Pedal Line Friday – 1/18 – Andy Baker

Today’s pedal line is from Andy Baker. If you have a pedal line (doesn’t have to be in a board) for your rig, please email me a photo, bio, description of pedals and routing to pedalline@nulleffectsbay.com. Every Friday I’ll showcase a pedal line submission. Make sure you include any links to your band or music page.

Hi there, thanks for your kind comments on Twitter. You asked me to submit my pedal board for Pedal Line Friday. Here are my effects and a bit of history and background to my pedal collection/obssession:

My pedal board comprises of:

Gigrig Pro-14
Jim Dunlop Wah (with true bypass mod)
Ernie Ball Volume
Effectrode PC-2A Photo-Optical Tube Compressor
Ibanez Tube Screamer (Analogman mod)
Paul Cochrane – Tim
Pete Cornish P-2 Fuzz
MXR 10 Band EQ
MXR Phase 90
Hartman Analog Flanger
Eventide Pitchfactor
Strymon Timeline
T-Rex Room Mate Tube Reverb
Korg Pitchblack Tuner

Initially I started with a rack system with Mesa Boogie preamps and power amps, but then I noticed I preferred the tone and response from certain pedals such as a Tubescreamer and Boss CS-2 Compressor; therefore, I used those pedals in conjunction with my rack gear. The pedals then started to build up and before I knew it I was encasing my favourite stomp boxes in a rack system too (this was operated via GCX Switch System). Plus, I love Marshall Plexi 100 heads and I was running two into Palmer Speaker Simulators and that was fed via XLR cables into an A-B box; I would switch between heads which would go into a Lexicon  MPX1 and then stereo out into a Mesa Boogie 50/50.The size of my rack was gargantuan and as tall as a refrigerator.

If I was doing smaller gigs I would use the pedals encased in a rack with my Marshall Super Bass. Even though I really liked my tone, I was frustrated that I couldn’t boost solos with the GCX system I had; furthermore, I wanted to add more pedals. I was looking at various VCA options but then I discovered Daniel Steinhardts GigRig Pro-14; after careful consideration, I added the Tim, P-2 Fuzz and Nova Delay and had controlled via the GigRig Pro-14. This has changed a great deal since then and has installed the Strymon Timeline, Hartman Flanger and the Effectrode Compressor. Nevertheless, even though the Effectrode Compressor is wonderful and great for squishy tube lead lines, I do miss the chunky funky sounds from the Boss CS-2, and I believe certain pedals work extremely well with others. The CS-2 into the Tube Screamer sounds fantastic! Just doing a small gig with those two pedals does the job, saying this; the Effectrode Compressor – Tim – Timeline is one of the sweetest combinations of effects pedals I’ve heard.

I’m a sucker for experimentation and obsessed with infinite pedal combinations and just as I thought I was completely nuts, I’m about to install MIDI into the Pro-14, this is to link the GigRig Pro-14 with Eventide Pitch Factor and Strymon Timeline. As the Timeline has a looping function, I’m particularly interested in layering ambient sounds both from Timeline and Pitch Factor. Some of those swells Allan Holdsworth created on the Metal Fatigue album is something I’ve always wanted to aim for. The atonal lead lines Adrian Belew did on the King Crimson albums especially the harmonic squeals on Frame By Frame is also a strong influence. As well as being really fascinated with experimental options, I’m conscious about the integrity of tone and have always wanted to use a Smörgåsbord of colourful sounds.

For more information please go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lODImaNW6NY&feature=relmfu
http://paradigmworship.bandcamp.com
www.andybaker.info