Voodoo Lab Pedal Switcher?

[revolver1]

Having tuned up my 69 Plexi to where I want it, I've had a bit of a re-think about my pedal chain as some thing's just wern't working. I was running an EB volume pedal, from this I'd take one lead to a DT 10 tuner keeping it out of the signal path and run the other to my chain. I then had a BBE wah into Analog man Sun Lion into Analog man Beano Boost into Analog man Maxon OD9 modded to TS808 into MXR 74 RI Phase 90 into MXR Carbon Copy analog delay.

I messed about trying different buffers in different position's of the chain, I had some pleasing results but over all true bypass just sounds better to my ear especially where the wah and fuzz are concerned.

I then realised that the MXR pedals were sucking tone. What a bummer! This realy hacked me off since I had a 90's Phase 90 and then forked out more cash for the 74 RI under the impression it was true bypass. Like all the other pedals these company's have ripped me off with over the years promising some major improvement," Oh yeah this time we've realy done it it's the real deal ": (how many ts808's have I got lying around gathering dust!!!).

Worst bit is the pedal sounds gorgous when its on. For the sake of a switch that can't add that much more to the cost of it... and I'd willingly pay, why on earth would I want a pedal that sucks tone. I know the originals did but maybe that's one modern improvement that we might actually benefit from for once. I'm not brave enough to go in there and start hacking it up to try fix it. So it's got to go!

I then realised the tuner, although it's not in the effects chain it's in paralelle and the buffer was still messing with the tone and the same with the volume pedal. So that's gotta go! The delay is the only tone sucker there but with everything else removed it's impact is minimal and besides I usualy have it on most of the time anyway.

So I moved the Wah. Now it run's Guitar, Fuzz, Beano Boost, Wah, TS808, Delay. Man what a difference! It sounds great. The Fuzz and the Wah sound amazing, they seem to have more frequencies to play with.
Troubble is now I've got no stage tuner and no way of killing the signal with out turning the amp down to change guitars. And I can't use the Phase 90. So I'm wondering if any one has tryed the Voodoo Lab pedal switcher or a similar system, any opinions, sugestions? I realy don't want to fork out more cash on something that could turn out to be garbage.

[Audiowonderland]

Instead of selling stuff without True bypass why don't you look at loop-masters and get a small loop box for it?

http://www.loop-master.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Ferrari-Dude]

Revolver1,

I have a Voodoo Lab GCX and Ground Control combination. I can't tell if that is the particular switcher to which you were referring, but most of the Voodoo lab stuff uses relays.

The GCX has the option to use a buffer circuit at the input to the device also and is MIDI controllable via the Ground Control or other midi controller.

I don't hear any tone-sucking using this device and I am running it with a TS808 reissue as well as several MXR effects (Stereo Chorus, Flanger, Phase 100, etc...)

FYI - If you need something floor-based (e.g. on your pedal board), you could look at the Carl Martin Combinator. I've used that in the past and it is pretty transparent also. IIRC it does seem to add a little noise to the signal though.

Hope that helps,

-Dono

[revolver1]

Thank's guy's, I'll check them out. I think that's the kind of thing that's gonna work for me and the sort of thing I've seen on some pro setup pedal boards. So you can choose between buffered or non buffered input's/output's and if your not using the pedal it stay's completely out of the signal path.

[revolver1]

I just had a look at the loop master site, wow. I think that could be the answer and alot cheaper than the Voodoo lab stuff, even taking into concideration the shipping to the UK.

Guess I better get saving, since looking around this part of the site I've come accross that Casteldine Wah. The BBE's good but that look's like the mutt's nut's. Seem's there's alway's something.

[garbeaj]

I just had a look at the loop master site, wow. I think that could be the answer and alot cheaper than the Voodoo lab stuff, even taking into concideration the shipping to the UK.

Guess I better get saving, since looking around this part of the site I've come accross that Casteldine Wah. The BBE's good but that look's like the mutt's nut's. Seem's there's alway's something.

Stuart modded my old 1966 grey Vox wah and it sounds amazing. Anything he does is great and he is a pleasure to deal with. You can't go wrong with Castledine...

[Audiowonderland]

I just had a look at the loop master site, wow. I think that could be the answer and alot cheaper than the Voodoo lab stuff, even taking into concideration the shipping to the UK.

Guess I better get saving, since looking around this part of the site I've come accross that Casteldine Wah. The BBE's good but that look's like the mutt's nut's. Seem's there's alway's something.

Only drag is the lead time. Mine is still about 8 weeks out but I will bu lucky to have the board built and the pedal selection complete by then