Tone Merchants & Rack Systems LTD

Tone Merchants & Rack Systems LTD Official page for Tone Merchants & Rack Systems LTD, the ultimate musician's resource for gear, systems and sound!

Professional Rig Building by David Friedman, Pedalboards Racks and more... Please email [email protected] for inquiries.

In progress.. Doesn’t look like much. Yet!
11/22/2025

In progress.. Doesn’t look like much. Yet!

While a dozen pedals plus an audio controller is far from the most we’ve ever put on a board, it can still make for a la...
10/14/2025

While a dozen pedals plus an audio controller is far from the most we’ve ever put on a board, it can still make for a large footprint if a traditional flat surface is used. The two-tier, angled design of the Friedman Tour Pro series of pedalboards provides for a convenient layout without the need for additional pedal lifts. However, if more real estate is desired and a bit of extra height is not a concern, vertical expansion is always an option! Here we took a compact Tour Pro 1524 board and modified it with a Mag-Latch Hinged Bridge from FIX Accessories. They’re sturdy, lightweight, and seamlessly compatible with the Friedman boards. With this layout, the “set-it-and-forget-it” group of pedals like EQ, compressor, synth, and drives that are patched into the Musicom EFX-ME Controller - and don’t require real-time access - stay safely nestled under the bridge. The Wampler Terraform, Boss DD-500 delay, and Universal Audio Golden Reverb “post” effects are arranged on the upper tier to provide easy proximity to preset and tap tempo footswitches, while the in-line, front-end pedals (Friedman Wah & Buxom Boost, Digitech Drop) get VIP front row seats. Interfacing is handled via the Friedman Buffer Bay 6, and a pair of Friedman Power Grid 10s deliver clean, quiet power throughout. Contact us at [email protected] to design a rig to fit your needs!

Recently, we posted a pedalboard from 2023 that we did for a certain mystery client who could probably be identified by ...
10/08/2025

Recently, we posted a pedalboard from 2023 that we did for a certain mystery client who could probably be identified by his initials. Did you guess who? Well, you now have another chance because that same person needed a pair of revised versions for 2025, and here’s the result. This time around, the Boss DD-3 delay from 2023 was swapped out for an MXR Joshua while the 5150 Chorus was sent back down to the minor leagues. However, the EVH Flanger, Phase 90, and Wah, as well as the Earthquaker Afterneath were kept in service. Newly added Rockman X100 & Sub Octave Bass Fuzz pedals by MXR, plus a Digitech Whammy rounded out the updated roster. We mounted everything on a modified Friedman Tour Pro 1529 with dual Power Grid 10 power supplies and a Buffer Bay 6 to handle all audio and function switching connections. Sometimes all a pro needs is a clean, straightforward, and bulletproof design so they can concentrate on the job at hand: delivering a rock show!

After doing the DIY thing for a while, the owner of this Friedman Tour Pro 1590 pedalboard started thinking it might be ...
10/06/2025

After doing the DIY thing for a while, the owner of this Friedman Tour Pro 1590 pedalboard started thinking it might be time for a makeover. The first photo in the sequence shows its original state when it reached our doorstep. A thorough cleaning and fresh layout later, she was ready for her closeup. This was a moderately simple setup. However, even the straightforward projects require some forethought to ensure a streamlined, organized layout that’s easy on the feet, as well as attention to any potential grounding issues due to the “pre/post” routing. For power, the client already had a Friedman Power Grid 10 and Strymon Zuma. Since those two are completely compatible, we elected to pair them up to cover all of our power requirements. The Voodoo Lab PX8 Plus was the perfect choice for this job. It’s an extremely versatile, fully MIDI-capable pedal switcher that doesn’t get nearly enough love. Not only does it handle up to 8 pedals and can be set up as an instant-access loop strip or for preset combinations, it also has a very narrow footprint, freeing up ample space behind it for vertical placement of the JHS Bonsai, and Friedman Buxom Boost, Golden Pearl, and Smallbox pedals. Access to their input jacks are through the “windows”. Pretty cool! Additionally, a Voodoo Lab Control Switcher was employed for external amplifier switching functions and controlled via MIDI. The post path includes a Neunaber Wet reverb, an EQ, a Strymon Mobius and Timeline, and an E.W.S. Subtle Volume Control. All connections to the amplifier are taken via the underside-mounted Friedman Buffer Bay 6 equipped with a custom isolated cable to keep everything quiet and ground-loop free!

