Quick pedal signal chain ordering question

[Clarky]

Hi all I am setting up a mini pedal board with 4 pedals for upcoming blues/rock gigs:

 

Broughton SV Preamp

TC Spectracomp compressor

TC Mojomojo overdrive

Korg Pitchblack tuner

 

Which order would you recommend these in the signal chain? Especially thinking of compressor (first?) and the overdrive (I want to set the SVP as core tone and use Mojomojo if I need to drive harder during songs).

 

Thanks and sorry for numptiness

Edited January 4, 2022 by Clarky

[Thunderbird]

Tuner /preamp /compression /drive 😊 but obviously the comp and preamp can be swapped over depending on how the pedals play with each other and sound

Edited January 4, 2022 by Thunderbird

[Doddy]

I'd go tuner>preamp>comp>od.

But move everything around and see how the pedals react to each other. Try putting the compressor in front of the preamp and after the drive, and go with what you think sounds the best.

[Clarky]

Thanks chaps, reassuring that you both have same recommendation too. Much appreciated! Cheers Clarky

[Happy Jack]

Well someone needs to disagree, and that would be me. 😂

 

I use a compressor to tame my famously agricultural playing style (a trait that I can't imagine @Thunderbird or @Doddy suffer from) so I run

 

Tuner --> Compressor --> Drive

 

If I had a preamp on my board (which I don't) I imagine that I'd put it before the Drive.

 

[garyt]

The only real answer to this is swap them around until you find what you like.  

Even then, there’s nothing wrong with changing it up every so often.  
If you are DI’ing from your preamp, I’d be tempted to go:

tuner

comp

OD

preamp

Edited January 4, 2022 by garyt

[PaulThePlug]

Tuner (Mute) > Compressor (Regulate) > Pre (EQ and Shape) > Overdrive (Extra Push)... i would imagine would be the normal.

 

But try the Compressor after the Drive can give a different 'cut' to the notes...

Similarly Drive in front of a Pre can push a change in dynamic and tone texture... but these may be more a one-off type use thing.

 

Same as placing a delay, often at the end, repeats are the same... Delay before say Modulation, Chorus, Phaser or Flanger... means the repeats 'move'...

 

EDIT: Good point on the above in regard to DI... and / or an amp.

Edited January 4, 2022 by PaulThePlug

[attackbass]

I would personally go..

 

Tuner > compressor > drive > preamp 

 

My thinking is... The preamp is kinda like the "amp" sound (in this case the SVT). So then you can have the drive Infront of the "amp" slightly hitting it a little bit more so you get a little extra breakup from the SVP. 

 

Then personally I just find having the compression before the drive gives a more controlled tone and you can then give the drive a little extra slight bump too.

 

That's just me and the way it's worked for me for years. I actually have the SVP and did some remote session stuff over the lockdown and had the billy Sheehan deluxe running Into the SVP into the darkglaas element cab SIM and it sounds glorious!! 😬

 

 

 

 

 

[Gareth Hughes]

I’ll be the odd one out and stick the tuner at the end, so COMP > DRIVE > PRE > TUNER.

 

The tuner as a mute at the end is like a comfort blanket for me. Doesn’t feel that way if it’s at the start. I do know there is zero logic in that.

[ped]

Just to complicate things, it also depends hugely on how you’re using your compressor. For peak limiting I always have mine right at the end

[Clarky]

I am playing blues/rock so the compressor is purely to keep things tidy, not to tame peaks for slapping etc.