When should you use the effects loop in a guitar amp? #4
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 ก.ค. 2024
- Vlog #4 - I have been asked about the benefits of using the effects loop as opposed to going through the front of the amp. Let me demonstrate the differences and let your ears be the judge.
In this video I use:
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe
Catapulp Overdrive - www.wamplerpedals.com/catapulp
Faux Tape Echo Delay - www.wamplerpedals.com/faux-tap...
TC's Hall of Fame Reverb
Follow me on Snapchat: @brianwampler
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This was EXACTLY what I was wondering about. Effects loop/Preamp and the difference as well as a decent order to put the pedals in. Thanks A LOT!!!
I absolutely loved the extra-choppy video editing on this clip! An entertaining and compelling way to tell the story and propel the viewer forward. Great demo!
Excellent demo's Brian. Really impressed with the sound of your Faux Tape Echo too. Best sounding delay I've heard!
The drive on the amp sounds great! What ever you did to mod that it's amazing
This actually did help me. I can truly hear the difference between the two ways.
For those that don't have an FX loop you can use this pedal for $169. New Radial Engineering Tonebone Mix-Blender Buffer Mixer FX Loop DI Direct Box. It gives you the same result. Your distorted transients are preserved just like in the video.
You give great easy to follow demos and explanations. Much appreciated my friend :)
Perfect video. I bought the hot rod 4 last week so I've just been looking up videos such as this (: thank you
This is a great example of the effects loop! Thank you for posting this!
Great info and nice licks Brian!
Thank you very much for this great video. Now I understand the importance and quality of having fx loop in the amplifier. I just bought and received the RV-6 reverb pedal and I just ran it through my signal chain of my compressor and overdrive and delay and it sounded pretty harsh. I look forward to try out putting my 2 delay pedals + my new reverb pedal through the fx loop and hear the difference.
I watched a few videos before this but still couldn’t quite grasp the concept. Thank you for your explanation and audio examples, it was great to be able to actually hear the difference!
Thank you Sir. Finally found the explanation I have been looking for.
These are great series of videos.
Real late to the party, but I need to say this video is probably one of, if not thee most easy to understand explanations and demonstrations of the often misunderstood, and misused "effects loop" feature. Love Wampler pedals too!
Yup, stuff like this never loses its value. Chock full of everything you need to know, with no unnecessary filler. It also shows what a class act he is, not making it a sales pitch just to promote his pedals. It's called scruples, and makes me want to buy his wares because I respect the man behind them :)
Badass as always! Thank you for the overview!
Extremely useful, great vid.
What FX loop Amps/Pedals would you recommend for a bluesy/psychedelic style of play?
Cheers!!
Great video & you just got me as a new subscriber. This video makes me want to shoot a video of how my sound tech set up my rig & get your opinions on it. He has ALL of my pedals (delay, phasers, sustainer, etc.) & even some of my rack units run through the front of my amps with the effects loop being used mainly to slave my heads off of a single power supply (coupled with a customized Whirlwind Multi-Selector to switch between the front and back of each amp simultaneously.) It's quite the complicated setup & I'm always looking for ways to "clean up" my sound.
I really think that you're managing it well and solo at that!
I do the same thing!!!! always have have the delay in front of the gain, but I use the tape echo after the gain but set very subtle just for ambience.
Hey Brian what mods can I do to my hot rod deluxe to fix the dirty channel? I read your blues driver article for changing the tone stack. Do have anything I can read for fixing my hot rod?
I use distortion, delay and reverb , and added a looper which forced me to go back to using them all on the line in because the recorded track sounded too different using the loop pedal actually sending signal thru the delay and reverb a second time during play back thru the effects loop, so im strickly using line in on clean channel
Thanks that helped a lot actually. I need to buy 2 more cables now for my loop
Brian. Great video. Tell me what about modulation too. Thoughts of loop vs straight in?
