Meatball Question

[Couvy]

Hey Meatball users -

I'm going to be making a clone pretty soon, had a question about the FX loop. In bypass mode, is the FX loop bypassed, too? I would hate to wire my octaver in the loop of the Meatball and then lose the ability to use it independently.

Thanks!
Ryan

[Toasted]

Yes, you lose the independent loop.

Think about it - there's no way to NOT have it deactivated and keep it true bypass.

[Couvy]

I didn't think that it was true bypass, though. I read that the little green input sensitivity light still worked in bypass mode

[Toasted]

You have me questioning myself now.

[Higgie]

Well think about it. If you want the effect in the effects loop to come on with the meatball, it'd have to be activated and de-activated via the pedals on/off footswitch. When you turn the meatball off, you wouldn't want to have to turn off all the other individual effects in the loop would you?

I suppose you could add a Footswitch for the effects loop, so you're able to turn it on and off whether the Meatball circuit was engaged or not? Is the FX loop the first part of the circuit that your signal hits after the input jack?

[kevteop]

Originally Posted by Higgie

Is the FX loop the first part of the circuit that your signal hits after the input jack?

Nah. That's the whole point of the FX loop innit - to have the envelope follower get your clean signal, then the signal goes out to get mucky in the loop.

[Joe Gress]

Mario at robot factory will build a meatwad (meatball clone) with a switch to allow you to use whatever is in the effects loop of the pedal without using the pedal itself.
http://www.martoneaudio.com/meatwad.htm

[whoatherechunk]

A fellow El Pasoan!

[markjazzbassist]

yes you lose the loop. BUT, i didn't find the Loop useful. everyone will say it's where you need to put your octaver and fuzz, etc. but guess what? if you put them in front of it, you can use them separately, and with it, and it all sounds the exact same.

i found no difference between using the loop and not using it (other than effects where lost for independent use)

[Higgie]

I think the main point of the Effects loop is to be able to engage all effects at once, not necessarily for any sonic advantages

In reply to kevteop:

You are right. I was just thinking that if it was, you could have a seperate footswitch to bring the effects before the meatball's circuitry, or place it back where it was originally meant to be.

[kevteop]

Originally Posted by markjazzbassist

i found no difference between using the loop and not using it (other than effects where lost for independent use)

You didn't use enough fuzz.

Certainly on my Meatwad there is definitely a BIG difference between having effects before the pedal and having them in the loop, IF you're destroying your dynamics with those pedals (thick fuzz in particular).

[chicago_mike]

You can mod the Mcmeat ( I assume thats what you are building) to have its effects loop tru-bypassable. but you might be asking for more trouble than its worth.

[Couvy]

Thanks folks, I appreciate all of the help. You're right, it's probably not worth chasing this particular rabbit too terribly far.

[Lud]

you are right though. it isn't true bypass. i think the way dan figured it, if you wanted the loop but not the filter, you just turn the filter off, leave the pedal on, then you will hear the loop.