch of in/outs on the back for every channel. You could hook up the G-Major to the main preamp send/return and also hook the EQ to your fav channel in/out (solo?). This would give you a different tone on just that channel and utilize G-Major's effects.

I've had my rig for 5 years, the last 3 with a VHT 2-90-2. It's a killer setup.

[Twisteramps]

email me if you want a G-Major - I have one that is headed to ebay soon. Works perfectly and even has the manual.

Pete
[email protected]

[Inazone]

The "pile" really isn't very big. The Hush II is a 1/3-space unit and the Tube EQ is 1/2-space, so I figure I can fit those two and the DD-3 pedal on a rack shelf I already have. If I used more effects, I might be able to justify something like a G-Major, but I already have a Rocktron Multivalve that's only getting used for its gate and EQ in another rig. "Fizzy" distortion is the very reason I have the Tube EQ, as my ART pedal and preamp are succeptible to it. I have a feeling that my overall sound won't change very much, just the package.

Whatever the final configuration ends up looking like, I'll have an absurd amount of options - Peavey, ART and ADA preamps, three cabs, and more effects than I'll ever need. I'm starting to understand the lure of rack gear, if for no other reason than the ability to mix and match everything.

[catzodellamarina]

Graphic to ease the pain

Here's a graphic of my rig before I got the VHT poweramp. My setup today is the same. Notice the pink pointer. The COMMON connection is an effects send/return that effects ALL the channels. You could add an EQ there and that frequency setup would apply to the whole unit. Otherwise, you can use 1 channel per fx unit. IMO a unit like the G-Major gives you more flexibility in a simple rack rig. The G's channel switching feature prevents you from doing the cucaracha on multiple floor objects.

http://www.nicholsal.com/misc/MYRACK3.jpg

[lerxstcat]

The Rockmaster has 5 effects loops - clean, crunch, ultra, common/all, common crunch/ultra. If you use certain effects on one channel rather than all, then you can run those effects in the loop for that channel and when you switch they can already be on, or if you don't want it on turn it off from the front panel before that song or that point in the song - or still have a fs on the floor for more versatility.

[Inearthed]

I wanted to check out the Rockmaster, but a bit of hype on the Harmony Central forum resulted in a big price jump.

[Inazone]

Agreed on the price hike. I had been watching them for quite some time, and the bidding always got crazy toward the end. When one popped up with the footswitch for a very reasonable BIN, I jumped on it. Even got free shipping!

I'm going out today to look at rack cases. My idea of putting my EQ, gate and delay all on one rack shelf was thwarted because of course the delay pedal's cable jacks are on the sides - just a little too wide to fit. But then it dawned on me that I needed a shelf to mount my wireless base on anyway.

[badams]

I've got a rockmaster and its the best pre I've got. Running it with a BBE and 31band eq is best.
I've also got a MP-1, Jackson JX-3 and HaflerT3(repairing).
Running these all through a Rocktron patchmate.
Just put new EH tubes in it and you'll love it.

[JBall008]

What's the Hafler like (when it's working)?

[catzodellamarina]

So what's a Rockmaster go for these days? I think I got both of mine for $125 or less 5 years ago. I have JJ's right now. EH tubes are next for mine. Just looking to try something different.

[Inazone]

They've been going for over $200 every time I've checked, so when I saw one with a $210 BIN (shipping included), I went for it. If I was going to try something new, I wanted it to be in time for our next show, so I was running out of patience!

[catzodellamarina]

Wow! The little Peavey that could. 6 years ago I think I sold a 4-space rack for $350 with this stuff in it:
Zoom 9150 (crappy duct taped fx processor) with Zoom f/c
Rockmaster
old Furman PL
Peavey 50/50 worn out el84 amp

[Racerx2k]

Yeah, the Rockmaster is a great preamp, especially with the 5 loops. Lots of gain. I miss mine, sometimes, but I wanted to simplify my setup, and lose the rack gear.