Hey man, love your channel. Hope you give me some advice. I Have a reverb and chorus in my fx loop. I have established that a volume pedal (or an eq for that matter) being used in the fx loop to lower the volume may allow me to sculpt my tone at a lower volume. So this will give me a nicer tone at lower volumes. Would not use the volume pedal (or eq) as a boost, but push the power amp valves, but keep the volume tamed. HOWEVER the thing i cannot find out is this. I also have a clean boost and boss looper at the end of my fx loop chain. Can i use the volume pedal (or eq) to tame the amp, but keep my reverb, delay, looper and clean boost . (clean boost gives me a volume push in this position). dont want to buy another pedal if this will not work. BTW my FX loop at the moment works fine as it is. Hope yo can help. Regards Bryan
Wow, great sound you ended up with. I really like the color of your Strat too. I always like a tobacco burst that goes to black, but the color of red on your Strat really looks sharp too.
my fx loop in my digital kustom kg100fx 60 watt combo amp crapped out. it sounded great one day then I turned it off and then back on a hour later and it would not increase in volume. and it works fine with all petals plugged in and off but the moment I turn on one or all of them the sound lowers drastically and no longer has a punch . please help thanks
A question: how do I know if a pedal is able to accept a line level signal from the send of the amplifier ? Some "pro" effects units like the Eventide reverb, delay, mod units for example have a specific switch for it.
I am very appreciative of your insight. The Equator is great 👍
I need an amp just to record songs with a mic on it, using the amp on Clean.
(the distorsions will come from pedals before the time-based and modulation stuff)
So, I won't need a fx loop, right?
I mean, there won't be any Gain or crunch coming from the amp in the first place and I won't use it very loud since I'm recording with a mic
Hello and thank you for your videos! You mention you modded the amp and the distortion definitely sounds much better than stock. What did you do? Please share!!!!!
Brian I am have a old Avid 11 Rack which I found out has a effects loop with Send and Return as i new and learning this stuff If I want to created a very clean tone but with a wavy type of Stereo effects where they both blend together at different times with two delay pedals how would I put each one of theses delay pedals in the effects loop?
Great Intro Brian !
Hey Wampler Pedals, can you explain what could happen if I run my Distortion and Fuzz pedals through the FX loop? My guess is that it will have a quieter signal input and will sound smoother (which I desire). I don't have a cabinet for my amp head yet. Great videos and thanks for reading.
so eye opening! thanks for the vid
Nice playing. Sounds great.
i just got a digitech whammy and have a Line 6 HD147, at the moment I'm running this in front but should it/would it be better in the fx loop?
hey... what about guitar compressor? should i put in fx loop?thanks
Should I put all pedals in chain loop (gain, wha-wha & tuner) of my Mesa Boogie Recto-verb or just Delay & Chorus?
hey thats so helpful thank you but how do i connect 2 pedals together into the fx loop( send & return) that each have 2 outputs & 1 input using 2 combo amps 1 wet 1 dry really need a simple sketch or an easy explanation ps your sounds pedals amazing regards Stephen
Love these videos!
dude that was very informative. I have 88 fender Japan Strat into hot rod deluxe and very noisy....but not after this video lol. Thank you 1000 times brother
Cool explanation - thank you!
I'm thinking about trading my current amp for one of the new Fender Bassbreaker 45's. Can you add an effects loop to an amp that isn't built with one?
I've always 'known' this was the 'right' thing to do, but it's nice to hear it put to practice! This makes sense with everything shown, but say I have a relatively flat-response amp like a Roland Jazz Chorus and an amp modelling pedal like a Joyo American Sound. Would it make a difference if I had it in the effects loop or not, or would I just want to save the hassle if I've got a pedalboard and keep it on there?
if you are using all effects from you pedals including the distortion is there still a benefit of going thru the effects loop?
Brian great demo. I have gone back to a Hot rod deluxe 1x12 combo last weekend as it happens. Managed to get a ex demo one from Andertons music co for 300 quid.!Bargain. I don't like the drive channel much though and your drive channel on your hot rod sounds lush. Was it a big mod done to it? I'm going to get a JJ 12AT7 to put in the V1 of preamp section. As I have seen and read it rounds the sound more but cuts power down to 60 from 100 however it makes the drive channel much more useable and warmer and rounded. Is this true?
