Connecting pedals to the effects loop...revisited

In April of this year (2016) I created a video showing why you'd want to run some effects through the effects loop of an amp when possible. I had some comments asking me specifically *how* to connect them to the effects loop. As a result, I've created this video for you.

Music by Godess Gagged

[johnpruett]

I’ve had a Hot Rod for 6 months and had no idea that the pre-amp in and out were essentially an effects loop. Thank you so much!

[STSGuitar]

Glad to see Ned Schneebly finally found his calling

[jameswold]

My ‘93 Blues Deluxe and various petals told me to thank you. My gear talks and reminded me that I knew about this process when I was a kid before I became a so-called professional. Appreciate you keeping it simple for someone who still sometimes has trouble “taking direction.” Great video, exemplary circuits. Appreciate you.

[hifrets]

This is the best explained FX loop on YouTube.Would love to see the same step by step explanation on four cable method.
I am big fun of your pedals. Brian.Thank you so much.

[JRPmusic]

I tried a Carol Ann Triptik amp. I wanted to hear it in stereo. I saw a Jet City amp nearby. So, I grabbed a TC Flashback Delay and TC Electronic stereo Reverb. I connected the Left output the TC Electroinics Reverb to the fx return (Carol Ann Triptik) and the Right input of the first effect ( TC Electronics Flashback Delay) into the Fx Send of the Carol Ann Triptik. I connected the Right Output of the TC Electronic Reverb directly to the Jet City Amp input. I didn't find an fx loop for that amp. The Carol Ann Triptik was the master and the Jet City Amp was the slave. I set the preamp as clean as possible and tried to make it flat as well. I balanced the clean level of the Jet City Amp to match the level of the Carol Ann Triptik. What was really cool was the preamp of the Carol Ann had barely any noise in the high gain channels at all. I never really tried a stereo setup that way before and it worked very well and sounded huge.

[briandietrich]

Thank you for the video. I tried this with my Carvin Vai Legacy and picked up a radio station!

[directassault]

At first I was like "Is this video really necessary??", then I remembered my confusion in 1985 when I first looked at the back of my Peavey Roadmaster.

[chrisdaviesguitar]

very useful thank you. I'v used an H|H IC100S since the late seventies with out an effects loop. recently bought myself a small combo with an effect loop, so very useful indeed.

[ransombaggins]

THANK YOU! This really helped me figure out routing, and which was send and which was return on the Fender amp.

[adrianreyes]

Thank you for that very clear, good, and quick explanation in laymen's language
. Great teacher! Cleared some issues I had.

[GoldenGateNum]

THANK YOU, such a basic thing which no one explains and can get confusing. Great playing =).*

[neon_one]

If anyone happens to see a piece of gear with "insert" plugs, and isn't aware, it functions as both a send and return with a 1/4 trs to 2 1/4 ts cable. You plug the trs, which has 2 rings, into the insert then the other 2 into the send and return of the effect. Just figured I'd share that randomly since I didn't know what it was for years.

[lawndarts]

That cleared the fender thing up for me. Frontman 2x12. Thnx!

[Riff_Rafster]

You had me at Love Removal Machine! (If that's what song you were playing at the beggining) Love your videos!

[davesaenz]

Been looking for this video for months. Thank you. I had my guitar plugged into the effects loop and my chorus into the input/front, then I threw up.!! Lol

[AussieCornerStudio]

Thanks Brian for the example, may I suggest drawing something on a white board or on paper to help explain as well, nearly had a vertigo episode watching you walk with the camera back and forth. maybe in a future video regarding EfX's loops is "Series" and "Parallel" what is the difference and how they affect the signal chain from the Pre-amp to the output amp stage.. This might be for another day but is sometimes raised in Guitar Forums.

[MrUltraworld]

I love my amps distortion, I rarely use a pedal for those tones. There's effects that I prefer after the distortion, they go into the effects loop. The only problem with this is in a series loop (most amps), the tube pre amp is now running through solid state pedals and back into the power amp and it ruins the tone of the amp. I use an amp with a parallel effects loop with a blend knob (or have it modified to include one), this way the amp's signal path is preserved, I can dial in the amount of effects I want.

[messiramirez]

Dude. I’m in disbelief lmao been plugging in my stuff wrong. Thank you so much, I have more questions if you don’t mind answering as well

[calihutch]

what's interesting is that, the explanation is right on, in terms of how to use an FX loop - but at the end of the vid where he's playing, the signal is still running through all of the pedals and nothing is in the FX loop. You can tell, because the output of the euphoria is going into the input of the tape echo with a short patch cable... There is no 4 cord setup there...

[gypsysnickerdoodle]

sliced Christ on toast 😳
I love the visual confusion over the cable motif carpet
No, I didn’t get any nausea