Effects loop?

Jonathan · 10-24-2009, 06:48 PM

I've always ran my pedalboard through my amps direct input. Never really cared about the effects loop and i see many ppl doing the same and running their pedals through the direct input too.
Do you use the effects loop? The send and return plug ins? What are the cons and pros of running effects through direct input contra effects loop?

zeppelin101 · 10-24-2009, 07:15 PM

i dont use a fx loop dont really need to but for some pedals/effects it might not be a bad idea i dont use a whole lotta effects

opalburn · 10-24-2009, 07:57 PM

i ise the fx loop on my 5150... i run chorus, phaser, flanger, tremolo, delay, and clean boost thru the loop, and run volume and wah straight in withmy guitar..

the advantage for me is it takes all those pedals out of my signal, unless i switch the loop on... it allows you to switch on as many fx as you want at one press of a foot switch...

the biggest con i have experienced is that there is a little bit of a signal loss when i switch the fx loop on.. its pretty minimal, but i can tell... so i'm going to get a looper pedal to put in my loop to take out a few of the less used pedals unless i'm using them...

after having used the fx loop, i'll prob always have an amp with one, i just like being able to go from one guitar sound to a totall whacked out effected sound... thats my $.02

guysmiley · 10-25-2009, 12:49 AM

I use to love using my FX loop for time based and modulation effects like my delays and chorus. It made them sound cleaner and more pronounced. This can be good and bad. My Phaser became way too much for me in the loop. Too pronounced. The only other con I had was set up time on stage. 2 more chords to worry about plugging in then wrapping up.

Play with it, see if you find anything you like.

5F6-A · 10-25-2009, 10:50 AM

you can always use the "send" of the amp as a preamp for recording and stuff

opalburn · 10-25-2009, 11:12 AM

as far as set up time on stage.... i've got my pedal board set up where i only unplug one cable from the pedalboard itself, the rest(3 of them) stay connected and get coiled up and laid on top of my board and put in the case... i've got one cable from guitar to volume/wah, one from wah to amp, one from amp to effects loop, one from effects to amp, and one from amp to amp remote switch... but i've got the 2 fx loop cables and the remote switch cables taped together, so it's basically one cable now... it took a little fiddling to get it set up the way i like it... and i can probably set up my rig as quick as anybody can... except for you one cable from guitar to amp guys..

Paragon · 10-25-2009, 03:19 PM

FX loop can be good for EQ pedals.

5F6-A · 10-25-2009, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paragon

FX loop can be good for EQ pedals.

remember that fx stomp boxes through fx loop benefit from a gain reduction ( -20 db ) and paralel wired with mix pot.

jrnic · 10-26-2009, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guysmiley

My Phaser became way too much for me in the loop. Too pronounced.

I've found that too. When I got my VH Phaser pedal, I found that in the "chain" it gave TOO MUCH effect, so I now put it in front of any Distortion or Gain pedals. Sounds much better. BTW that's the way Eddie VH did it and look how it worked for him!

Nigel T. · 10-27-2009, 05:54 AM

I use both. Guitar->Wah->OD->Whammy->Amp. And Send->Multi FX (Chorus/Reverb/Delay)->Volume->Return.

The reasoning (mine atleast) is that what goes in the amp is affected by gain and pitch, all the modulation and echo-types work on the affected sound. Volume is a different matter, that is last in the entire chain so volume swells are independent of reverb, etc.

Deftone · 10-27-2009, 07:15 AM

Good thread. I currently run everything through the loop on my amps that have one.

EQ > Distortion > Chorus/Echo.

Big John · 10-28-2009, 11:47 AM

I've got a modded '68 Bassman that I'm currently using with a band that I just recently joined. I'm going to have the loop modified soon so that it can digest pedals without signal loss. I plan on throwing everything in the loop besides the wah and overdrive pedals.

There is an option out there for using pedals in line level loops. It brings the loop level down to instrument level, sends & receives the signal to & from the pedals, then boosts the wet signal back up to line level where the loop sounds best. Dumble actually came up with the idea in the 70's with his tube driven Dumbleator. Ceriatone offers a solid state clone of this unit designed by Mike Klein that's suppossed to be the bees-knees.

Ceriatone Klein-ulator

GibsonByBirth · 10-28-2009, 12:13 PM

Listen to this guy use his effects and see if you can fiquire out what he's doing. He is a master of effects. At about 6 minutes in it get intense.

YouTube - Bill Frisell ~ La La Means I Love You

10-24-2009, 06:48 PM	#1 (permalink)
Jonathan Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 149 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Effects loop? I've always ran my pedalboard through my amps direct input. Never really cared about the effects loop and i see many ppl doing the same and running their pedals through the direct input too. Do you use the effects loop? The send and return plug ins? What are the cons and pros of running effects through direct input contra effects loop? __________________ - Gibson Std Faded '08 Honeyburst. - Vox Tonelab LE.

