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Effects Loops in Pedals?
- Thread starter newbold
- Start date
An effects loop on your amp is NOT like those on pedals. Very different things.
The one on your amp is typically intended for rack effects and other rack gear. The output in the effects loop is higher than most effects pedals are designed to receive, so you may get a big drop in volume and overdrive with most effects pedals. However, some work just fine. But no matter what, it won't hurt your pedals.
On pedals, it all depends. The effects loop on a pedal is usually placed somewhere between two points of the effects circuit. For example, the EHX Q-Tron+'s FX Loop is placed between the envelope circuit and the filter circuit. The result: you can make other pedals envelope-triggered... it doesn't sound anything like running those pedals in front of the normal Q-Tron+ input.
With other pedals, it varies. If you can't figure out what it does on a particular pedal, check the manual or e-mail the builder to find out what it's used for.
The one on your amp is typically intended for rack effects and other rack gear. The output in the effects loop is higher than most effects pedals are designed to receive, so you may get a big drop in volume and overdrive with most effects pedals. However, some work just fine. But no matter what, it won't hurt your pedals.
On pedals, it all depends. The effects loop on a pedal is usually placed somewhere between two points of the effects circuit. For example, the EHX Q-Tron+'s FX Loop is placed between the envelope circuit and the filter circuit. The result: you can make other pedals envelope-triggered... it doesn't sound anything like running those pedals in front of the normal Q-Tron+ input.
With other pedals, it varies. If you can't figure out what it does on a particular pedal, check the manual or e-mail the builder to find out what it's used for.
The most common use of effects loop pedals are either to
a) turn on/off a combination of pedals at the same time ie: autowah and distortion and chorus, without having to turn each one on in turn.
and/or
b) to give True Bypass to a non-true bypassed pedal (Ie buffered, like all Boss and Ibanez pedals), so that theres no tone-suck when the pedal is disengaged because the signal will be passing through a TBP looper, not a buffered effects pedal.
This has an added advantage that if you have a tempramental buffered pedal (like an 80s tubescreamer thats seen better days) that may die on you in the middle of a gig, the loop will take it out of your signal chain so that even if it wont let signal though, it wont matter, coz your signal is going thru the looper, not the knackered pedal.
I have an Ibanez Synthesizer Bass pedal, its buffered and it has a temperamental footswitch, if i had a TBP loop pedal, the connection would be true bypass, and I'd only need to stomp on the loop pedal to turn the Ibanez on and off.
However not all Loop Pedals are True Bypass (ie: Boss Line Selector)
oh and this isnt to say that all buffered pedals are tone suckers, its just not true, everyone wants TBP but even some of the most respected pedal builders admit that a good buffer is just as effective as true bypass. (ive got an Effects Pedal book somewhere with interviews with people like Roger Mayer and Mike Fuller etc, if you guys want references, i can get them)
a) turn on/off a combination of pedals at the same time ie: autowah and distortion and chorus, without having to turn each one on in turn.
and/or
b) to give True Bypass to a non-true bypassed pedal (Ie buffered, like all Boss and Ibanez pedals), so that theres no tone-suck when the pedal is disengaged because the signal will be passing through a TBP looper, not a buffered effects pedal.
This has an added advantage that if you have a tempramental buffered pedal (like an 80s tubescreamer thats seen better days) that may die on you in the middle of a gig, the loop will take it out of your signal chain so that even if it wont let signal though, it wont matter, coz your signal is going thru the looper, not the knackered pedal.
I have an Ibanez Synthesizer Bass pedal, its buffered and it has a temperamental footswitch, if i had a TBP loop pedal, the connection would be true bypass, and I'd only need to stomp on the loop pedal to turn the Ibanez on and off.
However not all Loop Pedals are True Bypass (ie: Boss Line Selector)
oh and this isnt to say that all buffered pedals are tone suckers, its just not true, everyone wants TBP but even some of the most respected pedal builders admit that a good buffer is just as effective as true bypass. (ive got an Effects Pedal book somewhere with interviews with people like Roger Mayer and Mike Fuller etc, if you guys want references, i can get them)
oh and an effects loop on your amp is pretty much just so you can have effects AFTER the pre-amp section of your amp, so they are effected by ur pre-amps EQ, drive etc, i think.
