Running a Distortion Pedal in the Effects Loop?

In this video I'll demonstrate a question I hear quite a bit:
"Should I run the distortion into the effects loop?"
"Should I use the pedal as the preamp and run it into the return, or use it like a regular pedal in the loop, using the amp's preamp?"

Tl;dw version is that it's two different sounds, but both can sound good. I actually preferred using it as the preamp with the Orange personally.

Impulse Responses used were from Celestion, amp sound taken with a Two Notes Captor into the DAW.

[MesaNez]

Timestamps
1:18 guitar -> wampler -> amp input
3:21 guitar -> wampler -> amp fx return
7:33 guitar -> amp input -> fx send to wampler -> fx return

[finnancahill]

As unlikely as it sounds the boss metal zone sounds pretty good in the effects loop. If you don't believe Ola Englund made a video on it

[jimgraczyk]

I like that you take the time to explain exactly how the cables are connected, and into what input and what output

[antoniobanderas]

I just tried this on my 6505+ tube combo with a 30 dollar behringer metal pedal. It got rid of all the murky sound, I had tried a noisegate yesterday but the feedback was unbearable. Absolutely try this, take any metal pedal and play through the return hole if you have one. Today was the first time in my life I was ever happy with my guitar tone

[powerseostrategy]

I'm so glad I was fortunate enough to get an ADA MP-1 back in 2008. Thanks for the video!

[matthewjenkins]

I have been doing this with my mxr full bore metal pedal I feel that it takes the "overly compressed" tone out of it and makes it sound huge! That's played regularly on my cheap orange crush por 120 for almost 2 years. No problem with the amp. Thanks for the great video!

[josephsmith]

You can put whatever you want into whatever you want. I believe the United States Supreme Court was clear on this. But seriously, Prefer overdrive, distortion, fuzz, octave, and wah effects directly into the amp input.

[TheDistortionist]

Love the Greg Marra shirt! He was my guitar teacher. Thanks for the sacrilegious demonstration! Enjoy seeing gear used “incorrectly”.

[scotts]

I started running my ts9 direct into my effects return and it sounds fantastic. Thanks for posting this. I have been looking for others showing the same with other “preamps”. Thanks so much

[crimsun]

Finally. I kept seeing everywhere people telling you shouldn't do it, but no proof as to why over the years.

[TheBoondoggler]

Hello ADA MP-1. Nice seeing my classic, crispy friends once in a while.

[wallacebell]

I don't write much for public display, but I find this guy has some helpful hints and not just doing a video because he can. I miss my loop on my Fender. My Orange (will eat all the gain thrown at it) I just wish mine had an FX loop, but things change. I need my Fender rebuilt, and that, being unemployed makes it impossible to fix, now. Better times will come. The Fender is for all round FX. Where the Orange was bought for straight shredding(and it does)But, at this time it is holding it's own with in line pedals and a noise gate.This is not a commercial for Orange or Fender. I am 60 years old. The Orange is the first non Fender I have ever owned, and it is killer.Has limitations, but it will melt your face.

[xanataph]

The pedal fully in the FX loop had a somewhat "squashed" tone. I suspect that's because it's well isolated from any kind of interaction with the guitar's pickups. And also being fed from a comparatively low impedance source (which it wouldn't be especially designed for). Going into the FX return is a more useful setup at times, getting the tone of the pedal without the colouring of the built in preamp.

When I used to do local shows and "lend" my amp to other bands on the bill if the gat player was using a pedal (most often a Metal Zone!) I would encourage them to go into the the FX return on my 5150. That way they wouldn't need to mess up my settings! lol And they were usually happy with this too.

[tyleraho]

Indeed. Thankyou for the gift of monday morning tone.

[jasfiona]

Thanks Brian. I've use my Black '65 in the FX loop and it's so good as a tone shaper

[ryanern]

A friend of mine used to take lessons from Greg Howe. He'd use one of those old Johnson modeling amps in his home rig (this was 15 years or so ago) and would apparently always have a tube screamer on the FX loop.

[mortachaiepstein]

I run my EQD Acapulco Gold in the FX loop. Not running direct to the FX return mind you, but in the FX loop. I tried it because when I read "power amp distortion" I thought that's what they mean, run the sucker in your FX loop. It sounds MASSIVE. I tried running it in the front of the amp, and it sounds kinda Rat-esq fuzzstortion-y. In the FX loop, it's huge. The clean preamp of my amp is shaping the tone and the pedal is distorting that sound, so I'm pushing more dynamics, articulation and whatnot through it. I don't think it will ever leave my board, and I don't think I'll ever run it into the front of my amp.

[deranged-games]

i quite like the honestly in these videos. We see the best way of using stuff and also things that dont really work and dont sound as good! its refreshing because im always messing with my set up and tryng things that dont sound as good! The ideal pedalboard set up takes so much experimentation to find!

[davemoskot]

Thx! Brian, I still play your “triple-wreck” dist. pedal——absolutely love that beast!

[stevesalazar]

I know this post is old, but I've found tube overdrive pedals (such as Kingsley, tube driver, etc) work well placed in the loop post the preamp & pre your dly/rev. It's that cascading type thing like Boogie or Dumble. They have the clean preamp cascading into the OD. Most ODs are not meant to be post the preamp by design. I feel like the tube ODs take the higher gain stage push of the preamp better by compressing smoother when hit. I even had my Dumble amp back in the day push my Groove Tubes Trio in the loop for more gain that my Dumble ODS didn't have. Sounded great.