# How Many Devices In You Guitar Chain?



## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

For me it's guitar --> pedalboard (22) --> amp --> 3 mics --> 500 series rack ( 4) --> interface and controllers (3)--> computer --> output to 2 sets of nearfield speakers.

That adds up to 38 separate electronic devices not including the cables, walwarts or the 3 Pedal Power units for my pedals. The 500 series rack counts as 1, and I use 3 of the 8 500 series units.

How about you?


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

At a gig? Just a wireless straight into whichever modeller / multi-effects unit.

At home? Cord straight into the amp generally. I just dial in what ever effects I want on the display.

If using a traditional rig, still pretty low. I'd be using maybe five, maximum six pedals (OD, Dist, Modulation, Delay, Wah).


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Milkman said:


> At a gig? Just a wireless straight into whichever modeller / multi-effects unit.
> 
> At home? Cord straight into the amp generally. I just dial in what ever effects I want on the display.
> 
> If using a traditional rig, still pretty low. I'd be using maybe five, maximum six pedals (OD, Dist, Modulation, Delay, Wah).


I only use 3-6 pedals at once mostly, but I have 22 or so that the signal goes through.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

Simple for me, guitar to pedalboard (11 or 7 pedals) to amp. For my duo, it's guitar straight to amp. I usually go wireless from guitar to pedalboard or amp.


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

player99 said:


> For me it's guitar --> pedalboard (22) --> amp --> 3 mics --> 500 series rack ( 4) --> interface and controllers (3)--> computer --> output to 2 sets of nearfield speakers.
> 
> That adds up to 38 separate electronic devices not including the cables, walwarts or the 3 Pedal Power units for my pedals. The 500 series rack counts as 1, and I use 3 of the 8 500 series units.
> 
> How about you?


I question your approach here. If you have 3 mics and 3 preamps then the 500 series def counts as 3 not 1- that is 3 seperate devices anyway you slice it, additionally, it's separate parallel paths, which is a rather important detail. Just like individual pedals count (unless you never/rarely use a particular one maybe).

What def doesn't count, is cables and power supplies. Cables because they do nothing but connect, and PSs because they are not part of the signal chain.

Also I m not sure that adds up, but I have not had my coffee yet, so that might be me.

Anyway mine:

instrument > pedalboard (11, usually no more than 3 at a time, some of those never get used) > amp (sometimes 2) > mic (sometimes 2 if guitar, or speaker level DI if bass) > preamps (1 or 2 as apropo) > DAW

I monitor from the amp not through the DAW so that doesn't count. In a band at once situation, and if playing bass, sometimes I skip the mic for isolation (bleeds into the drums a lot) so have to monitor on cans cuz DI only (not thru the DAW - take a line split after the preamps to a headphone distribution amp so all can hear).



player99 said:


> I only use 3-6 pedals at once mostly, but I have 22 or so that the signal goes through.


Depends tho dunnit? True bypass vs bufferred.

Like, I'm not counting all the stuff on the same patchbay as the preamps (or the patchbays themselves) which are not in use and no signal is touching.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I have 2 pedals in between the guitar and front of the amp and 2 (soon to be 3) in the effects loop.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Granny Gremlin said:


> I question your approach here. If you have 3 mics and 3 preamps then the 500 series def counts as 3 not 1- that is 3 seperate devices anywhay you slice it, additionally, it's separate parallel paths, which is a rather important detail. Just like individual pedals count (unless you never/rarely use a particular one maybe).
> 
> What def doesn't count, is cables and power supplies. Cables because they do nothing but connect, and PSs because they are not part of the signal chain.
> 
> ...


500 series as 1 plus the 3 preamps = 4

I didn't count the Pedal Power units, but they almost could be counted. High quality clean, isolated power may affect the signal quality.


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

player99 said:


> 500 series as 1 plus the 3 preamps = 4
> 
> I didn't count the Pedal Power units, but they almost could be counted. High quality clean, isolated power may affect the signal quality.



Ah ok, that's why the math didn't add up. I thought the 4 referred to the number of slots in the 500 lunchbox.

