Getting Started with Effects Loops
While there are no strict rules, generally speaking:
- Place overdrives first in signal chain, after your tuner
- Place compressors after overdrive and before any modulated effects
- Place flangers and other modulated effects at the end of the signal chain
The order of the pedals may be adjusted to taste.
Wet/Dry Setup
A wet/dry set up uses two guitar amplifiers instead of your effects loop. Gain and distortion pedals go to one (dry) amp, and pitch and time modulation pedals go to a second (wet) amp.
This can help give great clarity and articulation with distortion. This setup requires five instrument cables (in addition to patch cables).
Here is a sample layout:
Splitting Pedal Setup between Amp and Effects Loop
In this configuration, some pedals are connected in front of your amp, and other pedals are connected through your amp’s effects loop.
Typically, your tuner and gain/distortion pedals will be connected in front of the amp, and pitch/time modulation pedals will be connected through the amp's effects loop.
This setup requires four instrument cables (in addition to patch cables).
Here is a sample layout: