What pedals in front of a 2204?

  • Thread starter Thread starter nevusofota
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nevusofota

nevusofota

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Like most, I feel that certain effects sound better in the loop instead of in front of a distorted amp (i.e. delay, reverb). This is my first amp that doesn't have an fx loop.

I've heard people say recently that some delays and reverbs sound much better in front than others. What are some of these pedals? I am putting together a board for my 1984 vertical input bone stock 2204 and need to narrow down my choices. I want to keep the amp original so modding it with a loop is not an option.

I'm looking primarily for delay, reverb, and chorus.

Thanks in advance for narrowing my search.
 
The only thing that sounds good in front of my Ceriatone 2204 is OD pedals and my MXR Phase 45. Fortunately, I have a loop......so my delay and chorus (rarely used) go there. However, I have heard that the MXR Carbon Copy works well out front.
 
I've never liked those effects out in front so can't help there but have you thought of running wet/dry? Put a load or attenuator box between the amp and speaker so you can get a line out and then run that into your effects to another amp/speaker.
 
mjtripper":l01f0rs2 said:
I've never liked those effects out in front so can't help there but have you thought of running wet/dry? Put a load or attenuator box between the amp and speaker so you can get a line out and then run that into your effects to another amp/speaker.
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Haven't thought of that because I want to keep the setup as simple as possible. Ill keep that in mind though. Thanks for the response.
 
EyesOfTheSouth":td0uv58v said:
The only thing that sounds good in front of my Ceriatone 2204 is OD pedals and my MXR Phase 45. Fortunately, I have a loop......so my delay and chorus (rarely used) go there. However, I have heard that the MXR Carbon Copy works well out front.
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Thanks. I think I've heard that about the CC also. Will definitely give that one a try.
 
have had good luck with TC Nova Delay in front. has lots of options and sounds very transparent.
 
Just posted about this a few days ago... essentially nothing will sound good in front. Maybe the CC will be acceptable but it isn't going to sound as good as a loop or adding it in a wet/dry setup. I also didn't feel like doing a wet dry but still playing with the idea. It is either a 90$ loop or spend more on another 1x12 and have a combo + extention running the wet. If you are worried about a small footprint, here is an idea for ya:

amp-something like a hotplate-take one end back to your board and into reverb/delay-then into EH 44 magnum- out to left side of a stereo 2 x 12. The speaker out from your amp can go to the hotplate and straight through to the right speaker. Here however you have the coloration on your wet side from the solid state power amp.

OR - you mic your amp, send to a small effects unit, out a DI and back to the front of the house board.
 
CC sounds pretty good in front of my VHT, which has no loop, but not as good as it did in the loop on my mesa. My other delays sound like ass in front. However, the dif between how the CC sounded in front of the Mesa vs in the loop was night and day. Really bright and almost unusable overlapping sheets of sound in front, really warm and toneful and easy to control in the loop. I know its not a 2204, but, well, you get the idea.

Would like to try the mic to house myself, except i generally play DIY venues with awful PA's that cant hang with my rig unless its just vocals to the PA. YMMV

Cheers
 
Carbon copy and most anologue delays sound better. It will be a different type of delay though. It will give a good doubling sound but will not be prestine.
 
colimofsmoke":15iab8pd said:
CC sounds pretty good in front of my VHT, which has no loop, but not as good as it did in the loop on my mesa. My other delays sound like ass in front. However, the dif between how the CC sounded in front of the Mesa vs in the loop was night and day. Really bright and almost unusable overlapping sheets of sound in front, really warm and toneful and easy to control in the loop. I know its not a 2204, but, well, you get the idea.

Cheers
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That's about the same results i get running my CC in front of my Soldano HR100+ amp which is close to a hot rodded 2203 in tones.
The Delay in the loop always sounds better to me unless your going after that late 70's early 80's dirty RNR delay sounds on purpose.
 
Zakk seems to be able to get some ok chorus tones with the Boss Chorus Ensemble out front. Anyone try this?
 
Chorus is a whole diff ball game. I'd prefer to play with chorus out front than in the loop. He doesn't set it for too much "warble" so it is just a nice solid thickening of the tone. Very diff from a delay in my opinion.
 
The 2204 considered the predecessor to the 2205 is used by Schenker. He has been running a BOSS Super Chorus, BOSS Chorus Ensemble, and 2 BOSS DD-3's in front for years. Worth giving it a try. FTR, in general, I am not a fan of BOSS pedals. There are a couple other digital delays out there that can do the job too. I feel your frustration. Good luck.
 
turn the gain down on your Marshall like 1 oclock or so. Just a bit of crunch. Run a dirt box before your delay on your board, Wampler Sovereign is my new fave, just got one 2 days ago. Delays are passable this way, kick off the dirt and roll down your vol for a useable clean. Some ppl arent into dirt boxes and thats cool but I say whatever gets you through the night.
 
turn the gain down on your Marshall like 1 oclock or so. Just a bit of crunch. Run a dirt box before your delay on your board, Wampler Sovereign is my new fave, just got one 2 days ago. Delays are passable this way, kick off the dirt and roll down your vol for a useable clean. Some ppl arent into dirt boxes and thats cool but I say whatever gets you through the night.
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This was another idea I had too... this way it would work. You better like your dirt box too. As for Shenker, he has indeed been running this way for years but i often questioned the DD-3 being out front. Seems to me the gain that he plays on that 2205, it would have to sound a hell of a lot worse. I wonder if he split the signal through the chorus and ran into the delay and into a second amp set to just light crunch so the repeats wouldn't be as ugly. Sounds too good live.
 
Tried a Hardwire reverb last night and it sounded pretty good. Better than the RV-5.
 
I would think delay in front of a distorted amp would be ok if you like that sound but reverb? Yikes.
 
If it is any help at all, I once posted on a Lynch thread in which Friedman was showing George's board he had done up. I asked if Lynch was running his delay into the front of the amp and the answer from Dave was YES. This doesn't mean that he is not running int into a crunching up amp as part of a stereo image but apparently he MIGHT have been running it into his friedmans. Anyway, he was using a strymon. That might be your best option if you are set on it.
 
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