Understanding Tube Amps: Effects Loops

Categories: Understanding Tube Amps

In the 7th video of this series, I explain the difference between putting your pedals before the amp in the signal chain, and inserting them in an effects loop.

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3 Comments

  1. Matt Says:
    July 29th, 2010 at 3:58 pm

    Hey Anthony! Great videos! I have a question on the effects loop: Would it makes sense to put a clean boost/OD pedal in the effects loop? My initial thought would be that it would provide an opportunity to run the amp clean but push the power section to distort to get the better sounding distortion. If this is a correct assumption, would you want to move that pedal to the end of the effects chain so that the delay/modulation effects can come through clean before moving into the distorted stage? Or does it really matter? Thanks dude!

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    Anthony Stauffer reply on July 30th, 2010 10:29 am:

    Hi Matt,

    Yes, theoretically this would allow you to run the preamp clean, but overdrive the power tubes. However, I’m not totally sure that this will sound any better than just running the whole amp wide open. I’ve never tried it.

    In terms of pedal order, my general method has been to put dirty pedals first, clean pedals last. Dirty meaning pedals that generate distortion.

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  2. Wayne Says:
    April 24th, 2010 at 6:31 pm

    I love this series Anthony. I built my own tube amp from David Allens Encore kit and it sounds awsome. I was wondering if you could do a video to explain how different types of preamp tubes and their position affect the overall tone of your amp i.e. V1, PI, Reverb circuit. Thanks

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