What guitar player of a certain age doesn’t long for the good old days? And by that of course we mean the 1980s! A time ...
10/02/2025

What guitar player of a certain age doesn’t long for the good old days? And by that of course we mean the 1980s! A time of guitar solos in pop songs, loud amps, and 4x12 cabinets - actually onstage (gasp)! Now get offa’ my lawn, but first, check out this “Throwback Rack” we were contacted to design in January 2023! The client wanted an 80s-style stereo rig that incorporated a few drool-worthy rack-mounted pieces of yesteryear in a preamp/parallel effects/power amp configuration. Housed in a 16-space Encore shock-mount enclosure, the front-end consists of a Synergy Syn 2 loaded with Friedman BE-BB and Soldano SLO modules, and a Myasnikov Fish Head single channel preamp. An RJM Effect Gizmo selects which is active and also sends line-level signals to the inputs of an Eventide H3500, TC Electronics 2290, and Lexicon PCM70, which in turn route to a Rane SM26 mixer. From there, the left and right outputs pass in series through a Yamaha SPX90II before coming to rest at the massive (sonically and literally) VHT 2150 power amp. Guitar straight in - no pedals! A single 6-pin XLR cable supplies phantom power to, and carries MIDI commands from, the RJM Mastermind GT. Not only did this rig test flawlessly with zero noise, it was also a stark reminder of how positively stunning these classic rack effects sound. There’s a reason they used to be in every pro’s rack at one point and are heard on countless albums you grew up with. Yes, modern processor-based effects are smaller and more powerful, but the three-dimensionality, warmth, and imaging from some of these legacy units canNOT be denied, and the experience of playing them loud, through actual cabinets is truly exhilarating.

Here’s a fun touring board we did in November 2024 for the amazing Covet guitarist and solo artist Yvette Young. Her uni...
10/01/2025

Here’s a fun touring board we did in November 2024 for the amazing Covet guitarist and solo artist Yvette Young. Her unique fingerstyle approach is built around colorful alternate tunings, ambient washes of sound, and a deft, modern technique. Her pedal roster is a carefully curated selection of delays and spatial effects in conjunction with traditional Whammy, octave and boosts that she expertly utilizes to create pillowy soundscapes and tight, arpeggiated grooves. Yvette had been using this large Mono board. Ideal for her needs not only because of the ample surface area for all the pedals she wanted to incorporate, but its one-piece aluminum construction provided a strong, lightweight platform. Perfect for travel. The “vented” design of the Mono board is also well-suited for dressing cables from underneath and hiding them below pedals, keeping the topside view neat and clean. We also were able to strategically route and secure underside cabling, keeping them hidden when viewing from above. A Cioks DC7 coupled with a single Cioks 8 Expander easily covered all of our power needs. The Cioks is one of our favorite off-the-shelf power supplies lately because of its ultra-low profile, high-current capabilities, selectable voltages, expandability, and failproof RCA connections. Finally, an Isoformer Duo from Axegtr provides the outputs to 1 or 2 amps. If you’re not familiar with Yvette’s music and artistry, do yourself a favor and check her out now!

Occasionally, a client will bring by or send in a pile of loose pedals, a power supply, the mounting platform they want ...
09/29/2025

Occasionally, a client will bring by or send in a pile of loose pedals, a power supply, the mounting platform they want with only one instruction: “Make it go!” Prerequisites, preferences? “Nope!” Layout, pedal order, etc?? “Don’t care. Do whatever makes sense..”. While this project was relatively simple - 6 effects plus the in-line Boss TU-3 tuner - the client wanted everything on a Pedal Train Classic Jr. We’ve done countless jobs on Pedal Trains, and the thing that we - as well as most players - love about them (lightweight, open-frame design), is the very thing that makes them a bit more challenging than other platforms: not as much surface area for mounting pedals or dressing and concealing cables. However, by strategically routing and anchoring cables, a clean, secure layout is always possible. Also, by running all power cabling underneath the frame, we can maintain an uncluttered and sparse topside view. We’re a true custom shop and not confined to only ONE style of board layout. Whether it be Pedal Train, Dingbat, Temple, Schmidt Array, traditional flat boards, our own Friedman Tour Pros, or any of the countless others out there, we will build something ergonomic, bulletproof, quiet, and tailored to the needs of the client. No templates here - every job is unique and designed from the ground up, from the simplest backpack-sized travel board, to complex multi-amp, rack-mounted backline switching systems. Hit us up!

