Ultra for effects only

M

mediaguy

Member
I decided I want to try my Ultra through my Marshall JCM 800. I have a 100W head with 4x12 cab.
Can someone please explain exactly how I can/should set this up for using effects only from the Ultra.

Including how my blocks/layout should look.

Thanx!
 
4 cable method (4CM) gives you maximum flexibility:
  • guitar -> ultra front input
  • ultra output 2 left -> guitar input on JCM
  • FX send of JCM -> input 2 left of ultra
  • output 1 left of ultra -> FX return of JCM
Make your grid look like this:

Screen Shot 2016-10-30 at 10.34.38 AM.png

Any blocks you place before the FX Loop block will appear at the guitar input of your JCM. Any blocks you place after the FX Loop block will appear in the FX loop of your JCM.

Getting the levels setup correctly is key, but once set you can forget. You want unity gain levels so there's no difference in your signal levels when the grid is empty like above vs. when you just run your guitar right in to the front of the amp.
 
iaresee said:
4 cable method (4CM) gives you maximum flexibility:
  • guitar -> ultra front input
  • ultra output 2 left -> guitar input on JCM
  • FX send of JCM -> input 2 left of ultra
  • output 1 left of ultra -> FX return of JCM
Make your grid look like this:

View attachment 35936

Any blocks you place before the FX Loop block will appear at the guitar input of your JCM. Any blocks you place after the FX Loop block will appear in the FX loop of your JCM.

Getting the levels setup correctly is key, but once set you can forget. You want unity gain levels so there's no difference in your signal levels when the grid is empty like above vs. when you just run your guitar right in to the front of the amp.
Click to expand...

Appreciate the response....Sorry forgot to mention I do not have an FX Loop.
 
That's pretty much what I did(although I plugged into Out 2)..the reason I posted this was because I would think with this setup I would not need an amp or cab block.....when I tried just using some effects.it doesn't sound that good. ...right know I am using my presets that have amp and cab blocks...in Gobal I have power amp off and cabinet bypassed....it sounds better.....i loved in the old days when I ust plugged into my marshall and I was done..I'm not a gear head so please excuse my ignorance.
 
iaresee said:
Guitar -> Axe-Fx -> Output 1 -> JCM input

Done!
Click to expand...

Why does this work with cab and amp blocks in my patch and why am I not hearing a difference when I change the settings for those under Global? Is there something else Ishould be adjusting changing in the Ultra for this method?
 
there are effects, you should use before the input of your amp, also others that should ONLY be used in the fx loop of your amp.
In front:
Guitar => Fuzz => Buffer/LineDriver => WahWah => Compressor =>
Distortion/Overdrive => Amp
In the Loop:
Send =>Pitch Shift => Modulation >= Delay => Reverb => Return

It would be useful to know what kind of jcm 800 you have
If its the reissue from 2003 you have an fx loop
even the old Jcm 800 lead series has one.

So when you go: Guitar -> Axe-Fx -> Output 1 -> JCM input
you should only use effects that go in front,... so no delay, pitch, mod or reverbs. otherwise it sounds really crappy.
I have to admit, thee were some guitarplayers that used predelay o prephaser but its not the common way to do so.

Make sure, you have poweramp active, cab and amp bypassed in global settings AND remove the amp/Cab block completely from your grid.

Using Guitar -> Axe-Fx -> Output 1 -> JCM input,
your grid should look like this:
086fc8-1478014507.jpg



If you find out that your amp HAS an Fx loop, make sure that it is a serial one not a parallell, otherwise you will get some rly bad sounding noise out of your cab =)

but if everything is right, your grid can look like this:
370608-1478014600.jpg


This is a Preset I use with the Ultra only for effects, and my Tube amp, a Hughes&Kettner GrandMeister 36

I hope I could help to solve your problem.
 
I do not have an effects loop. It is a JCM 800 from mid 1980s.
But I now have another problem. I think something is wrong with the Axe Fx. I posted earlier why it sounded ok with cab sims on and power amp on through the Marshall. Well I have rehearsal tomorrow and wanted to put everything back the way it was to use the Axe Fx with my powered cab. It now sounds like crap! I have cabinet set to active. Power amp does nothing when I turn it. But when I was messing with it earlier i could hear the difference when I would turn the power amp setting on or off. Now it does nothing. What can I check?
 
did you check that the in and output volumes on the front are not clipping or sth?
do you have a cab and an amp loaded in your patch?
 
Volumes are good. I'm using same patches as I was before. Yes there is amp and cab blocks. And I still don't understand why the preamp doesn't do anything now.
 
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