New M4 rig... just arrived today !!!!!!

About 6 months or so ago I decided to sell off my MTS gear, which was considerable at the time since I had an RM4/RT250, RM100C, RM20B, and a dozen modules. It was as if I woke up one morning and every module felt/sounded exactly the same. The thrill was gone.

So I embarked on a quest for new amps... bought a few Hughes & Kettners, a Rocktron Vendetta, even built my own JTM45 clone at the Egnater seminar. Fate struck at the seminar, though... I had the opportunity to play an M4 rig at the Amp Lounge, and once again began jonesin' for a modular rig. Just a week ago I put in an order for a new loaded M4 and have been searching for the remaining components to fill up the rack.

Here's what I'm thinking the rig will look like:
- Axess GRX4 (for buffering & to take GP8 in/out of signal path)
- Fulltone Clyde Deluxe wah
- Roland GP8 (pre-FX: compressor, OD, distortion, autowah)
- Egnater M4 (modules: VX, SL, EG, E-RECT for starters)
- TC Electronic G-Force
- VHT 2/50/2
- Avatar 2x12 w/ V30's, Avatar 2x12 with T75's

What I really wanted from an FX perspective was the Fractal Audio Axe-FX... I've been on the waiting list for a few weeks, but there's no guarantee as to when the units will actually become available. So the G-Force should keep me occupied for a while until the next batch of Axe-FX'***** the market: http://www.fractalaudio.com/index.html

Only thing I still need is a MIDI controller... I'm leaning towards picking up an old Ground Control (since I've had great experience with those in the past); I've also been eyeing the Behringer FCB1010 just because I like the built-in expression pedals. Hopefully I'll pick one up by the end of the week.

So, whaddya think? Anybody got similar rigs?

--B

That sounds killer.

With a rig like that I would go for the Axess FX-1, best midi controller out there.

bduersch, how do you compare the eggie stuff to the Randall stuff? It is always in the back of my mind that I may want to go with the Egnater stuff (all Randall right now) when I can afford it.

Are you running the GForce in series or parallel? I'd recommend running it in parallel as it is a major tone sucker with its converters.

I'd stay away from the behringer midi controller. I had one and yes, it does do what it is designed to do, but its very limited. A big dissapointment with the built in continuous controllers that they never consistantly returned to a zero position (my midi devices sometimes showed a value of 1 or 2 out of 128 when the pedal was all the way back). Plus you can only transmit on one midi channel.

I currently use the old Ground Control and the only complaint I have with that is you cant properly use the mode where the bottom row of buttons are presets and the top are on/off buttons. the problem is that they all are alwasy on when you change presets. Such a small problem that I wish they would have fixed. Apparently they've fixed it with the GC pro. But hey, I got mine on ebay for like 75 bucks.

I think the next best controller woudl be the Rocktron All Access, then the Axess-electronics one, which is killer as you get a free windows application for programming it. Its pricy but flexible.

cody

I'm still waiting for the Egnater rig to come in... it's been showing up one piece at a time... the VHT arrived yesterday, the G-Force arrives Monday, the MIDI controller comes Tuesday. Will probably still be a couple weeks before the M4 arrives and I can give a serious comparison, though it will require reaching into the mental way-back since I haven't had the Randall gear around for about 6 months and the only thing in common between the two rigs at this point is the cabs...



I ended up going with the Behringer controller... after poking around the Yahoo support group, it can transmit on multiple channels and it is possible to re-calibrate the CC pedals. Just not obvious from the manual, which has got to be one of the most worthless manuals I've ever read. I think the key to being productive with the Behringer is using the PC-based editor (also available through the Yahoo support group), since the Behringer's display clearly isn't as intuitive as any of the DMC/Rocktron/Axess products.

--B

Hey Brent,
I've got a couple of those FCB1010's and I've been able to set up mine using the manual and it was pretty straight forward.
(Calibrating and such...)
I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out.

One thing you should know, I seem to remember having some issues with my FCB1010 and G-Force together, can't remember exactly what the deal was, but search on the two and see if you find anybody complaining about incompatibilities...
I know my FCB1010 worked with it, but there was something that was not 100%. Maybe something like it not wanting to switch patches 11 and above? I can't remember, it's been so long ago.

The CC's worked great with the whammy effects and even found a half-way decent wah effect that was possible with the G-Force.

The G-Force was harder to program than the G-Major, but it wasn't like an Eventide by any means...
You'll like the G-Force.

Well, I think I totally jinxed myself... :x

Components for my rig have been showing up over the past week, so last night I took an hour or so to get the rack set up (sans the M4) with my Rocktron Vendetta head.

First, turns out my new Behringer FCB1010 controller is defective... shipped with a broken footswitch and at least one broken LED. Needless to say, I popped it back in the box to return to MF and am once again in the market for a MIDI controller... apparently I should've gone with my original intuition and picked up either the Rocktron Midimate or DMC Ground Control (both of which I've had good luck with in the past)--I don't need anything so fancy as the Ground Control Pro/All Access/FX1 at this point.

Second, my plan has been to assemble my rig in an 8-space DJ rack I've had around the house for a while, which would've been a good short-term fix since I've got a power conditioner (1U) + shelf for wireless/Axess GRX4 (1U) + Roland GP8 (1U) + M4 (2U) + G-Force (1U) + 2/50/2 (2U)... exactly 8 spaces. Well, turns out the rack has some reinforcements on the bottom that essentially make the 8th space useless, so it's basically a 7 space rack. So now I'm also in the market for a new rack. Grrrr.

At least I've still got a couple weeks to sort things out until my M4 arrives... On the bright side, I'm liking the G-Force from a usability standpoint... it took me less than 5 minutes without the manual to build my "Ballerina 12/24" patch, so that's progress, I guess.

