DigiTech EX-7 Expression Factory Inital Impressions

[Tone2TheBone]

One thing the pedal does and I didn't know it till today (by accident even though it says you can in the manual) is that whatever distortion model you switched to when you try them with an effect...it becomes that effect's distortion until you change it again. COOL.

[Justaguyin_nc]

One thing the pedal does and I didn't know it till today (by accident even though it says you can in the manual) is that whatever distortion model you switched to when you try them with an effect...it becomes that effect's distortion until you change it again. COOL.

tone.. don't be the typical guy.. read the manuals first!! heh...
Still a winner for me!!

Spuds..I tried the direct connect thing..

I truely can't tell much difference..

but I have bad ears..

My knobs are all silent when switching...

I tried with humbuckers too..

I get my screaming solos... offkey, but their in there...

I think sumptin happened to yours... :

[Tone2TheBone]

tone.. don't be the typical guy.. read the manuals first!! heh...
Still a winner for me!!

Spuds..I tried the direct connect thing..

I truely can't tell much difference..

but I have bad ears..

My knobs are all silent when switching...

I tried with humbuckers too..

I get my screaming solos... offkey, but their in there...

I think sumptin happened to yours... :

RTFM!

I never read the f'*** manuals ever. No wonder I don't know what I'm doing.

[Tone2TheBone]

I want to revisit this thread.

I finally got around to putting my pedal board back together after the holidays. It was dusty as heck so I took everything off and cleaned it up. I've been trying to find the best sounding position for everything now that I have a new Fuzz Face. The circuit of the Fuzz Face is temperamental and it likes being after certain pedals and doesn't like others. I found that it likes being after the EX-7 a lot but the problem with that is that the 2 of them together makes for a hell of a lot of noise. I've been yakking back and forth with our resident pedal guru Duhvoodooman over the best ways to hook things up and he suggested I try the EX-7 through the noise reduction loop of the NS-2. I know Justa said he took his out and that makes sense because the gate would mess with the Space Station setting and decay. I might try putting the EX-7 through the loop anyway to see if that sounds ok. The reason I want to do that is because the Fuzz Face likes the EX-7 in front of it. The tone is much warmer and fuller than it is with other pedals in front of it. I tried putting the Fuzz Face before the EX-7 and it sounded like garbage...but sounds wunnerful after it. Also when I put the Fuzz Face into the loop of the NS-2 it sounds sterile. If I combine EX and FF in the loop maybe things will be AOK. To complicate matters more I've also bought a used Boss GE-7 EQ to try and smooth things out from the NS-2 into the Fuzz Face which would be hooked up the way it currently is on the pic below cept that I would move the Bad Monkey out from that position. I'm using the Monkey in front of the Fuzz Face to help bring back some warmth out of the NS-2 loop and to provide that additional tone shaping and boost. A GE-7 in theory would be better suited for that which is why I got it. Anyway what do you guys think?

Here's a pic of my current configuration.

Attachment 1458

[marnold***]

Anyway what do you guys think?

I think I got dizzy listening to your explanation, but pictures of pedal boards are always Good Things. Pictures are pretty.

[Robert****]

Me too got dizzy, for a moment I thought it was from this glass of Scotch, but then I remembered it was Tone talking...

Dude, you have a pedal board again! Congrats, welcome to the gang! That red thing looks purdy. Now you just need a green SD-9. And a delay pedal.

[Tone2TheBone]

I think I got dizzy listening to your explanation, but pictures of pedal boards are always Good Things. Pictures are pretty.

You think you're dizzy I've been noodling with this stuff in my head all day. I just went back and reread my post and I'm so dizzy I'm rollin'

[Tone2TheBone]

Me too got dizzy, for a moment I thought it was from this glass of Scotch, but then I remembered it was Tone talking...

Dude, you have a pedal board again! Congrats, welcome to the gang! That red thing looks purdy. Now you just need a green SD-9. And a delay pedal.

Oh Roberto the delay pedal is on there. The Marshall Echo Head delay pedal is to the top and left of the purdy red thing. I would love to put an SD-9 on there. Who knows maybe I will the year's just begun.

