FX placement in chain

thomasross20

I'm going to run an FX loop for the first time... Here are my pedals:

EP Boost, Tuner, wah, distortion, chorus, delay, (solo) boost.

How would you hook these up? Here's what I'm thinking...


GUITAR -> TUNER -> WAH -> EP BOOST -> DISTORTION -> AMP INPUT

FX SEND -> CHORUS -> DELAY -> (SOLO) BOOST -> FX RETURN


Does this sound about right? 

thomasross20

I plan on having the GUITAR -> AMP chain on the bottom row of my pedal train.
I plan on having the FX LOOP SEND / RETURN row on the top of the pedal board. 

Sassafras

Sounds about right but it would sound even better if you left out the chorus.

thomasross20

Used sparingly, chorus rocks! ;D

OK good. Basically all I need then are 6" patch cables.... I don't ever need to connect the top row to the bottom row. 

robinbowes

Personally, I like the sound of modulation into overdrive, ie. I would put chorus or vibe before the drive.

R.

thomasross20

Man, you wouldn't believe how much I've spent this last week. 
Even just on leads and patch cables alone!

Ro_S

seems fine and logical, orthodox wise.

what is the boost pedal in the fx loop?    is it a transparent clean volume boost?

thomasross20

Not that I'm using drive on the amp (I wont really have it) but if I ever use an amp head with drive, putting it in the loop will be for a clean (volume) boost only. 

viz

That's almost what I've got. I have the tuner at the end of the first stage so it mutes the hiss from the distortion, and I swap the chorus and delay


amp < TU2 < OD < Comp < Wah < Ph90 < guitar


return < Vol < Chorus < Delay < send

http://i865.photobucket.com/albums/ab217/Vizzage/Mobile Uploads/image_zpscqmnegah.jpeg

thomasross20

Thanks, all!

EricTheWeary

I keep meaning to try my Boss tuner at the end of my pedals,  just feels counter intuitive. 
Yes,  it would stop a bit of hiss. 
Yes,  it would buffer the signal into the amp reducing the chance of switch pops. 
Yes,  it acts as a trouble shooter -  if you've got no signal coming out the speakers you can see if the guitar signal is at least making it through your chain. 

No,  I can't bring myself to do it. 

VertexEffects

thomasross20 said:

I'm going to run an FX loop for the first time... Here are my pedals:

EP Boost, Tuner, wah, distortion, chorus, delay, (solo) boost.

How would you hook these up? Here's what I'm thinking...


GUITAR -> TUNER -> WAH -> EP BOOST -> DISTORTION -> AMP INPUT

FX SEND -> CHORUS -> DELAY -> (SOLO) BOOST -> FX RETURN


Does this sound about right? 

What's the Chorus Delay and Boost?  Is your FX loop line or instrument level?  What amp?

thomasross20

Victory V40. 
TC Dreamscape Chorus. 
TC Flashback Delay (I rarely use it, if ever)
EP Boost always on. TC Spark for clean boost. 

FX loop.... er, I'm not sure! Aren't they all instrument level? 

thomasross20

Where would you put an overdrive pedal? E.g. if you switched amp channels from clean to crunch and wanted to boost the crunch volume and "tone" to be more distorted... would you put the overdrive in the FX loop or at the front of the amp?

ThePrettyDamned

If running a clean amp, you need not worry too much. If it's breaking up, experiment. 

Not all loops are effects level. Test with your pedals to see if they clip. 

Never put an overdrive in the loop! 

steamabacus

thomasross20 said:

Victory V40. 
TC Dreamscape Chorus. 
TC Flashback Delay (I rarely use it, if ever)
EP Boost always on. TC Spark for clean boost. 

FX loop.... er, I'm not sure! Aren't they all instrument level? 

With a clean amp, I'd put all those in front of the amp and forget about using the loop. It cuts down cabling, set up time, complexity in the case of fault finding if something goes down ... Just much simpler to go into the front. I'm not sure you'd gain much by putting the delay in the loop and I prefer chorus in front of the amp as well. As long as you're not pushing the amp flat out you should still have plenty of headroom for the solo boost to work fine into the front.

thomasross20

What happens if I put an overdrive in the loop? 
Do I go Back to the Future?  

What's the deal with effects/instrument/line level FX loops? 

thomasross20

@steamabacus you're right... in fact that's what I currently do with my Blackstar. 
I set the clean channel and everything goes in the front... 

mike_l

thomasross20 said:

Where would you put an overdrive pedal? E.g. if you switched amp channels from clean to crunch and wanted to boost the crunch volume and "tone" to be more distorted... would you put the overdrive in the FX loop or at the front of the amp?

Do NOT put an OD or Distortionin the Loop.
Bad things can, and do happen to amps. 
You remember Stay Puff the Marshmallow man from Ghostbusters? Like that, but inside your amp........

Keep OD's/Distortions in front of the amp.

A clean boost will be good to go in the loop.

thomasross20

That bad!? Wow!
Ok, thanks

bingefeller

I put the chorus in front cos I think it sounds better when dirtied up a bit, like Zakk Wylde.