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True Bypass .... fact or fiction ?

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  • True Bypass .... fact or fiction ?

    I dealt with it this week, there is something to it for sure.

  • #2
    Re: True Bypass .... fact or fiction ?

    It's real, I've seen it. What's the question?

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    • #3
      Re: True Bypass .... fact or fiction ?

      Originally posted by devastone View Post
      It's real, I've seen it. What's the question?
      More of a discussion than question.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: True Bypass .... fact or fiction ?

        I mean, it exists... it’s not like the wolfman or something.

        The thing that always gets ignored is the crappy half bypass of old MXRs, EHXs, Crybabies and Voxes, etc. True Bypass is infinitely better than that. As for buffered bypass vs true bypass, there are places for both depending on the application.
        Oh no.....


        Oh Yeah!

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        • #5
          Re: True Bypass .... fact or fiction ?

          Like everything, it's fine in moderation, string a bunch of TB pedals together without a buffer and you'll get tone suck.

          And yes, the "hardwire" bypass (I think that's what they call it) on old Crybabies and others in PFD's list is very noticeable.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: True Bypass .... fact or fiction ?

            Personally I think too many buffered bypass does induce their own problems down the line, so I keep mine all TB, and keep buffered pedal first and last in chain. That way you get the best of both.

            I think it should be standard feature in pedals to switch between buffered and TB. At least ones that are more likely to be first in chain.

            Effects loops (good ones) are already buffered anyway.
            "So understand/Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years/Face up, make your stand/And realize you're living in the golden years"
            Iron Maiden - Wasted Years

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: True Bypass .... fact or fiction ?

              My contribution:

              No idea whether it's fact or fiction.

              Only because I've read up on this numerous times: I make sure that my last pedals (stereo) going to each amp. are buffered bypass whether they're in use or not. Cannot say I've actually heard any difference though with or without them.

              My first pedal in the chain is true bypass (compressor) but my second pedal is buffered bypass (EQ).

              Only pedal I have that is switchable is this darn TC Electronic MIMIQ (which I don't use). But yeh: assuming it makes SOME type of difference it would be nice if all pedals were switchable (maybe it's just with my setup that there's no audible difference i.e. maybe with more pristine hardware i.e. amps. it's more noticeable).

              Regards,

              Dale.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: True Bypass .... fact or fiction ?

                Originally posted by dpaterson View Post
                My contribution:

                No idea whether it's fact or fiction.

                Only because I've read up on this numerous times: I make sure that my last pedals (stereo) going to each amp. are buffered bypass whether they're in use or not. Cannot say I've actually heard any difference though with or without them.

                My first pedal in the chain is true bypass (compressor) but my second pedal is buffered bypass (EQ).

                Only pedal I have that is switchable is this darn TC Electronic MIMIQ (which I don't use). But yeh: assuming it makes SOME type of difference it would be nice if all pedals were switchable (maybe it's just with my setup that there's no audible difference i.e. maybe with more pristine hardware i.e. amps. it's more noticeable).

                Regards,

                Dale.
                It doesn't really matter if your buffer is first in chain or after a TB pedal, as long as there isn't too many of them. When you switch your compressor on, it's the first buffer in chain. If it works fine there with EQ that's not a problem. Since comressor essentailly changes your entire signal I don't think it matters it switches your chain buffered even if you hadn't the EQ there.

                I said it earlier too, I think EQ should be buffered, because you want it usually be transparent only changing parts of your signal you want to change. True bypass EQ could do funny things to your tone when switching it on/off in a mid playing.
                "So understand/Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years/Face up, make your stand/And realize you're living in the golden years"
                Iron Maiden - Wasted Years

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: True Bypass .... fact or fiction ?

                  I agree with Jacew's couple posts.

                  If you're running some longer cables and/or using much of an effects chain then you'll probably like having a couple/three buffered pedals strategically placed.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: True Bypass .... fact or fiction ?

                    Originally posted by PFDarkside View Post
                    I mean, it exists... it’s not like the wolfman or something.

                    The thing that always gets ignored is the crappy half bypass of old MXRs, EHXs, Crybabies and Voxes, etc. True Bypass is infinitely better than that. As for buffered bypass vs true bypass, there are places for both depending on the application.
                    That’s it right there.

                    Some older pedals left the input of the circuit connected and just switched the output. This was to save money on the foot switch, and they probably figured it worked fine.

                    If the effect, like a typical wah, didn’t have a very high input impedance it altered your guitar’s tone.


                    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: True Bypass .... fact or fiction ?

                      Ideally you want no pedals in your signal chain. If you need to use one or two pedals, you want them to be true bypass. If you need to use much more than that, you want a single buffered at the start followed by a bunch of true bypass pedals. Half assed bypass pedals will be worse than buffered or true bypass, and should be removed from your signal chain until you've soldered in a fix to correct the problem. At least this has been the result of my experiments trying to use pedals and keep as close to the original tone of the guitar as possible. :P
                      Join me in the fight against muscular atrophy!

                      Originally posted by Douglas Adams
                      This planet has - or rather had - a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn't the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.

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                      • #12
                        Re: True Bypass .... fact or fiction ?

                        Originally posted by GuitarStv View Post
                        Ideally you want no pedals in your signal chain. If you need to use one or two pedals, you want them to be true bypass. If you need to use much more than that, you want a single buffered at the start followed by a bunch of true bypass pedals. Half assed bypass pedals will be worse than buffered or true bypass, and should be removed from your signal chain until you've soldered in a fix to correct the problem. At least this has been the result of my experiments trying to use pedals and keep as close to the original tone of the guitar as possible. :P
                        Unless one doesn't want to keep the guitar sounding exactly as it does...
                        "So understand/Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years/Face up, make your stand/And realize you're living in the golden years"
                        Iron Maiden - Wasted Years

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                        • #13
                          Re: True Bypass .... fact or fiction ?

                          I don't worry too much about it. Either the pedal sounds great in the chain or it doesn't. I don't like delays to be true bypass as I like them to trail off when I turn them off.
                          Administrator of the SDUGF

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                          • #14
                            Re: True Bypass .... fact or fiction ?

                            Originally posted by Mincer View Post
                            I don't worry too much about it. Either the pedal sounds great in the chain or it doesn't. I don't like delays to be true bypass as I like them to trail off when I turn them off.
                            Yep. That's good point.
                            "So understand/Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years/Face up, make your stand/And realize you're living in the golden years"
                            Iron Maiden - Wasted Years

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: True Bypass .... fact or fiction ?

                              Originally posted by GuitarStv View Post
                              Ideally you want no pedals in your signal chain. If you need to use one or two pedals, you want them to be true bypass. If you need to use much more than that, you want a single buffered at the start followed by a bunch of true bypass pedals. Half assed bypass pedals will be worse than buffered or true bypass, and should be removed from your signal chain until you've soldered in a fix to correct the problem. At least this has been the result of my experiments trying to use pedals and keep as close to the original tone of the guitar as possible. :P
                              Unless you use 2 pedals and 40' of cable, then a buffer is nice, unless you like the high end roll off. That wasn't sarcasm, Hendrix used half bypass pedals and high capacitance curly cords his tone is still worshiped by many.

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