# Create an FX loop for amp without fx loop



## kw_guitarguy (Apr 29, 2008)

Hello everyone...

So..I have an amp that doesn't have an FX loop. Without going into the merits of using an FX loop, I wanted to ask if the following will work, I saw it on another site, but the amp they used has parallel inputs:

http://www.soundgaragetales.com/guitar-effects/loopy-effect-loop

Will that work with an amp that only has one bright and one normal input?

I can get a kit for my amp to add an fx loop to my amp, but I don't really want to risk wrecking the amp.

Thanks!!

~Andrew


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

Unfortunately not.


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## kw_guitarguy (Apr 29, 2008)

Thought so...I woke up this morning and realized how dumb this question was.

Guess I have to decide how important the loop would be for me.

Thanks WC!

~Andrew


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## Wild Bill (May 3, 2006)

Actually, this might not work with some amps that have two channels. Some amps, like Marshalls, have a tube gain stage for each channel. Both channels have the same number of gain stages. Since the phase of a signal flips every time it goes through a gain stage , it's important that both channels end up with a signal of the same phase when they meet to drive the power stage.

Some amp designs have one more stage in the line of a channel than the other. This is the sort of thing that you would never notice or care about when using the amp as it was designed. However, if you try a trick like this "poor man's effects loop" or the old Jimi trick of jumpering the inputs to drive both channels at once you will get a huge drop in gain! Two out of phase signals will cancel out!

Fortunately, this is the sort of thing that is safe to try. You won't blow anything up! It will either work or it won't, that's all.

Wild Bill


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