Use the effects loop?

[strummer]

All my maps have had effects loops, and i have never used them. My current amp Aggie AG500, has an effects loop and a tuner out that I haven't used. I have tried, and sure, the tuner out works fine. The effects loop is another matter entirely...

Here is what i have tried:
Plugged the Bongo in the normal way,
adjusted gain (all tone flat),
plugged the bongo into the effects return jack,
adjusted the return sensitivity (in serial mode) to match the volume I had earlier,
plugged the bass back into the normal input
and adjusted the output sensitivity to match the volume.
That, to me, looks like a pretty thorough way of doing things?

What happens is this: I get noise, and quite a bit of it too. My map has a pull function on the send knob, but If I pull that sucker out it gets loud and distorted.

Anyone have any ideas? Am I doing things wrong or should I just stick to the old style stomp box chain?

 

[AnthonyD]

Effects loop is generally for your rack effects - you would not plug your bass into the effects loop.

Bass goes into regular input, effects go in/out loop. My guitarist runs his suite of pedal effects through an effects loop with no issue (i.e. not *really* just for rack effects).

 

[Randracula]

You can plug in to your effects loop return to bypass the preamp on your amp(I think this is what you're trying to do?).This will be just like plugging your Bongo straight into a poweramp.If your trying to run your effects pedal chain through the effects loop then I would say, "Don't Do It". The effects loop is made for time based effects like delay,chorus, flange, etc. Plugging a pedal that increases gain (like a distortion/overdrive pedal) into the effects loop will most likely give you less than stellar results......

 

[LowDownDave]

The effects loop is made for time based effects like delay,chorus, flange, etc. Plugging a pedal that increases gain (like a distortion/overdrive pedal) into the effects loop will most likely give you less than stellar results......

Thanks for that one Randy! I always assumed the effects loop was there to link ALL effects through it, but when I was recently messing around with different settings using my overdrive pedal through the effects loop, it sounded like c**p compared to connecting it before the amp input. Now I know why.

 

[strummer]

Ok, so i can't explain things properly...
The reason I plugged my bass into the return was to try and set the overall gain structure properly. And although i do use serial effects I don't increase gain.