Pedalboard organization

[Don W]

I'm curious how others set up their pedalboards. My first in the chain is a Dunlop 535Q Wah, then a Boss chromatic tuner then a Zen drive, an Ibanez Tube Screamer, a Boss Super Chorus, a Boss Reverb, a Line 6 Tremolo, and a Line 6 Echo Park. All powered by Voodoo labs power supply and all into a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe (first generation) amp. I would love your input on this arrangement...suggestions...etc.

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by Don W

I'm curious how others set up their pedalboards. My first in the chain is a Dunlop 535Q Wah, then a Boss chromatic tuner then a Zen drive, an Ibanez Tube Screamer, a Boss Super Chorus, a Boss Reverb, a Line 6 Tremolo, and a Line 6 Echo Park. All powered by Voodoo labs power supply and all into a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe (first generation) amp. I would love your input on this arrangement...suggestions...etc.

I like most of choices here, but I would put the reverb at the end. That way it would smooth the tails of the modulation effects, most importantly the delay.

[perttime]

I've never had a pedalboard ... but:
people often put delay based effects in the Effects Loop of the amp, between preamp and power amp. So, your chorus, reverb, tremolo, and echo would have a cable that goes back to the pedalboard, and then to the amp again.

The placement of the reverb would depend on what you want to happen to the tail ends of what the other effects do.

There's conventional wisdom on what MOST people like but trying things for yourself will get You what You want.

..... please remind me: Why does the Wah go before the Tuner?

[Ray175]

I would put the tuner at the start of the chain to give it a clean signal, and the reverb at the end for reasons others have mentioned. Whether you put the wah before or after distortion is a matter of personal taste - I prefer the wah after distortion.

[Steely Glen]

Whatever you do, definitely use PedalPlayground.com to map your layout digitally first before you start putting the Velcro on and applying pedals. It will save you time and headache.

[fazool]

there is a science to pedal boards and optimal handling of signal processing chains.

For example you dont want to put a reverb first, and into your distortion because you would distort the reverberation. Conversely you dont put a compressor at the end of a chain because you want squash the pure original signal.

this is a good reference

https://ledgernote.com/columns/guita...r-pedal-order/

[Don W]

Originally Posted by fazool

there is a science to pedal boards and optimal handling of signal processing chains.

For example you dont want to put a reverb first, and into your distortion because you would distort the reverberation. Conversely you dont put a compressor at the end of a chain because you want squash the pure original signal.

this is a good reference

https://ledgernote.com/columns/guita...r-pedal-order/

This is a great resource...thanks to all.

[Paleolith54]

Originally Posted by Don W

I'm curious how others set up their pedalboards. My first in the chain is a Dunlop 535Q Wah, then a Boss chromatic tuner then a Zen drive, an Ibanez Tube Screamer, a Boss Super Chorus, a Boss Reverb, a Line 6 Tremolo, and a Line 6 Echo Park. All powered by Voodoo labs power supply and all into a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe (first generation) amp. I would love your input on this arrangement...suggestions...etc.

The link Fazool posted I think sums up all the important points. Mine is set up like they illustrate for people using effects loops. The only thing I'd say is I've never found an actual need to put your tuner first in line. I've had mine at various points over the years, and honestly never heard any difference as long as nothing upstream is turned on. Mine is currently after my Digitech Drop (which actually does need the signal straight from your guitar) and a wah pedal (which will never be on when I'm tuning.)

[redir]

The first in my chain is a tube powered line enhancer made by Brad Sarno called the Steel Guitar Black box. That sets the right condition to then run through several more pedals. Wah - Super fuzz - TS9 - Q-Tron - MT2 - CE2 - DL4 - DD3 - Reverb/Vibe - Amp

I've never really heard anything astounding different about plugging the delay mod effects into an effect loop so I just run everything right into the amp.

[Dru Edwards]

I'd have my tuner first, OD pedals, Distortion and then in the FX loop modulation, delay, reverb.

If I used my wah or had a fuzz I'd put that first.

[Paleolith54]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

I'd have my tuner first, OD pedals, Distortion and then in the FX loop modulation, delay, reverb.

If I used my wah or had a fuzz I'd put that first.

As a point of clarification, I believe it's the Germanium fuzzes that need to see the guitar signal directly, right? Others, like my Basic Audio Foxey Lady (pre-Muff circuit) can go anywhere.

[M Sarad]

I start with a ZenDrive then Boss DD5 and Boss '63 Reverb if I'm using a Tweed Deluxe. Into a Deluxe Reverb it's ZenDrive, QTron, DD5.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Paleolith54

As a point of clarification, I believe it's the Germanium fuzzes that need to see the guitar signal directly, right? Others, like my Basic Audio Foxey Lady (pre-Muff circuit) can go anywhere.

Ah, great point. I don't know.

[KevWind]

I have mine Guitar into Tuner into QX 8 IN Loop switcher -- Comp ----Drive--- Drive --- ABY switcher out to Amp 1 (Dry amp ) also pass dry signal back to QX 8 -- then Delay --- Chorus--- Reverb --- Looper then QX 8 OUT to Amp 2 (Wet amp).

I thought I would include a visual reference of what the organization looks like



And the organization of the underside of the board

[jay7347]

I've repositioned my board more times than I can count. What I finally came up with is Redeye, tuner, Bloom compressor, TS808 tube screamer, Steel String Supreme drive, Strymon Iridium, Strymon Timeline, Strymon Big Sky, Boss looper and back to Redeye then out to the house.

The man issues I kept going back and forth about were where to put drives and where to put wet effects. After much experimentation, I got the best results from having drives going before my Iridium and wet effects after. It gave me the cleanest and most controllable signal.

-jay