F X

[Kenny]

red

[ebick]

If you're just getting into effects, you might want to look at something like this:

http://www.samsontech.com/products/prod ... &brandID=4

or check the 505 II

inexpensive all in ones.

[strumminsix]

Another great idea for people getting into effects is the Line 6 POD XT series. I've got both the XT Live and the XT Bean and am very happy! They allow me to reproduce any sound with any effect. I can honestly say I have not found a Jam or Classic Rock sound I could not replicate.

It's not cheap (XT Live = $360) but it's not really that expensive when you consider that it takes the place of a score of preamps, a score of stomp boxes, a score of sound mods, a dozen delays and all in one package.

I don't use every thing it offers but I can honestly say that I use about 2 preamps and 4 stomps and 8 mods and 2 delays and the tuner. All these boxes seperately (14 boxes x $80) = $1120 plus all the cables and what not.

The real beauty of using this is the signal chain...
You set your signal chain with relation to the pream. For instance:
Guitar > XTL Gain Stomp > XTL Plexi preamp > XTL Chorus > XTL Delay > XTL Reverb > any power source.

Too often guitarists fail to take into account the signal chain and forget about FX loops. Think of the boards you will see a Chorus and Drive sitting right next to each other. That is so wrong. All signal modulations (Chorus, Flange, Phase, Tremolo) belong in the FX loop or said differently, after the preamp and before the poweramp.

Happy tweaking!

[jhc]

Too often guitarists fail to take into account the signal chain and forget about FX loops. Think of the boards you will see a Chorus and Drive sitting right next to each other. That is so wrong. All signal modulations (Chorus, Flange, Phase, Tremolo) belong in the FX loop or said differently, after the preamp and before the poweramp.

Happy tweaking!

Ususal a really good idea, but not absolutely necessary by any means. I've run delays in front of my amp before....

[jhc]

This site has some more pretty good explanations of different types of effects

http://users.chariot.net.au/~gmarts/fx-desc.htm
http://users.chariot.net.au/~gmarts/fx-order.htm

As does this

http://www.sweetwater.com/shop/guitars/ ... -guide.php

[strumminsix]

[quote="jhc"]
Ususal a really good idea, but not absolutely necessary by any means. I've run delays in front of my amp before....[/quote]

I totally agree, JHC. However too many guitarists don't have a conceptual understanding of the sound the effect has and how it changes depending on where it is in the chain.

As I see this is a collaboration board for musicians who want to get better I felt it an important post. Equally imortant is yours to bascially say "not always".

I remember learning about the FX loop out the back of my amp after never understanding it. And figuring out where to put my distortion and where to put my chorus and where to put my Wah. It took time and commitment to understand what it sounds like in general and what it sounds like behind this effect after that effect pre or post preamp - all that good stuff.

But honestly for whomever is reading just think of my suggestion as a decent starting point of the common or text book way of setting up effects. But remember what JHC said that it is not always the best setup for a certain sound.

[jhc]

No doubt the placement of effects has a dramatic, uh, effect on their sound. Can't be over emphasized.