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2 part question..

J

J_Funk_77

Jan 6, 2012
149
2
Southern Indiana
#1
Ive owned effects ever since I first started playing anything with strings. However, Ive never owned more than 2 at a time unless it was a multi unit. Thats not the case anymore so I thought Id see if you guys thought I have my pedals arranged correctly.

Amp>TU-2>ODB-3>Fuzz Deluxe>Octave>Chorus>Wah>Bass

I used my drummer advice on arrangement as he's a multi-talented musician heck we call him Dave Grohl. But Im wondering if it wouldnt be better with the Fuzz in front of the OD so I could boost my Fuzz signal???

2nd question, patch cables. Basically true or false type question. Ive been told that if you run a high quality cable(I use Monster)but then use cheap patch cables that you loose the true benefit of the cables sound quality. Also how does couplers factor into this?
 
#2
You're going to lose some signal with that many pedals regardless, it might be a good idea to throw a compressor at the end off all that to help boost your signal. As for the arrangement, if amp means the send from an effects loop and bass means the return I wouldn't touch it. Otherwise I would switch the amp and the bass, you want the bass hitting the tuner and overdrive first, not last.
 
#3
The way you listed you chain is confusing to me. >usually mines "into" to me and Amp>anything doesn't make sense to me. Maybe I'm just dumb :). Going from your bass to your amp I would go: Bass>Tuner(some people put it first, some last)>Octave>Fuzz Deluxe>ODB3(I don't know about the specific order I would use here, maybe the ODB3 sounds better before the Deluxe)>Wah>Chorus>Amp. You could try one of the dirt pedals after the wah and see how you like that. I like dirt before wahs and filters more better.

I don't know the answer to you cable question. I use cheap cables and I don't have any noise issues or serious signal loss that's all I can say.
 
#4
The signal comes out of the bass into >tuner>wah>octave>ODB3>Fuzz>chorus>amp. My rule of thumb is bass, tuner, tone shaping (wah, octave, pitch bend), distortion, time shifting (delay, flange, chorus), amp. Of course let your ear be your guide and experiment.
 
#5
Yeah TBH that "backwards arrows" thing going from amp toward bass is hella confusing. That said, there is nothing in your chain for which the order matters very much-- subjective taste is the only deciding factor with those pedals.

Re the patch cables, that's horse****. I mean false. :) Here's the explanation: Effects of multiple cables in series?
Couplers have no impact on sound, because they have barely any capacitance. The down side is they lever the jacks in the pedals, causing damage to those jacks.
 
#6
J_Funk_77 said:
Also how does couplers factor into this?
Click to expand...

If you mean these:
13137-hosa-pedal-effect-coupler-large.jpg

then stay away. These can jack your jacks! They're too rigid and can cause stress on your jacks when you are moving your pedals or stomping on them. I've never used them so this is academic but imo the risks outweigh the benefits. In general I recommend inexpensive patch cables and inexpensive instrument cables, use the extra dough you didn't spend on Monster cables and buy something nice for your mom, since she didn't raise no sucker.
 
#7
I'd put the tuner first, both for buffering and because a tuner does best with a clean signal. Octaves also do best with a clean signal, so it would be good after the tuner.

Regarding the fuzz/OD, I've found putting the OD first has less of an effect, since the fuzz is more extreme of an effect and it just blankets the OD. OD after fuzz though is more noticeable. Fuzz all the way up into slight OD is almost a Worstenholme type sound.

The wah can either be pre- or post-distortion, both can sound cool. Before it changes how the distortion sounds, after it makes the distortion sound smooth heel down and it goes harsher as you rock it forward.
 
#8
abemo said:
You're going to lose some signal with that many pedals regardless, it might be a good idea to throw a compressor at the end off all that to help boost your signal.
Click to expand...

lol. this always makes me laugh. sorry, if you're careful this is just horse pooooooooooooooo. i have i think 14 pedals on my board right now and it sounds the same in that signal path as it does plugged into the Rusty Box at the end of the chain into a power amp.

SILLY.
 
#10
VincentSalizeri said:
I'd put the tuner first, both for buffering and because a tuner does best with a clean signal. Octaves also do best with a clean signal, so it would be good after the tuner.

Regarding the fuzz/OD, I've found putting the OD first has less of an effect, since the fuzz is more extreme of an effect and it just blankets the OD. OD after fuzz though is more noticeable. Fuzz all the way up into slight OD is almost a Worstenholme type sound.

The wah can either be pre- or post-distortion, both can sound cool. Before it changes how the distortion sounds, after it makes the distortion sound smooth heel down and it goes harsher as you rock it forward.
Click to expand...

interesting. I've always put my OD before fuzz..... Im going to try what you've suggested. I run OD, Dist, Fuzz.... would you recommend putting OD after distortion aswell??
 
#11
that IS interesting. and brings up the problem with any "what should go where" questions. different orders work better for different people.

i like OD before fuzz AND after, it depends on the OD and what i'm going for. the B3k really gives it's character to anything run into it, so a fuzz -> B3k kinda reigns the fuzz down and makes it like a clanky, grindy B3k overlay. OD BEFORE fuzz kinda blasts it open and gives it more attack and presence sometimes. i like B3k -> TAFM because i can go TAFM, then EXPLODE it with the B3k for extra geechiness.

and i know a lot of people like the octaver before fuzz and filter to give it the easiest signal to track, but i've always loved the sound of fuzz -> filter -> octaver way more than the other direction.

the only good answer to order questions is always "try a bunch of different ways yourself, see what you like".
 
#12
true. but i like hearing different opinions, what people have tried, what works for them etc.

ive personally never tried OD after anything, its always been near the start of my chain. Im getting a new fuzz pedal tomorrow, so this means re-arranging my board(sigh) again. good chance to mess with the order. fun fun.
 
#14
I would go Bass>Octave>OD>Fuzz>Wah>Chorus>Amp. I couldn't care less where the tuner would go in that setup. It has been my experience that having a chorus or wah after the dirt makes for a more musical chorus sound and a more notable wah effect. Some have suggested that running the octave after the dirt creates a clean octave tone with a distorted dry sound, but I haven't tried that to know for certain.
 

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