Effects Loop on Stiletto Ace

[secretsoundz]

I have a Stiletto Ace combo. I tried the effects loop but couldn't seem to match the send level to the output very well. This makes the effects sound crappy. I've been running the effects through the front of the amp but my delay pedals sound like crap on the gain channel.
Any suggestions for acheiving unity gain with the effects loop? Also, I have a Power Screamer w/ Fat Boost from Homebrew Electronics. It says to never use the pedal in the effects loop. Why?
Thanks for your help!

 

[Rocky]

overdrives are meant to push your front end...not the power section.

Drives in the effects loop sound horrible, that should be reason enough but I am sure someone here will chirp up with the technical reason.

Go to the homebrew forum....you can find out straight from a guy that builds pedals there.....

 

[Chris McKinley]

RE: "Any suggestions for acheiving unity gain with the effects loop?". First, check the return level. It can be as important as the send level in achieving unity.

RE: "Also, I have a Power Screamer w/ Fat Boost from Homebrew Electronics. It says to never use the pedal in the effects loop. Why?". All overdrives are designed to come before the amp's preamp, not in the loop. This is because it is their sole function to drive the amp's preamp into even further gain saturation while still letting the majority of the gain tone come from your amp's tubes. To reverse that sequence is going to sound terrible. Additionally, placing the OD in the loop means running your amp's hot preamp signal into the relatively more delicate electronics of the pedal. You can easily fry circuits that way.

 

[secretsoundz]

RE: "Any suggestions for acheiving unity gain with the effects loop?". First, check the return level. It can be as important as the send level in achieving unity.

RE: "Also, I have a Power Screamer w/ Fat Boost from Homebrew Electronics. It says to never use the pedal in the effects loop. Why?". All overdrives are designed to come before the amp's preamp, not in the loop. This is because it is their sole function to drive the amp's preamp into even further gain saturation while still letting the majority of the gain tone come from your amp's tubes. To reverse that sequence is going to sound terrible. Additionally, placing the OD in the loop means running your amp's hot preamp signal into the relatively more delicate electronics of the pedal. You can easily fry circuits that way.

Thanks for the advice. It makes sense...I've never used the Power Screamer in the effects loop so no worries!

 

[Anonymous]

maybe its also helpful to make this steps one after the other - in this order:

1. choose your sound - from "gain to presence" knobs
2. set the master knob (the master effects the loop level!)
3. get the loop with your effect device engaged (switch on the backside)
4. set to "unity" gain - maybe adjust a little with the "loop send" knob
5. set the output pot and solo volume pot

the loop in the stiletto works fantastic once you realise how the "master" is doing

stay tuned 8)

 

[jdurso]

I have a Stiletto Ace combo. I tried the effects loop but couldn't seem to match the send level to the output very well. This makes the effects sound crappy. I've been running the effects through the front of the amp but my delay pedals sound like crap on the gain channel.
Any suggestions for acheiving unity gain with the effects loop? Also, I have a Power Screamer w/ Fat Boost from Homebrew Electronics. It says to never use the pedal in the effects loop. Why?
Thanks for your help!

what effects are you trying to run in the loop? i've found some delays to be great and others to be crappy in the loop of my roadtser. the delays that sounded crappy weren't bad pedals they just didnt play nicely with the roadster. you may want to looking into different pedals if the ones you have arent cutting it. i'd try and find ones that match up with the amp nicely.

Also with almost every pedal (chorus, delay, reverb, multifx) i found a slight volume drop even when the level is maxed on the loop. i ended up finding out the volume loss was due to the cables i was using. if your running those pedals in the loop but keep them in front of you make sure your using really good cables for the run between you amp and the pedals. you'd really be suprised on how much difference it can make.

 

[Kaz]

I have a Stiletto Ace combo. I tried the effects loop but couldn't seem to match the send level to the output very well. This makes the effects sound crappy. I've been running the effects through the front of the amp but my delay pedals sound like crap on the gain channel.
Any suggestions for acheiving unity gain with the effects loop? Also, I have a Power Screamer w/ Fat Boost from Homebrew Electronics. It says to never use the pedal in the effects loop. Why?
Thanks for your help!

what effects are you trying to run in the loop? i've found some delays to be great and others to be crappy in the loop of my roadtser. the delays that sounded crappy weren't bad pedals they just didnt play nicely with the roadster. you may want to looking into different pedals if the ones you have arent cutting it. i'd try and find ones that match up with the amp nicely.

Also with almost every pedal (chorus, delay, reverb, multifx) i found a slight volume drop even when the level is maxed on the loop. i ended up finding out the volume loss was due to the cables i was using. if your running those pedals in the loop but keep them in front of you make sure your using really good cables for the run between you amp and the pedals. you'd really be suprised on how much difference it can make.

