Help.... what do I need to build - Switch box of some sort.

[gadgetguy]

Hi,

This is my first post here, so please bear with me..... trying to figure out what I need to build in order to achieve what I want.

I will try and run through it as best as I can to help you all get what I am trying to do.

I have a Marshall DSL40c Amp that has a great Marshall sound. It offers me a clean channel and a gain channel.   I can switch between the clean channel and the gain channel with the foot switch. It also has an FX Loop (I believe it is a series type FX Loop).

My current chains look like this: (and I am happy with this tone for my own needs)

Guitar --> Tuner --> Noise Reduction -->  Amp
and
FX Loop Out --> Digital Delay --> Chorus --> Volume Pedal --> FX Loop In


Because I am a bit nutty, I want to try something different and get one of those "Amp Simulator Pedals"  to experiment with different tones without buying multiple amps at this time. (I am talking about pedals that has the characteristics of an Amp; Orange, Mesa, 50150, etc..... AMT Electronics USA stuff for example)

Now, in talking with people like AMT, they are telling me that the ideal place to put this pedal is in the FX loop so that it goes into the Post Amp with the guitar chain going into it and bypassing the pre-amp of the Marshall.

The idea is that the pedal will be what acts as the Pre-Amp putting the simulated sound into the Post Amp and not have any of the Marshall pre-amp characteristics come into play.

(I hope this makes sense.... it makes my head hurt thinking about it.


So, the challenge is "how do I do this without physically unplugging the line that used to go to the "AMP IN" and put it into the "Loop IN".

I thought an A/B box would do the trick, have A go into AMP IN, and have B go into the Loop In.

But... after I thought about it.... it means that the LOOP OUT of the FX LOOP would be disconnected in order for this to work and in "A" mode, the chain is actually broken.  (It is a Series FX chain on the Marshall)

So, I need some sort of multi switch box that would do the A/B as well as allow the FX Loop Out to stay connected to the FX Chain.  (This is where my head really starts to hurt)

I can't be the first guy to want to do something like this.... but I can't seem to find anything out there that would do what I think I need the switcher to do.


I found this site from the General Guitar Gadget site where I usually get my DIY kits from..... there is this project that MIGHT fit the bill.

He calls it a Translocator and says it can be built using the Effects Order Switch. 

http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/effects-projects/boosters/effects-order-switcher/

If I refer to the document on the Translocator found here:  http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/pdf/ggg_sw_tloc.pdf

I THINK what I want is to build and use it as Application #6 or Application #7 in the document.


Am I correct?

If so, what would my connections look like?


Any help you can offer I would really appreciate it.

If I can get this to work, it really opens up the potential for my rig.


Thanks,

D.

[vigilante397]

Welcome to the forum

If your effects loop is series you should just be able to ignore the FX Out of your amp since you're not using the preamp of it at all. So you should just be able to route everything

Guitar --> Tuner --> Noise Reduction -->  Amp Simulator --> Digital Delay --> Chorus --> Volume Pedal --> FX Loop In

I had a Fender amp that, in place of an effects loop, had a "Preamp Out" and "Power Amp In." Since the preamp in it sounded awful (and at the time I didn't know much about amp modding) I did a very similar setup to this, going Guitar --> Preamp --> Power Amp In

If you're trying to have this setup switchable with your regular setup, you should be able to do it with just an A/B Looper.

Input - Guitar
Output - Digital Delay --> Chorus --> Volume Pedal --> FX Loop In
Send A - Amp Input
Return A - FX Loop OUT
Send B - Amp Simulator input
Return B - Amp Simulator output

Hope this helps

EDIT: Hope this helps more...

[DGAXEMAN]

i had the same idea 3 pole double throw switch

[potul]

I was about to post a reply, but vigilante397 explained it already perfectly.
It's like the "4 cables method" that is quite frequently used with digital pedalboards.

If you need to build an A/B looper you can check this one. I made mine long ago and it's one of the most useful things I've ever built. You can use it as an A/B box, A/B looper, true bypass box... endless applications.

http://www.pisotones.com/Looper/Looper.htm

(the link is in spanish, ... you might need to translate)