I'm going to have buy the pinnacle deluxe when I get paid as well to run on clean channel of hot rod 😉
Great video, good knowledge!
Does the loop on the hotrod deluxe mark 4 only work with line level fx? I find my mxr cc mini sounds weird through it,
This means that FX loop is only for mudulation effects (except wah that should be connected in front of the amp)??
Nice Brian! Quick question. I have a 78 Marshall jmp stock and 79 deluxe reverb. 2 pedal boards for each but using 72 echoplex ep-3 as delay tough leaving everything stock. Was thinking of adding gig rig g2 or quartermaster to isolate for noise and tone suck. Any other suggestions? Other pedals ts-9-Guv'Nor pedal-paisley drive-dyna comp-full tone octafuzz-vintage Mxr flanger. Thanks!
+Bruce Wayne As far as tone suck, I'd make sure the mxr flanger and the dynacomp are true bypass, that'll help quite a bit actually. The gig rig will help with that though by taking them out of the signal path
Easily my favourite channel right now. Straight to the point no long winded babbling. I am yet to own a Wampler but one day....
You should. I have. Tumnus Deluxe and Velvet Fuzz.
Tumnus deluxe or Pinnacle V2
Thanks a lot for all your videos. I just have one doubt about the effects loop setup. What is recommended to do then? I know that the best thing to do is trial and error and just trying out stuff, but then again, what pedals are recommended to put through the effects loop (just delay and reverb?, or all the pedals that go right after distortions?) and which ones are better off sending them directly to the front of the amp?
The conventional thinking is put your dirt pedals in front of the amp, then put time-based effects like phase, delay and reverb into the effects loop.
I have a 6506 that I run a Wah pedal and occasionally an overdrive into the front end of. Would I be better off putting my compressor and EQ pedals into the loop rather than into the front end? I haven't really tried it yet since my amp is at my rehearsal space but I just want to know if that would get rid of this kind of shitty coating I'm getting right now.
I'd run the compressor in front, and the EQ in the loop.
Great Video man, thanks
It's the same even if you're using the clean channel right ? Like you would still want to go thru the effects loop even if you are on the clean vs the distortion channel?
In what instances would you want to just use the amp distortion vs. your own overdrive and distortion?
Brian, can you touch on line vs. instrument level? Majority of pedals expect an instrument level signal going into them. However most effects loops run at a line level. So the signal in the loop is much stronger than coming straight out of a guitar. Have you ever seen this as being an issue?
+kfowler8 Yes, it can be a big issue... it really depends what comes before and after the loop in those amps. If the signal is too hot it will just distort the delay badly, much the same way as putting it before distortion here.
+Daniel Cerqueira Was just going to write that,thanks Daniel
Also what did you do to upgrade your Hot Rod Deville
How did you get the hod rod deluxe overdrive channel to sound that good? It sounds great.
+andrzejfenner I've been working on amps for fun for quite a while... it takes quite a bit of tweaking but it can be done ;)
Thanks for the video. I kind of like the distorted modulation sound sometimes lol.
I believe one can use the loop AND an over drive or distortion in front of the preamp at the same time right?
I liv my Hot Rod Deluxe. Swapped out the 12ax7 in the V1 for a 57/51 lower gain tube to smooth out that early volume jump. Dropped in an Eminence Swamp Thang speaker and what headroom and bottom end there is now.
Nice Cat!
i have dd3 delay and elx nano clone should those two go through loop?
Mr Wampler in the future can you help us understand the four cable method . In regards to the Boss ES-8 via the effects loop. Thank you sir.
+miguel Nunez I don't have one of those unfortunately :(
Should I use my effects loop if I am getting a little bit of crunch from the clean channel of my amp?
Yes, unless you are going for a very clean sound from the amp you can fx in the front itself but for the driven sounds use the fx loop. Always better to use the fx loop all the time.
