March 2012 \ Features \ Effects \ 10 Pro Pedalboards Revealed

10 Pro Pedalboards Revealed

Rebecca Dirks

We recently combed through all the pedalboards we’ve seen in the last year of Rig Rundown video shoots to bring you the 10 most stacked rigs we’ve encountered across a range of genres.
Premier Guitar March 2012
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We recently combed through all the pedalboards we’ve seen in the last year of Rig Rundown video shoots to bring you the 10 most stacked rigs we’ve encountered across a range of genres. When you’re done here, be sure to head over to our Facebook page, where we’re offering you a chance to win half of the ’boards detailed in this feature (the ones marked with a “Win It!” icon). Here’s the link: facebook.com/premierguitar

Dream Theater's John Petrucci

Signal Chain: Dunlop Cry Baby Rackmount > Keeley-modded Ibanez TS-9 > Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter > MXR EVH Flanger > Carl Martin Compressor/ Limiter. Powered by a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 with an Axess GRX4 loop system. Photo by Luke Viertel

Petrucci’s satellite pedalboard may seem the least stacked on the surface, but that’s because most of his firepower is packed in the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx II that resides in the effects loop of his Mesa/Boogie Mark V amps. His guitar signal is split at a Framptone A/B box into either a Fishman Aura 16 into a DI (for acoustic) or into a Dunlop Cry Baby Rackmount wah before hitting the pictured satellite pedalboard on top of his rack.

“When we first built this rig, we did everything in the Axe-Fx, and he missed having pedals he could mess around with,” explained tech Matt “Maddi” Schieferstein.

The board is ever changing— particularly in the overdrive spot that was inhabited by a Keeley-modded Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer when we caught up with Dream Theater. “He’ll actually have me change it during the show sometimes,” Schieferstein told us. The Carl Martin Compressor/Limiter earned a place on Petrucci’s board after a big compressor shootout prior to the band’s “A Dramatic Tour of Events” fall 2011 tour. Schieferstein explained that in the end, the Carl Martin was chosen because Petrucci liked its compression and attack, without it being overpowering.

From the board, the signal goes into an interface that connects to Petrucci’s floor controller (an Axess Electronics FX-1), which controls the satellite board and the Axe-Fx II. Petrucci’s Axe- FX II is set with one preset that has a chorus, three delays, and a harmonizer set to his preferences. Also on the floor are a wah pedal, which controls the rackmount Cry Baby, an Ernie Ball Volume Pedal, and a Boss TU-2 tuner.

Watch the Rig Rundown:


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Comments

 (6 comments) display by
UsernameComment
Brumus
on 11/21/2012 		TJ White, virtuoso guitarist and prolific songwriter, uses two Voodoo Pedal Power units (he calls them juiceboxes) for his pedalboard, signal flow is 1959 Fender Stratocaster, custom Gibson Les Paul Studio Baritone guitar, Samson UT% UHF transmitters, Samson UR5D UHF rcvr, DOD250 A/B switch (switches btwn 2 Samson UHF wireless units, for the 2 different guitars), a Boss TU2 tuner, vintage Crybaby WahWah, Boss OC2 octave, vintage Boss OD1 overdrive, Smallstone Phase Shifter (Russian), Ibanez FL9 Flanger, Ibanez CS9 Chorus, DOD FX25B Envelope Filter, Boss NS2 Noise gate, to Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier. DL4 delay in the amp loop. amp has 3 channels. awesome sound! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/TJ-White/ 23113241319
Lungfixer
on 09/14/2012 		All the guitar-poseur "Boss haters" on the guitar forums who love to brag on their "boutique" pedals need to pay attention to articles like this and realize how many TRUE pros rely on their tried-and-true Boss pedals!! Petrucci can have any phase shifter he wants...and what does he choose? The PH-3. In fact, out of these ten rigs, NINE had at least one Boss pedal being used...including Satch!! Nuff said.
progmaster
on 03/09/2012 		Petrucci's rig killz all others!
d0c_t@z_nj
on 02/15/2012 		Alderete's rig is awesome. As for Petrucci, it must be a blessing to have the Axe-FX units... that shrank his multi-cab effects racks by 1000X, ha!
Dan
on 02/13/2012 		Man, thats a deam rig for sure. i owe an Mesa Boogie amp, and believe me, its speaks for itself. What a tone.
KJ7409
on 02/13/2012 		When I saw Mastodon a few months ago, Brent had that same plush creature but it had a card taped to it. At the end of the show, he pulled a joint out from behind the card lol xD



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