Modular Mini Powerhouse

Squeezing Big Performance into a Small Footprint.

I’ve been running a scaled-down rig for a number of years now and I’ve tried out several ideas in reducing the size and weight, whilst maintaining “Big Rig” performance as much as possible.

Here is the latest wacky idea, a modular rig.

I wanted to try splitting the rig into modules that could be mixed and matched, which also would minimize moving pedals around between boards without having to buy duplicate pedals.

I will go into more detail on this in a video as soon as possible,
but here’s what I came with so far…

Amp Module
On this module is a Hotone Britwind, a 2-channel amplifier with reverb, gain boost, cab-sim DI and FX loop. In the FX loop is a delay pedal setup to be a pseudo multi-fx unit and a limiter.

Before the input to the amp there is a tuner (still waiting for it to arrive), “The Sag” (my secret-sauce pedal) and a noise gate. The Sag and the noise gate are underneath, squeezed into the the available space and remain “always on”.

The Sag has become an essential part of my signal chain since switching to using solid state amps. It makes it behave more valve-like in my opinion. The limiter in the loop provides a bit more of that kind of “give” that a valve circuit is famous for, but it also helps with keeping the DI signal under control (which is pretty hot I find) and enables me to leave the amp channel’s volumes set so they are matched and universally controllable on the limiter output level.

I think this is a pretty well-equipped and great performing system, but I’ve yet to test it properly on stage.

The power supply for the amp is underneath and power for the pedals comes from a 20,000mAh power bank with an Ionic USB to 9v converter via a 6-way daisy chain. The pedals on the module total 5, so there is a spare 9v outlet to connect a pedal module to feed into the input of the system.

Pedal Modules
So far I’ve built a couple of modules, but I’m not 100% settled on them just yet. After I get a chance to try out a few more drive pedals I’ll have a better idea of whicj pedal module will contain which pedals. I’m going for something contemporary, something classic/vintage and maybe something experimental.

Changing pedals to suit a particular type of gig will hopefully just be a matter of pairing the appropriate pedal module with the amp module. The pedal modules are small enough that it may even be just as convenient to bring along more than one and choose which one to use depending on how I feel at soundcheck.

I’m still waiting for a couple of daisy chains to arrive so I can wire up the pedal modules for power. What’s also really good is that the amp module can be used standalone without any additional pedals, especially if I put a drive pedal in the first slot instead of the tuner.

Future tweaks to this system are already being planned, which involve a personal monitoring system and iso cab (both very compact) for what I hope will provide me with the ultimate in on-stage control and tone without busting the bank and without injuring my back!

Ultimately I’m trying to minimize the difference between the quality of tones I get for recording in the studio and my on-stage sound. I think I’m getting there.

So far it works really well and I’m really looking forward to demo’ing it!