|
|
Post by RickW on Aug 28, 2014 21:41:21 GMT -5
So, I got a gift certificate for iTunes, and promptly picked up a bunch of virtual amps and stomp boxes for Amplitude on my iPad. Lots of fun stuff, a selection of Orange and Fender amps, and Orange and Fender boxes. Not having played with a lot of boxes before, I'm believing that chaining the compressor in when driving a crazy signal with a wound up amp, along with a distortion unit/overdrive pedal, is probably a good thing. But does it go at the beginning or the end of the stompbox chain? Or does it matter? I'm assuming it's dealing more with flubs in the playing, rather than anything the pedals are doing, though they do tend to bring said mistakes quite alive.
|
|
|
|
Post by Cosmic Wonder on Aug 28, 2014 23:06:05 GMT -5
I had to replace the compressor on a fridge once. Expensive bit of kit.
Mike
|
|
|
|
Post by TKennedy on Aug 28, 2014 23:28:02 GMT -5
I like the Ingersol Rand compressor. It pretty much covers up any bad notes but setup and teardown is a bitch and the venues get upset when I bolt it to the floor of the stage.  |
|
|
|
Post by RickW on Aug 28, 2014 23:51:41 GMT -5
You could play a wicked set of bagpipes with that puppy, Terry.
|
|
|
|
Post by Doug on Aug 29, 2014 1:25:33 GMT -5
If you don't use the compressor first you will be driving on flat tires.
|
|
|
|
Post by aquaduct on Aug 29, 2014 6:32:25 GMT -5
Compressor generally goes first. Boosts/smooths the signal before it runs into all the other effects.
And with it first it's generally a quieter signal path. It's not boosting all the noise from the other pedals.
Not written in stone (what is?) but generally true.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2014 6:45:06 GMT -5
My bet was on either Peter or Lonnie coming up with a serious answer. I figured Peter, on accounta he's up before Lonnie. I don't run pedals. I do, however, need to get another set of power amp tubes. I'm almost certain one gave up the ghost the other day, because the Blues Jr is a muddy mess right now. I looked and one of the tubes lacks that orange glow. Technical assessments are my expertise.  According to specs, the amp is self-biasing, so I should be able to just buy a replacement set and put them in. Thoughts? |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2014 6:45:42 GMT -5
PS - that's the answer I was going to give, but it wasn't based upon any dierct experience.
|
|
|
|
Post by aquaduct on Aug 29, 2014 6:59:52 GMT -5
My bet was on either Peter or Lonnie coming up with a serious answer. I figured Peter, on accounta he's up before Lonnie. I don't run pedals. I do, however, need to get another set of power amp tubes. I'm almost certain one gave up the ghost the other day, because the Blues Jr is a muddy mess right now. I looked and one of the tubes lacks that orange glow. Technical assessments are my expertise. According to specs, the amp is self-biasing, so I should be able to just buy a replacement set and put them in. Thoughts? Yes, replace the power amp tubes. Just be sure to get the same type of tube and replace them in sets (generally they'll come in matched pairs). Generally when playing regularly the power tubes should be replaced annually even if they haven't failed. They do lose tone. Preamp tubes generally don't get replaced until they fail. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2014 7:06:31 GMT -5
Thanks, Peter. I spent some time reading up on the importance of matched sets etc last night. Pretty much everywhere I looked sells them in sets.
|
|
|
|
Post by aquaduct on Aug 29, 2014 7:46:00 GMT -5
You're welcome, sir.
As for effect routing, the base order (subject to huge variation according to taste) is:
Guitar->Filter effects (wah)->Compressor->Overdrive/distortion->Preamp->modulation->pitch shift->delay->reverb->power amp->power soaks/attenuators->speaker
This is generally the quietest way to go and has the benefit of generally (I use generally a lot because the exceptions are the rule) of having the ultimate impact of making the most use of the effects. The effects between the preamp and the power amp are run through the effects loop. Clearly if you either don't have an effects loop or don't want to be bothered with extra cables they all run into the front of the amp. Certain things pretty much have to be this way- running a delay into high distortion is a mess- but others are open for experimentation.
I'm old school (early 80's) and run mine exactly this way (minus any power soak). I use a tc electronics G-System and an 8-channel TRS-TRS snake for a four cable hookup (channel switching, effects unit to front amp input, effects loop back to effects unit, effects unit to effects loop return). The extra channels in the snake are insurance against failure. A volume pedal into the effects unit controls volume in the amp's effects loop going into the power amp. The guitar always runs wide open so the full signal from the pickups is what hits the front end. It's quiet, sounds great, and is very easy to control (it's all done with buttons- no thinking) and it's much simpler to set up than it sounds. That's important when you've got only a 15 minute changeover time between acts.
