The perfect combination of versatility, portability and customisation, rack mount guitar amps and effects are the way to go if you're after the ultimate personalised rig.
I'm going to cover what makes a rack-mounted setup, how they work and how you might go about putting one together.
Let's take a traditional guitar setup: you plug your guitar into the guitar pedals, which then connects to your amp and finally to the speaker. A rack mount amp and effects unit condenses each of these blocks into a module that can be slotted into a rack mount case (basically a big box usually on wheels). With the exception of the speaker, every part of the original setup is now far more compact and customisable. You can pick different preamp and power amp sections that fit the sound you're going for, plus any extra devices that would help at a show or in the studio such as a wireless system or mixer.
Rack mount gear became a popular choice for musicians in the late eighties. Although not quite the hottest topic now, they are still used by touring musicians and in recording studios. The evolution of the modelling amp – particularly the Kemper Profiler, Fractal Axe-FX and Line 6 Helix and its POD predecessor – has had a large influence on how rack mount effects are implemented into an electric guitar setup today.
Still holding their own in larger gigging and recording studio rigs, rack mount gear provides a way for professionals to transport their equipment as one unit without the hassle of lugging round separate heavy amps and speakers. They also keep everything neat, tidy and easily accessible if you need to adjust anything.
Rack mount rigs provide the most in-depth tone customisation of any type of guitar setup. You can mix and match the exact components you want to get your specific sound. Metallica guitarists James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett have been proponents of this setup for their concerts for decades. With the many guitar sounds and effects they've used across their catalogue, they can easily switch to different guitar tones as they need them. The latest rack-mount modelling technology lets you set this switching to be done automatically based on where you are in a song with the help of a digital audio workstation (DAW) – that means no more pedalboard tap dancing.
In a studio or pre-show setting, rack mount gear grants access to what is essentially an infinite amount of guitar tones as patches, so you can tinker until to your heart's content and save them for when you need them to record or get on stage. They incorporate everything you need to curate a personalised tone: from preamp and power amps to effects, and to speaker cabinet and mic simulation, collectively known as impulse responses (IRs). Because these patches are digital, they are sure to sound consistent across any venue you play at. Some guitarists might grumble at that, but I doubt many could tell the difference between a Mesa Boogie amp emulation and the real thing, especially at a gig. You'll also never have to memorise another amp or pedal setting ever again.
The main drawbacks of a rack mount rig are the price and the steep learning curve.
Building a rack will cost you a lot more than an amp and a pedalboard. You may weigh up the benefits of the creative freedom you get with a rack and justify the cost, but the entry level price is understandably high for a lot of guitarists.
You'll have to factor in the cost of the rack case, the amp module (potentially split into both preamp and power amp if you want to run the signal into an unpowered guitar speaker), any FX modules/guitar pedals and any additional live equipment like a wireless guitar system or a mixer. If you're building one for the studio, are you going to invest in a powerful rack audio interface or headphone amp?
The next step is getting into the nooks and crannies of what your the rack gear can do – are you willing to put the time in to experiment with the different tones your amp module possesses? Although you can get some great sounding presets, can you adapt to the menu diving and patch-making? And are you willing to buy more modules to expand or upgrade?
Realistically, you have to question whether you would use the full extent of what a rack mount setup could offer. If your answer is “yes” to these questions, then a rack mount rig is the right move.
Rack gear is standardised to a universal width of 19 inches, so you don't need to worry about buying any incorrect sizes. You'll need at least a rack mount case, a preamp module/modelling amp, a power amp if you intend to plug into a speaker cabinet, and/or a cabinet simulator (included in modelling amps) if you're running the chain into an audio interface or PA system.
The rack mount case is of course the shell of what you are building with this setup. It's got to be able to protect your precious gear from any bumps and scrapes and it has to be built to last. Gator make excellent professional level cases in a variety of sizes. Consider buying a larger case that allows you to expand if you one day wish.
Most preamps will include guitar effects, especially modelling amps, although some of you might find they're not as exciting or diverse as something you could get from a dedicated module or guitar pedals. You can go down the multi-FX route, and there also options for stand-alone rack units like the Gamechanger Audio Plasma. Echo Fix are another brand that makes dedicated, premium rack effects.
You always have the option to add guitar pedals into the mix in your rack mount case by creating a tray that, is in essence, a regular guitar pedalboard. Slipknot duo Mick Thomson and Jim Root have done this as they like the specific pedals they own, like the MXR Carbon Copy delay. This method means you can incorporate the pedals you already own into the setup.
Compression is an important effect in achieving an even dynamic range from your guitar. A quality unit is highly desirable in the recording process. These are very tempting modules for studio use if you're not already using plug-in compressors or you're looking to upgrade to the rack. A compressor will not only offer the standard settings for attack, release, ratio and dry/wet mixing, but it'll imprint its own characteristics on the sound. Warm Audio, Klark Teknik and Black Lion Audio make vintage-voiced rack mount compressors styled after legendary analogue effects.
