Does anybody actually use their fx loop?

[Theonestarchild]

My head has built in distortion and I use that quite frequently. Saves me a pedal, and distortion is a mainstay in my playing anyways.

 

[DeadRBassistNJ]

Anyone using the effects loops on the Peavey Firebass? It has a preamp-out/poweramp-in loop and a footswitchable post EQ effects loop. I'm wondering if I can use a distortion pedal in one of the loops because the pedal seems to negatively impact the sound when its placed before the input and not in use.
I found out the hard way I can't use the high-freq crossover-out to the pedal into the post-eq loop return. It made maybe the loudest screaching noise I've ever heard when I tried that. Thanks if anyone knows.

 

[DCman]

I use the effects loop for my rack compressor, so yes i've used it, and yes I use it at gigs..

However, for pedals, I tend to run them in series between my bass and head.

 

[BurningSkies]

I've used the loop on various amps for about 15 years now. I always have my tuner patched it to it, and on occasion have also had effects in the mix.

 

[simpy1]

I use my effects loop, I consider it vital because it has a magical super-duper necessity - the blend knob.

My Ibanez Bass Synth and my Bassballs sound way, WAY better when blended - maybe about 60% effect and 40% clean signal. Just rounds out the sound, so that in the middle of a song when I put and effect on, the bass doesn't disappear. I use this at gigs.

 

[K Dubbs]

what about you cats who use tube amps? Anybody use the loops on your Sunns, Traynors, Ampegs, Sadowskys, Traces, Fenders, etc?

 

[TexasBBQ]

1+ on using the out for a pedal tuner.

 

[HotelX]

The series ones are a lot less useful

Isn't a series loop much better for a compressor? Running a compressor in parallel with an uncompressed signal doesn't achieve much does it?

On topic, I have used my effects loop a few times but not very often.

 

[Chasarms]

If you use a rack tuner on a head without a built-in tuner mute, it's pretty handy to put it in the loop and thus allow muted tuning on stage. (assuming the rack tuner has that function) I do this with my Korg.

A loop can be used for all sorts of things. My latest is this:

1. Use a 1/4" on the send to "A" of a Morley A/B.
2. Run the output of the Morley into the return.
3. Insert a different preamp into the "B" of the Morley A/B. In my case a preamp better for use with a ultra-high impedance DB pickup.

Using the Loop, I have set up the ability to amplify my bass guitar using the full functionality of the head and amplify the DB using on the power output stage. Basically, I have created a makeshift 2-channel amp.

I don't think I would buy a head that didn't have an effects loop. They have been too helpful too many times.

FWIW, I have always inserted any effect through the loop. I have always had much better luck affecting an EQed signal rather than EQing an affected signal.

 

[Magical_Max]

I recently got a rack comp and i'm going to give running that through the FX loop of my Nemesis a go this weekend. I used to run my rack EQ through the FX loop at gigs but stopped because I had a change of heart of the EQ front.
I'm tempted to give my sampler a go through the FX loop to but i'm not sure yet. Something to try in the future when bored.

 

[srxplayer]

I use it on my Peavey 115 Combo & TVX 210 set up.

MY Ampeg BA115HP doesn't have an effects loop so if I'm using that amp I run direcly through the input.

I don't notice any real difference in sound/tone. I just find it easier to keep everything out of my way.

 

[Passinwind]

Isn't a series loop much better for a compressor? Running a compressor in parallel with an uncompressed signal doesn't achieve much does it?

Good point. On the face of it that's true, but you can get some useful lower-ratio compression effects by doing just that. If you have a computer audio editing program give it a try sometime.

It actually can work great if you use EQ into the compressor too, so you compress say just highs. Or you can compress into delay EFX, and mix that with uncompressed dry signal suing the belnd pot. You can also turn a parallel mix to full wet and essentially have the same results as using a series loop in many cases. Personally, I've had a lot of problems with series loops "strangling" headroom, especially using delay effects. And as you might have picked up on, I'm big on delay effects.

 

[Freuds_cat]

I used to run a Digitech studio 400 through the effects loop of my TC Electronic 1140 and yes its got great sounds in a very controlable (but preset) kind of way. Now I just dont bother. Most sound variations I get now are from different basses and pickup switching. It was novel for a while but I'm kinda over it.

 

[mlove]

i have a rackmount compressor and a bbe sonic max that i run threw the fx loop-i find the sound much better. but i dont run my pedals through it.

 

[tlwaps]

I don't use any effects, but I do run my Korg DTR-1000 into the fx loop.

 

[bass-shy]

My effects loop is footswitchable so I run my chorus, phaser and delay pedals through it. It's nice to be able to turn all of them on with one switch. I run my distortions and filter into the pre-amp, though. They seem to sound better there. So..............Yeah for loops!

 

[c-ba55]

I use the effects loop on my Thunderfunk. I tried pedals in front of the input, and pedals through the loop, and the loop sounded better. The one pedal in particular that it made a difference for was the EBS BassIQ Envelope Filter. Since it is controlled by the level you're sending it, it makes sense that one way or the other would work better depending on the details of your setup. Of course, it has a threshold knob to normalize such things, but even with that, it ended up being more usable through the loop.