Advice on my pedal chain?

L

loop

Veteran XX
Here's my list of equipment used onstage:

Fender American-made '62 reissue Jazzmaster (with a Mustang bridge)
OR
Framus 1964 Golden Strato DeLuxe (my baby)

Pedals:
Rotovibe (rotary / chorus)
Tech 21 XXL (distortion / overdrive)
Nano Clone (chorus, may be switched out for something less sucky)
Line6 Delay

Amp:
Tech 21 Trademark 60 combo.

Furman pedal board.

Right now I run Clone, XXL, Line6 delay, rotovibe. I am thinking that this isn't optimal, however - any suggestions or principles to think about here?

Thanks for everyone's input.
 
The chorus at the beginning of the chain makes sense as it's pretty reliant on the original tone of the guitar. I would possibly switch the rotovibe and the delay, depending on how you use each of them. If you are consistantly fiddling with the rotovibe's level or you set it to a non-subtle level, you might want to switch them so it gets peppered with the delay after the effect so it doesn't get lost in the rotovibe's sweeping sound. Similarly, if you use a more subtle rotovibe and some of the more noticable settings on the delay, you might want to consider switching it out as well.

The setup you have now is good if you use both of them extensively and noticably, as the delay won't get lost if it is pronounced and fiddling with the rotovibe can modulate the sound a bit better.

DISCLAIMER: I'm an effects junkie and my music is pretty heavily reliant on my effects, but my knowledge of chains is completely by trial and error with no research on how it "should" be set up.
 
Meh, it's only 4 pedals, just do what works and sounds best, it would only take a few mins to test different configs. Delay should definately be last though in this chain.
 
Last edited:
AniMisM said:
Meh, it's only 4 pedals, just do what works and sounds best, it would only take a few mins to test different configs. Delay should definately be last though in this chain.
Click to expand...

You would THINK that this is the case.

The problem is that 2 of the effects (the XXL and the rotovibe) have HUGELY variant effects on my sound depending on their settings, and the fact that I adjust the XXL to sound right during songs (I use 3 or 4 different settings all focusing on an interplay between the "warp" and drive functions). I was looking for theory of the placement, in order to maximize the sound QUALITY overall. The Harmony Central link is excellent and will definitely help.

Thanks guys!
 
The normal order of things for most guitarists is guitar->distortion/OD->chorus/flange/phase->delay.

If your amp has an effects loop (haw haw), I would run your guitar direct into your distortion units, then the amp, and then put your choruses and delay in the effects loop. That will make for the least amount of impact on your tone.

You like that Tech21 stuff, huh? I have a SansAmpGT2 that is sitting here next to me collecting dust. Interested?
 
old_skul said:
The normal order of things for most guitarists is guitar->distortion/OD->chorus/flange/phase->delay.

If your amp has an effects loop (haw haw), I would run your guitar direct into your distortion units, then the amp, and then put your choruses and delay in the effects loop. That will make for the least amount of impact on your tone.

You like that Tech21 stuff, huh? I have a SansAmpGT2 that is sitting here next to me collecting dust. Interested?
Click to expand...
I'd be interested. Lemme know what you want for it.
 
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