Signal Path

[Witmer]

I'm sure there are some here you wouldn't use, and probably a few you must have, that aren't here... but if this is what you had to work with - what would you do? I'm curious about how much variation there will be, since there are a lot of musical styles represented here.

 

EDIT: Oh, and tell us why. B)

[bschory]

I voted other.

 

My only real change would be to put the Trem in the effect loop, but that's because I like it to be prominent when I use it (which is rarely):

 

Tuner >> Drive/Fuzz >> Clean Boost >> AMP >> Chorus >> Tremolo >> Delay

[EVOL!]

I said other because it depends on the pedals you are using. If your fuzz is something that works well with your guitar's volume *and* your tuner is true bypass go with this

 

Tuner >> Drive/Fuzz >> Clean Boost >> Temolo >> AMP >> Chorus >> Delay

 

Boutique fuzz and buffer tuner? Put the fuzz first. If your arsenal is all Boss it doesn't matter and just go with the above.

 

I don't own amps with FX loops so I have no idea what to put in it besides chorus, flange, and phaser. Delay traditionally goes last unless you are going for some whacked out sound.

[Andy R]

I chose other and recommend you let your ears decide the order.

[vincentw]

I think there were some articles on this sort of thing on Gibson.com a couple years ago -- I'm thinking Hunter was the writer. You might google it. There's gotta be some articles out there on this.

[Witmer]

I think there were some articles on this sort of thing on Gibson.com a couple years ago -- I'm thinking Hunter was the writer. You might google it. There's gotta be some articles out there on this.

 

 

Hey thanks guys... I think most of you misunderstood, which means I didn't write well. I'm not asking because I don't know what to do. I'm in the middle of setting these up, and using my ears to do so. But there are decisions - like boost before the overdrive (which changes it's sound) or after it, (which just increases volume) which I'm fiddling with.

 

I thought it would be fun to see the differences in what other people like, just as a discussion topic. For instance, I've always like the tremolo before the amp, because it sounds more "natural" to me...like natural amp tremolo. But bschory's makes a great point - putting it into the loop makes it a stronger effect. I wouldn't have thought of this myself, and it's fun to think about even if I never want to do that.

 

Maybe I shouldn't have made this a poll. Leaving it more open-ended might have prompted more discussion.

[ChanMan]

I'm in the middle of setting these up, and using my ears to do so. But there are decisions - like boost before the overdrive (which changes it's sound) or after it, (which just increases volume) which I'm fiddling with.

 

Maybe I shouldn't have made this a poll. Leaving it more open-ended might have prompted more discussion.

 

I think the most important thing here is your ears. I couldn't say for certain without hearing them, myself, but i think the clean boost in front of the distortion is what I'd start with.

 

 

It's all fun, anyway :)

[Andy R]

I think the most important thing here is your ears. I couldn't say for certain without hearing them, myself, but i think the clean boost in front of the distortion is what I'd start with.

 

 

It's all fun, anyway :)

 

Actually I think from his clarification is he is messing around and using his ears to figure out the chain he likes but was only wondering what other people did, why they did it and why they like it..... I would have to still choose other as every effect has a unique character about it and how it responds to the guitar, pick-up, cables used, Amplifier pre-amp, effects loop, power amp and speakers. So I might use the same effect one way for a certain amp, guitar, speaker, combo and might run it in a different part of the chain on a different rig. Again I guess it comes down to ears not just eyes and what someone says is right. Tone seems to defy logic.

 

 

Andy

 

 

 

[ChanMan]

Actually I think from his clarification is he is messing around and using his ears to figure out the chain he likes but was only wondering what other people did, why they did it and why they like it.....

 

 

 

 

 

Hence my "I'd start with" info...

 

 

[bschory]

But there are decisions - like boost before the overdrive (which changes it's sound) or after it, (which just increases volume) which I'm fiddling with.

 

I've always had fun with that problem, and I really like both for different effects during some songs.

 

In the end, I decided my ears want the boost I have to be a volume boost, and not drive the overdrive. Instead, I have a daisy chain of drives, starting with a TS9DX set to a nice blues crunch, to push the last-in-chain overdrive harder if I want that sound. Since right now I have an amp I only use the cleans on, I also have a distortion pedal in my chain. The way I have it wired, I can use the TS9DX to push this or my other overdrive if necessary. To my ears a slightly distorted OD, as opposed to a clean boost, pushes subsequent ODs in a way I prefer.

 

I actually have my clean boost dead last in my chain, as close to the power section as possible, so that it bumps everything up a little so I can pop just above mix for solos. (I don't have an effects loop on either of my current amps, sadly, so this is the last before the input to the amp.) This seems to work best for my needs right now.

 

Fun thread!