2Ch Dual and Triple Rec -Does anyone use the FX loop?

[hawkma38]

My first Mesa is a 2Ch triple and I gotta say the FX loop is tickin me off.

I use regular Boss stompboxes and no matter what, the loop sounds like poop. Too much unpleasant distoriton, lag time between effects, and level mismatches. I set the Mix to 100% and the send is at about 55%. Loop level master is about 40-60%.

Mesa told me the loop is specifically designed for rack gear not stompboxes? WHAT!!!!

First Mesa....but far from my first quality tube amp.

Somebody please offer an input or this thing is going up for sale.

Frustrated, broke and Ugly.......

 

[hawkma38]

It sounds like over the years, people either replace all their boss and othe r non true bypass effects for boutique effects, or buy a g-major.

all of this as a result of the DR and TR FX loops sucking tone.

Has it been decided by the majority that a SERIES MOD to the loop will fix this issue?

There is talk about the Mesa $150 mod...What is this?

If any FX loop mods are done, will I lose the FX loop ON/OFF footswitch functionality?

I am sooo discouraged. I have about 8 pedals running before the amp right now (delays, phase, wah, OD, more delay, chorus) and my amp sounds like a train wreck. (not in a good way)

Please help me put this horse out of its misery or get it healed to the stallion it deserves to be!!!

 

[stompboxfreak72]

The DR and Tr fx loop are wired in parallel as oppossed to series. Stomp boxes normally take better to series ( correct me if I am wrong.)

I only put delay in my loop. Technically all modulation devices ( flanger, chorus, phaser) should go in the loop but they will sound like *** in a DR or TR. I keep all of those in fron of the amp and just keep delay in the loop.

I use a TC Electronics Vintage Delay ($399) because I did not like how the Boss DD-6 or DD-20 sounded in my amp. The boss delays were real muddy to me.

If you mod your amp to series you will lose your " solo" volume boost function on your footswitch. i do not know how the Series loop sounds since I have not done the mod. There are threads on the board that wil show you how to do it.

Good luck!

 

[hawkma38]

thanks for the advice. my 2Ch triple has no solo boost or effect return. I think the effect return function is in the LOOP LEVEL MASTER knob on the front. This knob seems to only add distortion to the effects loop when I bring the amp to an acceptable band practice volume

I use the Keeley Mod Dl-4 and was hoping to put my MXR pH90, Boss CE-2 and Holy grail reverb in the loop.


Anybody out there successfully use the 2Ch model FX loop? How so?

 

[Elpelotero]

you can mod the fx loop on your own without spending $150.

There are pictures somewhere on this forum. It only involves moving around 2 wires.

 

[hawkma38]

Ok, I found the schems. I'll link them, HERE for everyone else.

Credit to the original poster...All i am doing is "re-posting".

So it seems all you do is tie off the wire at the FX mix pot right terminal. And solder the wire from the far left terminal to the center terinal.(view link for proper orinetation)

O, hope this does the trick.
If anyone still wants to comment on original post, your welcome to.

I am not ready for this thread to die yet!!

 

[vertigo_]

drop your old (except pre 500) rectos and go with roadster...it has a series loop.

 

[jbird]

Actually, parallel loops are better for tone degrading effects, than is a series loop, because your able to blend in a desired amount of effect! Concerning stompboxes, I'd rather blend them in using a parallel loop, than sending the entire signal through, as such with a series loop! Two problems here: I belive what Mesa is telling you has to do with an impedance mis-match, or lack of a selectable impedance switch, as some amps offer, enabling better signal matches to stompboxes vs. rack gear. But to help the situation your in, try using more of the delays signal (level, or wetness), and less of the loop's mix, much less! And don't send too much signal to the loop (channel masters & loop send)! Good Luck! It may work better, but in the long run, I still never liked the tone with the loop engaged, effects or not!

 

[hawkma38]

Super replies guys, thanks. i thought the impedance matching was what they were trying to say as well.

I am going to try and set the send level extrememly low...(a HC forum reply suggested that Boss,Mxr,Maxon, EH and such pedals respond favorably to low level inputs) Then I will increase the mix and the loop level accordingly.

I'll also perform the serial mod tonight and try combinations of the LS-2 in/out.


I'll respond with my findings.

Last note, thanks again. Many forums are filled with a-holes with more opinion than helpful advice.

 

[the white horse]

I have the 3 channel triple rec. I love the amp but I have the same probelms trying to get a great tone with my fx loop engaged. I hope this thread keeps going so I can learn more about this loop. Thanks