Does putting the Graphic EQ in front or in the FX loop REALLY matter?

[mirrorman]

I use mine as a volume boost and mids bump for leads in the fx loop for amps that have one and the volume boost is quite dramatic.
For my Blues Jr (which doesn't have an fx loop), I still use it for a mids bump for leads, but it won't give the same volume boost. I add the FAT switch on the amp for the volume boost.
I'm using the MXR 10 band equalizer.

 

[Crikey]

That’s my question can someone explain to me why putting the EQ through the front or he FX loop makes a difference and what those differences really are?

cheers

I swear by adding eq in effect loop. You get a boost and shape the tone to your desires

 

[ricksdisconnected]

loop

 

[JCMRobbo]

loop

the straightest answer in the world XD

 

[LPMarshall hack]

loop

Cut to the chase, please!

 

[ricksdisconnected]

Cut to the chase, please!

yes there is a big difference. put it in the loop for best results.
you know what i preach lol.

 

[Mitchell Pearrow]

I have only used mine in front, because that’s how I get the guitar signal to both amps.
And I am always running multiple amps!! Will have to try through the loop for places that are being a bitch to dial in what you want to hear..
Cheers

 

[SkyMonkey]

If I recall correctly @Mitchell Pearrow, you run into 2 DSL40Cs.
If you place the EQ band in the loop of one of the DSLs, then you could run the 2nd out to the FX return of the 2nd DSL (slave).
That way the volume should scale evenly to both amps by controlling with the master DSL preamp.
Not sure if you have tried this already?

 

[scott-colorado2016]

Does anyone use one in front and in the loop?

Check out an interview with Tom Scholz from Boston about his guitar tone, he explains that the EQ in front lets you shape what frequencies get distorted, and one after lets you shape the resulting driven sound. That heavy mid-pushed sound he got on the first record came from an MXR 6-band EQ in front of a cranked Marshall 100 watt amp. His setup has one of his Rockman EQ units in front of the distortion and one after.

 

[mickeydg5]

I use multiple EQ'ing. In my rack I have a graphics up front and every processor unit afterwards has its own EQ'ing not to mention the Exciter/Imager EQ voicing. I also use cabinet simulators which also provide a sort of EQ'ing not to mention the amplifier's tone and presence controls.
The more the merrier.

 

[Mitchell Pearrow]

If I recall correctly @Mitchell Pearrow, you run into 2 DSL40Cs.
If you place the EQ band in the loop of one of the DSLs, then you could run the 2nd out to the FX return of the 2nd DSL (slave).
That way the volume should scale evenly to both amps by controlling with the master DSL preamp.
Not sure if you have tried this already?

I have not, I typically go to the front of both, then one amp is FX send into the 3210, so I will give that method a try,
Thanks brother for the useful tip.
Zachman had told me the same thing, but my lazy ass has yet to go that direction, lol

 

[matttornado]

i used eq in the loop for volume boost. out front didn’t work too well because of the amp’s limited headroom.

i agree that when the eq is in front of the amp, it shapes the guitar and effects more than the amp’s overall sound.

With it in the loop, you can shape the entire sound of guitar , effects and amp. A lot more dramatic.

 

[tschrama]

Eq in front, or after an overdriven works in a very different way. Understanding that difference is what amp designing is all about. Tom Schultz is a very cool and smart guy.. apparently he understood it... a bit.

 

[JBA]

That’s my question can someone explain to me why putting the EQ through the front or he FX loop makes a difference and what those differences really are?

cheers

I use both.

Think of EQ into amp as a way to simulate different pickups and guitar types (within limits). Look up different pickup frequency responses and start off by eq'ing in the difference (a correction). Then adjust to taste from here.

Think of an EQ in the loop as a way to simulate different amps (also within reason). Look up fender and Marshall tone stack responses and also start off by eq'ing the difference (a correction). Then adjust to taste from here.

You will notice that when running clean pre or loop eq's that they will both have very similar effects on sound.

As you get into heavy distortion things really start to change. A pre EQ will clip relatively sooner in the frequencies you are boosting. This will also cause additional harmonics content above the frequencies you are boosting

Any distortion EQ'ed in the loop will actually only affect the frequencies you are trying to adjust. The only exception to this is when you start getting into output tube distortions.. Then it's a combination of the pre and post Senarios I've just described. Think of the loop EQ as being before another distorted amp (the power tubes).

Sorry, not the best description above but if you try.. let's say a 1k boost in each position with, then without distortion you will start to develop a much better mental model to help you achieve the tone you want. Then try this with separate frequencies as above isolating each one at a time. Having a good grasp of this and an EQ in each position can really help you control your clean to gain tone transition. As long as you have a descent amp this two EQ method can give you almost any amp tone you ever wanted: It is however impractical to EQ "correct" from a closed cab to open cab due to the physics involved. You can somewhat approximate different speakers but you can't get really close without much more processing power. In my experience all this pre and post EQ business has been a well kept secret in the past. Cheers!