deadend3
Jun-10-2021, 9:19am
Anyone try the LR Baggs Align Session in their mandolin pedal board? It looks like an interesting option which provides compression specified for acoustic along with some EQ. Thanks!
foldedpath
Jun-10-2021, 9:34am
With the disclaimer that I haven't tried this pedal myself, I'm always very cautious about use of compression in a live sound reinforcement system. If you absolutely know what you're doing with compression, or can rely on a sound engineer running the board who does, then it might be worth a touch of compression to bring the tone "forward" in a mix of other instruments.
The downside is that every decibel of compression is a decibel you lose in headroom against feedback. It's VERY easy to get into the feedback zone with compression and acoustic instruments. So this pedal may not be a good idea if you're having any trouble with feedback, especially on loud stages.
Regarding the "saturation" effect in the pedal, this has similar issues regarding feedback and I'm not sure it's a good idea with acoustic instruments on general principle. Years ago, I experimented with using a touch of tube saturation on my acoustic guitar and mandolin, with a Rivera Sedona "acoustic-electric" tube amp, and then with a Groove Tubes DI. I came to the conclusion that a touch of saturation at the point where you could actually hear it, was just muddying the tone. With the weight and expense of "true" tube circuits (not the low voltage stuff), I thought it just wasn't worth it and went back to clean PA gear. YMMV on that.