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  • #1

    stompbox order

    Hello fellow members!

    I use my rig like this: guitar - tuner - compressor - equalizer - distortion - multi effects - amplifier

    Now, should I keep it this way or should I place the equalizer in front of the compressor? Any other comments would be welcome too ofcourse. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: stompbox order

    The "traditional" method is that the distortion goes in front of the EQ because the Distortion changes the guitar's tone and you would use the EQ to change it back.
    I used to cling to this like it was Law, but then I got to thinking "Who is to say what the guitar's "natural" tone is? Are they comparing the acoustic/unamplified tone or the amplified tone with absolutely no effects? If they're talking about the clean amplified tone, then that's also influenced by the amp itself. As well, can you not use the EQ to shape the tone any way you want, regardless of the guitar's "natural" tone?"

    All of the rack gear I've used was also laid out according to the "traditional" arrangement (distortion in front of EQ, etc), but most folks around here recommend the EQ before the distortion, and I'm more and more inclined to agree with that (though I don't actually practice that [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] - but that's mostly because my main EQ is also jammed inside a box that has all the coloring and time effects, so I can't exactly swap stuff around that easily)
    I want to depart this world the same way I arrived; screaming and covered in someone else's blood

    The most human thing we can do is comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

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    • #3
      Re: stompbox order

      Ha ha thanks for sharing doc! I use my EQ as a mid/treble booster in front of my distortionbox (Zoom TM-01) which already has a nifty post-distortion EQ control. I was just thinking what difference would it make to switch the order of my comp and EQ? I'm not too bright when it comes too all this toneshaping thing and I don't follow all the discussion but maybe there's a good reason to do something completely different.

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      • #4
        Re: stompbox order

        I don't have a compressor on my pedalboard anymore, but when I did, the only difference between my setup and yours was to put the EQ after the distortion. Used properly, the compressor would "even out" the signal before hitting the distortion (preamp) and once I got the basic tone I liked using the distortion pedal's EQ, I'd further tweak that with the separate EQ.
        sigpic

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        • #5
          Re: stompbox order

          [ QUOTE ]
          Ha ha thanks for sharing doc! I use my EQ as a mid/treble booster in front of my distortionbox (Zoom TM-01) which already has a nifty post-distortion EQ control. I was just thinking what difference would it make to switch the order of my comp and EQ? I'm not too bright when it comes too all this toneshaping thing and I don't follow all the discussion but maybe there's a good reason to do something completely different.

          [/ QUOTE ]

          If you are using the EQ for a MId/Treble boost rather than an overall tone shaper, then you have it in the right place. Placing it before your Compressor will make the compressor conteract some of what you are doing with the eq.

          Matt

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          • #6
            Re: stompbox order

            what's a compressor do?

            I'm currently just using a wah and a chorus pedal into a solid state 80 watt Crate 1x12, and am realizing the need for a couple more pedals and a pedal board.

            another question I have is, what happens when you use a distortion pedal on an amp that is already set to distortion? when I tried this on the Sam Ash pedal display, it almost canceled the sound out. does it have to be used on the clean channel? same for a tube screamer?

            thanks for any info.
            [img]/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img]
            the guitar players look damaged - they've been outcasts all their lives

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            • #7
              Re: stompbox order

              I'll leave the proper explanation of a compressor to someone else, but I used it to get a more consistent volume playing fast runs where I wasn't picking/hammering some notes as loudly as others.

              Running a distortion pedal into a distorted amp will get varied results depending on the equipment being used. For example, running a Metal Zone into a fully distorted solid state Crate amp won't a dramatic difference, but running a Tube Screamer into a mildly overdriven tube amp would get you a very audible change in tone over the amp alone. A lot of band's known for very heavy distortion may claim to use old Marshalls, but most boosted the gain with pedals.

              Then there are people like me who use high-gain pedals into clean tube amps to get the benefit of cranked power tubes.
              sigpic

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              • #8
                Re: stompbox order

                [ QUOTE ]
                what's a compressor do?

                I'm currently just using a wah and a chorus pedal into a solid state 80 watt Crate 1x12, and am realizing the need for a couple more pedals and a pedal board.

                another question I have is, what happens when you use a distortion pedal on an amp that is already set to distortion? when I tried this on the Sam Ash pedal display, it almost canceled the sound out. does it have to be used on the clean channel? same for a tube screamer?

                thanks for any info.
                [img]/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

                [/ QUOTE ]

                In a nutshell, a compressor will even out the highs and lows of your volume. Depending on how you set it, a lot of people, present company included, use it for a lead boost. I also use it on a couple of my clean settings.

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