Where are the Loops in the Signal chain and what should I put in them?

There's 2 parts to this question so skip to the "exciting" part once the first's been answered....

Ok, so I have my Herbie and my G-major, and the g-major is in the parallel loop (with killdry on). I also have my fuzz pedal in the switchable loop. But what order to they come in? Is it:

Input - Preamp - Switchable loop - Serial loop - Parallel loop - Power amp

Or is the switchable loop before the preamp?

Input - Switchable loop - Preamp - Serial loop - Parallel loop - Power amp

I *thought* the loop was pre-preamp (like the VH4 inserts), but I thought it said in the manual you could put a preamp in the switchable loop instead (in which case it'd have to be post, or the signal would go through 2 preamps unless I mis-understood it)?

Any clues?

Also what order are the serial and parallel loops? Is it one first, then the other 2nd, or is the parallel loop in parallel with the serial loop?

Basically I want to put my fuzz and any other stomp boxes I may need to switch on via MIDI for a certain patch in the switchable loop. I can then turn on the right combination of them pre-song, then when I hit my MIDI patch for "whatever channel + loop" I get FX on that MIDI patch. Marvellous!

Then I want to have my G-major always in the parallel loop for any delay or reverb I want. I did have it in the serial loop but I thought it didn't sound as nice. Might just be a levels thing, but I'm sure it sounded better parallel.

What happens if I put something (e.g. like a true bypass phaser or another digital FX) in the serial loop too. Does this come before, after, or parallel with the reverb and delay in the parallel loop?

(BTW: my wah always comes before the input so I can instantly stick it on anything I feel like regardless of patch. I'd put other stomps in the switchable as I'd like to e.g. be able to change from a diezel crunch to a clean patch with analogue chorus on, etc.)

On which topic... Now I have an amp, guitar and FX unit I'm happy with (but cannot yet justify a diezel cab!), and have a MIDI switchable loop, I'm thinking of buying more interesting stomp boxes.

What do you guys use with your diezel and what sounds great? Do you use any fuzzes? Or boosters? overdrives? I've always been a rack preamp and digital FX kinda guy so have never messed with pedals as a way to overdrive/add to the tone on a tube amp input. I heard Mesa Triaxis' didn't do too well with boosters so never really tried. What about the diezel? Obviously it has enough gain but it's more about expanding the tonal palette.

What about chorus/flange/phase/delay/etc? I was thinking about getting a nice chorus like an analogman or Dr. Scientist one. Maybe an analogue or analogue sounding delay. Any idea how much difference this'll make compared to my G-major one? I never really got on too well with the G-major FX. Since it's now in a parallel loop it doesn't seem to do chorus or phase properly now anyway. (If you've have had any luck making it work parallel let me know! Should I set it to parallel, semi-parallel or serial in the G-maj settings). So I want some nice jangly whizzy analogue toys for my loop! I got a new amp with real analogue knobs, now I want FX with real analogue knobs!

Cheers for any info!

(BTW: If you're a digital FX kinda guy, don't start looking too hard at stomp boxes or it opens a whole new world of G.A.S.!!!)

Time-based effects (delay, flanger, etc...) go in the parallel loop. Others (distortion, volume...) go in the serial loop. The order is however it sounds good to you.

So is the serial definitely before the parallel in a herbert then for that reason, or are you just agreeing that's the most sensible order? Most time based FX stompboxes (e.g. phaser) don't go 100% wet though do they, so surely that would have to go in the serial too? Surely it's not that simple (hence why I wanted to know where the loops are in it's schematic and I'll work out what's best where depending on the particular effect)

Anyone know where the switchable loop is (pre/post)?

I've sussed out for the switchable loop it must be post preamp or that 3rd master volume trick in the manual wouldn't work - you'd get clean every time! And it must be before the other "fixed" loops or it wouldn't work. However, if you can still use the normal non-switched serial loop it would have to be:

Switched loop
parallel loop
serial loop

otherwise the "3rd switchable volume" trick in the manual would mean that the serial loop would end up 70-80% serial and the % of gain boost un effected!

I don't get it... I think I need a definitive answer from someone who actually knows as fact!

Peter? Where art thou master?

I dont get what you're asking in this post at all.
ANY FX LOOP whether it's series or Parallel is gonna insert the FX AFTER the Preamp. That's what they do