Here’s a touring pedalboard we put together for a certain guitarist/bassist/drummer/singer-songwriter with some very ico...
09/27/2025

Here’s a touring pedalboard we put together for a certain guitarist/bassist/drummer/singer-songwriter with some very iconic initials (hint: if he were into skiing or say, snowboarding, he might drive about 5 hours north of our shop to a mountain resort that begins with “M”). Earlier this year, we did a pair of updated, slightly amended boards, but this is the early 2023 version. Some players don’t require a lot of complexity with their setups. Most of what they need is being delivered by a specific guitar, amp, or combination of the two, with a large part of the sonic secret sauce coming from, you guessed it, their hands. Effects are merely supplemental colors used to accentuate and add dimension. That’s certainly the case here: 6 pedals (note that none of them are boosts or overdrives) arranged in a straightforward front-end, series signal path with the option of splitting to 2 amps, if needed. That’s it! We planted everything on a flat board by FIX with the Truetone CS-12 Pro power supply and modified Junk Box interface residing under the Mag-Latch Bridge. Functional simplicity!

Deftones guitarist Steph Carpenter has a penchant for dreaming up elaborate scenarios for his rigs. Sonaturally, when he...
09/26/2025

Deftones guitarist Steph Carpenter has a penchant for dreaming up elaborate scenarios for his rigs. So
naturally, when he reached out earlier this year with an idea for a “hybrid” setup that would provide access to sounds from both the digital modeling domain, coupled with 100 watt tube amps - all self-contained in a single rolling enclosure - we were intrigued to say the least. Steph wanted to combine some of his primary recording tools from recent years (the Fractal Axe FX II, Line 6
Helix, and various pedals) with a pair of Bogner Uberschalls in a fully MIDI-programmable pre/post configuration. And yes, he needed two of everything! Front-end pedals (Xotic SP Comp, Pigtronics Gatekeeper, Buzz Wazacraft Fuzz, a coupla’ Z-Vex boxes, and an Eventide H9) are connected to a Voodoo Lab Hex switcher, which in turn is patched into the loop
of the Radial JX44. The outputs of the Helix and Fractal sum into an RJM Micro Line Mixer, which then
feeds left and right signals in series through the “post
effects” (Strymon pedals, plus a
TC Electronics 2290P) before hitting the returns of the
Uberschalls. A pair of Friedman Power Grid 10 power supplies (mounted underneath the “upside-down” sliding shelves - space-saving pro tip!) deliver clean, quiet
power throughout the rack. Separate balanced FOH feeds from the Helix and the Bogners (provided via a pair of Rivera Mini Rockrecs) are located on the custom-made rear panel. Additionally, Neutrik Powercons were used for all high voltage interconnections, and the 50-
foot custom snake (with heavy-duty shielded cable for
120 VAC) joins everything together. Before a job of this magnitude can begin, thoughtful
planning has to be done in order to insure that all of these different components will “play nice” together. Thus, we started by designing and building proprietary
power distribution and isolated audio interfaces. As always, all of this is done by hand, in-house. From the very first test run, this beast was completely quiet. No hums, buzzes, ground loops - nothing. Dead silent. However,
once the guitar’s volume was turned up, it was LOUD,
crushing, and awesome! Exactly like Deftones!

Chris Shiflett, guitarist for Foo Fighters, has been a longtime friend as well as client. In February 2023, he commissio...
09/25/2025

Chris Shiflett, guitarist for Foo Fighters, has been a longtime friend as well as client. In February 2023, he commissioned us to help replace the aging, overgrown pedalboard that had become too crowded and unmanageable on the road, especially given the workload of a typical FF show that’s on his shoulders coupled with a demanding tour schedule. Considering this was Chris’ first foray into the world of self-contained rack-based systems with MIDI, our goal was to create a solution for him that was simple and straightforward, quick and easy to program, compatible with his elaborate multi-amp setup, and most important: sounded amazing with zero noise! Enter this arrangement of more than a dozen pedals organized neatly across two sliding shelves, each with its own ultra-quiet Friedman Power Grid 10 power supply, routed into an RJM Effect Gizmo. A Radial JX42 handles routing duties while the incredible Kikusui PCR1000 ensures clean, regulated system power anywhere on Earth. Patching and interconnections are done via the custom, front-panel interface - designed and assembled completely in-house. All of this, including the Shure
wireless accoutrements, were housed in a 15-space Encore shock-mount enclosure, and controlled by the RJM Mastermind GT - chosen for its roadworthy construction and ease of use. This one took some extra time to
test because it was SO much fun to play and sounded positively huge with all of Chris’ amps hooked up! And btw, like most of our pro, touring clientele, when they order one rig, that usually means “this one, PLUS a duplicate please!” and there was no exception here. This is one of the two rigs we delivered and they’re both still performing flawlessly.

Address

5419 Cleon Avenue
Los Angeles, CA
91601

Telephone

+18182094309

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