Delay into distortion, or the reverse?

[Thoughtfree]

Some time ago, Pete Thorn posted a video suggesting that positioning your delay/echo pedal before your distortion/OD pedal gives you a more authentic Ed Van Halen tone. 1970s rock guitarists' tape echo outputs were typically plugged directly into their overdriven amps' inputs; the delays got distorted too. Early Joe Walsh recordings also come to mind.

I've got delay and distortion boxes on a board I'm configuring. Trying it both ways - I am 50-50 about it. What order do you prefer? Thanks.

 

[Dismalhead]

I've always put my coloration effects after distortion. Not saying it's the right way, but I haven't messed with that general philosophy since the early '90s.

 

[DougM]

I like the sound of delayed distortion, not distorted delay. But, the Echoplex was itself a distortion generator, and added it's own coloration to the delay. It wasn't clean like today's digital delays.

 

[Chiogtr4x]

I'm an old ( my age) ' old R&R', old Country, and blues player as opposed to a real rock ( hard rock or metal) guitarist.

so my use of delay ( maybe with an occasional Jimi Hendrix deviation) is always related to Country or rockabilly playing- but I think I get a great, what I'd call ' exaggerated slapback' delay

I only use a few effects, so my OD is first, then either a ' fake Leslie,' or a Tremolo, and a Boss DD-3 delay LAST going into a Fender combo amp w/ Reverb. No effects
loop.
* loosely ( if anyone cares):

-I set Delay for definitely a longer delay time than your typical recommended/short, slapback setting ( I don't know the delay ms time, just use my ear) so you definitely hear a ' 2nd note' when engaging

- I set wet/dry MIX at just under NOON which means delayed note is just about as loud as dry note ( which already has amp Reverb on it)

- Repeats are set to fade after 2-3 repeats

So this is definitely a BIG delay effect used sparingly, but I think it sounds great- very ' effective!'

Edit: forgot to mention I always have OD ON ( just control clean/dirty from guitar) so that includes when using delay

 

[tubelectron]

Delay into distortion, or the reverse?

The reverse, indeed.

But it's me, OK ?

-tbln

 

[Bluego1]

I’ve got a delay in my effects loop, so after. But I also have one before my ODs (yes, because of evh), so before.

 

[Nick Fanis]

The reverse of course .

 

[Bluego1]

I’ve got a delay in my effects loop, so after. But I also have one before my ODs (yes, because of evh), so before.

Which distortion? Glad you asked. Best I’ve found for evh (short of shelling out two bills for his pedal) is the Donner Morpher in Classic mode (Suhr Riot clone).

 

[Si G X]

My set up is overdrive into echo but the effect is echo into overdrive, because the OD pedal is what overdrives the amp. I guess in reality it's in the middle of 2 gain stages.

 

[RetroTeleRod]

I actually like overdriven/distorted tones dry. So I'm not the guy to ask.

 

[cyclopean]

i like distortion into delay but haven't spent much time doing it the other way around.

 

[Steve 78]

I have my delay pedal in front of the amp, and use the amp for distortion. So delay into distortion for me.

edit - here's an example (from about 0:50 onwards).

 

[JDB2]

Having an amp without a useful effects loop but with great OD tones (Fender Prosonic) I got used to having my delay before distortion very quickly. I like it that way. To me it sounds like old school rock & roll. Delay must be applied sparingly, however, by keeping the mix down. Otherwise it sounds like garbage.

I also think delay before distortion works better if you use a naturally "soft" delay rather than a pristine one. My delay is an MXR carbon copy, which is analog bucket-brigade. I have two on my board, one set up primarily for clean tones and one into distortion (with mix set much lower).

 

[3-Chord-Genius]

Delay after distortion just sounds cleaner. But you may be looking for a different sound than that.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

 

[mitchfinck]

Both. I generally run my delay pretty early in the chain but with a fuzz or OD in front. There's always some other kind of OD or dirty boost behind it.

 

[BorderRadio]

Both as well. Come to think of it, I have dirt in all places in the chain, or at least ability to switch it almost anywhere. Reverse/gated reverb into distortion, yes.

 

[schmee]

Hmmm... maybe this is why I never can settle on a delay I like?
I need to try delay before OD..... I always figured it would be "less distinct" delay if before, but maybe that's not true....

 

[scottser]

Overdrive goes to the amp's input. Delay and verb go into the effects loop otherwise they sound a bit weak and muddy.

 

[J-bass&Tele]

Slapback delay into overdrive (I don't use distortion that much) and long purdy delay after overdrive.
So both.