Setting up my fx loop Help!!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Axegrinderturbo
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Axegrinderturbo

Axegrinderturbo

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Hi,

This may sound ridiculous but I have never used an fx loop as I have always hade my fx before my amp. I have been looking at the tc electronic g major as I have seen this mentioned on the board a few times sand I like the idea of the midi switching. The only thing is would this make my fx pedals obsolete? I have a few questions so i'll just write them and hope for the best. Like I say I am a fx loop virgin so be gentle.

My fx are:

Ibanez TS808 Tubescreamer - Solo boost
Guyatone MD-3 Digital Delay
Digitech digiverb - reverb for cleans and some lead
MXR smart gate - noise gate
Boss TU2 Tuner
Jim Dunlop crybaby

1) Is it possible to set up my fx in a midi switching set up? e.g. preset 1 clean with reverb, preset 3 heavy rhythm with delay etc... What equipment would I need?

2) What are the pros/cons of each loop ad differences (serial/parallel)

3) Is there a bigger tonal loss putting fx in the loop as aposed to in front of the amp?

4) Is the g major a recommended piece of kit or does this just replace fx pedals altogether?

I know these are basic questions but any hlp would be much appreciated!
:D
 
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Axegrinderturbo":65711 said:
Hi,

This may sound ridiculous but I have never used an fx loop as I have always hade my fx before my amp. I have been looking at the tc electronic g major as I have seen this mentioned on the board a few times sand I like the idea of the midi switching. The only thing is would this make my fx pedals obsolete? I have a few questions so i'll just write them and hope for the best. Like I say I am a fx loop virgin so be gentle.

My fx are:

Ibanez TS808 Tubescreamer - Solo boost
Guyatone MD-3 Digital Delay
Digitech digiverb - reverb for cleans and some lead
MXR smart gate - noise gate
Boss TU2 Tuner
Jim Dunlop crybaby

1) Is it possible to set up my fx in a midi switching set up? e.g. preset 1 clean with reverb, preset 3 heavy rhythm with delay etc... What equipment would I need?

Yes - you would need a MIDI footswitch and a MIDI loop switcher along with the pedals / FX units. Check out www.axess-electronics.com - I use the BS-2, GRX-4, and MFC-5 in my rig with great results.

2) What are the pros/cons of each loop ad differences (serial/parallel)

Serial runs your entire signal through the unit (digital conversion), parallel allows you to mix the dry signal (analog) with the FX signal. Each method works better with certain types of FX.

3) Is there a bigger tonal loss putting fx in the loop as aposed to in front of the amp?

Depends on the FX unit and the amp. Diezel loops are excellent.

4) Is the g major a recommended piece of kit or does this just replace fx pedals altogether?

It is a decent budget FX unit, it doesn't replace analog pedals in my opinion but is fine for delay, chorus, reverb etc. I use a mix of pedals out front and a digital FX unit in the loop for my rig. An FX unit won't usually be very useful in the loop for some things such as Wah, Overdrive etc.

I know these are basic questions but any hlp would be much appreciated!
:D
Click to expand...
 
howdy! Lots of great questions.
As a rule of thumb, having a Hi-gain beast of an amp (Diezel VH4, Bogner, Boogie, SLO, VHT, et.al.) will typically mean that any time-based EFX (phaser, flanger, chorus, delay, 'verb) should be after the pre-amp section, either in series or parallel (depending on your set up, wet/dry or W/D/W). Series refers to the "linear" relationship between the pre amp and power amp sections of the head, and placement of the EFX right in between the two. Parallel means that the wet and dry signals are both running along side each other at the same time - sounds killer with 3 cabs and a bunch of pwr amps. Time-based EFX "in -front" of a MV, Hi-gain preamp section sounds like A$$ because you've altered the signal coming into the front end of the circuit. However if you're used to a a clean channel input, or a non-MV 1959 SL Marshall (like me and EVH 8) ) then putting those EFX in front are fine because there's nothing material to get in the way of the tone (like an OD circuit!). The loops on the Diezel heads are soooooo good (as is everything Peter designs :rawk:). So rest assured that inserting the time-based EFX into the loops will yield the best tone. OD pedals and other wah-pedals should be inserted in front of the preamp to boost the gain as needed (Randy Rhoads used an MXR Disto+ in front of his JMP's to add more sizzle, where as Zakk used to use an OD1 as a volume boost). Hope this helps!
mike.
 
Hi, Thanks for the reply's

If I put the time based effects in the loop for example my delay and reverb could I assign patch 1 on my midi footswitch to clean with reverb then patch 2 to clean with delay or am I just being stupid? Which loop is better for the time based fx?

Thanks again!!!

:mrgreen:
 
I was running my loop parallel, but the Diezel loops really are great... i'm now running in serial, and getting even better results than before.

For some reason I always through serial loops were inferior, but I was having to compensate for a loss in volume, by using master 2.

This serial loop really sounds fantastic and my effects seem "richer" sounding, especially chorus.
 
Chorus sounds a lot better IN FRONT of an amp for all low & high gain tones, provided that there's a mix control.
 
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