Amp loop, contour, pre-amp... >,<

Hi fellow guitarist...
I am considering on buying a new amp, and Marshall or Carvin maybe my first choose.

But I would like to make somethings clear first...

What is:

#1 Loop effect in Amp

#2 Contour setting in Amp

#3 Pre-amp

Thanks for help ^>^

#1 An effects loop in an amp allows you to connect your guitar directly to the amp so that any outboard effects that you might use won't change the sound of your guitar. If an effects pedal doesn't use "true bypass switching", there will always be some impact on your sound, even when the pedal is off. If you place your pedals in the effects loop, your signal is split inside the amp and you can blend your (pure) guitar signal with the signal modified by the effects loop.

#2 I don't use a Marshall, but I believe Contour is a tone control for MID frequencies.

#3 In general, signals from a guitar are very small. A preamplifier is designed to take these small signals and increase the signal to a level that can be used by the power amplifier, which drives the speakers.

Some effects units (like the Boss GT3 and GT5) include preamplifiers. You can connect the GT preamp output directly to the amplifier effects loop input and bypass the preamplifier of the guitar amp. Some pedal effects also amplify the guitar signal. Most distortion pedals can amplify the signal to overdrive the preamp in the guitar amplifier.

Death_Master,
According to my Marshall Amps Guide, Contour Control: Mid-band contour shift, giving wide voicing sweep for maximum tonal versatility on overdrive selections. When used in conjunction with the EQ, this control is highly effective.

Later

*For a simple, yet NICE sounding practice system (certainly, there are others :) ), I use a 100 watt Marshall Valvestate head (Used #375.00) and a half-stack cabinet (4 x 12)....I use the effects loop to go out to the rack you see below and turn the contour knob on the amp up to about 3/4 and the over-drive Reverb up just above 1/4....On the Lexicon effects unit, I'm using a combo Chorus-Flange setting.....The gain on the head is up just below 3/4 and the volume (I'm using the over-drive channel) is up about 1/4 of the way.....The sound is warm and the flange sweep is colorful....The EQ is used to "tweak" my sound slightly towards a little more bottom end :)



[Edited by LEEtheV on 02-07-2001 at 10:10 AM]

*The Carvin and the Marshall stuff are a million miles apart.....I also own a Carvin 100 Watt (2 x 12) floor unit and it is (BY FAR) the BRIGHTEST amp I have EVER owned .....TOOOOOO BRIGHT.....I'm gonna put some Celests in the bastard and calm it down....I'm definatly gonna put some kinda tube pre-amp through it and maybe an EQ....The effects on the Carvin are SUPER Nice, but that bright sound will peal the paint off of momz Acura at 300 paces...WOW !!!

*Below is an example of a set-up that (for me) did NOT work:



[Edited by LEEtheV on 02-07-2001 at 10:18 AM]

darn v, how much gear do you have?

Hey Lee can I be in your will? :D
I have the Carvin SX-100 and it's pretty Kewl!

Originally posted by jake sommers
darn v, how much gear do you have?

*According to credit card statements, reciepts and complaints from the girlfriends (tee-hee :) ), My buddy and I are at about the 25k mark.....