The reason Hendrix used a wah before dist is because the old Fuzz Face hated wahs. He also used the VOX pedal because the CryBaby design did not work well with the old Fuzz. These days pedals are more forgiving but pretty much all wahs will sound better before gains as they are filter. Check the boards, 98% of wahs are up front.

Just like all envelope filter-auto wahs go before and any harmonizers sound better up front for truest signal divide and triggering. Satriani’s last board is a very good example of what plays well and where. His Wah is 1st, POG, mini POG, Deja-vibe, Sometimes also has an octaver before gains, next lower gained VOX JS DS, 2nd VOS JS DS for high gains. Whammy is board end nto sure if it is in loop. He has 2 Vox JS TimeMachine delays one set for med and long delay which go into a wet amp. Other amp(s) is dry. Joe mainly uses clean channels and his board for tones.

Exceptions to position on the rules are the Whammy which when used for pedal 8va sweeps can go at the end of the chain or loop, but for harmonizer modes it needs to be up front.

Phasers and Vibe pedals can go before or after gains, depends on the box interaction and feel. They also sound great in the loop which is where I put them for decades. In general all modulations and expecially delays will sound better in the loop, more headroom and clarity of bandwidth.

Hendrix ran his Univibe after his Fuzz and his Wah first and he only had these three basic effects. Satriani runs his Deja-vibe before one of his Saturator pedals set for less gain.

Some have claimed harmonizers after gains but try that and it is a load of crap. A signal divider or multiplier needs a straight true signal from the guitar to trigger properly.

Also ODs before high gains as the OD after will completely change the voice and dynamic of the high gain. I am of the opinion if you hate the sound of your dist so much perhaps you need to try a new one.

There are rules and there are options. Some young players think the tracking glitch burble on a monophonic tracking box is some sort of musical effect. That is why we have rules. Or the guy complaining a good dist box was terrible because it sounded terrible in his loop.

Modulation sweeps in front of distortion or even severe preamping on the amp can drastically reduce the bandwidth sweep, beauty and fullness of the Chorus, etc. It’s a matter of sound physics.

I sometimes like a UniVibe on amp-in (Hendrix/Trower) because it gets a real distorted warble rather than the beauty of the sweep. BUT, it is not a beautiful sound that some units can bring, like a VS Liquid Chorus or a TC.

Bare in mind the old-school guys did not understand line load capacitance, proper buffer circuits, by-pass, …nor did they have amp-loops!

Duplicating the old often takes us away from the greater quality of the modern for the limitations of the older. Just food for thought.

I do not think it’s wise to dist the incoming signal to the Whammy or Synth Wah or how the wah might react further down the chain. Unlike a Wah the Synth wah is triggering filters.

Also FullDrive2 where to put this??? It does not seem to tollerate but few pedals in chain with it, most react badly. I usually follow the rule of OD before ditortion but the Visual Sound guys seem to like the OD after????? Thoughts?????