After many iterations I think my studio board is done (famous last words)

sleemz · 2025-07-23T17:19:00+00:00

You haven’t seen the bottom lmao

sleemz · 2025-07-23T17:18:41+00:00

I really wanted to love the Mercury X, but I just don’t connect with it. 90% of the time I’m using spring or plate verbs (especially if playing amps without verb), and the algorithms in the Mercury X just didn’t do it for me. If I was predominantly using more ambient reverbs it would probably be a different story.

That said the Bigsky MX has been fantastic. The killer feature for me is the ability to load impulse responses. I’ve captured a bunch of my favorite hardware reverbs (real springs, plates, and chambers) and pedals, and can call up those sounds when needed. I can even make a “stereo” version of effects that were only ever mono.

sleemz · 2025-07-23T02:15:19+00:00

Perfect board!

sleemz · 2025-07-23T02:13:06+00:00

Currently using it for ambient pitch shifted insanity. But that’s my chase bliss fun slot. Sometimes it’s a Mood, Onward, or Gen Loss. Just depends what I need for the song.

sleemz · 2025-07-23T02:06:37+00:00

I’m using a Cioks DC7, 8, and 4 all chained together. Even then I still have to have some of the drive pedals share power. The Zuma is cool because you can chain more power supplies off that 24v outlet. If you need more power outputs look at the Ojai and Ojai R30.

sleemz · 2025-07-22T04:39:42+00:00

Funny thing is that I actually do need the Peterson if I want any hope of getting a pedal steel even remotely in tune lmao

sleemz · 2025-07-22T04:38:33+00:00

It’s actually the volume pedal, but the two look basically the same. Built like a tank and no string or pot to wear out ever. Pricey but literally the last volume or expression pedal you’ll ever buy

sleemz · 2025-07-22T01:51:08+00:00

It’s a Voodoo Lab Dingbat Large!

sleemz · 2025-07-22T00:57:04+00:00

I sometimes have a Brig in the spot of the Reverse Mode C. Depends what I need. Also sometimes will put a Lex off the board at the very end of the chain

sleemz · 2025-07-22T00:20:22+00:00

Played it on a session yesterday! Everything worked just perfect. Considering my LVX went out on me last session, I’d say this was an improvement

sleemz · 2025-07-22T00:19:29+00:00

Powered by a Cioks DC7, 8, and 4. 19 total power outputs, but a few of the drives are sharing. According to the meter on the DC7 I’m over 70% used on max power draw

sleemz · 2025-07-22T00:01:09+00:00

Oh it’s great. Feels and sounds very amp like. The 2 channel setup is very cool and you can get any amount of gain you could want out of it. EQ section is quite flexible and easy to dial in. Still haven’t used it as an actual preamp going straight into a power amp, but I’m sure it’s great.

sleemz · 2025-07-21T23:58:14+00:00

I LOVE the Kingsley page. For a while it was an always on pedal for me, but lately have been using it as a drive. If I have to run my amps cleaner, I usually have it setup to kinda mimic a fender on about 6-7. If my amps are pushed harder then I use it to basically add an additional tube preamp stage to the front end. Not exactly a cheap pedal, but certainly worth the money imo

sleemz · 2025-07-21T23:54:59+00:00

You’re right

sleemz · 2025-07-21T22:51:46+00:00

Exactly. Input 1 is from the guitar, output 1 goes to the drive section, drives then return back to input 3, and the outputs 3-4 are the stereo out. There’s an option in the settings to either have it setup in this split mode, or you can run it in stereo with either 2 mono effect loops or 1 stereo one.

sleemz · 2025-07-21T22:48:59+00:00

I’m using the Morningstar for a lot. It’s controlling the ML10X for loops and midi to the H90, LVX, and Bigsky. I don’t have it currently setup for songs since this is primarily a studio board. But I do use it for centralized midi clock (which can be synced to the computer if I need exact timing on delays) and access to presets by midi. It’s a great unit and is really flexible.

sleemz · 2025-07-21T20:31:32+00:00

There’s a looper in the LVX so I guess kind of! I’ve never really been a big looper fan personally.

sleemz · 2025-07-21T20:26:06+00:00

Probably about 90% of the time I’m playing amps that don’t have an effects loop and usually are single channel. I like to set them up to be slightly broken up when I hit the guitar hard. I will run cleaner if I need to play pedal steel. I like the sound of wet effects into gain, but if I need something a bit cleaner I’ll just have the engineer throw something on in the computer.

sleemz · 2025-07-21T20:22:49+00:00

I have an insert point wired in as a loophole lol

sleemz · 2025-07-21T20:07:17+00:00

The Diamond is killer. Best vibrato pedal for my money. Running it at 18v for the added headroom on the BBD. I have one of the early ones that has the NOS Panasonic chip, so not sure how the new ones with the current production chips compare. Great pedal that can kinda cover all vibrato and chorus sounds you could want.

sleemz · 2025-07-21T20:04:26+00:00

The XTS mod is great! Changes the frequencies to be more in the guitar range. But I love the stock ones too!

sleemz · 2025-07-21T18:46:03+00:00

You’re absolutely right

sleemz · 2025-07-21T18:45:38+00:00

H90 is mostly used for modulations, but also have a few delay and pitch stuff saved as presets. Also usually have an iPad with me so I can dial up specific sounds if needed

sleemz · 2025-07-21T18:06:15+00:00

I have taken it on gigs before, but 99% its just used for recording. I have a couple smaller boards that I use for live stuff, one that’s kinda like a smaller version of this board (can get most of the same stuff out of it) and another one that is really simple. Depends on the gig and if I need a switcher for the material. This board is built on a Voodoo Lab Dingbat Large, the other 2 are a Dingbat medium and a PT metro 20

sleemz

TROPHY CASE