Pedalboard Patchbay

funkadelic

Hi.

I've finally completed my pedalboard but there’s cables running to and from my board all over the place. I'm looking for a cleaner setup to run the cables either (1) through the amp effects loop or (2) direct to the amp input or (3) direct to a mixer (last pedal has a cab sim so it's just a small tweak from setup 2).

I have just learned that there's such a thing as a pedalboard patchbay to these kinds of things. Does anyone run a similar setup? I'm looking for a simple solution. Internet searches pointed to a Loopmaster 4x4 patchbay?

Any thoughts/suggestions/advice?

AlanRatcliffe

I'm a bit unclear on your layout - what is your chain? If it's just the output of your board you want to switch, then an A/B switch will do the job. The loopmaster pedalboard patchbay is specifically when you are running your board's effects in the loop of the amp.

Still it's pretty easy to make up a box for your own specific purposes...

funkadelic

Hi. Having trouble with Photobucket else I would have uploaded the schematic of my board. My signal chain is as follows:
Guitar -> Wah -> Line Selector -> Amp input -> Amp send -> Equaliser -> Delay -> Digitech Reverb -> Amp return
Line Selector loop A = Drive section (Boss SD2 -> Crunchbox -> Vox Ice 9)
Line Selector Loop B = Modulation section (Boss Chorus)
When using my own amp I can also use the drive channel so always use the amp loop.

So I have a cables running as follows:
1. Guitar to wah
2. Line selector to amp input
3. Amp send to equaliser
4. Reverb to and amp return

I don't have this luxury when using another amp (in the future when I start gigging again).
I was thinking of simply using a 1/4" dual female connector to connect cable 2 and 3 when going straight to the amp and cable four then goes to the amp or mixer input. This doesn't solve all the cables running from my board though. It's a DIY job I'm very proud of actually.

funkadelic

I want to use one single setup for amp's with no loop, with a loop, and going direct to a mixer.

AlanRatcliffe

Thinking... Give me a bit of time...

AlanRatcliffe

OK... You're not going to find an off-the-shelf solution, but it's possible to do with a four pole double throw switch and six sockets mounted in a box. The sockets will be an in and an out, loop in and out, and amp send and return.

The switch one way will give you the normal arrangement with some effects in the amp loop. The other way will switch the loop effects in front of the amp.

Let me know if you're interested in making it (or having it made) and I'll draw up a schematic for you to use.

funkadelic

Thanks for pointing me in the DIY direction. Wouldn't have thought of it myself. I suck at electronics so a schematic would be really useful. I will most probably have it made. I take all electronics stuff to pros.

I also found this following site. Will look into both options. Not sure what the pros and cons are yet. http://www.dirtbox.net/diy/super-simple-pedalboard-patchbay/

AlanRatcliffe

A simple patch bay can work, but isn't much different from manually reconnecting things when needed, other than keeping all the connections in the same space.

Norman86

funkadelic wrote: Thanks for pointing me in the DIY direction. Wouldn't have thought of it myself. I suck at electronics so a schematic would be really useful. I will most probably have it made. I take all electronics stuff to pros.

I also found this following site. Will look into both options. Not sure what the pros and cons are yet. http://www.dirtbox.net/diy/super-simple-pedalboard-patchbay/

I had Benj (craigamps) build me a similar contraption.
only mine is powered, has a built in buffer and an extra buffered output for my tuner!

My cables are all in 1 techflex run of around 4.5m.
This includes my pedalboard to amp input, Effects send and return, amp channel / reverb switcher.

DonRoos

I am not fully sure that I unbderstand the issue here. To me, the problem is with multiple cables to/from the board. How about building a mini snake? A box with as many sockets as you need (plus a few for safety), some high grade, multi-core cable long enough to run from the board to the amp and some jack plugs. Wire each twisted pair to a socket and a jack. Label them to ensure that you plug them into the right place.

That way you will have 1 cable running between the board and amp in stead of 3 or more.

AlanRatcliffe

DonRoos wrote: I am not fully sure that I unbderstand the issue here. To me, the problem is with multiple cables to/from the board.

No, the board needs to occasionally be used with amps that have no loop and/or for DIing to desk. The issue is to have a loop for effects that can be switched between the amp's loop (for those amps that have it) or tacked onto the end of the other effects to be plugged into the input of a loopless amp (or DI).

DonRoos

I now know that I understood the requirement properly. See my diagram to understand what I meant. A picture speaks louder that I can explain myself. It is in effect a patch box extended. It saves having 3 cables running from the amp to the board and can be switched easily

Switching setups involves moving ther cable from the top row in to go to the bottom row out.

You could also use the snake to connect an amp pedal (typically stereo) if you wire one of the sockets appropriately.