NZGuitars.com

Watched this wee video and the summary seemed to be that if you're not using a lot of pre-amp gain then you might be as well to run your effects, including time-based, directly into the front end (apparently, Dave Gilmour has never used an effects loop - kind of surprises me).

Both of my amps are designed to give mainly big cleans, edge of break-up tones (though the Sky King does a nice overdrive on the lead channel) and neither have effects loops. Wondered if the thinking was that a loop was unnecessary given the emphasis on cleanliness.

Never used a loop, never felt the need for one, even with multiple delays and reverbs on at once!

Hitting reverb and delay on my amp which has a lot of gain... and it kinda turned to mush. It has an effects loop but its a bit of a ball ache with my loop switcher, maybe I should investigate that again.

gilmour has always used a very clean amp, mostly hi-watt, and uses the odd effect pedal or two Never used natural amp overdrive afaik.

Pete Thorn made the point that Eddie Van Halen didn't use a loop, and used it as an aid to picking dynamics, pick harder, more delay, pick softer, less delay.

Very much depends on your set up - if you're using your amp's preamp overdrive/distortion then you might want to use a loop. I've found delays before any OD at all are compressed/boosted by the OD and it becomes a game of match-the-level. But then again somebody like The Edge somehow does it all into the front end of AC30s, which he's not using as a clean platform.

So long as the delays come after the drives, I think you can get away without a loop. Loop is useful with a multi-channel amp where you switch from clean to dirty, because the same settings for delay and 'verb pedals in the loop will work with clean or dirty sounds from the amp, rather than completely overwhelming the drive channel with mush--as noted above.

I run amp on the edge of getting dirty and I like both delay and reverb in front, it's a touch more interactive that way. But for the cleanest, most pristine FX, the loop is better. Depends very much on your style and the sound you're trying to achieve.

I cant say I prefer time based effects on the front end but depending on how they are used, they have sounded a bit deeper and clearer. Only really found this with the big sky and my TC delay. This mainly makes a difference with big halls with large decays and long delays. With that said, front end (after OD etc) sounded just fine to me and this is really just bedroom tone lovers alone time kind of stuff. The only thing i have in a loop now that I felt couldn't use any other way is my EMpress ParaEQ.

So yeah, I guess its a preference in end after all, just to keep things neat and tidy and simple. Tone wise I didnt find it a deal breaker.

Tried both, and for me just keeps things cleaner (and clearer) having them in the effects loop.

Horses for courses, and that's the cool thing with pedals and everyone's individual sonic tastes. There really is no right or wrong.

with the EVH my rack goes in the loop and pedals normally in front. I have set the katana built in ones to be in front as well

olegmcnoleg wrote:Loop is useful with a multi-channel amp where you switch from clean to dirty, because the same settings for delay and 'verb pedals in the loop will work with clean or dirty sounds from the amp, rather than completely overwhelming the drive channel with mush--as noted above.

You have no idea how long it took me to work this out.
I have always used a loop since.

Using the clean channel on an old Peavey bandit Teal Stripe, all pedals through front end with dirt pedals at front of chain, time and modulation last. Why, because Im lazy and its easier to set up, I have all the pedals I need for different sounds and sounds fine to my ears.

I've just cleaned off my pedal board and started again. I've just bought the Keeley dark side which combines a fuzz type with a delay. Works well through my Hi Watt and with a Strat sounds right on. So now just a tuner, rat, reverb, dark side straight through the front. Minimal but suits me. Great DG sounds.

What's a loop? I looked all over my 59 Bassman, 50 watt Plexi and Supro Thunderbolt and couldn't find one. #confused.