Need help with pedal order

[Eric***]

I've decided to re-do my pedalboard, and I'm unsure about the order of a couple of pedals, so I'm looking for input on how all of you would handle this. Right now my tentative plan is this:

Korg pitchblack -> Turbo RAT -> Marshall Jackhammer -> Bad Monkey -> Tech 21 Sansamp GT2 -> Hardwire RV-7 -> DD-6 -> Tech 21 Boost DLA

Specifically, I'm not sure if the reverb should go before or after the delay pedals. I'm guessing before, but I don't know what common convention is. Also, which delay would you put in front of which? I generally use the DD-6 for multi-feedback, crazier, cleaner repeats and the Tech 21 as more of a mild slapback. I don't know, but I'm assuming it makes more sense to put the DD-6 first.

Lastly, I think I have the dirt boxes down fine, but is there ever any logic to that order? The Bad Monkey is strictly a lead boost, and the others are there if I need more gain for something, maybe like a chorus or whatever.

Any and all input would be appreciated!

[duhvoodooman***]

I always run a reverb pedal last--I figure that it's supposed to mimic the sound of your amp output bouncing around the room/hall/church/auditorium/whatever, so it makes sense that it's the final processing applied to the signal.

Re: the dirt box order, I don't think there's really any rule of thumb--it only makes any difference when you "stack" them, so just run whatever order sounds best to your ear.

[Eric***]

I always run a reverb pedal last--I figure that it's supposed to mimic the sound of your amp output bouncing around the room/hall/church/auditorium/whatever, so it makes sense that it's the final processing applied to the signal.

That makes sense. The reverb on an amp is usually post-effects, right? So if you were using it in place of the amp reverb, last would make the most sense.

On a related note, if I end up using both a wah and volume, I suppose it would go volume first, then wah, right? I know it's really whatever I want, but I'm asking about most logical here.

[jpfeifer]

Hi Eric,

With regard to the volume pedal, here is one way that I setup my pedal board that provides a lot of flexibility for me to control overall volume without changing the amount of distortion I'm using:

guitar -> wah / compressor / distortion & overdrive pedals / volume pedal / delays & chorus / reverb

With this setup you can turn up your guitar all the way to get the max amount of sustain with your compressor and overdrive pedals, but then use the volume pedal to bring down the overall volume if you need to. You can also use this setup to do these huge volume swells of all-out distortion if you want to.

Another trick that I like to use with this setup, is to turn on only the compressor and delay (use a slightly higher setting of the mix control on the delay), then use the volume pedal to swell into notes, while using the trem bar on my guitar to shake the notes just slightly. This creates a very close simulation of a steel guitar sound. I do this with the treble pick up on my guitar, and a little chorus also, and it creates a very cool sound for doing country fills behind a vocalist. A lot of times people actually think that we have a steel guitar player in the band when I'm using this sound.

--Jim

[Robert****]

HEY, DVM can you help you with your "pedal order"...

[stingx]

Wah > Compressor > Distortion/OD > EQ > Pitch Effects > Modulation Effects > Echo Effects

If you have a loop, run the delays and mods through that.

[Eric***]

You'll be happy to know that I finished this on Friday and now it's a pretty snazzy looking pedalboard. The final order:

tuner -> jackhammer -> rat -> bad monkey -> sansamp -> boost dla -> DD-6 -> reverb

I'll have to get a picture up eventually. I'm pretty happy; it's the most concise pedalboard I've managed to make to date. Thanks to everyone for their help.

[Eric***]

Here's a picture:

[stingx]

Nice job!