The smaller rig which I use mostly these days since we're often just in small spaces is a Strat into an overdrive and then into a delay and then into a small, very basic Valvetrain amp that has reverb and not much else. Also works real well but it does tend to be noisy and volume control is a bit more of a knob twisting dance. But that's a worthy compromise.
|
|
|
|
Post by billhammond on Aug 29, 2014 8:31:48 GMT -5
As for effect routing, the base order (subject to huge variation according to taste) is: Guitar->Filter effects (wah)->Compressor->Overdrive/distortion->Preamp->modulation->pitch shift->delay->reverb->power amp->power soaks/attenuators->speaker This is generally the quietest way to go and has the benefit of generally (I use generally a lot because the exceptions are the rule) of having the ultimate impact of making the most use of the effects. The effects between the preamp and the power amp are run through the effects loop. Clearly if you either don't have an effects loop or don't want to be bothered with extra cables they all run into the front of the amp. Certain things pretty much have to be this way- running a delay into high distortion is a mess- but others are open for experimentation. I'm old school (early 80's) and run mine exactly this way (minus any power soak). I use a tc electronics G-System and an 8-channel TRS-TRS snake for a four cable hookup (channel switching, effects unit to front amp input, effects loop back to effects unit, effects unit to effects loop return). The extra channels in the snake are insurance against failure. A volume pedal into the effects unit controls volume in the amp's effects loop going into the power amp. The guitar always runs wide open so the full signal from the pickups is what hits the front end. It's quiet, sounds great, and is very easy to control (it's all done with buttons- no thinking) and it's much simpler to set up than it sounds. That's important when you've got only a 15 minute changeover time between acts. The smaller rig which I use mostly these days since we're often just in small spaces is a Strat into an overdrive and then into a delay and then into a small, very basic Valvetrain amp that has reverb and not much else. Also works real well but it does tend to be noisy and volume control is a bit more of a knob twisting dance. But that's a worthy compromise. I plug my guitar into my amp and play. |
|
|
|
Post by mnhermit on Aug 29, 2014 8:36:02 GMT -5
It's nice to know that my theoretical answer (that the compressor should go first after the guitar) isn't too far wrong from the practical knowledge provided by our experts. but I'm with Bill  |
|
|
|
Post by Doug on Aug 29, 2014 8:38:53 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by mnhermit on Aug 29, 2014 8:42:49 GMT -5
what does it say about my mental maturity when I say I found that cartoon highly amusing.
|
|
|
|
Post by dradtke on Aug 29, 2014 8:52:18 GMT -5
what does it say about my mental maturity when I say I found that cartoon highly amusing. It puts you on par with Doug. And me. |
|
|
|
Post by Doug on Aug 29, 2014 8:55:56 GMT -5
what does it say about my mental maturity when I say I found that cartoon highly amusing. It puts you on par with Doug. And me. Chris says I'm five and if I stay out of trouble I might make it to six.  |
|
|
|
Post by aquaduct on Aug 29, 2014 9:02:19 GMT -5
As for effect routing, the base order (subject to huge variation according to taste) is: Guitar->Filter effects (wah)->Compressor->Overdrive/distortion->Preamp->modulation->pitch shift->delay->reverb->power amp->power soaks/attenuators->speaker This is generally the quietest way to go and has the benefit of generally (I use generally a lot because the exceptions are the rule) of having the ultimate impact of making the most use of the effects. The effects between the preamp and the power amp are run through the effects loop. Clearly if you either don't have an effects loop or don't want to be bothered with extra cables they all run into the front of the amp. Certain things pretty much have to be this way- running a delay into high distortion is a mess- but others are open for experimentation. I'm old school (early 80's) and run mine exactly this way (minus any power soak). I use a tc electronics G-System and an 8-channel TRS-TRS snake for a four cable hookup (channel switching, effects unit to front amp input, effects loop back to effects unit, effects unit to effects loop return). The extra channels in the snake are insurance against failure. A volume pedal into the effects unit controls volume in the amp's effects loop going into the power amp. The guitar always runs wide open so the full signal from the pickups is what hits the front end. It's quiet, sounds great, and is very easy to control (it's all done with buttons- no thinking) and it's much simpler to set up than it sounds. That's important when you've got only a 15 minute changeover time between acts. The smaller rig which I use mostly these days since we're often just in small spaces is a Strat into an overdrive and then into a delay and then into a small, very basic Valvetrain amp that has reverb and not much else. Also works real well but it does tend to be noisy and volume control is a bit more of a knob twisting dance. But that's a worthy compromise. I plug my guitar into my amp and play. But I make it rock. |
|
|
|
Post by RickW on Aug 29, 2014 9:14:56 GMT -5
Thanks, Peter. Makes perfect sense.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lonnie on Aug 29, 2014 9:55:42 GMT -5
My standard pedal setup (in order of appearance): compressor, flanger or chorus (rarely used), overdrive, limiter, digital delay, volume pedal. The compressor is only used when I need to really step up the volume for big solos. The limiter is on all the time, it smooths out the overdrive pedal for a warmer sound and adds just a bit of sustain without rendering the guitar volume knob useless. Generally speaking, you want to run a compressor before any effect that has volume nuances. If it was after the delay, for instance, it would try to grab the decaying repeat note.
|
|
