Using Variax/HD500 to simulate OBEL ala Jerry Garcia

[karmicfreak]

Greetings, 

 

I'm wondering if anyone has used the Variax/HD500 (and maybe DT) to simulate an On-Board Effects Loop.  The purpose of an OBEL is to bring the post-effects sound back into the guitar in order to keep the effects sound consistent and not subject to the output volume of the guitar.  Put another way, when you typically turn the volume on your axe down, the lower output cleans up the signal from the effects.  Using an OBEL means this won't happen, and the volume now controls the output, post effects.  An OBEL was famously used by Jerry Garcia.

 

Here's a good explanation of OBEL: http://shop.phredinstruments.com/ProductTab/ProductCustomTab/3

 

On the Variax, you can use the HD 500 to assign the guitar volume control to operate the amp volume rather than the guitar pickup output (when using modeled pickups).  I think this would achieve the same effect: the output of the Variax to the effects remains constant, but the post-effect output volume varies. 

 

Has anyone here used this method to achieve a similar result? 

[psarkissian]

Since you would not be able to do that thru the Variax, it would have to

be done looping it thru the FX Send and Returns on HD500.

 

Last time I saw him in concert, they were using the Meyers Holographic

Sound with adaptive filtering. An colleague and I were acquainted with

Dan Healy and would get invited t see their set-up after the shows. Dan

liked showing the gear to those who understood it.

 

Different set-up than the OBEL example. Both are interesting ways of

getting some interesting effects.

[karmicfreak]

Since you would not be able to do that thru the Variax, it would have to

be done looping it thru the FX Send and Returns on HD500.

 

 

 

 

But, I think you can achieve nearly the same result - how about this - insert a volume pedal after other pedals but before the amp, and then set the volume control on the Variax to control the pedal, rather than the guitar output, which is set to 100%.  Or, use the tone control for the volume pedal, and the volume control for the guitar output pre-effects.  Isn't this the same as an OBEL?  Since the volume and tone controls are assignable with Variax/HD, won't this achieve the same result? 

[psarkissian]

Using the edit capabilities on the HD500.

 

Carlos Rios does it that way, that is, controlling everything from the HD500/500X.

He almost never uses the controls on his Variax's, it's all done from the 500/500X.

 

[hemsen]

Я в Ñфире! Скажите, кабель, который поÑтавлÑетÑÑ Ñ JTV должен передавать звук от JTV к POD HD PRO или мне нужно купить VDI кабель?

[hemsen]

At the moment, the cable that came with the JTV does not transmit sound on the POD HD.