Effects Loop?

[ssbass]

Should I be running my effects pedals through the effects loop on my amp? Or do you go bass>effects>amp?

[rustynuts]

The latter, for the most part.

[MakiSupaStar]

Different effects have different requirements. For instance, a delay pedal would not work to well on an effects loop that has a blend of your clean channel, so in my case I put that bass > DD3 > preamp. However, having your effects on a loop is the way to go in IMO. It allows you more options. Now you can access your clean sound instantly, and access different effects instantly. If you run multiple effects you have to turn them on and off in the chain respectively in order to get your clean sound (that's assuming your pedals are true bypass, because if you don't have true bypass pedals, you now don't have your clean sound anymore). Another nice thing about FX loops is that you can turn pedals on and off when your loop is disengaged, so that when you stomp on it, you have your exact sound ready to go.

In my case, I have quite a lot of different options at my feet. This is because my preamp is a split channel preamp each with its own FX loop. I have a clean channel, and a dirty channel. I run my FX loop through my dirty channel. With no effects engaged it's can easily be dialed to a gritty distortion, but with it's also where I run all my effects. Some effects (especially the cheaper digital ones) don't track as well, so having this split set up allows me to always have the clean blend of my clean channel. That way I never lose my bottom end when engaging a pedal. We've all experienced that. Not fun when it's not intended. Anyway. Hope this helps. If you don't have one already, you'll need to get a switch pedal to run with your amp to turn your loop on and off.

[rratajski]

Search "effects loop" in the search engine. You'll find a lot to read up on.

On my old head, I would go from bass to pitch shifting, octaves, and dirt to head...then delays and looper through the effect loop.

It all depends on what you want to do and what effects you have...and the order you want them in...................and the order is up to you. Like MysticBoo encourages, make up your own order of pedals for your taste. You can create new sounds you weren't expecting by changing the order of effects...

[bongomania]

And the main thing, really, is what signal level the specific effects need (and put out) versus what signal level the loop puts out and needs back in. People can say all kinds of things about "delay not in the loop" or "overdrive before the loop" etc. but that advice becomes instantly meaningless if the specific effects and loop don't match in the signal levels they need to operate properly. So you have to do some research or experimentation about the levels before worrying about any other factor. After that, it's all up to which switching, blending, or routing features you have/need/want- or lack completely.