I've decided to build a rack ...But I need some help

[vklobucar]

Do NOT make the mistake that many of us have made. Buy the best from the get go and you will be more than satisfied.

I made many a huge monster racks filled with so-so gear thinking that it would be decent enough.

Now? A JMP1 run through my fav FX unit (Digitech TSR24S) straight into my very early edition (read hand built) VHT2150.

Sounds like heaven!

[jgcable]

Do NOT make the mistake that many of us have made. Buy the best from the get go and you will be more than satisfied.

I made many a huge monster racks filled with so-so gear thinking that it would be decent enough.

Now? A JMP1 run through my fav FX unit (Digitech TSR24S) straight into my very early edition (read hand built) VHT2150.

Sounds like heaven!

Yep. that seems like a winning combination to me.

[hippietim]

Do NOT make the mistake that many of us have made. Buy the best from the get go and you will be more than satisfied.

That's good advice for anything so long as you know what the best is and you can afford it. I've had a number of "best" preamps along the way and am still looking. I really don't think you can find the best so easily.

Now? A JMP1 run through my fav FX unit (Digitech TSR24S) straight into my very early edition (read hand built) VHT2150.

There's a good example of my previous point. I had a JMP1 and thought it was pretty mediocre. I had a 2150 and a couple of Marshall power amps to work with.

[vklobucar]

I understand that say the pre-amp may be subjective to taste but I was actually talking about endless FX units, sometimes needless EQ units, complex switching systems that were never really needed in the first place, Datadisk MIDI dumps.....the list goes on....

It is too easy to be driven to "fill up" a say 20 space rack just for the sake of looks....


Having said that I would NEVER go back to a few floor pedals. Nothing beats the sonic punch , stereo effect and overall sound quality of a good rack!

[AK47]

Wow! Everyone is against the 20 space rack. Its got casters and if your in a band you have 2 to 3 people to help you move it.

I do agree if you have a smaller car and modility or stairs are going to be an constant issue along with asshole bandmates who dont help you move stuff then get a smaller rack.

[roodyrocker]

Wow! Everyone is against the 20 space rack. Its got casters and if your in a band you have 2 to 3 people to help you move it.

I do agree if you have a smaller car and modility or stairs are going to be an constant issue along with asshole bandmates who dont help you move stuff then get a smaller rack.

I'm not against a 20 space rack, have one myself, but it never moves anywhere. Actually its not done being wired up yet. But from going to gigs my band mates already complain about the weight of my Bogner 4x12 cab in its road case so I can imagine a 20 space rack. If you have the people to help you move it and a car it fits in, I'd say light that 20 space rack up like a John Petrucci on tour

[dx1556]

20 space racks? How many thousands of people are you guys playing for?

If I were doing a "first rack" setup, it would be any decent stereo poweramp in a 3-6 space rack, a floor preamp like BOSS GT-6/8/10, and a pair of 2x12 cabs standing vertically.

Even that is probably overkill for the types of bands most of us people who post regularly on forums are playing in...

[AK47]

20 space racks? How many thousands of people are you guys playing for?

If I were doing a "first rack" setup, it would be any decent stereo poweramp in a 3-6 space rack, a floor preamp like BOSS GT-6/8/10, and a pair of 2x12 cabs standing vertically.

Even that is probably overkill for the types of bands most of us people who post regularly on forums are playing in...

Jayster seems to have alot of nice high end Jacksons like his KE1s he posted pics of. I figure he is like me and likes quality stuff that is why I recommended what I recommended to him.

If he was a 14 year old kid starting out my recommentation would be totally different.

A 6 space rack that two people already recommended in this thread would only hold a power amp and a preamp plus power conditioner. Thats it then he has to buy a bigger case when he gets something else for his rack.

[dx1556]

True, but the size has nothing to do with the quality.

I guess my thought was that a rack system can get very expensive and complicated very quickly. If he doesn't really have any experience with the stuff, I think it would be better to start off simple: Power conditioner, Preamp, (optional FX unit), Poweramp, rack case, cabs, switching system.

Even that, if using all "quality stuff", will cost thousands of dollars and take him probably over a month to get totally programmed and dialed in.

I figure why start out with the most expensive, most complicated, biggest and heaviest setup?

It's like taking pilot's lessons in a 747...

[roodyrocker]

I have actually never used the 20 space rack live, in fact it sits in the garage for the most part. Normally I use either my Bogner Uberschall with a few pedals or my Randall RM100 with some pedals in a rack drawer. Have not been using my ADA MP1 stuff lately but I did back in the 80's. Nowadays if I use my rack live its usually a small one, a 4 space that holds an Axe FX Ultra and power conditioner. Now that rack setup has about 20 spaces worth of sounds and tone in it Just run it into a QSC powered monitor and direct to front of house PA.

[Robert Burns]

That's good advice for anything so long as you know what the best is and you can afford it. I've had a number of "best" preamps along the way and am still looking. I really don't think you can find the best so easily.



There's a good example of my previous point. I had a JMP1 and thought it was pretty mediocre. I had a 2150 and a couple of Marshall power amps to work with.

*** You know whats scary about what you just said? If YOU cant find
a great perfect Preamp, then one doesnt exist! That Brunetti may be
as good as it gets? You may have saved me 5 years, and $30K of searching!

[Jayster]

I've just ebayed some stuff :
an original ADA MP1
a BBE 462 Sonic Maximizer
a HUSH II CX noise gate
an Alesis Midiverb III

I'll let you know how my endevours of rackdom go ; And yes I know I still need a power amp !


EDIT : Anyone who's familliar with my start here, please recommend a good power amp ! I'm leaning towards either soldano 100 or strategy mesa ?

[Jayster]

I figure he is like me and likes quality stuff that is why I recommended what I recommended to him.

A 6 space rack that two people already recommended in this thread would only hold a power amp and a preamp plus power conditioner. Thats it then he has to buy a bigger case when he gets something else for his rack.

I've bought a 14 space rack, room for growth and hopefully somewhat portable, pics will eventually follow - in the show your rack thread.

Thanks for your help everyone, I'll probably have some forthcoming questions for you guys with rack experience.