Pedal board configuration help, what is first?

[JLH]

O.K., here we go, what is considered first in a pedal chain and what is last.

Is first in the chain the first pedal from the guitar or first to the amp and therefore is the last pedal in the chain the last pedal to go to your guitar or last to go into the amp.
I have had several discussions with people about how to place pedals in the pedal board chain, this one question seems to always be a debate.
This months guitar player mag also has seemed to leave out this exact detail

[Pwozzie]

The way I describe it is: first in the chain is the pedal closest to your guitar and the last in the chain goes to your amp. My configuration is as follows:

Guitar -> wah -> tuner -> phaser -> compressor -> fuzz -> distortion -> overdrive -> EQ -> noise supressor -> delay -> amp. I put my flanger and chorus in the effects loop because I like to use them on the dirty channel and it sounds MUCH better in the loop. Sometimes I put the phaser in the loop, too.

Placement comes down to your amp really.. and if your pedals are true bypass or not... some just sound better in the effects loop, and some sound better in front of the amp.

What pedals do you have, like make and model? I've spent the last couple of weeks doing my chain, as well as some friends' pedal configurations, so maybe I can help.

[LoKi]

If you have an effects loop, I'd say put any modulating effects in there, because they sound better after your preamp, if your run any amount of gain.

Modulating effects are chorus, flanger, delay that type of thing. I also like tremolo in the loop, but it can be really cool out front as well.

*None of this are 'rules' just guidelines... Everything has a different sound depending on where you put it*.

In front of the amp I like to go Guitar--Wireless--Tuner--Wah--Compressor--Overdrive.

In the loop I like to go Chorus--Flange--Delay.

Any pedals I'm not currently using get disconnected.... So my loop is often just the Delay or light Chorus if I'm feeling really 80's.

Play around! It can be cool to throw different stomps in different places... Like if you put a flanger after the delay, or compressor after overdrive/distortion.

You can even put an overdrive in the loop for an instant boost. Can be noisy, but still can be cool. A bunch of Marshall JCM 900 guys use a Marshall Gov'ner in the loop as a boost, and it sounds great.

[Pwozzie]

I haven't tried the delay in the effects loop.. hmm.. what about using the loop on the noise supressor.. how does that compare to using the amp's loop?

[JLH]

pwoznic
RMC Wizard wah
BOSS Super Chorus
BOSS Octave
BOSS DD-3 ( I hate this delay) got any suggestions?
I use a Sonic Research Turbo Tuner
I have a Tone Jones Looper, I loop one side out to the tuner and use one loop for the BOSS pedals
My wah is true by pass so it is first and runs outside of the loop

So "first" closest's to the guitar is the wah and bypass's to the amp through the looper (true bypass)
Then the loop for BOSS pedals
Thanks

[LoKi]

Originally Posted by pwoznic

I haven't tried the delay in the effects loop.. hmm.. what about using the loop on the noise supressor.. how does that compare to using the amp's loop?

You put the noise suppressor before the loop though? Makes the delay not sound as 'crunchy' when it repeats and the output volume gets lower *and not driving the preamp as hard after each repeat.*

I like the delay in the loop because your echo's or repeats still retain full preamp distortion, but just get quieter as the delays fade.

[LoKi]

If you want a really good delay... Well... Depending on your use of it.. The Echo Park is killer for a stomp box delay. Really shines in the effects loop. Has the 'tails' option so if you turn the delay off at the end of a solo, the repeats continue on the last note instead of cutting off abruptly.

The Line 6 Delay Modeller is the primo digital delay unit. Almost everyone uses one.

I have an old Boss DD-2 which is essentially a digital delay routed through an analog circuit so the sound is warm and not so 'digital' sounding as the rest of the DD series. The last 'analog' digital delay that Boss made was the MIJ DD-2. It's still a DD, but has a warmth that I can't describe.

Do you want a vintage sounding delay? I say check out the Echo Park. It's stereo, has vintage models, does tap, hold, reverse, you name it. Best full featured stomp box I've ever owned. Noisy if you use it in front of the amp though... Works GREAT in the loop.

[thefishingline]

Guitar, tuner, wah, blues overdrive, tube screamer, rotospeahe

[Pwozzie]

MXR just released the carbon copy analog delay... it's AMAZING.. I have a simply delay unit (Moen Pretty Dolly) that does the trick for me, so I don't need it, but I know a few people jumping on it the second it shows up at GC.

I personally hate digital delay.. I've been spoiled on analog everything

JLH, I honestly don't know much about A/B boxes, but I would imagine that putting the tuner in one loop, and the other effects in the other would be the way to go.

[JLH]

MXR it is!!!! I think, thanks, now first in the chain is first from the guitar and last out t the amp, can we all agree on that?????

[Pwozzie]

Originally Posted by JLH

MXR it is!!!! I think, thanks, now first in the chain is first from the guitar and last out t the amp, can we all agree on that?????

According to the way I learned it yes.. and I'm the ruler of the universe so it must be true! muhahahahaha!

[nsureit]

Get this book! Worth every bit of $25!

[lp_junkie]

for me I go with the following two basic setups-

my basic rig is setup wireless>wah>compressor>chorus>Marshall combo

my show off rig wireless>tuner>volume pedal>wah>comp>chorus>delay>Marshall

[RedBetts]

I've been messing around with Fuzz pedals lately, trying to get my board re set for our next gig this coming weekend. Am not sure if there's a right or wrong way to chain it all but here's what I currently have.
Guitar> Boss TU 2 tuner> Toadworks John Bull 2 overdrive> Dunlop Wah> Option Five Destination Rotattion Singe rotary > Boss Digital Delay > Jangle Box Compressor > Fulltone Fat Boost > Boss Tremelo > Little Big Muff > Amp.
I switch out the Digital Delay with a Chorus every now and then and double up the chorus with the rotary pedal for some cool swirly effects.
In a couple of weeks I'll have a Plum Crazy Fuzzy Lady...it's being custom built without the power adapter or LED. When it gets here I"ll put it first in the chain since leaving it plugged in zaps the battery. I'll just add it in front of the tuner. My pedals are used fairly specifically to the songs - like I only use the Janglebox compressor with the RIckenbacker 12 string, the Fat Boost for solo boost on the Ric when I use my smaller 18 watt amp, the Wah is only used by itself without any other pedals turned on, the Muff on certain tunes like Cinnamon Girl, etc. And I generally don't combine multiple pedals at the same time except for the chorus and rotary. They are all true bypass too so it all works good for me.

[snaredrum]

i go guitar - tuner - wah - two OD's on a double looper pedal so it's either one or the other - guv'nor as a boost - fuzz - amp

then a reverb pedal in the fx loop.

i'd always put tuner before anything.

[opalburn]

i go guitar-volume-wah-amp....

then fx loop is send-chorus-phaser-flanger-tremolo-delay-clean boost-return...

i love having the chorus and the delay in the fx loop of the amp since it is post-preamp, i use the chorus and delay a lot in order to get what we have dubbed the 'hero guitar' sound that i use a bit... i can go from having a straight into the amp dirty sound to having the 'hero guitar' sound in one press of a footswitch... i don't know what i would do without an fx loop in me ol' amp...

[Deftone]

Guitar > EQ > Distortion > Delay > Sonic Maximizer > Amp. I put them all through the loop if the amp has one.

River gets the credit for posting this site:

Guitar Amp Tone and Effects Placement

Lots of good info and they stress the importance of using an EQ or even several EQ's. I tried one, now I'm hooked.