Effects Loop on a JCM 900 question

[chromeboy]

Ok right now I am running my delay pedal through my effects loop. I was wondering, can you piggy back effects like stomp boxes through the loop. also has anyone ever ran a distortion pedal through the loop and if so what did it sound like. I'm trying to get a little more saturation in my distortion but so far people have told me it's best to run distortion pedals through the clean channel. Since I use the distortion I get from my 900 using a distortion pedal just muddies up my sound and is very noisy. I'm just looking for the best way to run my effects. I use a ice nine over drive, a micro phase, a delay pedal, a Dan electro fat cat chorus, Cry baby volume wah, and a Banshee ll talk box.

Anyone have any suggestions?


Using three jcm 900's and three 1960A cabs
Actually only using one head through two cabs and have the rest for back up

 

[thrawn86]

Use your time based effects in the loop (delay, chorus, reverb etc) and put OD's, distortions and Wah pedals in the front. Also, if you don't already, try some more Mid's in there. That tends to fatten up distortion nicely.

 

[Jesstaa]

Channel A with a boost would sound pretty good, like an overdrive.
I used Channel A with super high output pickups, really hot saturated tone.

Oh, and if you boost the effects loop, it'll drive half of V2 (The effects loop driver) So it's almost another gain stage.

 

[fenderbender420]

how it that done? just jump it with a guitar cable and crank the fx send?

 

[LesPaulopolis]

You can, and it sounds "ok". I like fuzz pedals in my loop.

I'd run a MXR EQ in the loop of the 900 (this can tailor your distortion sound really well, you won't need more gain).

OD pedal in front for Ch. A.

I used an OD pedal in my loop as a clean boost w/my 4100 and it worked pretty well.

If you don't like the 'core tone' of the 900 and are trying to change that with a pedal you may be invested in a losing battle. I tried for a long time to nail that 90s grunge meets NWOBHM tone and it just wasn't in there. YMMV.

Keep in mind the 4100 amps were designed to be metalhead amps that would gel with rack gear. Not sure which 900 you have.

Rock on.

 

[jvm210guy]

Try playing in channel B, turn down the gain so that when you play there's just a bit of gain, but still clean. Then when you engage your OD pedal you will get a nicer crunch. Basically your OD pedal will be boosting your output on your guitar.

You should also try not using an OD pedal at all. Just turn up your volume past 12 o'clock, turn your gain up to where you want it, and adjust your volume knob on your guitar when you want to go clean. You'll never get a better tone then what's in your amp already, but you could use your OD pedal to boost your output like I mentioned in the first paragraph.


Btw, putting your od pedal in the loop will sound like booty, but you should put your timed effects in your loop to clean everything up.

 

[Furies]

I put the MXR 10 band in the loop and have compressor, noise gate, and TS9 up front. I have the EQ boosting +6 as well, and it seems to hit the power tubes harder for a little more goodness.

I have to say, after I retubed my 4100 (with Tung-Sols), it sounds wonderfully ferocious now. Couldn't be happier. Even low master volumes with the pre-amp cranked sound great.