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Author Topic: Modding an effects loop  (Read 2255 times)

Woogie

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Modding an effects loop
« on: April 03, 2007, 05:37:42 PM »
Anyone have experience in making parallel loops into series loops?


Cheers

jpfamps

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Modding an effects loop
« Reply #1 on: April 03, 2007, 09:29:38 PM »
This should be relatively easy for a competent indivual. However, why would you want to do this? A well designed parallel loop is far better than a series loop — which actually isn't a loop at all, it's an insert.

Woogie

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Modding an effects loop
« Reply #2 on: April 04, 2007, 09:04:55 AM »
I need a series loop for my Boss GT8.

dave_mc

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Modding an effects loop
« Reply #3 on: April 04, 2007, 05:07:37 PM »
can't you just set the parallel loop to fully "wet"?

Woogie

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Modding an effects loop
« Reply #4 on: April 04, 2007, 05:09:25 PM »
Yeah but it doesn't work that well

dave_mc

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Modding an effects loop
« Reply #5 on: April 04, 2007, 05:14:38 PM »
ah, ok, sorry. i guess it depends on the loop. on mine if you set it to 100% wet, it is series. I guess some aren't like that.

jpfamps

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Modding an effects loop
« Reply #6 on: April 04, 2007, 05:51:22 PM »
The input is the GT8 is designed to accept guitar signals, ie -10 dBu and 1 M input impedance. It is NOT designed to be used in an effects loop. The signal from an effects loop (which is assumed to be line line level, although in practice is often much more than this) will overdrive the input stage of a GT8. This will sound terrible, and might explain why the GT8 doesn't work very well in your effects loop. Incidentally, on the Cornford forum, many users were were finding problems with using a Boss digital delay pedals in series effects "loops".

You should use the GT8 before your amp.

Woogie

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Modding an effects loop
« Reply #7 on: April 04, 2007, 06:10:13 PM »
But then, what is the point of the loop button?

Also, thats putting delay before the preamp which sounds nasty. I prefer timed based effects after.

jpfamps

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Modding an effects loop
« Reply #8 on: April 04, 2007, 06:49:48 PM »
The GT8 has an effects loop built into it, so you can use another effects unit in a loop with the GT8 effects. Time modulation effects (delay etc) work fine before the pre-amp as long as you don't use much distortion, eg rockabilly slap-back type echo, but doesn't sound great if you use the preamp to distort the signal.

The GT8 is designed more as a modelling type device. If you use the distortion in the unit the you will be OK.

Conventional wisdom is to use distortion before the pre-amp and time modulation effects after the pre-amp. If you have a unit with all effects in then you will have to make a compromise. Anyhow, the GT8 isn't designed to take the typical levels output from an effects loop, so should be used in front of the amp.