Hello Brian i just want to make sure what you are saying. So i could run my overdrive pedals through the effects loop if i want as well as all my effect pedals correct.
+chris kerrick No, don't run all of them, only the things that you would normally want after distortion, such as delay, reverb, chorus, pitch shifting of any sort (except octavia style)
thank you for interesting and informative.
Will it also work fine if you just put all your pedals in the effects chain?
What should you do if your amp doesn't have an effects loop? I just bought a 65 reissue of a Princeton Reverb and it doesn't have the fx loop.
I've got an FX loop on my amp, and I've used it, but lately I've just been putting everything in the front of the amp. It's what I want of my sound right now. I want the dirty delay and reverb that sounds pretty messed up when pushed a lot.
can u record your own music on the amp to play against it on amp later?
hey Brian i listened again and got my answer sorry i missed what you said thanks
Dude, thx for the help!
If we don't use distortion or use the amps distortion than is it better to use fx loop or just frot of amp?
Well if you have a multi effects processor, I think running straight into the front works best. At least if you can either change how the different effects run in what order, or if the processor designers have already done this for you. However, I agree if running individual pedals. Most distortions and overdrive pedals through the front and your modulations through the effects loop. Thx for the vid man, great content as always ! 👊
Any worthwhile Multi effects will allow you to wire it 4 cable, which allows you to choose which effects go to the front and which go into the loop.
Sweet tone dude. Totally. 👍🏻
Great sounding Strat? What model?
What does a Line Out /Line In on a Crate VFX 50 Watt mean? Is that a FX Loop??
Are you going from your first amp into the hot rod deluxe amp
Love your pedals brother maybe you can help me answer this question under your recommendation I recently purchased a TC electronic mimiq pedal I have to PV classic 50s how can I run this and the effects Loop in stereo between the two thanks buddy
Thanks Lj! Try running them in the effects loops of each amp, using left input/output on the pedal for one amp and the other input/output in the other amp. I have not tried this myself but if it’s truly stereo isolated it should work fine. You might also email TC to double check with them. If I’m incorrect, It won’t hurt anything but there is a possibility that it may be noisier than normal.
@@wampler_pedals okay thank you very much and Merry Christmas to you and God bless y'all
The distortion on the hot rod deluxe is way better sounding than the distortion pedal your using, the effects loop sounds way better than straight into the input. But it was stunning how much better the over drive of the amp sound so much better than any distortion pedal I have ever heard.
If your using effects on bass you might want to run directly into your cab from your effects board because most sound men dont mic the bass amp but instead usualky run a direct line from the back of the amp which will not pick up the sound from the effects loop.
Thanks for the Video. But I have a question: Im running a Blackstar HT 40 Amp. I have a simple pedal board set up running a NS-2 (noise suppressor), into a DS-1 (distortion), into an ME-20 (Effects processor - mainly for time based effects). Is it even worth running the ME-20 processor thru the effects loop or am I fine running it thru the front after my NS-2 and DS-1 pedal? Hope this makes sense...
+Jeremy Montanez yes, if you are using the distortion from the amp at all, I'd recommend using the me-20 in the effects loop. Also, you might try the noise suppressor there as well. If nothing else, I'd probably put it after the ds-1.
Thanks for the reply. Is there an advantage to running the noise suppressor after the DS-1? I've played with the idea of routing the ME-20 thru the effects loop but still running the DS-1 and NS-2 on the front. I guess I'll have to try it to see what kind of tone and sound come out.
Jeremy Montanez Yes, since the DS-1 is a distortion, it'll have some "hiss" from the gain circuitry. By putting the noise supressor after it you should be able to get more noise out of the signal chain. I haven't tried it, but it may work decent in the effects loop too. Worth a try anyways :)
Excellent video I hate to admit it but having older type amps with out the effects in jacks , I never titalky got it on the 3 amps I owned with them..I just never used them and did it the old style way..Thanks.
