Franklin’s 1990’s effects

[Ben Godard]

I ran across a quote on an old post from years back where Paul posted his basic studio setup during the 1990’s. This was Paul’s workhorse years and in my opinion some of the best country steel came from his recordings. Especially the early 90’s Alan Jackson stuff. So tasteful and clean. It was actually Alan’s song Midnight in Montgomery that got me started playing the steel a few years later.

The quote was:
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Franklin

Since 1990 I have used a TC electronics 2290 delay set at 200 ms and set for one repeat only (barely audible), a Mesa Boogie studio preamp, dry, through a Mosvalve 500 poweramp. That is my starting point in the studio.

Paul
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I just want to know did he go to the TC2290 first or go to the mb studio preamp first. How did he connect these. I have all three of these plus a Lexicon MPX1. Any direct experience or knowledge of Paul’s 90’s setup I’d love to hear.

Would be awesome if Paul would chime in. I don’t know if he even bothers with the forum anymore. I don’t come on hear much anymore myself

[Lane Gray]

It looks like the 2290 was a line-level device, so until Paul chimes in otherwise, I'd assume it hit the preamp first.

[Ben Godard]

Lane
According to the TC2290 owners manual. The 1/4” input jack is instrument level and so are the 1/4” output jacks. The XLR input and outputs are line level per the manual. So I guess it can go either way.
even though Paul mentions the TC2290 first,, he also says the mb studio preamp’s out is “dry”. That makes me think he went to the preamp first like you’re talking about with no effects yet

It would be awesome if Paul was to chime in though

[Ben Godard]

Hey I figured it out

It goes
Guitar——>VP——->TC2290 low level—->
—-> MB studio pre 1/4” input jack

(The Lexicon MPX1 in and out are patched into any of the TC2290’s effects loops via send and return jacks)
It’s all mono up to this point

Then
It leaves A & B outputs of MB studio pre—->to inputs of Mosvalve 500 power—-then to PV112E speakers

This is the best sound you’ll encounter in my opinion. The only set back is that it’s all mono until it exits the preamp. The only issue with this is that you can’t have use of the panning effects that require stereo from the start like Leslie effects. But really, who needs that for steel anyway? If a studio engineer wants to get that creative, he’ll be doing it all on his end with his equipment and much better quality anyway.