Do Germanium Pedals do harm others in pedal chain?

[zanshin777]

I heard that Germanium pedals may damage other pedals in pedal chain. Is it true?

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Do Germanium Pedals do harm others in pedal chain?

They are more sensitive to other pedals... like, they don't work with wahs in certain positions in the chain, my sunface didn't like my carbon copy much. It won't physically damage the pedal if thats what you mean but you do need to mess with your other stuff (more than most other pedals at least) to make germanium work well for you soundwise.

And that is in general.... my old OCD didn't like certain pedals as well.

 

[hermetico]

Re: Do Germanium Pedals do harm others in pedal chain?

I heard that Germanium pedals may damage other pedals in pedal chain. Is it true?

The issue is that you cannot feed a germanium pedal with the same pedal power brick that you are using to feed rest of pedals, if brick's outputs aren't isolated.
If you are runing pedals just with batteries, no issues.
If you are running your positive-ground pedals (like a vintage germanium fuzz) in a brick (without isolated outputs) and negative-ground pedals (most of them!) in other brick, no issues.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Do Germanium Pedals do harm others in pedal chain?

I heard that Germanium pedals may damage other pedals in pedal chain. Is it true?

Short answer. NO

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Do Germanium Pedals do harm others in pedal chain?

They are more sensitive to other pedals... like, they don't work with wahs in certain positions in the chain, my sunface didn't like my carbon copy much. It won't physically damage the pedal if thats what you mean but you do need to mess with your other stuff (more than most other pedals at least) to make germanium work well for you soundwise.

And that is in general.... my old OCD didn't like certain pedals as well.

This isn't a germanium thing...you're talking about impedance issues and a Silicon Fuzz Face will have the same issue and it's not got any germanium anything in it however a DOD 250 or a Distortion + has no impedance issues and they both use germanium diodes...it's not the germanium that causes the issues, it's the impedance.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Do Germanium Pedals do harm others in pedal chain?

The issue is that you cannot feed a germanium pedal with the same pedal power brick that you are using to feed rest of pedals, if brick's outputs aren't isolated.
If you are runing pedals just with batteries, no issues.
If you are running your positive-ground pedals (like a vintage germanium fuzz) in a brick (without isolated outputs) and negative-ground pedals (most of them!) in other brick, no issues.

Bingo. It's all about powering the pedals.