CHORUS FX: In The Loop or Pre-amp?

[MesaGod666]

I'm having a hard time coming up with the best way to deal with my Chorus pedal. I'm not sure where to put it in the chain. If I want it preamp then I need to get another GCX, but I'm just not sure what is going to sound best as I want something rich for clean tones as well as interesting and colorful for lead sounds. Currently, it sounds really bad for the lead stuff but very rich and "Hetfield-esque" for the clean tone. I want to achieve something of a Zakk Wylde Lead sound.

Also, what Chorus pedal would you recommend? I'm currently using a BOSS CE-20 double pedal, but I'm thinking of downsizing to a MXR Stereo Chorus Pedal to make room for a digital delay pedal.

Any thoughts or suggestions from your personal experience would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Heritage Softail]

The MXR is pretty good. I don't like chorus much and tolerate it's presence on my board, at times. I ended up getting HardWire chorus that is on my pedalboard only if I need it for a particular song. It has a mode selector that can go from the old school 80's chorus to a very subtle jazzy chorus that you can dial in shallow and play with all the time, if you are a chorus kinda guy. In the loop for high gain playing. Let the note get distorted, and then have it altered/modulated for the chorus effect. Not in front where the preamp will distort all of the modulated notes and the original note into something like baby food mixed vegetable mush.

 

[lord of the strings]

i have 2 pedals for each rig. one is the Boss CE-2 that is connencted in front of the amp only beacuse it is a really really small pedal board.
the other is Fulltone choralflange that is connected through the FX loop. also i have a Lexicon rack to the other (3rd) rig wich also in the loop.
the best ,IMO, is in the loop.
both pedals are great!

 

[MesaGod666]

Not in front where the preamp will distort all of the modulated notes and the original note into something like baby food mixed vegetable mush.

Epic Fatherhood Reference Win!

Thanks for the input Heritage. You always have some thoughtful suggestions worth exploring.

 

[MesaGod666]

i have 2 pedals for each rig. one is the Boss CE-2 that is connencted in front of the amp only beacuse it is a really really small pedal board.
the other is Fulltone choralflange that is connected through the FX loop. also i have a Lexicon rack to the other (3rd) rig wich also in the loop.
the best ,IMO, is in the loop.
both pedals are great!

Thanks for your input. Keep it in the loop!

I'm trying to keep it as simple as possible as this is for my rack system.

 

[Assumer]

I put mine in the loop. Just seems to gel better. In front of the amp is seems to stand out too much.

 

[Shadow.Se7en]

Hello,

Hope you don't mind my two cents......I was using a Digitech chorus Factory, but it wasn't working for me. So purchased an MXR Zack Wylde Black Label Chorus. Big difference, I really like the way it sounds! I have it set up through the loop as well. I have it set up where it's hard to tell it's there, until it's off, then you really can tell the difference. My settings are set so they'll work clean and dirty. It's a good pedal, check it out!

 

[MrPolatis3]

Hi THERE,

TC Electronic Corona Chorus sounds really good
for clean, give a try to the TC Vortex Flanger, sounds amazing , more organic than the TC Nova i found

 

[heru]

Hi THERE,

TC Electronic Corona Chorus sounds really good

+1 on the TC Corona. I run mine through the loop along with a TC Flashback Delay.

 

[fishyfishfish]

Corona, and in the loop or in front, whatever sounds best and is the simplest for you.

 

[Jackie]

I put mine in the loop. Just seems to gel better. In front of the amp is seems to stand out too much.

+1

 

[ifailedshapes]

I don't think there are any absolute rights or wrongs when it comes to effect placement, but I will say that in my experience, modulation effects are warmer and more subtle when placed in the loop, and they are brighter and more noticeable when in front. This obviously assumes you have some gain dialed in on your amp.

It's really all about what you're going for. I personally find subtle use of effects to be classier, so I make sure they are after my drives.

Hmmm, after a quick once over I realize I should have started with this, "In the loop versus in front of the amp is a secondary issue. The primary issue is pre-gain or post-gain." Please excuse my ADD moment.