10-24-2009, 07:15 PM	#2 (permalink)
zeppelin101 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1,028 Thanks: 3 Thanked 9 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Effects loop? i dont use a fx loop dont really need to but for some pedals/effects it might not be a bad idea i dont use a whole lotta effects __________________ My vocation is more in composition really than anything else - building up harmonies using the guitar, orchestrating the guitar like an army, a guitar army. Jimmy Page

10-24-2009, 07:57 PM	#3 (permalink)
opalburn Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bowling Green, KY Posts: 236 Thanks: 2 Thanked 6 Times in 1 Post	Re: Effects loop? i ise the fx loop on my 5150... i run chorus, phaser, flanger, tremolo, delay, and clean boost thru the loop, and run volume and wah straight in withmy guitar.. the advantage for me is it takes all those pedals out of my signal, unless i switch the loop on... it allows you to switch on as many fx as you want at one press of a foot switch... the biggest con i have experienced is that there is a little bit of a signal loss when i switch the fx loop on.. its pretty minimal, but i can tell... so i'm going to get a looper pedal to put in my loop to take out a few of the less used pedals unless i'm using them... after having used the fx loop, i'll prob always have an amp with one, i just like being able to go from one guitar sound to a totall whacked out effected sound... thats my $.02 __________________ '07 Gibson LPVM(RS Modern electronics kit) '03 Epiphone LP Standard Plus(HCSB) Vintage '65 Gibson ES 330TD(Red) (permanent loan from Father in Law) Peavey 5150 Head(block letter) Peavey 412MS Cab(Sheffield 1290's) And a few pedals --------------------------------------------------- http://www.myspace.com/chestrockwell

10-25-2009, 12:49 AM	#4 (permalink)
guysmiley Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: PDX Posts: 57 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Effects loop? I use to love using my FX loop for time based and modulation effects like my delays and chorus. It made them sound cleaner and more pronounced. This can be good and bad. My Phaser became way too much for me in the loop. Too pronounced. The only other con I had was set up time on stage. 2 more chords to worry about plugging in then wrapping up. Play with it, see if you find anything you like.

10-25-2009, 10:50 AM	#5 (permalink)
5F6-A Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Back and forth the UK Posts: 4,113 Thanks: 109 Thanked 159 Times in 38 Posts	Re: Effects loop? you can always use the "send" of the amp as a preamp for recording and stuff __________________ Saltaire's Vicars "Post Tenebras Lux" ----------------------------

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10-25-2009, 11:12 AM	#6 (permalink)
opalburn Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bowling Green, KY Posts: 236 Thanks: 2 Thanked 6 Times in 1 Post	Re: Effects loop? as far as set up time on stage.... i've got my pedal board set up where i only unplug one cable from the pedalboard itself, the rest(3 of them) stay connected and get coiled up and laid on top of my board and put in the case... i've got one cable from guitar to volume/wah, one from wah to amp, one from amp to effects loop, one from effects to amp, and one from amp to amp remote switch... but i've got the 2 fx loop cables and the remote switch cables taped together, so it's basically one cable now... it took a little fiddling to get it set up the way i like it... and i can probably set up my rig as quick as anybody can... except for you one cable from guitar to amp guys.. __________________ '07 Gibson LPVM(RS Modern electronics kit) '03 Epiphone LP Standard Plus(HCSB) Vintage '65 Gibson ES 330TD(Red) (permanent loan from Father in Law) Peavey 5150 Head(block letter) Peavey 412MS Cab(Sheffield 1290's) And a few pedals --------------------------------------------------- http://www.myspace.com/chestrockwell

10-25-2009, 03:19 PM	#7 (permalink)
Paragon Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 795 Thanks: 3 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Effects loop? FX loop can be good for EQ pedals. __________________ Memphis "The Paul" • Mightymites Partscaster • Lace Sensor Gold Vox AD60VTX • VC12 Vox VT30 • Crybaby Classic Danelectro Nifty Fifty 4Sale?

10-27-2009, 05:54 AM	#10 (permalink)
Nigel T. Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 266 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Effects loop? I use both. Guitar->Wah->OD->Whammy->Amp. And Send->Multi FX (Chorus/Reverb/Delay)->Volume->Return. The reasoning (mine atleast) is that what goes in the amp is affected by gain and pitch, all the modulation and echo-types work on the affected sound. Volume is a different matter, that is last in the entire chain so volume swells are independent of reverb, etc. __________________ 1977 Gibson Les Paul deLuxe 1999 Gibson Explorer 1978 Fender Stratocaster Takamine CP-132-C Ovation DCS 247 S Line6 Pod 2.0/ Flextone II

10-27-2009, 07:15 AM	#11 (permalink)
Deftone Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rocklin, CA Posts: 2,727 Thanks: 185 Thanked 36 Times in 13 Posts	Re: Effects loop? Good thread. I currently run everything through the loop on my amps that have one. EQ > Distortion > Chorus/Echo. __________________ -Mark '87 LP Custom Lite: Black '88 LP Custom Lite: Cherryburst '89 LP Studio Lite: Black W/ factory Floyd trem '02 SG Special Faded Krank Rev. jr. mini stack + Celestion V30 & G12H Marshall Lead 12 5w hand wired tube mini stack Phaez 18w Dasiycutter + efx loop + Avatar vert. 2X12 w/Eminence 100w

10-28-2009, 11:47 AM	#12 (permalink)
Big John ...with a big mouth Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: NW Posts: 2,145 Thanks: 1 Thanked 18 Times in 8 Posts	Re: Effects loop? I've got a modded '68 Bassman that I'm currently using with a band that I just recently joined. I'm going to have the loop modified soon so that it can digest pedals without signal loss. I plan on throwing everything in the loop besides the wah and overdrive pedals. There is an option out there for using pedals in line level loops. It brings the loop level down to instrument level, sends & receives the signal to & from the pedals, then boosts the wet signal back up to line level where the loop sounds best. Dumble actually came up with the idea in the 70's with his tube driven Dumbleator. Ceriatone offers a solid state clone of this unit designed by Mike Klein that's suppossed to be the bees-knees. Ceriatone Klein-ulator

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