Clean boost - OD pedal in the effects loop

[metalhead28]

I wanted to share this with you guys. I had often heard about doing a clean boost into a tube amp by using an overdrive pedal with the gain turned down and the output cranked up for a cleaner, tighter sound. I had tried that with my 5150 II but I never thought it was that great.
Last night I was experimenting and I tried putting that OD pedal in my effects loop instead. That's something I've never heard of somebody doing unless they were bypassing the pre-amp or something.
Anyway, the difference in my tone was amazing. The 5150 has a sort of scratchy high end on the lead channel, and this trick just totally sucked that nasty top end out and pumped up the midrange. It's super smooth and really fat. It's like it filters the sound from the pre-amp. I used my MXR Wylde Overdrive with the gain all the way down and the output all the way up. It sounds like a different amp, the fattest lead tone I've ever had by far. It also cut down on noise and I didn't have to crank the volume up too much to get a sweet tone.
I recommend trying out this trick, especially 5150 owners!

[Twisteramps]

Doesn't work so well with line level loops, but sounds like you found something that worked for ya.

Pete

[metalhead28]

Doesn't work so well with line level loops, but sounds like you found something that worked for ya.

Pete

Yeah, good point. You'd obviously have to be using an amp that worked well with regular floor pedals in the loop. I didn't think of mentioning that.

[Racerx2k]

Funny, I just thought of trying that, the other day, but hadn't gotten to it.

Hmm.............

[toejam]

John (Jgcable) has mentioned about putting an OD in the loop for a boost quite a bit. I haven't tried it yet, but I should experiment with it.

[hippietim]

I've been talking with a few folks about using a boost in a line level loop - there are a few that claim to handle it.

[Twisteramps]

Problem with most pedals in a line level loop is that the fx send is too hot for the pedal, so it creates distortion (the input overdrives the pedal), and then the output from the pedal isn't loud enough to compensate for the loss of signal and it's too low. So you get more hiss and distortion and less output with the pedal in the line level loop. Usually. there's an exception to everything.

Pete

[Grandturk]

This works on a lot of amps - If you have a tube driven parallel loop with a level control, try this - connect a patch cable to the send and return and use the loop level for an additional gain boost.

[Rupe]

I used to do this in the mid 90's with a Matchless Hotbox in the loop of a Fender Tonemaster. It worked great and effectively gave a two channel amp 4 channel capabilities. I miss that rig alot...its the closest that I have ever come to the elusive "brown sound".

[guitarsjb]

I use a Tone Driver (Digitech) like that in the loop of my Blue Voodoo. Works great.

[hippietim]

Problem with most pedals in a line level loop is that the fx send is too hot for the pedal, so it creates distortion (the input overdrives the pedal), and then the output from the pedal isn't loud enough to compensate for the loss of signal and it's too low. So you get more hiss and distortion and less output with the pedal in the line level loop. Usually. there's an exception to everything.

Pete

I spoke with the Keeley folks - they say the Katana can handle it. Robbie Wallace who makes the Bad Bob Boost I have just responded and said it will handle it.

Barber also makes a boost pedal with some potential for this called the Launch Pad: http://www.barberelectronics.com/LaunchPad.htm

I just got my RM100 and will try the Bad Bob tonight for practice.

[Robotechnology]

I've done this with Channel 3 of my Carvin Quad X-Amp preamp to great results... just depends on the amp's efx loop design.

[jgcable]

Thats the beauty of the 5150. It takes pedals extremely well both in the loop and out in front.

[thebisch]

I have been using a clean boost (DOD BiFet preamp pedeal) for YEARS in the loop for a lead boost on distortion and as a "juice up" for the cleans. It has worked fine on every amp I have tried it on except a Soldano SLO-100.

[jgcable]

I have been using a clean boost (DOD BiFet preamp pedeal) for YEARS in the loop for a lead boost on distortion and as a "juice up" for the cleans. It has worked fine on every amp I have tried it on except a Soldano SLO-100.

I did too. Probably for at least 10 years.
It was the DOD FX10 Bi-Fet preamp. It was black and totally clean. Except for a really light to the touch switch.. it was a killer clean boost.