For musicians who live life on the road, a travel rig is more than just gear, it is a lifeline to their art. Ian Martin Allison, a highly admired bassist and creator, recently embarked on a journey to build his dream travel bass rig, a setup designed to deliver unparalleled tone and versatility in a compact, portable package. The ambition was clear: to craft a rig powerful enough for any session or stage, yet light enough to be a true companion for extensive travel. This meticulous project, years in the making and finally realized during an extended stay at Cory Wong's syncopated summer camp, promised to redefine what a travel bass rig could achieve.

Designing the Ultimate Travel Rig

The foundation of Ian Allison's travel rig began with a crucial constraint: portability. Ian emphasized the need for a "super light backpack vibe, small roller kind of a thing." This led to the selection of a Vertex Travel Light 17 by 10 pedalboard, a size deemed ideal yet challenging for fitting all desired components. The initial layout involved roughly arranging key pedals to visualize the signal flow and assess space limitations. Pedals included the Origin Effects Bass Compressor, MXR Bass Synth, Three Leaf Audio Octave, Doom 2 Fuzz, Proton Envelope Filter, and a CMC Prototype Drive. The Line 6 HX Stomp, a versatile multi-effects unit, was also central to the design.

Underneath the board, two critical components were planned: the Vertex buffer interface, specifically modded to what is known as the "Sean Hurley mod" for optimized bass input impedance, and the Walrus Audio Canvas power supply. The Canvas was chosen for its high-power outputs, essential for supplying sufficient current to power-hungry units like the Mantle and the HX Stomp. With all components identified, the assembly began with precision, utilizing Square Plugs SP-400s, renowned for their low profile, to map out the connections and ensure everything would fit within the compact board dimensions.

Expert Assembly and Wiring Techniques

The build process spanned two intensive days. Day one focused on the intricate power wiring, meticulously routing and shortening the Walrus Canvas supply cables to length. Special attention was paid to ensuring that pedals requiring higher current or voltage, such as the HX Stomp, received their specific power needs. All other pedals were content with standard nine volts. This phase, captured through overhead cameras, showcased the detailed planning required to power a complex rig discreetly beneath a compact board.

Day two shifted to audio wiring, employing Square Plugs SP-400s and Mogami 2314 cable throughout the entire signal path. A methodical troubleshooting approach was adopted: building the connections from the output back towards the input, testing each link individually. This allowed for immediate identification and resolution of any issues, preventing the daunting task of diagnosing problems in a fully assembled, complex rig. The process culminated in connecting the Mantle's unbalanced and balanced outputs to the buffer and the DAW respectively, ensuring every component functioned flawlessly.

The Completed Travel Bass Rig

The culmination of meticulous planning and expert assembly yielded a bass rig that was truly "better than Christmas." The Vertex Travel Light pedalboard, measuring 17 by 10 inches with no riser, perfectly fits into a carry-on size bag, with an optional hard-molded case for enhanced protection during travel. Beneath its surface, the Walrus Audio Canvas power supply provided clean, consistent power to all effects, embodying both power and portability.

The signal path of Ian Allison's custom rig begins with his bass feeding into the Vertex buffer, then flowing through a carefully curated selection of pedals. This includes the Origin Effects Bass Compressor, MXR Bass Synth, Three Leaf Audio Octave, Doom 2 Fuzz, Proton Envelope Filter, CMC Prototype Drive, and the Line 6 HX Stomp. The entire chain culminates in the Mantle, a unique Walrus Audio device, before the signal is sent to outputs, ready for recording or live performance.

