You know what I loved about non-true bypass pedals?

[SlyFoxx]

Re: You know what I loved about non-true bypass pedals?

Just shut up and play yer geetar. What you play is oh I dunno....10,000 times more important than what you're playing through.

Garbage in = garbage out.

[Aceman]

Re: You know what I loved about non-true bypass pedals?

Just shut up and play yer geetar. What you play is oh I dunno....10,000 times more important than what you're playing through.

Garbage in = garbage out.

SO true. I always feel that way when dudes complain about P90 noise, etc…. Listen to the music, not the hiss.

[Zombiwoof]

Re: You know what I loved about non-true bypass pedals?

Just shut up and play yer geetar. What you play is oh I dunno....10,000 times more important than what you're playing through.

Garbage in = garbage out.

"Just playing your guitar" will be a lot more pleasant experience if you know how to dial in a tone that makes it fun to play. That involves knowing how to chain pedals without losing that great sound you have with your guitar straight into the amp. I spend equal time "just playing my guitar", and working with pedals and other gear to get good tone when I'm playing. Having some knowledge of the electronics of your guitar, amp, and pedals is just as important as playing if you want to get a great sound when you're playing IMO.

Al

[ErikH]

Re: You know what I loved about non-true bypass pedals?

Here's the thing, saying "play yer guitar" is all fine and dandy, I get that. Heck, most of the time I don't even use pedals and when I do, it's on stage, and I don't even use many (2 max). However, there are a couple of pedals, like the phase 90 and crybaby, that just noticeably suck the tone away when engaged and bypassed. This is not something new, it's been that way for decades with those using the old style bypass. It's not just a sound thing, it's a feel thing too. When I would engage my phase 90, I could feel something missing, like a blanket being thrown over the amp. Same with the crybaby. I'll toss a Boss SD-1 or Ibanez delay in there and not care. Those two aforementioned, they needed to be modded to fix the problem.

[DreX]

Re: You know what I loved about non-true bypass pedals?

SO true. I always feel that way when dudes complain about P90 noise, etc…. Listen to the music, not the hiss.

At least hiss is additive, the same can't be said for "tone suck".

[SongsForTheDeaf]

Re: You know what I loved about non-true bypass pedals?

I dislike some buffered bypass pedals...mostly the old Boss and MXR stuff. Had a Japanese Boss DD-3 that had terrible bypass. Made my bypass signal very thin and when I kicked on a fuzz or drive pedal it was just fizzy and thin. I tend to stay away from old pedals for this reason now.

New buffered bypass pedals seem pretty good to me though, I have not noticed any difference in sound using the Buffered Bypass Boss Tera Echo and the visual sound axle grease delay with VS's pure tone buffer.

[Hank-]

Re: You know what I loved about non-true bypass pedals?

I like the new digitech hardwire pedals, they seem to have a switch to choose between true bypass & buffered bypass. TC Electronic also has the same feature available with their toneprint series pedals. I think EHX has also started introducing that feature with the new stuff, I know the soul food has it. I hope MXR also starts introducing that feature.

Personally i think if a pedal alters the signal when its turned 'on', then i'd consider that to be part of the sound of the effect pedal. But if its altering the sound in a negative way when its turned 'off', then thats a problem. Having a buffer when using 10' cable back & forth respectively is a good call IMO, even if there are just 3 true bypass pedals in the chain.

[Aceman]

Re: You know what I loved about non-true bypass pedals?

It all just goes to show, every pedal is different. Choose based on what your ear + gear dictate; Not intarweb mythology and propaganda.

[SlyFoxx]

Re: You know what I loved about non-true bypass pedals?

[That90'sGuy]

Re: You know what I loved about non-true bypass pedals?

The best tone I've ever had has been with true bypass pedals and a dedicated buffer, with buffered pedals accessed via a TB looper and taken out of the direct chain. Of course, we are only talking about the clean sound with nothing engaged, but if that 'straight through' signal is something you regularly use, I think it's important. I have found that configuration to offer the closest thing to plugging straight into the amp, but with the advantages that a multi gain stage pedal setup can offer. Otherwise, I agree with Niels, use whatever works for you. If you like what buffered pedals or long cable runs do to your signal, do that. The end result at the speaker is all that matters, however it gets there.




Cheers....................................... wahwah

Yes! Exactly! True bypass works great with a long signal run when you have a dedicated buffer ahead of it all. Everybody does things differently, but it seemed a lot easier to tailor my tone by switching out one buffer rather than re-organizing 10 different pedals doing different things to the signal. Of course, having a good buffer makes all the difference. I went through a few to find that I liked the Cornish LD-1 buffer the best and stuck with it. It's the closest thing I've found to the feel and tone of plugging directly in while still having plenty of options available to change up my tone.

[aleclee]

Re: You know what I loved about non-true bypass pedals?

Choose based on what your ear + gear dictate; Not intarweb mythology and propaganda.

But that would involve getting out from in front of the computer and actually playing the guitar. I'm trying to keep my gear like new and that's much harder to do when it gets used.

[Aceman]

Re: You know what I loved about non-true bypass pedals?




By the way - this has turned into quite the discussion of the benefits of adding a buffered up front early with true bypass pedals.