effects gone mad

Kinda new to the site and wish I would have found it a long time ago.

If anyone can help me with my effects problem I sure would appreciate it.

I have a Mesa Boogie Lonestar and I'm trying to figure out a way to run some effects through it, however, getting a lot of unwanted noise.

From the guitar I'm running through a Boss Noise Suppressor, then into Ibanez 808 Tube Screamer, and then into the front input of the amp.

Through the effects loop I'm running as follows- Digital Delay, then Chorus, then Flanger, and then Compressor/Sustainer.

The amp itself is a GREAT amp and really don't need any effects, however, just trying to use what I have to see what I come up with.

Any sugestions will be appreciated. Thanks.

Have you tried rearranging the order of your effects pedals?

Yyou might have better luck putting the noise suppressor at the end of the chain rather than the beginning. That way it's suppressing the noise from the overdrive rather than just the guitar (which should be clean anyways)
You could also try moving the compressor to the front. That way you're compressing the guitar signal before it reaches the overdrive.
The effect would be that the signal reaching the overdrive will be hotter and able to sustain better rather than your compressor compensating for lower volumes when your overdrive is making noise.

ANY effects that boost the signal (distortion...compression, etc...) need to go between the guitar and the amp. Always put the noise reduction last in the signal path. You might try moving the noise reduction to the effects loop...but I suspect that it'd do best right before the amp input.

As for using the effects loop of ANY amplifier...you may find that you need a buffer if you put too many effects into the loop and in some cases some amps just cut the signal enough that the manufacturer should have included input and output controls (their own built-in buffer basically). But you MAY need a buffer if you find that enabling the effects loop (if you are able to do that) actually cuts your signal. The way to check this is to put all effects in bypass mode and switch the loop on and off while playing. If it does drop the signal then you WILL need a buffer.

I suspect that you have been unknowingly using your compressor as a buffer and that's probably where your noise is coming from. Put it in front of the amplifier input and make sure you aren't boosting the signal too much and you should have solved your problem.

If you need any help finding a good buffer if you do in fact need one I am in possession of a wealth of links. Just ask!

Good luck! :)

Just wanted to let you know I read your post, and Kevin and Paul hit the nail on the head.

I've never used an effects loop though, guess all my stuff is too old to have that LOL.

I can say this my compressor is first in line on the pedal board. I don't use noise reduction, so I can't offer much advice on that. Keep at it, and let us know what you come up with.

JD

Check out my lessons
http://www.guitartricks.com/instructor.php?g=all&input=52878

I have my noise gate at the end, and compressor/sustainer up front; in the middle, tube overdrive, distortion, reverb, and a couple other effects pedals. Depending on which guitar I'm using, sometimes I'll get unwanted noise, and that's when I have to play with the level/gain settings on one or more of the pedals in between- more often than not, the distortion pedal, but sometimes the tube overdrive pedal (at one time, I had both the Ibanez Tube Screamer chained to the Behringer TO800 Tube overdrive- think that's the model- not sure if that made any difference, so I took 1 of them out of the chain.) On very rare occasions, I'll have to lower the level/gain on the compressor. In any case, anytime I've had unwanted noise, I always have to lower something on one of the boxes.

Can someone tell me me what "true" bypass means? And "buffer"?

I can certainly fill you in-

True bypass is just what it sounds like. During normal use of an effect pedal most pedals when used in bypass (off) mode allow the signal to pass but not entirely un-affected. In general the signal still passes through a circuit on the pedal and the signal is affected. With a true bypass mod, when a pedal is in bypass mode the signal literally goes from the input straight to the output without passing through the internal circuitry of the pedal at all.

As for Buffers...There are many types of buffer...but used in our field they are a circuit that allows you to match the input signal level of the effects loop of an amplifier with the output signal. While your guitar signal passes through your amplifier's effects loop and any and all pedals or rack effects that you've got in the chain...it drops in strength...a buffer is used to boost the signal level back up to where it should be there-by keeping the signal at the optimum level and not robbing you of your tone.

Originally Posted by: PValentiI can certainly fill you in-

True bypass is just what it sounds like. During normal use of an effect pedal most pedals when used in bypass (off) mode allow the signal to pass but not entirely un-affected. In general the signal still passes through a circuit on the pedal and the signal is affected. With a true bypass mod, when a pedal is in bypass mode the signal literally goes from the input straight to the output without passing through the internal circuitry of the pedal at all.

As for Buffers...There are many types of buffer...but used in our field they are a circuit that allows you to match the input signal level of the effects loop of an amplifier with the output signal. While your guitar signal passes through your amplifier's effects loop and any and all pedals or rack effects that you've got in the chain...it drops in strength...a buffer is used to boost the signal level back up to where it should be there-by keeping the signal at the optimum level and not robbing you of your tone.

Ah..now I understand better when I turn a particular pedal "off"- it doesn't seem entirely off. Thanks much for the explanations.