Pedals that stack with the Engl E656 Steve Morse

clean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (transparent → medium gain)

Klon KTR leans this transparent tone toward medium gain, which it doesn't make on its own

Goes in front of the amp

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (transparent → mid-forward)

Into a transparent tone, Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion brings a pull toward mid-forward that's missing

Goes in front of the amp

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (transparent → mid-forward)

The transparent tone has headroom to spare — Electro-Harmonix 1973 Violet Ram's Head Big Muff Pi V2 leans it toward mid-forward to fill it in

Goes in front of the amp

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Keep Maestro Orbit after Engl E656 Steve Morse in the signal chain, clear of Engl E656 Steve Morse's own gain stage

Goes in front of the amp

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (transparent → mid-forward)

Both lean toward crunchy and smooth respectively — close enough in character that they complement instead of clashing

Goes in front of the amp

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Keep Engl E656 Steve Morse's crunchy voice out front: Wampler Catacombs goes in Engl E656 Steve Morse's effects loop so its mid-forward voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Sits in the amp's effects loop

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Keep Malekko Electro-Harmonix Memory Toy Analog Delay in Engl E656 Steve Morse's effects loop, clear of Engl E656 Steve Morse's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Sits in the amp's effects loop