This is the core of your sound and the equivalent of your tone controls on your guitar amp, just in a more compact form than the full guitar amp. The popular modern day choice is to use a digital modelling amp. The Neural DSP Quad Cortex is the leading model in the field but without a dedicated rack unit, the Fractal Axe-FX III, Line 6 Helix and Kemper Profiling Amp are the go-to choices. As covered earlier, they all give you a ridiculous amount of tonal options, from famous and otherwise inaccessibly expensive Fender Tweeds to high-gain Soldano valve heads.
If you want to go down the old school route, the likes of Synergy, Laney and Mesa Boogie still make guitar preamps in rack configuration. Mounting full guitar amp heads in a rack case is still a viable option, if it fits of course.
A mic preamp is ideal for a recording rack mount setup. This type of rack is a little different to a live rig, as the idea is to capture the warmth of high-end recording studio equipment. Microphone preamps are not strictly guitar amps and so you won't have the same level of preset saving and channel controls. Instead, a preamp in this form is stripped back yet most refined in tone, taking the signal of a microphone or DI (if it accommodates it) to sculpt the tone with EQ bands. The likes of Golden Age Project and FMR Audio modules are ideal for classic rock tones or capturing an acoustic guitar through a microphone. A lot of these modules measure in at 9.5 inches and may offer a rack kit to mount two side-by-side.
The power amp is the final stage of the amplifier, taking the signal from the preamp and boosting the signal to a “line level” for unpowered speakers i.e. guitar speaker cabinets. Behringer and Seymour Duncan are excellent choices and provide all the volume you'd ever need.
Some version of the Kemper Profiling amp are powered, which saves you from buying a separate power amp. If you're recording direct into an audio interface or front of house mixer with no intention of using a speaker, you also don't have to invest in the power amp. However, most artists utilising a rack mount setup will make use of both the PA system and use some on-stage speaker cabinets to push some air for the “in-the-room” feel.
If you're using a traditional preamp or full guitar amp head without cabinet simulation in your rack, then you'll need to get your cab IR by either plugging into an audio interface and using a plug-in cabinet emulation or by using a separate cabinet simulator unit. The great benefit of a cabinet simulators over a speaker cabinet is the amount of choice you get not being locked into one sound – a cab can have a huge effect colouring your guitar tone. Two Notes is the leading brand in dedicated cab simulation with the Reload II, boasting Celestion-approved load response and the incredibly expansive DynIR cabinet collection.
The rack mount mixer is an extremely useful tool to get consistent sound levels and band mixing at any venue. You can plug all your microphones or DIs into the mixer for your whole band and all the instruments you're using, easily controlling levels, EQ and effects. From there, you run the signals into the PA system. The best way to produce live band recordings is by using a mixer to visually adjust your mix and then record through a DAW on a laptop. Many mixers now can be controlled via an app, making the this an even easier, visually appealing process.
Behringer make mixers covering several price points, from the entry level up to the best-selling 48-channel, touchscreen Wing Rack. Allen & Heath make premium rack-mounted mixers as well as classic mixing desks. Yamaha, Presonus and Soundcraft all make powerful, flexible mixers with a range of inputs to meet your needs.
Running cables across a stage can limit your movement to put on a great show, decrease the distance from the amp and generally cause cable clutter. A wireless guitar system connects your guitar to your amp on a frequency channel without the use of guitar cables. You'll have a bodypack plugged into your guitar and attached to your guitar strap, and another plugged into your amp. Professional standard wireless systems commonly come in rack mount varieties suited to guitars, basses and microphones. Hi-fi brands Sennheiser, Shure, LD Systems and AKG all produce wireless transmitters that will work up to a specific distance away from your amp.
Rack mount setups are the pinnacle of guitar tone customisation. There are a load of preamp, power amp and effects modules that will grant access to a plethora of sounds, as well as a ton of other modules that are more suited to specific situations either for gigging or in the studio. Where you take your rack setup ultimately depends on what you'll be doing most: playing live or recording.
If you're looking to take your rack on the road, then a guitar-oriented preamp is a must, either as a modelling amp or as a traditional guitar amp. You'll likely want some additional effects, so work some guitar pedals into the rig. A power amp will depend on whether you want to play through a speaker cabinet (there's a good chance you'll want to have that as an option). If your setup does not have cab sim potential, then you'll need a dedicated cab simulator or you'll require the use of plug-ins. Anything else here is extra – you may want to opt for your own mixer to control levels. A wireless system is a great upgrade if you're playing larger stages.
For a studio rack mount setup, the same applies with the preamp being the key feature influencing your guitar tones. It might be worth going for a vintage-style preamp that can double up as a microphone preamp for a warmer sound, or if you would like to mic up a guitar amplifier. You could also get that vintage feel from a compressor or limiter. An audio interface is a necessity for recording music, so if you're investing in a rack setup then it's worth looking at a rack-compatible interface. This will also unlock a whole load of sounds and effects that are included in these packages.
For more information, check out our dedicated guides:
Ultimate guide to modelling amps
