Would you put an effects loop in a vintage amp?

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EXPcustom

EXPcustom

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Let's say you have a stock or lightly modded original 67-69 Marshall amp.

Let's also say you use a lot of time based effects. Would you mod or put an effects loop into the amp or would you run the effects another way and how?

Also music wise it would be Deftones type stuff where there are moments of high gain but also a lot of shimmering cleans with delays, think shoegaze.
 
No, just get an Attenuator that has a loop. You don't have to use the Attenuator portion of it.
 
4406cuda":104tvj0k said:
No, just get an Attenuator that has a loop. You don't have to use the Attenuator portion of it.
Click to expand...
Good advice. Problem is, they ALL alter the tone/feel of the amp.
 
If you play live, I'd probably run a Fryette Power Station. Otherwise, a simple wet/dry rig works: get a line out box, put your delay after that line out, and then run the delay into a powered cab (like maybe the Tech 21 Power Engine). You don't need much juice/power/cabinet for the wet signal.
 
LP Freak":1xktrt62 said:
4406cuda":1xktrt62 said:
No, just get an Attenuator that has a loop. You don't have to use the Attenuator portion of it.
Click to expand...
Good advice. Problem is, they ALL alter the tone/feel of the amp.
Click to expand...
Not as much as a PPIMV :D
:lol: :LOL:

Terrible thing to do to your vintage amp. This one is the best loop I have heard. On the real the holes were already there so I redid it with a little help from an expert. It's quiet and sounds excellent.
 
I put a loop in a '83 JCM 800 4010 combo. I debated a while, but decided it was more important for the amp to work for me the way I wanted it to then sit and not be used. It was original and not modded at all when I got it. I'm not really concerned with resale or originality on it as I plan to keep it and use it. I don't see myself letting it go as long as I can still play guitar.

A 67-69 Marshall...I'd probably debate that a lot more. If it was clean and original, probably not. Beat and modded? I'd put the loop in.
 
"lightly modded" I guess for me this is the kicker. If it's a bone-stock late 60's vintage (and you're trying to preserve its original condition), I'm not touching it. If it's already had the cherry popped with some kind of minor mods, I'd drop a loop in it and if you didn't like, return it to previous specs. I love a loop for delays and time-based stuff, hard for me to run an amp without one now. I guess it's just what you get used to.

Loop or attenuator - both are going to change the tone to some degree. How many folks in the audience will know the difference? ZERO.
 
Yes, but only if it's done very well. I have a 1971 Super Lead that Dave Friedman did some work to, and part of it was installing a loop.

I'm also going to have a Metro loop installed in my '78 2204.
 
If not it's modded beyond the possibility of it being returned to stock, I wouldn't do it. If it's a Fortin thing with ten holes drilled running 4 different types of power tubes, yeah throw a loop in.

Otherwise, like others have mentioned, I'd go with an attenuator like Fryette PSII. Or maybe one of the Aracom units (don't recall if they have FX loops though). If it's a vintage amp, I assume you'll want volume control as well anyway.
 
My '79 2203 was already drilled for one, but it was removed when I got it. No issue to redo it now, but my tech just made a resonance control and put the pot in one of those holes. He put a loop in my 1959SLP RI and it was the best loop I've ever heard. I wouldn't do it to a totally unmolested vintage amp. But then most old amps have been hacked to some degree, even if later restored to original circuitry.
 
Yes, provided it has 4 stock outputs. This is what is great about the metro loops. They fit perfectly in 2 Marshall outputs. Then you just tap off a resistor to get power and only lift a few wires on the pots. Can be put back to stock with no evidence of any mod.
 
I wouldn't do it if you like the tone as-is. Will definitely change it IMO.
 
Most of the distortion from that amp comes from the poweramp. Adding a effects loop is not going to really improve the sound. Most of the amps I use are NMV or NMV based for decades.

What I have done with my NMV based amps is use a THD Hot Plate. Take the line out from the HP to make a Wet / Dry rig. The HP does not color the sound in bypass.

You could use pretty much anything that adds a line out.

I've used the Fryette Power Station. The loop on it is excellent. This is basically a Load / Reamp rig.

No way I would add a effects loop to the amp if it is fairly original. If the amp has already been heavily modified anything goes.
 
I'd just do a line out box to effects and separate amp and cab for them.

Steve
 
glip22":13ksm549 said:
LP Freak":13ksm549 said:
4406cuda":13ksm549 said:
No, just get an Attenuator that has a loop. You don't have to use the Attenuator portion of it.
Click to expand...
Good advice. Problem is, they ALL alter the tone/feel of the amp.
Click to expand...
Not as much as a PPIMV :D
Click to expand...

I’d have to disagree with that. A line out will preserve the tone best though
 
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