Pedal Order

treyhaislip

Well-known member
Just curious, how do you all order [placement order] your pedals?

I currently have been going Guitar to Volume Pedal to Dirt Boxes to Chorus Pedal to Amp. I now have 2 overdrives and 2 high gain pedals, any suggestions on how to order them?

Currently my setup includes Ernie Ball VP Jr. VP, Mad Professor Golden Cello and Stone Grey Distortion, MXR Analog Chorus, Suhr Riot and Shiba Drive going through a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe (with an Eminence Legend Speaker FWIW.) I have a ProCo Rat and ProCo Solo that are awesome but those two pair great together as a rhythm and lead combo but don't necessarily want them in the chain with the others.
 
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Re: Pedal Order

Just curious, how do you all order your pedals?

I currently have been going Guitar to Volume Pedal to Dirt Boxes to Chorus Pedal to Amp. I now have 2 overdrives and 2 high gain pedals, any suggestions on how to order them?

I often order mine by calling Musician's Friend and requesting a better price from the CSR than what's posted online.

Honestly, I don't think there is a better way than just trying all the order options until you find the one that works best/yields the sounds and functionality you're after.

The board I am currently building includes two ODs and a Fuzz. Hopefully tonight I'll have an opportunity to try all six possible combinations through a typical range of amp volumes.

I don't currently use a chorus, but when I did I preferred it before the dirt pedals with delay(s) and/or reverb after the ODs and Distortion boxes.
 
Re: Pedal Order

I often order mine by calling Musician's Friend and requesting a better price from the CSR than what's posted online.

Ha! :smash:

Honestly, I don't think there is a better way than just trying all the order options until you find the one that works best/yields the sounds and functionality you're after.

The board I am currently building includes two ODs and a Fuzz. Hopefully tonight I'll have an opportunity to try all six possible combinations through a typical range of amp volumes.

I don't currently use a chorus, but when I did I preferred it before the dirt pedals with delay(s) and/or reverb after the ODs and Distortion boxes.

And I would agree on re-organizing until you find what works–thanks!
 
Re: Pedal Order

Just curious, how do you all order your pedals?

I currently have been going Guitar to Volume Pedal to Dirt Boxes to Chorus Pedal to Amp. I now have 2 overdrives and 2 high gain pedals, any suggestions on how to order them?

Currently my setup includes Ernie Ball VP Jr. VP, Mad Professor Golden Cello and Stone Grey Distortion, MXR Analog Chorus, Suhr Riot and Shiba Drive going through a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe (with an Eminence Legend Speaker FWIW.) I have a ProCo Rat and ProCo Solo that are awesome but those two pair great together as a rhythm and lead combo but don't necessarily want them in the chain with the others.


Please excuse me if I misunderstood the question. Your asking advice about the pedal placement order of the pedals on the floor and not how to order them from stores right? Sorry if I sound a bit slow, very little sleep last night, sick babies suck!!!!
 
Re: Pedal Order

Please excuse me if I misunderstood the question. Your asking advice about the pedal placement order of the pedals on the floor and not how to order them from stores right? Sorry if I sound a bit slow, very little sleep last night, sick babies suck!!!!

Haha! So sorry! I didn't even think of that when I put order :smash:

Yes, I meant placement order :) And no sorries dude, you aren't the first to comment on it ;)
 
Re: Pedal Order

The lazy answer is "it depends, try them out".

But you didn't post the question to be told that, nor did you post to have someone dictate how your pedals should be ordered.

I seem to run a guitar rig in one of two manners. Either a high gain amp with a few effects, or a clean amp with an enormous number of effects. For my pedals into clean setup I've found that I like wah and volume first, then phase type modulation (Uni-Vibe, Phaser) then overdrive/boost, then time based modulation (chorus, flanger) then Distortion, then delay, then reverb

I like to set the distortion gain a little lower, then boost with the overdrive or boost, giving a more saturated, cutting tone. With two gain pedals I can get light OD, mid level crunch and boosted distortion, all with an easily controlled volume level at the amp. Also, I like delay and reverb after all gain pedals, phase modulation before all gain pedals, but it seems that chorus/flanger after light OD are more "apparent" but before distortion so it isn't over the top jet plane or 80's sheen.

Fuzz goes wherever it plays nicely, and that's very pedal dependent.

I'd start with one distortion and one OD with your amp, and really learn all the tones available, including volume knob manipulation. Try high levels from each box, unity levels, varying gain levels, just really understand how they interact before adding in more pedals.

Good luck and have fun!
 
Re: Pedal Order

The lazy answer is "it depends, try them out".

But you didn't post the question to be told that, nor did you post to have someone dictate how your pedals should be ordered.

