Something wrong with effects loop?

[zionstrat]

Guys, I have a Splawn Streetrod that I love to death... Unlike a lot of splawn users, I don't play metal.. But I do play everything from super clean to hyper crunch and this amp does an incredible job on all of it.

The one thing that was missing on this amp is reverb, and I recently got a great reverb with the intent of using it in the Splawns effect loop... It also includes a chorus and a delay so it should fit perfect in between the preamp and the amp.

However, as soon as I use the loop, the clean tone becomes a gnarly crunch tone.. nothing pretty about it. I use the pedal with other amps and don't have any trouble with it, so either I missusing the spawns effect loop or I'm wondering if there could be something wrong with it.

I've played with every variable I can imagine... Turning the gain down coming from the effect pedal, playing with the atenuatator in the loop, and of course varying the loop volume and the clean preamp volume.

All I seem to be able to do is get low fidelity tones and I'm wondering if the problem could be in the effect loop?

I have entirely no knowledge of amp inner workings and would appreciate any thoughts!

[Mincer]

Some effects loops are +4 for rack effects...some are -10 for most pedals. I'd see what your effects loop wants to 'see' first.

[zionstrat]

Good point. it has a plus four negative 10 button... I tried all combinations and never was able to get a non-distorted sound.

[JMP/HBE]

If it has a tube buffered loop you might try swapping tubes.

[Mincer]

Good point. it has a plus four negative 10 button... I tried all combinations and never was able to get a non-distorted sound.

My guess, start with it on -10.

[trevorus]

What happens when you use a cable with no effects on the loop? If it still acts weird, there's a problem.

[zionstrat]

What happens when you use a cable with no effects on the loop? If it still acts weird, there's a problem.

Yep just connecting the input to the output gets the crappy tone... Sounds like I need to find out if there's a tube on that loop...

[ehdwuld]

sounds like a dirty jack

bad connection with the jack

there are some ways to clean that

power off
let stand

plug a jack in and out several times
to knock the gunk off

use a Q tip and alcohol to swab the inside of the jack and repeat the jack insertion above

short of that an amp tech probably to swap the jack

....

[zionstrat]

sounds like a dirty jack

bad connection with the jack

there are some ways to clean that

power off
let stand

plug a jack in and out several times
to knock the gunk off

use a Q tip and alcohol to swab the inside of the jack and repeat the jack insertion above

short of that an amp tech probably to swap the jack

....

Never would have imagined a Jack creating distortion! Thanks so much for big input that might save me some money :-) know what you guys know how it goes.