Which Comes First? (Freeloader or Boss Tone)

Paul Honeycutt · Post by **Paul Honeycutt** » 17 Nov 2016 8:30 pm

I'm going to loan the PSG player in our band my old Jordan Boss Tone. He uses a Freeloader coming out of his steel. Since the Boss Tone is designed to plug into the instrument and the Freeloader wants to see the pickup, would he plug the Boss Tone into the Freeloader? Has anyone tried this?

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 17 Nov 2016 8:42 pm

I suspect the Freeloader would be happier seeing the pickup, but will still work OK after the Boss Tone.

The Vari-Z knob might not work as well.
I'm willing to bet that the Boss Tone has a pretty high output impedance.

TL:DR- I by it'd be happier electronically Freeloader first, but will be more convenient Boss Tone first, and still work fine.

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 17 Nov 2016 9:51 pm

FreeLoader is best put to full use being the first thing after the guitar.

Can you plug the Boss-Tone into the bottom output jack of the FreeLoader?

That seems the best sequence, and you'll definitely get the best response out of the FreeLoader's knob.

B

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 18 Nov 2016 7:23 am

I am eyeing a Buzz-Tone at a local buy/sell/trade shop, and was thinking I would just plug it into the Steels output-jack only on the songs that plan to use it on.
It would be before the Black Box for that time... what-ev's???
I've also heard it won't work on Steels with a recessed output jack, but my Sierra looks like it will work.

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 18 Nov 2016 7:59 am

It's worth trying it both ways. When the Boss-Tone is bypassed, then the FreeLoader or Black Box WILL SEE the pickup, and as I think about it, likely having the Black Box after the Boss-Tone will help sweeten (vacuum tube) and warm the buzzy fuzz overtones.

Try both ways. No rules in guitar audio, if it sounds better it is better.

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Jerry Hedge · Post by **Jerry Hedge** » 18 Nov 2016 6:36 pm

I would try the Boss Tone first. A lot of distortion circuits (Fuzz Face,etc) don't work well with a buffered signal.

Olli Haavisto · Post by **Olli Haavisto** » 19 Nov 2016 12:16 am

Hi Pete,
The Mahoney Buzztone is true bypass so you don't need to remove it from the chain. I asked Chris who makes them...
I recommend the little screamer highly.. it'll make you play new things because it is not housebroken