I seem to run a guitar rig in one of two manners. Either a high gain amp with a few effects, or a clean amp with an enormous number of effects. For my pedals into clean setup I've found that I like wah and volume first, then phase type modulation (Uni-Vibe, Phaser) then overdrive/boost, then time based modulation (chorus, flanger) then Distortion, then delay, then reverb

I like to set the distortion gain a little lower, then boost with the overdrive or boost, giving a more saturated, cutting tone. With two gain pedals I can get light OD, mid level crunch and boosted distortion, all with an easily controlled volume level at the amp. Also, I like delay and reverb after all gain pedals, phase modulation before all gain pedals, but it seems that chorus/flanger after light OD are more "apparent" but before distortion so it isn't over the top jet plane or 80's sheen.

Fuzz goes wherever it plays nicely, and that's very pedal dependent.

I'd start with one distortion and one OD with your amp, and really learn all the tones available, including volume knob manipulation. Try high levels from each box, unity levels, varying gain levels, just really understand how they interact before adding in more pedals.

Good luck and have fun!

Thanks for the info! And I will definitely have fun–between the Riot and the Stone Grey lots of fun to be had! lol
 
Re: Pedal Order

I would play with it and find out what sounds the best since not every pedal is the same. You'll hear it when it's right. You probbably want your chorus after gain (EVH for example puts it infront of his distorzed amp along with his flanger and phaser). Delays and reverbs should go in fx loop or just before amp in the chain if you have no fx loop. Again, just try everything and to what sounds the best to you.

I sound like lazy guy lol. But there are some "rules" that you have to look at or your tone will suck.
 
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Re: Pedal Order

I would play with it and find out what sounds the best since not every pedal is the same. You'll hear it when it's right. You probbably want your chorus after gain (EVH for example puts it infront of his distorzed amp along with his flanger and phaser). Delays and reverbs should go in fx loop or just before amp in the chain if you have no fx loop. Again, just try everything and to what sounds the best to you.

The MXR Analog Chorus when at the end of the chain really boosts the signal...really good for the clean tones but not so hot on the gains. lol Thanks!
 
Re: Pedal Order

I would play with it and find out what sounds the best since not every pedal is the same. You'll hear it when it's right. You probbably want your chorus after gain (EVH for example puts it infront of his distorzed amp along with his flanger and phaser). Delays and reverbs should go in fx loop or just before amp in the chain if you have no fx loop. Again, just try everything and to what sounds the best to you.
I just want to point out that "Classic" EVH was delay (Echoplex) into gain as well. ;) (Plate reverb added at the desk)
 
Re: Pedal Order

For the record, I never misunderstood your intent when you asked about ordering pedals. I entertain myself by looking for ways anything might be legitimately misunderstood.
 
Re: Pedal Order

View attachment 65595
No pedal order needed with this thing at my feet..:headbang::banana:

Ha! I use to use a Line 6 POD and had the pedal board (with Wah and Volume pedal) but found that I really love the tone and response of pedals through a tube amp more than any amp modeling device has been able to conjure up. lol To each his/her own–just personally I love a tube amp.
 
Re: Pedal Order

The MXR Analog Chorus when at the end of the chain really boosts the signal...really good for the clean tones but not so hot on the gains. lol Thanks!

That happens with my Micro Flanger too but it will sound a lot different if you put it before gain and use it with distortion.
 
Re: Pedal Order

I'm currently really happy with this:

Guitar>Tuner>Compressor>Wah>Fuzz>Overdrive>Delay>Amp

I'm currently in the market for a new chorus pedal but if I did have one at the moment I would likely place it after the wah/before the fuzz pedal unless it sounded better after the dirt but before the delay.
 
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Re: Pedal Order

I just want to point out that "Classic" EVH was delay (Echoplex) into gain as well. ;) (Plate reverb added at the desk)

He did/does all pedals infront of Marshall on 10 or his distorzed EVH amp nowadays... He probbably didn't even have fx loop (not quite sure about that) but he just prefers to put his effects infront.

This setup works for me:
tuner>compressor>drive>boost>flanger>delay
 
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Re: Pedal Order

I'm mostly orthodox, but I do have a little weirdness built in by running one verb before a distortion (bordering on fuzz) because I dig the crazy wash of noise that creates.

Guitar-> compressor-> light OD (with boost option that largely goes unused, but is there if I want to drive the next pedal harder-> amp-in-box set to medium drive-> Reverb 1-> big nasty distortion-> chorus-> trem-> delay-> Reverb 2-> amp, set clean.
 
Re: Pedal Order

I don't use a lot of pedals, the only "effect" I have is an Ibanez tubescreamer. I'm on a wireless now too, so from the guitar its wireless transmitter into receiver, into Boss TU-2, into ISP Decimator IN, out of that into the Tubescreamer, and out from that into the return of the ISP. Out from there into the amp. That's it!

I know that you should have your wah and tuners nearest to your guitar, overdrives and compression next and delays and modulation effects last, or preferably in the FX loop of your amp (if it has one).
 
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