Aye. I went back to putting everything straight in the front end (after a year of trying out the effects loop way), and I'm way happier with my tone.
Mike McCourt, Kinda funny when I think of it all the tones I loved growing up as a kid in the early 70s if I remember correctly I'm recalling everyone I knew ( at home playing ) had it all in front ,it's all we knew how to do..Thanks
Jeff, for a long time that is all most amps, even real good ones had..inputs in the front.
Michael Craig
Exactly.
but if you don't use an effects loop doesn't that mean your amp needs to be running cleaner, especially if you use things like a looper and maybe some other pedals and pushing the drive up front? when you look at the old timers doing it in the 70s, i know they didn't have loopers back then, how clean were they running the amp itself?
Very interesting video ! Nice !!!
where and how do you hook up the pedals?
What is the brand of pickups again?
Wouldn't it be the same just putting the reverb after the distortion in the chain?
Hello Brian great video. I have a question if you don't mind. I have a Peavey Studio Pro 112 transtube. I'm running a Zoom GFX 707 through the front on the low gain and clean side of the amp. Would I be better off running it in the effects loop.Thank you
If you are using it for overdrive, distortion, or fuzz sounds, I'd say no. If you are using the amp's distortion then I'd say yes, but there again you won't want to use the Zoom's overdrive/distortion/fuzz sounds in the effects loop.
I don't use any overdrive, distortion, or fuzz. I'm a country / rockabilly player. I use reverb, delay and the compressor. I'm the rhythm player in our group. If we are doing a southern rock song I will use the manual wah sometimes. The last time we played, I wasn't pleased with my sound. It turned out to be the reverb on the amp had gotten turned up on the amp. so it was having reverb from the stomp box and the amp (was not cool) if you know what I mean. LOL
William Castleberry
For your needs, going direct into the input of the amp will probably be just fine, just keep an eye on that reverb ;)
Love your videos. Best regards.
Is the signal from the echo and reverb pedals enough to push the power amp properly? That's what's confused me about this setup. Doesn't the power amp want to see line level? Thanks, Brian. Great video.
+STIRK STIRKLAND The signal from the echo and reverb will not push the amp properly, in amps with really good effect loops there is additional circuitry to boost the signal back up to where it needs to be.
So pre amp out is the start of your pedals?
So you run the dist 1st then your echo,then reverb through fx loop? And just run guitar in input ..
Something I didn't understand until watching this and reading the comments just now is that the effects loop has already been amplified to line level. For me that's a key piece to help me understand why time-based effects would work better in the effects loop.
Not all loops are at line level, it depends on the circuitry used for the loop
Doesn't some of this depend on how your effects loop works? Don't know if this is just a bass amp thing, but aren't some loops series and some parallel? There's also obviously amps with FX return levels too which makes things more complicated
So the guitar connects to the input of the distortion pedal with the output of the distortion connecting directly to the input of the amp, not taking into account the tuner.
The effects loop only consists of the delay and the reverb where, the effects send "preamp out" on the amp connects to the input of the delay which connects to the reverb "power amp in" then the output of the reverb connects to the effects return on the amp
How would I make the pedals in my FX loop accessible, without running a bunch of long cables from the back of my amp to mypedal board?
It helps to know that if you put delay in front of dirt, one shouldn't be using so many repeats. You don't need more than 2 or maybe 3 trails MAX. You can't wash it out with 8 repeats like guys now like to do.
I prefer delay in front of dirt--not only because it sound more rich and dreamy, but it forces you to make music with the pedal. It's not just an effect when its pre-dirt, it's an instrument unto itself.
So I can leave the front of an amp not plugged in and I can hook my guitar up to a distortion pedal and into the effects input only and the amp wont pop like when u accidentally unplug a guitar into the front after u turn it on? Just making sure I can leave the front unplugged and plug into an effects loop
Technically yes, distortion and over drive u actually want to run into the front of the amp.....pedals like delay u want to run into the effects loop! So basically the front of the amp u run through the amps pre amp....the effects loop puts stuff in between.