Do pedals in the loop suck tone as much as pedals in front of the loop?

[GuitarStv]

I was just thinking about this. I've always assumed that pedals in front of the amp will suck more tone due to impedance problems than those in the loop. My reasoning was that the signal from the pickups is really low and the signal from the preamp section is higher so would be less impacted. Anyone know if this is correct?

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

Re: Do pedals in the loop suck tone as much as pedals in front of the loop?

Probably not, but effects loops were made for line level rack effects. A lot of regular stomp boxes are expecting instrument level effects.

I run all my pedals in front of the amp. (My amp has delay and reverb and things you would run in a FX loop). I don’t have any loss of tone.


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[dystrust]

Re: Do pedals in the loop suck tone as much as pedals in front of the loop?

I was just thinking about this. I've always assumed that pedals in front of the amp will suck more tone due to impedance problems than those in the loop. My reasoning was that the signal from the pickups is really low and the signal from the preamp section is higher so would be less impacted. Anyone know if this is correct?

The short answer is you're fine with a buffer in both cases but for different reasons.

If you have enough effects in front of the amp without a buffer, it'll absolutely suck tone. A buffer converts the guitar's high impedance signal to low impedance which eliminates tone suck, the trade-off is that it sounds different than plugging straight into the amp.

You can also run into tone suck in the loop if the levels are hot and your pedal isn't expecting that. The loop in my Marshall Jubilee 2555 is like that; the level is really hot, so many stomp boxes sound like a** while rack effects are fine. Buffered loops typically offer a better regulated level than the 2555's extremely primitive loop; in some cases it's even adjustable.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Do pedals in the loop suck tone as much as pedals in front of the loop?

I've been re-building my pedal collection the last few weeks. Not extensive by any means, but if I plug into all of them (couple fuzzes, volume, wah, couple ODs, delay/verb), there's a very little bit of high end rolled off. If I increase the treble on the amp very slightly, it sounds fine. If I don't, it still sounds fine, just not as bright.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Do pedals in the loop suck tone as much as pedals in front of the loop?

I just think well-designed pedals don't do it in either place. Other than vintage pedals, there is always a quieter, better sounding modern option out there.

 

[chadd]

Re: Do pedals in the loop suck tone as much as pedals in front of the loop?

My Mesa has two loops and I can turn them off when they aren't in use, so the pedals don't have impact on tone when they aren't in use.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Do pedals in the loop suck tone as much as pedals in front of the loop?

My Mesa has two loops and I can turn them off when they aren't in use, so the pedals don't have impact on tone when they aren't in use.

That's a pretty cool feature. I've used loop pedals like that so I could kick on three or four effects all at the same time with a single foot switch and it really simplifies playing. My experience is that it can make setup a bit more complicated though. . .

 

[jimilee]

Re: Do pedals in the loop suck tone as much as pedals in front of the loop?

I just think well-designed pedals don't do it in either place. Other than vintage pedals, there is always a quieter, better sounding modern option out there.

Well, if you think about, you’re creating a more complex chain by which the signal has to travel. I’m doing so you’re weakening the source signal, so when it reaches the amp, it’s deteriorated. I suppose the quality of the pedal and length and quality of the cables would dictate by how much.

Throw a buffer in and you’re all good.


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[Mincer]

Re: Do pedals in the loop suck tone as much as pedals in front of the loop?

My effects loop in the back of my Mesa is parallel, so the signal doesn't go completely through the effects. I never use it, though- I just set it clean (the only channel) and put the effects in front, and get on to playin'.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Do pedals in the loop suck tone as much as pedals in front of the loop?

My effects loop in the back of my Mesa is parallel, so the signal doesn't go completely through the effects. I never use it, though- I just set it clean (the only channel) and put the effects in front, and get on to playin'.

I like to use the pre-amp distortion on my amp, and prefer the sound of tremolo/delay after gain . . . so it's loop for me. Everything else that I use (wah/compressor/OD/Fuzz/Phaser) goes in the front though.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Do pedals in the loop suck tone as much as pedals in front of the loop?

I think if the pedal has tone "suck" that outweighs pedal benefit I just don't use it. I don't know that I have ever had this problem enough to care.

 

[Howlermonkey]

Re: Do pedals in the loop suck tone as much as pedals in front of the loop?

My pedals ARE my tone.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Do pedals in the loop suck tone as much as pedals in front of the loop?

I think if the pedal has tone "suck" that outweighs pedal benefit I just don't use it. I don't know that I have ever had this problem enough to care.

Agreed.

I used a homemade distortion pedal when I started out. My dad’s friend converted some old way into a really buzzy sounding fuzz. Aside from that, I’ve never had a pedal that made me worry about suckage.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Do pedals in the loop suck tone as much as pedals in front of the loop?

The only ones that ever sucked enough tone to care was a Vox wah, Ernie Ball Volume With tuner and an old MXR Phase 90. I don’t use the tuner in the volume out, and the Vox and MXR are gone.

 

[chadd]

Re: Do pedals in the loop suck tone as much as pedals in front of the loop?

That's a pretty cool feature. I've used loop pedals like that so I could kick on three or four effects all at the same time with a single foot switch and it really simplifies playing. My experience is that it can make setup a bit more complicated though. . .

I used to use a loop master in front to isolate my pedals, but I got rid of that a while ago. I love having all the bells and whistles on my Road King, even though I barely use most of them