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RPKennedy

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Aug 22, 2021
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Hello. I just ordered a VP JR Tuner, specifically because it has an effects loop. From what I know, modulation pedals are typically run through an effects loop, but I know a guy on the Strat Talk forum that runs his dirt pedals through the loop on the VP JR Tuner.
I guess I'll try both, but wanted to seek opinions as to how most are using this loop and with what success.
Thanks.
 

DrKev

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Hi there! First off. the manual for the VP Jr is here... https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/static.ernieball.com/website/files/VPJR-Tuner-Digital-manual.pdf

Where *amplifiers* are concerned, time-based effects (delay and reverb) are often run through effects loops so as not to be effected by the amplifier distortion (for the same reason that we usually place distortion/OD pedals early in the pedal chain. Modulation can go before or after distortion as you like, no rules, do whatever sounds good to you.

The VPJR doesn't add distortion so that particular reason for the effects loop doesn't apply. BUT you can still get different result if any volume pedal is placed before or after many effects. Example...

For a distortion pedal placed BEFORE the VPJR, the VPJR acts the same way as the output volume on the distortion pedal. For a distortion pedal AFTER the VPJR, it will act more like an input gain control.

For a delay pedal BEFORE the VPJR and it will act like a master volume, affecting to both the dry signal and echo repeats. Now imagine a delay pedal AFTER the VPJR, set to 20 repeats decaying over 5 seconds. The VPJR will duck the input guitar signal but any echoes that happened before you adjust the VPJR will be unaffected and continue to decay just as they were.

Because the VPJR has a TUNER, any guitar pedals that are switched on before a tuner in the signal chain can affect the accuracy of the tuner. MODULATION effects are especially problematic! (This is true of any tuner). The effects loop on the VPJR allows you the option of having effects pedals BEFORE the volume pedal function but AFTER the tuner. You don't need to switch pedals off before you can tune, but you can have those pedals react to the volume pedal as if the were placed before the VPJR.

Does that help?
 
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