I did snap a couple pics last night to show how everything is coming together in light of the missing M4/damaged MIDI controller/too-small rack...







--B

I have the Rocktron Midi Mate and it's perfect, no issues, AND relatively inexpensive, unlike the Rocktron All Access . You can't go wrong with the Midi Mate. I use the Boss FV500 L volume pedal/expression pedal and it''s the best pedal I have ever owned, smooth, stereo, tuner out, AND a user adjustable low/max output pot.


H

I've used the Ground Control Pro and loved it.
That's a shame about the FCB1010, the CC's are fun to play with in conjunction with the G-Force.

Just heard from Frank that my M4's still 1-2 weeks out... I CAN'T STAND THE SUSPENSE!!

I have made a few "last minute additions" to the rig...

- picked up a vintage (hot pink!) ART X-15 MIDI controller... it's not as programmable as the alternatives, but for something with 2 expression pedals it was too inexpensive to pass up

- got a used (single channel) Twin module, which in the absence of the M4, makes a great paperweight

- bought a couple ATA racks to divide the gear between, after remembering that the combination of the RM4 + RT2/50 + other stuff in an 8-space rack was about enough to give me a hernia. Now I have a 6-space rack for power conditioner + shelf (wireless & GRX4) + Roland GP8 + M4 + G-Force and a 4-space rack for VHT 2/50/2 and my backup Crate Powerblock.

Hopefully the M4 will ship soon... I've sold one amp already and have sales pending for two others, so I'm dangerously close to being amp-less in the interim. At this point, I might actually get my Axe-FX before the M4 shows up!

--B

Sweet... just talked to Frank, he said my M4 is burning in now and will ship by the end of the week.

A couple other rig updates...

- After spending a couple weeks fiddling with the Roland GP8, TC G-Force, Axess GRX4, and ART X-15, I decided the combination of all of them was probably more effects power than I'd ever need, certainly more complexity than I'd want to deal with. So I decided to sell all of 'em and go back to my roots... a Lexicon MPX-G2 for pre/post effects with an R1 MIDI controller. Absolutely seamless, which is a bonus considering it cost several hundred less than all the other gear combined. (now I've just got to sell all the other gear... gonna be a big e-bay week, I can already tell...)

- Ended up getting a pair of G12H30's to replace the G12T75's (which I've never been a big fan of) in my open-back 2x12 cab, which will be used in conjunction with a V30-loaded closed-back 2x12.

- Also, as plan 'B' (mostly for backup purposes, but also for small jazz gigs and general jamming around) I picked up a Palomino RM50B, which I tweaked out with some SED 6L6's and a new Classic Lead 80.

So if all goes as planned, by this time next week I'll have my M4 and will be rocking out!

--B

On the bright side, looks like my M4 shipped a day early.

On the flip side, Fedex tried to deliver it this afternoon... not sure if I was taking a nap or messing around in the studio, but nonetheless, I missed the driver. Since Fedex home doesn't deliver on Mondays, now I'm waiting 'til Tuesday. Ah, the suspense! :shock:

Oh well... that gave me time to fiddle around with photoshop and put together my latest wiring diagram:


--B

I'm confused(?). There's a buffer before and after the wireless. Please explain my dear fellow.

Well, the Axess BS2 after the wireless really is a true buffer--it converts the signal to low impedance to reduce tone suck/signal loss through FX units & long cable runs.

The Radial Dragster's hard to describe in one word... it's a "load correcting device", or an anti-buffer?!? Some wireless units, FX units, modelers, etc. impact the tone & (worse yet) feel of the guitar you're playing... you lose that feel of being plugged directly into the front of the amp. The Dragster has a variable impedance control you can dial in to get the right feel back. Kinda wacky, but it works pretty well. Although it looks big in the picture above, it's only a 2"x2" square, so is attached to my guitar strap and connected between the guitar & wireless transmitter--These days I only use (need) it with the wireless, but I originally bought it to give my Boss GT-8 a more natural feel.

--B

Okay, I know what you mean. Years ago I used a Nady and you're right, wireless does have a different feel to it. Kindy spongey and the attack was weird sometimes. Dig it, cool machines.

Expecting that Fedex would re-attempt delivery of my M4 today, I stayed home this morning to sign for the package... sure enough, the Fedex dude showed up before 10:00 with the goods.

I had just enough time to open the box and get a whiff of the "new amp smell" before I had to come into the office. I've got a couple more meetings, but I'm chomping at the bit to get home so I can wire it up and take it for a test drive.

More coming soon...

--B

You're wailing on it right now aren't you dude ... Brent? Can you here me?

Yeah... had to sneak out of the office a bit early today... since it was 70+ degrees today, I went out rollerblading for a couple hours, because I knew as soon as I went down in the basement to wire up the M4 that I wouldn't emerge for hours...

So anyway, here she is... emerging from the box...


...loaded into the rack with the Lexicon MPX-G2 & VHT 2/50/2...


...and stacked up with the Avatar 2x12's...


This thing absolutely kills... amazing punch & dynamics. Each module rocks in its own way... the SL has phenomenal attack (in that vintage way), the VX has beautiful chime, the E-RECT has brutal low-end, and the EG3/4 is buttery smooth. The four of them make a truly dangerous combination. I can already tell I'll be picking up more modules as soon as $$$ permits.

Tomorrow's plan is to record a few demo clips, maybe do a couple head-2-head comparisons between the Randall & Egnater modules (Plexi vs SL, Blackface vs Twin).

--B

Im chomping at the bit for those demo clips. Come on!

Congrats on a great rig!

-Matt

I swear when I saw that picture of her coming out of the box ...

I heard a choir of angelic voices.





I'm not kidding.




I think I may be mentally ill.