redbandit599 Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 (edited) Hi all For the first time I'm attempting to join up all the various stomp boxes I've accumulated. These are Boss BF2 Flanger, Trace Elliott SMX Dual Compressor, Sansamp Programmable, Digitech Multi Voice Chorus and the most recent e-bay purchase, a Digitech Bass Synth Wah. It's the synth wah that is causing me to question my sanity. It's a great funky pedal and it works fine in isolation but as soon as I connect it to the other effects pedals it seems somehow to stop them working. All the pedals work in isolation and they also work when the Synth Wah is turned on. But with the Synth Wah off (and this is where it gets really confusing) either before or after other active effects, all I get is a straight dry signal. I've swapped order, leads, ditched power leads and put batteries in everything but I'm stumped. Like I say I've been playing for ages (not that it shows...) but never used effects other than in isolation before. Have I done something daft? Any ideas gratefully received. Cheers Jason Edited April 24, 2012 by redbandit599 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pantherairsoft Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 So your saying signal can always he heard but when the way is bypassed other effects can not be heard (just the clean tone running through them?). 1stly make sure you are using the Out 1 (Dry) from the Bass Synth Wah. If you are then can you write your signal chain out for us (order of pedals). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbandit599 Posted April 24, 2012 Author Share Posted April 24, 2012 Brilliant thanks! This has sorted it, I thought I'd tried every permutation but obviously not this. The labelling threw me, Output 1 is labelled 'dry' and Output 2 'effect', to my mind that made me think that (as I'm not getting into any fancy loops or two amp set-ups)I'd need the 'effect' channel. Obviously, I don't know what I'm talking about! Thanks for putting me straight, though I still can't work out how it managed to nullify effects before it in the chain. Weird. Just out of interest I'm currently planning an order of synth wah - chorus - flange - sansamp - compressor. I read that the Synth Wah works best with as clean as signal as possible (and I'll mostly be using it's octave feature.) The jury is out on if I need/want the compressor and Sansamp currently. I think I might end up trading the Sansamp for a decent straight overdrive pedal. Thanks once again for your quick help, I owe you a beer! Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Nice one Shep! Is there anything you don't know about effects? Jason, I love my Sansamp but I mostly use it for low gain settings and a bit of tone shaping... I find it gets a bit noisy at more extreme levels! I have a second drive pedal and a fuzz after it when I want some real filth You may also want to try putting drive pedals before the chorus/flange, most people prefer how they work that way and you might too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pantherairsoft Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 Glad that helped. Tip 1 - read the manual The words are for a dual channel set up (dry/effect) and the labelling numbers are there to tell you which is priority in a mono set up. TBH I'm unsure how it managed to 'bypass' pedals before it, but I'm insane enough without spending too much time trying to figure that one out!!! I agree with the comment above. Personally I run dirt before modulation as the dirt adds new upper harmonics which the chorus and flange effects will then be applied too (makes them cut through better!). That said, if you've read any of my blog posts you'll see that I'm a big advocate of 'trying everything'! If it sounds right to you then that's right!! The synth Wah is likely best early in the chain, though worth noting that 90% of effects will say they work best first receiving a clean signal so don't take it as written. Octave effects tend to sound a little odd after dirt (IMO) though so maybe leave it where it is. Glad we sorted the issue! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbandit599 Posted April 25, 2012 Author Share Posted April 25, 2012 Thanks both for the tips, the order isn't set by any means as yet and I will certainly try out your recommendations. At the moment I'm still going through the 'what happens if I turn them all on at once stage!?', once I've had enough of making Dr Who sound effects I'll probably settle down and work out some actually usable tones. Agree about the Sansamp, low gain sounds best to me, so might just end up using it for a little grit, and the other channels for a volume boost and something with extra top end. Who knows, still it'll keep me fiddling for a while. Time for another coat of paint and a few holes to be drilled into my scrap wood pedal board. Fun these effetcs, going to terrify my guitarists though.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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