DIY FX loop with a load box and a micro amplifier?

[Steven Latch]

Hello,

I was looking at Marshall's SL5 combo. It looks and sounds great... apart from the lack of FX loop.

Short of having the amp modded, I was wondering wheter such a setup would work:

Amp output into load box
Load box into FX unit
FX unit ino micro amplifier (ie Electro Harmonix Caliber 22 or 44)
Micro amp output into combo speaker

A little DIY but it should work. Has anybody tried similar tricks to use post-preamp effects on a amp without a loop?

[Cousin Muely]

I have. I use Radial JDX DIs on my Class 5s. These feed a signal to a Mixer. I run my effects in the Aux Send/Returns on the mixer. Mixer out to powered PA cabs. Works great. Allows you to crank the C5s up and still have Reverb, Delay, Chorus, etc and they not screw up your Overdrive tone from the amps. Some guys have success in running things like that in front of a distorted amp. That has never worked for me. Thats why I went this route. I keep the volume of the PA cabs just under the volume of the amps. Gives a nice ambience.

[Cousin Muely]

I have. I use Radial JDX DIs on my Class 5s. These feed a signal to a Mixer. I run my effects in the Aux Send/Returns on the mixer. Mixer out to powered PA cabs. Works great. Allows you to crank the C5s up and still have Reverb, Delay, Chorus, etc and they not screw up your Overdrive tone from the amps. Some guys have success in running things like that in front of a distorted amp. That has never worked for me. Thats why I went this route. I keep the volume of the PA cabs just under the volume of the amps. Gives a nice ambience.

[Cousin Muely]

I have no idea why that posted twice

[Steven Latch]

Thanks for the advice!

[blue]

a one box solution to this seems to be the Bad Cat Unleash. it's a load box, it has a built in effects loop, and a built in 100 watt class D amplifier. plus, it has two footswitchable volumes.

[Steven Latch]

I have heard about it and it looks like a great product. I would actually get one on the spot but it doesn't seem that Bad Cat is producing a 240V version. I have emailed them about it a few days ago but they haven't replied so far.

[Cousin Muely]

Interesting product and this was posted by someone recently. Would certainly cut down the bulk of my rig. If I didn't have so much invested in mine I'd check the Badcat out. Both are basically the same principle but each has its +/-. I have 220 watts/channel of Class D. Lots of headroom and stereo operation especially with an effect in the aux sends/returns. But, it is bulky with the amps, PA, rack and such. The Badcat contains just about everything but wouldn't you want to run this into FRFR cabs anyway? If the selling point of this is taking your low watt amp and making it louder to gig then I wouldn't think you'd come out of the BCat into a regular guitar cab. Then you would have to deal with the tonal effect of the cab -post amp, and that defeats the purpose doesn't it? I may be wrong but just thinking out loud.

[Steven Latch]

Well in my case it was more about adding an FX loop to an amp that doesn't have one. The Bad Cat would allow me to do this but with the added advantage of turning a 5 watt combos into a combo I could do small gigs with. The SL5 has a rather large cab for a practice amp and I think it would cope well with the extra juice the Bad Cat would send.

[Cousin Muely]

Let is know how it works

[blue]

I have heard about it and it looks like a great product. I would actually get one on the spot but it doesn't seem that Bad Cat is producing a 240V version. I have emailed them about it a few days ago but they haven't replied so far.

i emailed them with that very question a couple of weeks ago, and they replied quickly telling me that they were making a 240v version. but i sent another mail asking how i could order it, and got no reply.

i know of one person who got one, a member on the bareknuckle pickups forum, and he was very impressed with it. i might mail them and ask again

[Steven Latch]

No reply from them either after a few days.

Anyway, please post if you have news. The unleash with the SL5 would make for a very versatile combo.