The Watering Hole

Finally took a pic of my preamp rack I put together a couple weekends ago.  I have things wired that the default setup is the Krank with G Major in FX loop out to the Avatar cab (to the left).  By changing where I plug in, and patching one cable in the patch bay, my options become:

Engl 530 preamp to Krank FX return out to cabinet
Marshall 9001 preamp to Krank FX return out to cabinet
Peavey Rockmaster to Krank FX return out to cabinet

each above option can include the G Major simply be changing where I patch a cable

Krankenstein head's preamp to recording direct input
Engl 530 preamp to recording direct input
Marshall 9001 preamp to recording direct input
Peavey Rockmaster to recording direct input

each above option can include the G Major simply by adding an extra patch cable and adjusting the routing accordingly.

I am very stoked with this setup.  

and here's some clips using the preamps recorded directly:

http://www.paulevansmusic.com/music/preamp_test_peavey.mp3
http://www.paulevansmusic.com/music/preamp_test_engl.mp3
http://www.paulevansmusic.com/music/preamp_test_krank_less_eq.mp3

Oh! Almost forgot, I also have a radius 3 fatman compressor in there with instrument inputs; I use it for recording bass direct.  And on the bottom is my Mesa 20/20 power amp, currently unused...

Waited til I got home and could listen with the good headphones!  

I guess what hits me the most is, while I can hear some differences, in the end result they all sound very much the same.  I'd like to know a little more about the recordings themselves.  They all have a richness that I really like.  I'm also wondering why I sold my Rockmaster.   ::)  I should have kept it, and picked up that Mesa 20/20 like yours that GC had used and I could have bought for $250 or less...  

This stuff sounds really good.  What were you using on the GMajor?  

p.s.  No Marshall clips???  

Nice setup Paul!

Regarding the clips - I like 'em all but that Engl sounds incredible to me.

Nice and neatly done setup, looks inviting to just grab an axe and play, gotta luv that!

What is that little blue BBE type pedal? I've heard lots of priase for the green colored model, whatever its called, especially as a boost for better tones at lower volumes.

Thanks guys!

Howie, I swear the key to it is the drum sound; I'm using DFH Superior 2.  It has built in fx by sonalksis, and presets galore for great starting points; the presets are a wonderful tutorial in themselves in hearing how different processing changes things.

I also think emulating dual miking combined with tracking a left and right rhythm part is the way to go, at least for this type of stuff.  On these recordings, I did a left and right pass for each preamp, then cloned each track and ran one thru the 57 cab impulse and the other thru the i5...

The bass I just flung in there, I need to hone in on that a bit more.

Richard has really helped me dial in my mix; I can't tell you how many back and forths there has been with mixes to get things sounding the way they do now.

Oh, and I didn't think to try the Marshall on this type of stuff, but you already heard the Marshall in the other clip...



Tobe, thanks!  That Engl is a great little preamp.  You can hear how tight the bass is in comparison to the other pres, the Peavey is the loosest, and the Krank is in between.  I really like using both in the song like this:

http://www.paulevansmusic.com/music/preamp_test_engl_krank_short.mp3

That has the engl panned left and the krank panned right; I think it sounds better than either one of them alone.



Derek, the little pedal is the BBE Boosta Grande, it's a straight up boost with no saturation or EQ.  I use it to hit the amps input stage a bit harder, like a lot of guys use a screamer, but this does it without any tonal coloration.  I don't use very much gain on it at all, the beauty is I can switch to my clean channel with it on and my clean is still clean, not gritty.  So set and forget, no tap dancing!

Oh Howie, I forgot, I wasn't using the G Major on any of these clips, but I turned it on when I took the picture, lol...

I like the G Major, but I'm weird with effects in general, I swear after a while every preset sounds the same, just more or less of each effect...

Nice looking rack Paul.

The Engl Pre/Krank combo is brutal!!  

I've been moving away from the TS type pedal as a booster with my Boogie.  I picked up a used Analogman Beano Boost.  It is a Dallas Rangemaster clone.  You can focus where you want the boost to occur: highs, mids, or lows.  I like it on either treble or mid boost with the Boogie (generally Treble).  It actually hits the front-end a little harder than a TS.  Even though it boosts certain frequencies, the amp still sounds like itself unlike when you use a TS.  I'm digging it pretty well.

Awesome pic Paul...

definitely a kickass rig.

oh god, engl GAS!

help!!

sweet clips!

that is a killar rack.. id motorboat that.

KrankZilla — Mar 17, 2009Oh! Almost forgot, I also have a radius 3 fatman compressor in there with instrument inputs; I use it for recording bass direct.  And on the bottom is my Mesa 20/20 power amp, currently unused...

You are the only other person whom I know that has a Radius Fatman 3 tube compressor. I also have one. I never use it, but I may one of these days. I used to use it to record my Digitech GNX2, (between the GNX2 and my Layla 24/96 Box). It worked real good for that.

Cool looking rack stuff.

Thanks guys!

Dearth, glad you are having good luck with that pedal.   I could see how that would work well with a Mesa.

Sheep, giving you GAS is a great compliment.  

Rich, thanks, we will put it to good use over the next bunch of months.

The — Mar 17, 2009that is a killar rack.. id motorboat that.

Thanks, I think?

desertbluesman — Mar 17, 2009

You are the only other person whom I know that has a Radius Fatman 3 tube compressor. I also have one. I never use it, but I may one of these days. I used to use it to record my Digitech GNX2, (between the GNX2 and my Layla 24/96 Box). It worked real good for that.

Cool looking rack stuff.

Thanks dbm, it's a good little compressor.  I don't use mine much either, but am trying to find ways to make old stuff seem new again...  :)

While the rest of us are still waiting for your next CD to come out... (hint, hint! ;) )

Who do you think you are anyway?  Boston? ;D

I got to listen to the tracks with headphones after I got home an hour ago (kinda sampled it at work with my craptop speakers).  The Engl and Krank really do complement each other really well than either alone.  

The Engl standalone has rich, meaty low mids.  You could do a "And Justice for All" and bury the bass player with that tone.

Heh Craig, I'm trying...  This little riff I dinked out just for comparison purposes is morphing into a song of it's own...   I have more songs than I can finish - I need to pick some and go...

Chris, the more I listen the more I love that combination.  I think I am set now.

Charger - that Engl has gone up in price by $200 since I bought mine...  It's a very overlooked bargain I think...

how much???  

Craig, he might be on the Boston pace, but last I checked TS didn't have to deal with any number of the things Paul does on a daily basis...


So I don't think its a stretch for it to take a while...

But you have had 2 chances to hear Paul on albums, which to my knowledge you haven't grasped... SO....

not too OT, what is a good price for a used G Major?