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Joe Bonamassa Forum → Joe's Guitars, Amps and Gear → Joe's Rotosphere
Anyone know if he puts his Rotosphere in the effects loop of one of his many amps (!) or in the front end with the other effects????
Got one on its way to replace my Boss RT20 and wondering where I should put it-with the other effects so I can use it with both amps, or just through the effects loop on my Black '88........
I'll have to have a play with both options I think.
yes, you will. every rig is different.
I use a Rotosphere 1 whereas I think Joe has the mark 2 model. Personally I have mine running through the FX loop on my DSL100 with echo (DD3) and reverb (RV5) (with the Rotosphere going into the amp loop last). This seems to work fine, although I have to say I'm not entirely impressed with the affect it has in darkening the tone when I select it - i.e. I often find myself switching over to the bridge PUP to get some clarity. I bought mine from my keyboard player and he had already changed out the valve which I think maybe affected the tonality of the pedal.
I want to say Joe runs it out front. There are some rig rundowns from last year's tour when he started using it on Dust Bowl.
The G-4 Korg and the hughes and Ketner both go through the loop of the Jubilee or 1988 2555.. It depends on what side of the world I am on... Europe and UK its the Korg and USA its the Hughes and Ketner...
Joe B
Thanks Joe!!! Was just watching the Beacon DVD last night.......wow, awesome as always, and the Rotosphere sounded great.
The G-4 Korg and the hughes and Ketner both go through the loop of the Jubilee or 1988 2555.. It depends on what side of the world I am on... Europe and UK its the Korg and USA its the Hughes and Ketner...
Joe B
Hi Joe
When you run it through the loop of the Jubilee do you use divers and/or buffers for the long cable lenghts from your pedal board to the return and send of the head? Also do you find it adds a lot of noise when engaged?
Cheers Ron
The G-4 Korg and the hughes and Ketner both go through the loop of the Jubilee or 1988 2555.. It depends on what side of the world I am on... Europe and UK its the Korg and USA its the Hughes and Ketner...
Joe B
Thanks Joe - I'd like to what you think of those two FX in comparison with each other? Obviously you rate both of them to use them, but I'm thinking they must deliver a pretty close output for you to use two different units? Best - Dave
Had a very quick play with my new Rotosphere today. Sounds dreadful in the front end- muted and bass heavy with virtually no effect. In the loop of my Black 2555 however- wow!!!!!
i had a RS, and preferred it in front of the amp... hiss & all.... sounded more "real" to me. In the fx loop, it sounded more like a studio effect, more "sterile", lost it's "mojo"... but there's no wrong answer here, it's all personal preference.
I need to pick up another RS. BTW, the only difference from from the MkI to mkII models is that the mkI has the momentary ramp/speed switch, where the mkII has the locking ramp/speed switch. I loved that box, regret selling it.
I have the same experience with the Strymon Lex. It just seems to play better in front of my amps.
Bringing this one back up...
I picked up another Rotosphere, and I also have a Lex, so I'll be shooting them out for awhile, if anyone it interested....
Bringing this one back up...
I picked up another Rotosphere, and I also have a Lex, so I'll be shooting them out for awhile, if anyone it interested....
Let us know. I'm about to order a Lex. Front or FX loop?
Rotosphere is out front, there is a little hiss. I'm about to put it in the loop now to compare, but I remember preferring it out front the last time I owned one.
The Lex is out front. No noise, and no reason or need to put in the loop. (I also have an El Capistan, ditto)
I'll tell you one thing- the Lex has a hollow/nasal midrange honk that can't be dialed out. I'm not saying that is bad, for all I know it may sound more like a real leslie, but *I* don't prefer it over the tone of the Rotosphere. To me, the Lex with that midrange spike seems to "take over" your tone more than the H&K does, even with the Lex's mic placement control set to minimum (mic furthest away)
So, for the last 2 days, the H&K, despite it's size, wall wart, and slight hiss when used in front of them amp, is keeping the edge for me.
BTW... if you can wait, until maybe next week, maybe sooner, it's quite possible I'll have a very good price on a mint condition Lex. 
OK, just tested RS in the loop... don't like at all. It becomes too effected, sounds too much like an effect being added after the fact, not organic at all, and for those who have read about the RS "boomy-ness", it's even boomier in the loop.
Frankly, IDK how Joe uses his in a loop- especially with the gain at vol at noon, because I get a serious volume drop with those settings.
Which brings me to: there are a few different types of fx loops in amps, mine is set up for line-level signals. But for whatever reason, the RS doesnt not sound good in the loop of MY amp. Honestly, it doesn't eve sound like the same pedal that it sounds like when in front. Which is fine, because the slight hiss in front is no biggie for me, especially with the awesome tone it gets.
BTW... if you can wait, until maybe next week, maybe sooner, it's quite possible I'll have a very good price on a mint condition Lex.
Sure, I've only just received a Flint and I'm in no hurry to get the next pedal. I love the Flint and I'm torn between the Lex or the Brigadier to come next. Why don't you have the El Capistan in the loop? Better tone or out of convenience?
ruger9 wrote:BTW... if you can wait, until maybe next week, maybe sooner, it's quite possible I'll have a very good price on a mint condition Lex.
Sure, I've only just received a Flint and I'm in no hurry to get the next pedal. I love the Flint and I'm torn between the Lex or the Brigadier to come next. Why don't you have the El Capistan in the loop? Better tone or out of convenience?
With my amp, I don't know what kind of loop it is, but it's designed for studio-grade (rack) equipment. When I put a pedal in the loop, even ones that say they "can take" or "work better with" a line level signal, they just don't sound good. I have to change the settings- especially the MIX control, and I just don't find them to sound as good or be as easy to use.
Now REVERB and TREMOLO- as on your Flint- THAT I would definitely prefer in the loop, IF the amp handled it well (mine probably wouldn't). I don't like reverb going front of an amp at all, and imo the best tremolos are the ones built-into the amp, so they are after the preamp section. If the Flint worked in my loop, that's where I'd have it. Come to think of it, the only reason I didn't get a Flint is because I don't like reverb in front of an amp... but I could try it in the loop.... altho I have low expectations, based on my El Cap in the loop experiences...
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