Unpacking Ian Allison's Signature Sounds: A Pedal-by-Pedal Breakdown

• **Vertex Buffer (Sean Hurley Mod):** Positioned first in the chain, this buffer is custom-modded for bass, optimizing input impedance for a clearer, more robust signal.
• **Origin Effects Bass Compressor:** Ian runs this pedal with parallel compression, keeping it always on but subtly engaged. It allows some transient through with a slow attack, tightening the sound without over-compressing. "You miss it when it's gone," Ian notes.
• **MXR Bass Synth:** This pedal delivers classic synth bass sounds, evoking a "Greg Phillingan's thing." Its gratifying filter can create anything from punchy, subtle synth bass sounds to deep, low-filtered textures. An expression pedal output is permanently connected for dynamic control.
• **Three Leaf Audio Octave:** Spencer's latest build, this analog octave pedal delivers sounds worthy of "Dr. Tony Levin in the house." It features a sub switch to isolate the octave-down, allowing for experimentation with grit and character.
• **Doom 2 Fuzz:** More than just a fuzz, this pedal offers an Octavia-like vibe with a natural envelope. With subtle muting, it can produce an "owl to the envelope sound," often treated like a synthesizer for its unique character.
• **Proton Envelope Filter:** This latest version is set to create filter sounds that "struggle to kind of like come out of the envelope," allowing Ian's playing dynamics to dictate when the filter pops through.
• **CMC Prototype Drive:** Made in Belgium, this pedal is a take on the Red Llama circuit. Ian uses it for a light drive, but it can also be pushed for a more aggressive sound.
• **Line 6 HX Stomp:** A powerhouse of effects, the HX Stomp offers incredible sounds. Ian highlights a combination of spring reverb, tremolo, and a "Tessellator" block. This unique effect samples notes, gltiches them, takes them up an octave, and moves them back and forth, providing "key context" and inspiration.
• **Mantle (Walrus Audio):** The final pedal in the chain, the Mantle was inspired by studio gear like Neve and API. It features a simple-to-use, musical EQ with detented clicks, offering different characteristics in its boost and cut ranges. "This thing, when you feel it, it is like a Rolls Royce, you know, it is a very classy and elegant feel," Ian describes. The Mantle offers both XLR (to the DAW) and unbalanced outputs, with the latter feeding back into the Vertex buffer for potential two-amp setups, including a transformer-isolated output.

Frequently Asked Questions About Building a Travel Bass Rig

What size pedalboard is ideal for travel?

The Vertex Travel Light pedalboard, measuring 17 by 10 inches, is designed to fit a backpack, small roller, or carry-on, making it ideal for musicians on the go.

How do you power multiple high-current pedals on a compact board?

A power supply like the Walrus Audio Canvas, with high power outputs, can efficiently power demanding pedals such as the Line 6 HX Stomp and Mantle, even on a compact board.

Why use a buffer at the start of a bass pedalboard?

A buffer, specifically one modded for bass like the Sean Hurley mod on the Vertex buffer, optimizes input impedance for bass, ensuring signal integrity and clarity through the pedal chain.

What is the purpose of parallel compression on a bass rig?

Parallel compression, as used on the Origin Effects Bass Compressor, allows a blend of dry and compressed signal, tightening the sound and adding push to transients only when digging in, while maintaining dynamic feel.

How does the Mantle pedal enhance the overall bass tone?

The Mantle, inspired by classic studio gear, provides a simple yet musical EQ with detented settings and versatile output options, serving as a high-quality tone shaping and routing solution at the end of the pedal chain.

The Journey to Your Dream Tone

Building a dream rig, especially one designed for the challenges of travel, is a deeply personal and incredibly rewarding endeavor. Ian Martin Allison's custom bass rig stands as a testament to the possibilities when expertise meets artistic vision. This detailed breakdown, brought to you by the insights from World War Stories, serves as an invaluable resource for bassists looking to craft their own perfect travel setup. Whether you are seeking compact power, versatile tone, or a precise signal chain, the lessons learned from this build can inform your choices and inspire your next gear adventure. For those eager to delve deeper, the original video provides a dynamic visual and auditory experience, showcasing the rig in action and allowing you to hear each pedal's unique contribution to Ian's signature sound. Remember to explore the signal path list, materials, and preset pack in the video description to further enhance your own rig-building journey.