help w/ pedal order

[nicolas]

hey guys

I've recently started experimenting with various pedals. before I just used my amp's (GBE 1200) gain and put the tuner and compressor (dbx 166) in the fx loop. however when we go on tour and I can't bring my own amp, I was stuck with my backup: a sansamp BDDI. so I decided to replace the rack stuff with pedals so I could take them everywhere.

this is the pedals I got right now:

boss tu-2 tuner
bbe opto stomp
ebs multidrive
sansamp bddi

that is also the order in which I've placed them on the board. my questions:

- what's this stuff about putting the compressor after the overdrive?
- whenever I turn up the blend level of the sansamp, it sucks the bass from my sound so I keep it pretty low. am I better off putting it somewhere else in the chain?

I'm also thinking of adding a dunlop bass wah to the equasion.

gracias for all your tips

[Swift713]

Effects order is a matter of preference, trial and error. However, it seems to me that the sansamp should be last if you're using it as a DI. Do you loose low end with the sansamp in bypass?

[nicolas]

you mean when I switch it off? I just read in the sansamp manual that it should be first in the fx loop

[Swift713]

I've heard that they can sort of swallow other effects so I guess running it first would lessen that but then the other effects wouldn't be in its DI. Are you using the DI? To me it makes sense intuitively to put the SA last as it is meant to take the place of an amp. I don't use one as I prefer a more transparent clean tone.

[nicolas]

well that's the thing: if I can bring my amp than I would use the sansamp as a stompbox and put it first, however when I'm forced to use a crappy amp I guess I'll be better off putting it last. but then it swallows my other effects like you said.

[Swift713]

If you blend in more of your dry signal it should swallow less, I would imagine, or maybe turn down bass and treble to get more mids? If you're not using the DI there's no reason you couldn't run the Sansamp first. Or, if the crappy backline amps have effects loops you could run it into the effect return and use it as a pre.

[smo]

I had this very same problem just recently.

I'd put the tuner 2nd last - so you can use it as a killswitch/mute - as play with the signal chain without causing the soundman grief.

I'd put the Sansamp last.
Is that the standard BDDI or the PBDDI?
If it's the BDDI - it also has a dry out - you could try turning the blend up to full-sansamp, and run another lead from the dry jack(non-sansamp-tone) to the amp, maybe?
This had good results for me when I tried it.

I personally have to have the OD first - I like the OD to get all my playing dynamics. But that's me - I know fella's who insist on having compression first also.......

[nicolas]

so you would put OD - comp - tuner - BDDI? I wouldn't use the BDDI as DI since my amp already has an excellent DI. I'd use it purely as a gain stompbox.