Effects Pedals Order

[LeftyBlues]

I can't find the article (last year I think) in GP regarding the placement of pedals in the signal chain. I know the general order but my question is should all the pedals be in the effects loop of my amp or just modulating type stompers? Right now I run my guitar into the Blues Overdrive pedal then into the input of the amp. The effects loop goes to phase shifter -> chorus -> digital delay. It seems to work well but I'm curious if there's a "better" way or leave as is. Thanks for your input (pun intended).

L.B.

[Jasco]

It's all subjective based on what you think sounds best.

 

That being said, there are definitely more common orders for effects chains.

 

Personally, I've never used an effects loop on any amp that didn't suck some tone out of my setup.

 

I don't use a lot of effects now, but if I did, I'd get two seperate amps, one dry and one for effect, and ABY them as needed rather than use an effects loop of any kind.

 

edit: for your setup, as listed, I'd just run all the effects in the order you listed, but before the input of the amp, not in the loop.

 

 

 

 

[Tennessee]

If it's any help, Danelectro Corporation, (yeah, yeah, I know, but a lot of people use them), recommends distortion and compression first, then chorus and phasers, finishing up with delays, trems, vibratos and then wah. This is a general guideline, they make that clear. I've tried it, and it does seem to work about the best for me.

[LeftyBlues]

Thanks gents, makes me wonder why they bother to have the effects loop if it's a detriment to the sound comin' out yonder speaker! I'll rewire tonight straight through to the normal input.

L.B.

[Caevan O’Shite]

The way you've already got it-

 

OD > amp

 

-and-

 

FX Loop Out > Phaser > Chorus > Delay FX Loop Return

 

-should be an excellent arrangement.

 

Personally, I'd also experiment with putting the phaser in front of the OD, and also after it (in front of the amp's input), just 'cause I like the way phasers sometimes affect overdrive and distortion when feeding their input. Not too different from having a wah in front of an OD or an overdriven/distorted tube-amp.

 

You might like it better that way, or you might not; your own ear and tastes, and the settings and character of each piece of gear you've got interconnected, will determine what's best for you.

[Billster]

I agree with Caevan, the OD in front of the amp, and the modulation/time fx in the loop.

 

There's different colors that you can get with the OD stuff before or after modulation fx, so you might experiment with that. And sometimes delays in front of the amp can be cool, because the lowering levels of longer delays change the input characteristics.

[Larryz]

I agree with a lot of what has already been said...don't be afraid to experiment both ways (ie. in/out of the loop & in different pedal orders) not sure I'd lug two amps and an ABY switch but I understand the idea and it may be useful in the big rig set ups...only thing I'd add is a compressor in front of any overdrive/distortion as it can really make things wail...

[Jasco]

Thanks gents, makes me wonder why they bother to have the effects loop if it's a detriment to the sound comin' out yonder speaker! I'll rewire tonight straight through to the normal input.

L.B.

 

Yes. It makes me wonder too.

 

I'd rather manufactures just leave their crappy effects loop off and take $100 of the price of an amp. Or at least give an option of effect loop or not. But I'm probably in the minority on that.

 

I think the reason effects loops kill tone is that they fuck up the gain scheduling.

 

But I suspect many people like them for convenience and a lot of players probably can't hear the difference anyway.

 

[picker]

One man's poison is another man's poisson. What I can't hear when I use my effects loop is the noise from my pedals being preamped along with the guitar's signal, which used to drive me nuts. And I can hear the difference between a distorted sound coming before a delay/reverb and/or chorus/flanger. You can't have it that way unless you use an effects loop, or pull an Eric Johnson and mic your amp, then run it's signal through your effects and into another amp.

 

Since I don't have the money to buy that kind of set-up, and I'm not really into carrying that much crap around to set up anyway, I'll keep using my effects loop, as I happily have for over 20 years. It works.

[Jasco]

What I can't hear when I use my effects loop is the noise from my pedals being preamped along with the guitar's signal, which used to drive me nuts.

 

 

Hmm... I never seem to get much noise from my pedals.

 

Does the noise from you pedals happen only when they are engaged or also when they are bypassed?

 

 

[LeftyBlues]

This is why I love this forum, a family room jammer like me can get answers from real musicians without the usual internet bs. Last night I ran my four pedals ( OD -> phaser -> chorus -> delay) straight into the normal input and it sounded great. I ran a short cable from the effects loop "send" to my Korg tuner - voila! Now I can tune up without unplugging anything. Thanks everybody for your input.

L.B.