Amps with no fx loop

ICBM

thomasross20 said:

I've only ever ran them in front but I think with distortion + delay it can sound muddy. Good question because I'm looking at Blackstar ID amps now and they don't have a dedicated FX loop.

You can reconfigure them in firmware so the emulated output and line input sockets become an FX loop - although that does mean you lose the emulated output function, which may be a problem. You may not need to - the onboard effects cover most of the things you would want to put in an FX loop anyway, although to me they're a bit generic rather than outstanding.

Drew_TNBD

The thing about going directly into the front of the amp is that you can use the delay and reverb with very small amounts, in order to glue a whole guitar line together. This video is almost a perfect example:


It's a very subtle effect. You'll notice when he plays the last note and slides down, you hear the delays echoing off, but they're not overbearing.

With something like a Line 6 M9, you can have the top row be delays and reverbs for your clean tones, and you can have the bottom row be the same delays and reverbs but with different feedback and mix settings. This way you get your big and clear and present delays for cleans, but you also get the option of using the other more subtle settings within the same song for your distortions.

Can be achieved with a delay that supports an expression pedal too of course.

chrishill901

thomasross20;378509" said:

Slash doesn't use an FX loop ??

Nope, not any more. There's a vid on YouTube with his tech 'Ace' who explains that everything goes through the front end

Jalapeno

Slash is hardly a modulation pedal junkie though is he ? 

ICBM

No, but The Edge is and he still puts everything in front of his AC30. Admittedly they are not at all high-gain amps.

DartmoorHedgehog

I used to put delay and chorus in the loop on my old amp, but don't miss it now I've changed to an amp without a loop.  I only really use them on a clean or cleanish sound though - with a dirty amp I only use wah and sometimes a bit of boost.  The one thing I really don't like in front of the amp is reverb (unless the amp is really clean), but I never use reverb live anyway.

Danny1969

I kinda like time based effects in front of a clean or slightly dirty amp, it's the only way to get that early Edge delay goodness as the modulation screws with the gain in a good way. If you want pristine high gain delays though then a loop is a better bet

I get told off if I use delay on stage for solo's as the guy running the desk likes to control that himself, and in fairness he's in a better place to hear it as well as being able to tap the tempo to match the song bpm

chrishill901

Jalapeno;378653" said:

Slash is hardly a modulation pedal junkie though is he ? 

Well that's exactly the point I was making... It's certainly doable but only if you use a hint of an effect here and there... I wouldn't dream of doing Tom morello type stuff without a loop, but a tiny bit of delay for a solo is fine