New Delay Ideas and Loop Question

[JDOD]

Right, I've basically decided that I'm not happy with my delay and I think its time I worked out how to use an effects loop on an amp!

First thing - Can someone recommend a good delay? - I've been looking at the TC delay and looper. As many of you know, I commute with my rig (sometimes staying in hotel rooms) so a looper would be quite handy. Anyone got any experience with this? I don't mind spending over 100 quid on a good delay but want to limit it to 150 quid. My current delay was bought in a hurry 'cos I needed one quickly for rehersals, its fine in a band context but I don't want to record with it, it sounds quite metallic and fishtanky, almost like it introduces a slight flange. I don't want to end up with a shite delay just 'cos its got a looper lumped in with it.

Next - I was gonna start using my delay and phaser in the loop - I've never bothered with a the loop before. Do I just need another pair of cables coming out of the back of the amp to connect up to my board? Or is there something clever that people do to avoid having 4 cables (including the channel selector) stretching across the room from the amp to the board?

If I went for for the TC delay and looper - is there a problem sticking a looper in the loop?

Moving the delay and phaser to the back row of my pedal board frees up some space too so I'll have some space for an extra front pedal - TubeScreamer maybe?

 

[Greg_L]

It depends on the loop. A series loop can take pretty much any time based effect in there no problem. A parallel loop is good for certain things, but you can get phase problems with some stompbox effects. A phaser might be good in the loop if it's full-wet in series. Any blending of the wet/dry signal could get messy with stuff like flangers and phasers. A looper is fine in the effects loop.

And yes, you need two more cables long enough to go from amp to pedalboard.

The TC Flashback is a great delay with a looper built in. I'm not sure how many loops you can do at once though or if the delay still works as it's looping. The Flashback can be true bypass or buffered, but you'd probably want it buffered.

 

[JDOD]

It depends on the loop. A series loop can take pretty much any time based effect in there no problem. A parallel loop is good for certain things, but you can get phase problems with some stompbox effects. A phaser might be good in the loop if it's full-wet in series. Any blending of the wet/dry signal could get messy with stuff like flangers and phasers. A looper is fine in the effects loop.

Pretty sure the Blackstar is a series loop. Probably won't be changing amp until after Christmas now (i've got a shit load going on between now and Christmas)

And yes, you need two more cables long enough to go from amp to pedalboard.

I thought that was the case, I couldn't see any other possibilities - I just also thought that maybe someone had come up with something clever that I didn't know about.

The TC Flashback is a great delay with a looper built in. I'm not sure how many loops you can do at once though or if the delay still works as it's looping. The Flashback can be true bypass or buffered, but you'd probably want it buffered.

Cool, I'll probably look out for that over the next few weeks then. I don't mind whether the delay works when looping - its just something to mess with when I'm away and don't have all my gear set up.

Will be nice to have a back-row and front-row to my board and finally to have a reason to get rid of the "Fab Flange" fishtank effect for good!

 

[Greg_L]

I thought that was the case, I couldn't see any other possibilities - I just also thought that maybe someone had come up with something clever that I didn't know about.

There are ways around it. None of them are anything you'd wanna get into for a small apartment rig. I made a 4-cable snake. Board to front of amp, effects loop send and return, and one of the cables operates the JVM's footswitch when necessary. It's really advanced - 4 30 ft cables duct taped together in one foot intervals.

Will be nice to have a back-row and front-row to my board and finally to have a reason to get rid of the "Fab Flange" fishtank effect for good!

Yeah front and back row is nice. Mine is like that. I like it that way.

 

[JDOD]

There are ways around it. None of them are anything you'd wanna get into for a small apartment rig. I made a 4-cable snake. Board to front of amp, effects loop send and return, and one of the cables operates the JVM's footswitch when necessary. It's really advanced - 4 30 ft cables duct taped together in one foot intervals.


Yeah front and back row is nice. Mine is like that. I like it that way.

Ah, fuck that I'll never use it.

I just want my front row to be my Wah into my drive pedals and chorus (and channel select) and my back-row to be my delay, phaser and maybe a nice reverb.

I'm gonna try and dial in some good tones (as in shit I'd want to keep) from my Peavey this week, if I can I'll get another 57 and mic stand for the weekday apartment. Then I'll only need to move my board and guitar and not have to worry about shifting amps about every Monday and Thursday.

 

[pikingrin]

+1 for the TC flashback.

Another suggestion, if you don't need super long delay times (aka digital) (or a looper) then you may want to check out the MXR carbon copy as well. Similar price points (MXR is around $20 cheaper brand new over here) but the analog, IMO, sounds better for most applications. YMMV, worth a look though.

No experience with loopers outside of in the DAW.

 

[ecc83]

Can confirm that all Blackstar amps that HAVE an FX loop have a series type.
I am also pretty sure that all said loops are +4dBu/-10dBV switchable. Then, again AFAIK all loop equipped amps also have an emulated output (on an XLR M on the Series Ones which I personally consider a mistake? Gitists use JACKS!) .

Dave.

 

[liv_rong]

I have some nice gear and some cheap gear and for delay/looping needs Im running cheap stuff. I have a Joyo Digital Delay as my main delay pedal and I like it. I also have a Nux Time Force that is great for looping. It is a delay pedal by nature but has a built in looper that comes in handy. I use it for just fucking around, not recording because it has a really low level hum too it which is a real bitch. But what I like about it is that when you are using the looping fucntion it has a little meter that shows you how much time you have left, which comes in handy. Also after the loop is recorded you can keep stacking other loops on top of it indefinitely, though that would sound like shit. What sucks about it(besides that hum) is say you are using the looper and you choose a delay for it you are now stuck with that parameter for the duration of that loop(s) until you start over. So that's kinda shit.