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Topic: All analog signal path |
Tommy Boswell
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 4 Feb 2020 6:09 am |
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How many of you avoid non-analog devices in your signal path? Nothing between guitar and amp but a buffer and a pot volume pedal?
I used to play with a multi-effects pedal as the last thing in my signal chain before the amp. I used the pedal mainly for reverb, sometimes a little delay. But in trying to get the best tone I can out of a tube amp I tried removing that unit, using nothing but Black Box and volume pedal straight to amp and using amp reverb as the only effect. Definitely makes a difference in overall tone, an improvement. I'm not going to mention any brands of amps or pedals, just looking for general trends here.
Anyone else doing that? |
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Chris Grigsby
From:
Boulder, CO
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Posted 4 Feb 2020 6:45 am
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Yes, which is why the best effects units have the ability to be run 100% wet so as not to muck up your analog signal.
Best,
Chris
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Mullen Discovery S10, Hilton VP, Kemper Profiler Head and Kabinet. |
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Asa Brosius
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Posted 4 Feb 2020 8:33 am
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I don't think I'd be working much if I avoided reverbs, delays and overdrives- in terms of maintaining your basic tone, there are profoundly better and worse brands of effects pedals that claim to do the same thing- if you notice a difference, it's real- however there's this recurring idea out there of a 'pure steel tone' that seems to be generally described as guitar- vp- amp, and it's often described as 'better'. I've never understood that- the tonal variables in there are already vast (guitar/cables/picks/bar/speaker/eq/technique/pickups/pickup height/strings to name a few). Of course, what works for you works for you.
I do envy players who are happy with a rig with 'less stuff'. |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 4 Feb 2020 10:04 am
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My Lexicon reverb can run fully wet to keep the direct path all-analog, but I use a lot of effect most of the time so it hardly matters.
It is good to know that I can get a really clean classic sound when I need it, although I'm probably the only one who can tell the difference 
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Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Gabriel Edell
From:
Hamilton, Ontario
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Posted 4 Feb 2020 4:45 pm
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I think this used to be a bigger problem than it is now. Older digital FX had 8 or 16 bit A/D converters, which could muck up your sound badly. I think most FX units have at least 24-bit converters nowadays. If you’re using a good quality FX unit, digital or not, it shouldn’t have much of an impact. It’s a different thing altogether if you are running a bunch of FX units in series - then you’ll want a switching/loop system of some sort.
I currently use a Pigtronix digital delay and have no problem running it in the signal path when I’m using an old Fender amp without an FX loop.
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GFI S-10 P U, Moyo Volume, Fender Steel King, Fender 5F4 Super-Amp |
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