[Robert****]

I see, I wasn't sure what that Marshall pedal was... silly me :

I'd really like to try the Maxon VOP-9 which is Scott Henderson's current favorite gain pedal. I bet it's not that different from the SD-9 though.

[Tone2TheBone]

I used to just blow off the use and praises of the Maxon SD-9 until I tried one for myself. That pedal should be on my board. It's kinda expensive brand new though and I haven't found any on Ebay lately. I know nothing about the VOP. I just know I liked Scott's Dog Party sound!

[oldguy]

Dude, that is a seriously nice looking pedal board! :

[Justaguyin_nc]

Someone call Dizzy?

I also have the boss ge-7 but I use mine as the first thing after the loop.. and before the delays... I doubt that helps.. just wanted to add to the Dizzyness...

[Tone2TheBone]

Justa if you've got one (GE-7) then I musta done gooda if Justa has one-a. I put it after the Fuzz Face in the loop only cause it didn't do much in front of the fuzz face like I thought it would HOWEVER it's great for bringing back some nice treble freqs that get sucked from the big purdy red thing and the dark purdy green thing.

[Tone2TheBone]

Update. Sorry no new pictures though. Use your imagination.

I tried the EX-7 in the noise loop and it works but it does cut off the Space Station delay and makes the other models sound weird. I took it out and put it back in front. My guitar gets plugged in there first and it will stay. Next comes the NS-2 then from the loop output I go

Bad Monkey>Fuzz Face>Boss GE-7>Zonkin' Yellow Screamer>Marshall Guv'nor Plus then back to the NS-2 to finish the loop. I moved the Phase 90 out of the loop and now that goes after the output of the NS-2 then I go out from the 90 to the Marshall Echo Head then to the Digitech Digiverb then finally the Boss TU-2 Tuner.

I like having the GE-7 after the Fuzz Face cause I can always tailor that Fuzz Face sound using it. Right now though I'm inclined to use the GE-7 as a brightner and signal boost when I have all the distorto pedals off. Playing clean I get my sparkle back. All those runs and circuits cause some tone suck so having the GE-7 bring them back is nice...and it's also stinkin' quiet. I love that GE-7 you got good taste Justa.

[sunvalleylaw]

Nice report Tone! Gives me some good ideas on how to experiment with and set up my pedal chain, esp. after adding the NS-2 I received for Christmas and your former LBM Fuzz Pi Pedal.

[Tone2TheBone]

Nice report Tone! Gives me some good ideas on how to experiment with and set up my pedal chain, esp. after adding the NS-2 I received for Christmas and your former LBM Fuzz Pi Pedal.

I'll email you another updated photo of the board tomorrow. I need 2 angled 1/4" plugs though to put on the longest run patch cable that comes out of the Guv'nor Plus into the NS-2 to complete the loop. I have staight ends on the one I have so I need to change those out so my pedals won't be angled all weird. If you need any help with the noise reduction loop let me know.

[Justaguyin_nc]

I love that GE-7 you got good taste Justa.

Ofcourse I do.. I come here don't I?

See, that's what I tried to.. in the loop after the distortions.. and took it out and put it in front of the chorus, flanger, etc..

then as you mentioned about volume loss on some pedals..

I guess I am not using my GE-7 right.. but I use it to boost the flanger too.. more of a power boost than an eq with no sound change.. I guess?.. plus if not using those.. its fine after them and the ns-2 anyways to my ears..

Hate that Spacestation problem within the loop.. but I usually have everything off when I use it outside the loop..

Justa good taste... hah.. I know thats a oxy something....:

[Tone2TheBone]

When I mess with the Space Station I end up turning off the pedals and heel step on the EX-7 distortion preset at the ST position or edit that to another distortion model to my liking. The EX-7's distortion models are pretty quiet so that works great with just the EX-7. Right now I think I have the Metal Zone distortion as the preset with the Space Station.

[Justaguyin_nc]

I wonder if Spudman ever got his figured out .. or if it was a bum pedal..?