I get your logic on the PS score, but even the pros don't count those (like audio engineers I mean, when they document their chains). It's assumed. Sure, better power can make a difference, but still; we all know and understand that.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Cord.


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## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

Mostly direct into the amp. When pedals called for, I have 6 pedals. Two of which are buffered (Boss TU2 and Boss DM3). All go through the input as I have no amps with FX loops.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Fancy studio set-up: 

Cord- [Radial Bigshot EFX (loop1: London Power Preamp with FX loop; loop2: Boss tuner)] - Amp. 

I always mic the amp. I have software. It sucks.


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## SWLABR (Nov 7, 2017)

guitarman2 said:


> I have 2 pedals in between the guitar and front of the amp and 2 (soon to be 3) in the effects loop.


I'm toying with front of amp, AND FX loop... Right now, I have 11 pedals on my board, and go straight in front of a clean channel amp, but, I'd like to separate some and send to the FX loop... I just don't know how I'd divide it, and how many "outs" I'd really want coming off an already complex board. (If you look at the board, it looks straight forward, but the chain sequence does not match the _look_, of the sequence... custom cables and all that) 

How do you do it? 

*As of OP: *

For electric (full band) gigs I am 
guitar-(11) pedal board- amp
1 vocal mic into a PA
Acoustic guitar straight to PA

Acoustic duo gigs: 
Guitar(s)- acoustic pedal board (currently at 5)- K&K Sound Breakout Box (vol/mid/treb/bass) into PA channel
1 vocal mic into PA


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## Grab n Go (May 1, 2013)

For recording:
Guitar > Kemper digital out > interface > computer > monitors + sub
(MIDI foot controller with Kemper once in a while)

For playing out, jamming, messing around:
Guitar > Pedalboard (5 to 8 pedals depending on the board) > amp (> mic, board, PA etc. depending on location)

For practicing:
Guitar > Amp


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

SWLABR said:


> I'm toying with front of amp, AND FX loop... Right now, I have 11 pedals on my board, and go straight in front of a clean channel amp, but, I'd like to separate some and send to the FX loop... I just don't know how I'd divide it, and how many "outs" I'd really want coming off an already complex board. (If you look at the board, it looks straight forward, but the chain sequence does not match the _look_, of the sequence... custom cables and all that)
> 
> How do you do it?


My set up is simple. I like to minimize the pedals I use. I use my channel 2 as a mid gain drive (Its fantastic on my amp) so I put my delay and chorus in the loop. I'll soon be adding a harmony pedal and a second delay (currently looking for a Memory Lane jr) and they'll also go in to the loop. My Kingsley page and blues driver go front of amp.


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## Always12AM (Sep 2, 2018)

Most of the time it’s a guitar > chord > amplifier.

Sometimes guitar > chord > 3 pedal board > || amp || < ribbon + condenser < preamp < Apollo < computer < headphones or monitors

Sometimes it’s just an acoustic guitar playing to a squirrel named Wayne… but I have no idea if Wayne is an electronic device because he doesn’t move like an analog squirrel.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Granny Gremlin said:


> Ah ok, that's why the math didn't add up. I thought the 4 referred to the number of slots in the 500 lunchbox.
> 
> I get your logic on the PS score, but even the pros don't count those (like audio engineers I mean, when they document their chains). It's assumed. Sure, better power can make a difference, but still; we all know and understand that.


I did not count the power supplies in my post though.


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)




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## AJ6stringsting (Mar 12, 2006)

I use a Decibel Eleven Loop Expander with Behringer AM100, EHX Ravish pedal, DigiTech RP-12 , RP-1 then to a rack with BBE's, Hush Rocktron noise reduction, two 31 band Eq's, then a DigiTech 2112 SGS .


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## MetalTele79 (Jul 20, 2020)

Recently I have been using 

Guitar-->2 to 3 pedals-->Amp-->Boss TAE-->1 or 2 cabs 

So I guess it would be 5 to 7 things between my guitar and making noise.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Guitar ---> Amp

Or variations of:

Guitar ---> MXR Line Driver ---> Boss ME-80 ---> Ernie Ball volume ---> Ditto looper ---> A/B/Y ---> Amp(s)


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