FX loop question/problem on a DC-3 combo

[Hanslow]

Hi guys, first post here. I've had a search but couldn't find what I was looking for.

I've recently bought a second hand DC-3 combo. My previous setup was a solid state Hughes and Kettner Club Reverb, with a Zoom GFX-8 providing the distortion and other effects.

I can use the pedal in front of the preamp on the clean channel to provide the effects in the pedal. That's no problem.

What I want to try and utilise is the fx loop on the DC-3. What I did as a test was to utilise the clean channel on the amp, and try and use the distortion on the pedal in the fx loop, to see how it sounded. This was done as follows:

1) Plug the guitar into the preamp input on the front of the DC-3.
2) Plug the fx send socket on the back to the pedal input.
3) Send the pedal output to the return socket on the back of the amp.

Now dialling the fx saturation to 0% gave me the nice standard clean sound. As I dialled in the saturation, I could hear the distortion being applied. By the time I reached 100% I had to my ears two channels of sound. First, I had the clean channel quite loud and distinct in "front". "Behind", at what I would say was about 1/4 volume was a distorted guitar sound.

What I'd like to know from those more familiar with this amp and the general workings (not had a valve amp before and it's my first Mesa) is:

a) was my test setup correct?
b) is the resultant sound normal behaviour?
c) Is there any way to test the fx loop circuit to make sure it's working correctly?

I'm planning to get an EQ to apply in the FX loop, but am concerned that it won't give me what I'm expecting based on the results of my first test. As I have mentioned, I'm a bit of a newbie with this amp, so any advice you can give me will be greatly received.

Thanks

Steve

 

[6L6C]

Hey Steve
With this stuff there is no right or wrong and it boils down to taste.
Personally I would not be using a Zoom in the loop. As far as effects (personally view) I tend to use time based effects in the loop only this includes (reverb, delay, phase shifter, flanger and so on)

Before the preamp (any type of overdrive pedal, compression) basically affects that affect the overall dynamics. I will also use a wah up front.
Not that I have done it often but an EQ can go in the loop or up front (but have a different impact depending where you put it)

Personal view! Just play with the amp for a while with no effects get use to it and more important get use to how the amp sounds on its own and also its feel. If this is your first tube amp you need to get use the feel (that’s right the feel. Some more than others but tube amps react to your picking dynamics allot more than say a device like a POD or in your case a Zoom. People going from a solid state device to a good tube amp feel very sloppy compared to what they heard out of there little solid state device

John

 

[Hanslow]

Thanks for the advice John

The Zoom has become little more than a glorified guitar tuner at the moment. I've got a clean patch that is sending out an exact level as input, with nothing at all applied to it. I just bypass it to tune guitar, and back to play. I was trying to get to grips with the features on the amp to see what it could do, and make sure that everything on the amp worked fully. I'm in no rush to buy an EQ at the moment, but will basically be reducing my setup to guitar, DC-3 and EQ unit. The Zoom was good with my solid state amp, but I'm liking the valve sound AND feel already. The guy that sold it to me was a great chap and talked me through differences between valves and solid state which gave me a headstart

With me being unfamiliar with it, I just wanted to see if it was working correctly. I'm quite happy with it at the moment though on the whole, and am hoping it will become a keeper in the long run.

Cheers

Steve