Can we talk about loop vs. no-loop again?

I'm transforming in a major way, going from humbucker to single coils and now interested in all pedals up front.
And lightly overdriven amp with an OD pedal on all the time. ("Cleans" I find now are fine enough for me using the guitar's volume knob.)

I've read several threads about Loop-No loop,
but just want to see if anyone's bored enough
to have a look here.
I got me a Voodoo Pedal Power 2 so FX upfront don't scare me anymore.
I used to have 11 pedals some in front, some in loop, will now trim down to 8...
I'm eliminating: Phaser, EQ, and tuner, using a battery only (not in-line) ...I'll just turn down and plug into the tuner every once in awhile I don't mind.

So what I have left is:
-Guyatone auto-wah WR3
-Digi Bad Monkey (on all the time)
-Dano French toast octave fuzz
-Boss CE-5 (on all the time, very lightly set)
-Guyatone flanger
-Boss DD-3 for short delays
-Ibanez DE-7 for long/echo
-Digi Digiverb

THis is also the order I'm planning.
Single coils sound so good to me now, esp. since I finally tried the OD pedal route.
What do you think of this lineup and can you tell me how you place your stuff if its all upfront?

I just have to ask...

Are you using (or planning on using) this setup LIVE?

Dump all of the effects. Forget about loops or not.

Delays and Reverbs I understand (to a limit), but ODs and Compression you can forego by using the right amp ("natural" compression and amps on the "verge" of breaking up, with the guitar's volume as the "chanel switch" sounds like what you're aiming for).

Loops are usually for Delays... but that even depends on the kind of music (the old tape delay sound is sought after big time NOW and that was before the days of effects loops, when the "after notes" were "painted" by old dirty tapes and NO effects loops).

I always go overkill myself, then am struck by the sound of the KISS approach in the end.

KISS = Keep It Simple Stupid.

--

As always, boil everything down. Get into the "whys".

The loop just keeps effects from getting "crunched" by the preamp... an apparent necessity in this day and age of high gain, Master Volume, Gain knob driven pre-amps.

If you use a lot of preamp (or OD pedal) gain, I'd say, keep using your Effects Loop. Otherwise, forget about it and simplify even more in the area of effects.

--

Is this for a "pro" (music is your way of earning a living) or "fun" type of setup?

JohnnyCrash has it right, and the longer I play, the more I realize it. (That the KISS theory is dead-on.) The thing that FINALLY made me see the light is buying an attenuator. Once I was able to crank my amp up to get it cooking at HOME, where I play most of the time, I realized that a volume knob on the guitar is all you need. Well, maybe that & a delay/slapback. I do have a couple of OD pedals still, but I only use one of them, and only for solos really. And the slapback is a must when playing my hollowbody ala Brian Setzer. FWIW, I have my echo direct into the amp, not thru the loop (that's how Brian does it with his Roland 301 as well.)

But I digress... if you really want to see what this "amp on the verge of breakup/natural compression/lose all the pedals" thing is all about, get yourself an attenuator, and crank that amp up into it's sweet spot. You'll never look back.

JohnnyCrash has it right, and the longer I play, the more I realize it. (That the KISS theory is dead-on.) The thing that FINALLY made me see the light is buying an attenuator. Once I was able to crank my amp up to get it cooking at HOME, where I play most of the time, I realized that a volume knob on the guitar is all you need. Well, maybe that & a delay/slapback. I do have a couple of OD pedals still, but I only use one of them, and only for solos really. And the slapback is a must when playing my hollowbody ala Brian Setzer. FWIW, I have my echo direct into the amp, not thru the loop (that's how Brian does it with his Roland 301 as well.)

But I digress... if you really want to see what this "amp on the verge of breakup/natural compression/lose all the pedals" thing is all about, get yourself an attenuator, and crank that amp up into it's sweet spot. You'll never look back.
I still maintain that this approach works well for some people but not for all. In the band I play in, I need to get everything from high-headroom, pristine clean to high gain sounds. There is just no way to do that without running a clean amp and using pedals.

THANKs guys-

Yes this is for live only, and honestly I have no loud Me-Time to test this stuff out. So I ask alot of questions while I dream of cranking it up ! This weekend will be the time to do it.
The amp, a Rivera R55 (converted to a head) , into a 2x12 with a V30 and a G12h30. The pickups, Fender Texas Specials in a Fender Strat.
Indeed the OD may not be necessary. A few months ago I finally tried high Master, low channel volume approach and was satisfied with the girth and sustain I got. My band is sort of a a cross between YES-Green Day-The Police-Norah Jones. For 24 years I have pretty much VanHalenized everthing I play tonewise, until this band.

I do love playing with odd sounds though... =maybe= I'd get rid of one of the delays. The OD pedal like I said may not be necessary. And after =never= using amp Reverb in all my years, I started using it recently. Maybe can pitch the Chorus pedal I don't know. But I like having it all at my disposal ! I'd say I use the Flanger on only one song -but in a prominent way and the song wouldn't be the same without it. The Delays I'm always going on and off with. Maybe 30% of the time in any given song I put it on. I'm using the reverb Pedal only occasionally, for a big unreal type of sound...again in this case the song wouldn't be the same without it.

I tried all pedals upfront before, with alot of noise problems and headache...but there were things I liked about it, particularly the gnarly ratty sound of the delays and the flanger... so now since I have the primo power source I'll do better. PLUS, back then I was high on the preamp gain, lower on the Master. Its true, the first time I cranked that master and cut the preamp I was shocked and very pleased.

I still maintain that this approach works well for some people but not for all. In the band I play in, I need to get everything from high-headroom, pristine clean to high gain sounds. There is just no way to do that without running a clean amp and using pedals.


Yeah. As far as effects loops though... like I was saying:

Generally speaking if you like the preamp/OD type of drive, you may want to stick to the effects loop to avoid having your delays "crunched"....

If you're a "natural" compression/OD (non-MV) type of guy those amps generally don't have loops, and chances are you'd like what the "front" (preamp section) of an amp will do to delays, etc.

WITH EITHER SETUP, I tried to give a basic idea of what the Preamp does and how an Effects Loop avoids that... that way, whichever setup you prefer, you know where to start.

By the way alanfc, it sounds like you are one of those "tinkerers", like The Edge from U2... he's got so much gear (with multiple amp setups) it's insane, but FOR HIM, that's what he needs/likes.

OK thanks. I'm going for some simplicity but I like having all the possibilities there at my feet for some odd sounds too.. I'll see how this lineup works at practice tonight. I've also dropped out the French Toast octave fuzz since what I really want is an octave UP.
My reverb pedal is suspect too . The Rivera has nice tube driven reverb but I don't want it on all the time. We'll see tonight.