Now here's a good point. So what sort of cables would one use if they wanted to make (unreccomendedly) long cable runs in their loop? Balanced TRS cables or something?

 

[jdurso]

I have a Stiletto Ace combo. I tried the effects loop but couldn't seem to match the send level to the output very well. This makes the effects sound crappy. I've been running the effects through the front of the amp but my delay pedals sound like crap on the gain channel.
Any suggestions for acheiving unity gain with the effects loop? Also, I have a Power Screamer w/ Fat Boost from Homebrew Electronics. It says to never use the pedal in the effects loop. Why?
Thanks for your help!

what effects are you trying to run in the loop? i've found some delays to be great and others to be crappy in the loop of my roadtser. the delays that sounded crappy weren't bad pedals they just didnt play nicely with the roadster. you may want to looking into different pedals if the ones you have arent cutting it. i'd try and find ones that match up with the amp nicely.

Also with almost every pedal (chorus, delay, reverb, multifx) i found a slight volume drop even when the level is maxed on the loop. i ended up finding out the volume loss was due to the cables i was using. if your running those pedals in the loop but keep them in front of you make sure your using really good cables for the run between you amp and the pedals. you'd really be suprised on how much difference it can make.

Now here's a good point. So what sort of cables would one use if they wanted to make (unreccomendedly) long cable runs in their loop? Balanced TRS cables or something?

balanced cables will work but i found some pedals didnt like the signal through them (eq pedal farted out with a balanced cable but conversely the zoom 9.2 liked it). I think from the recent posts around here if you get something high quality like a mogami, george l's, planet waves, etc. you notice a much better signal going to the pedals which should result in less volume loss.

I think some of the other guys around here can be better at recommendations but when i fixed the signal loss i went from cheapo livewire cables from GC to Planet Waves... right now i'm in the process of getting either george l's or lava cables kits to wire up all my pedals with my rg16.

 

[secretsoundz]

I have a Stiletto Ace combo. I tried the effects loop but couldn't seem to match the send level to the output very well. This makes the effects sound crappy. I've been running the effects through the front of the amp but my delay pedals sound like crap on the gain channel.
Any suggestions for acheiving unity gain with the effects loop? Also, I have a Power Screamer w/ Fat Boost from Homebrew Electronics. It says to never use the pedal in the effects loop. Why?
Thanks for your help!

what effects are you trying to run in the loop? i've found some delays to be great and others to be crappy in the loop of my roadtser. the delays that sounded crappy weren't bad pedals they just didnt play nicely with the roadster. you may want to looking into different pedals if the ones you have arent cutting it. i'd try and find ones that match up with the amp nicely.

Also with almost every pedal (chorus, delay, reverb, multifx) i found a slight volume drop even when the level is maxed on the loop. i ended up finding out the volume loss was due to the cables i was using. if your running those pedals in the loop but keep them in front of you make sure your using really good cables for the run between you amp and the pedals. you'd really be suprised on how much difference it can make.

I'm using Maxon AD999 & MXR Carbon Copy analog delays and a Homebrew Electronics Psilocybe Analog Phase.
I'm assuming it's best to use modulation devices in the effects loop and put OD's, distortions, fuzzes and wahs into the front of the amp...

I use a mix of Planet Waves and Spectraflex cables.

 

[jdurso]

definitely best to put the od's, fuzz, wahs, whammy's, etc in front and time based fx in the loop. There was this great artical in guitar Player last month about pedals, pedal boards and cables. Basically i would remove everything and then add units 1 by 1 so you can target which unit or cable is doing the most volume sucking. Also depending on which PW or Spectraflex, you may want to look itno cables that are better for longer runs if you have those pedals a good distance from the amp (just a sugegstion). Also you may want to look into a compressor or eq to essentially boost your signal before it goes to the rest of the pedals (meaning compressor or eq first in the chain of the fx loop pedals). by boosting your signal before it hits the pedals that are wiping out some volume, by the time it gets back to your amp you'll have the same signal as without having the loop on.

 

[secretsoundz]

Okay, so I followed the advice and got the effects loop running smoothly tonight. I put my delays and phase through the effects loop and ran my overdrive, fuzz and wah through the front.
I'm amazed at the difference in sound quality with the delay and phase on Fat Clean and now the delay doesn't sound wierd on the gain channels.
Thanks :mrgreen:

 

[Gibbyage]

Ive been having trouble with my two channel dual rectifier effects loop. What would be a good setting?

I usually play with the output maxed and then work my channel volume from there.