Hellish time diagnosing Pedalboard noise

[Gearjoneser]

The pedalboard pic below is how mine used to look. A couple weeks ago, I changed it up, removing my Bogner switch and adding a Budda Wah and T.Rex Mudhoney fuzz, as well as swapping out the Dejavibe for a vintage ADA Flange. The signal path goes through everything but the Line 6's and tuner, which are switched in and out using the pink loopbox.
Anyway, I started encountering a gritty buzz when everything was switched off, that wasn't ground hum, but a ratty transient noise that got worse, the harder I dug into the note.

The best way to diagnose a pedalboard problem is to start removing pedals from the last to the first, or visa versa, till you locate the problem.
After going crazy for an hour trying to figure it out, I found out it was my Fulltone Choralflange's mix knob. In the off position the noise would go away with the mix at 0 and get worse as I increased it. As I was packing it up to send back to Fulltone, I decided to open it up and to my amazement, there was a dipswitch that allows a buffered bypass or true bypass.
Apparently, the buffered bypass was adding gain to my signal, so by clicking it to the true bypass setting, the problem was solved. YES!!!!!

Anyone out there with pedalboard gremlins that need to be solved?

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Hellish time diagnosing Pedalboard noise

Nice job diagnosing the problem. Lesson here, I guess: take your time, and the solution is probably right in front of your face. Also, don't test everything at once, there are too many things to consider at that point, and you can't pinpoint the problem.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Hellish time diagnosing Pedalboard noise

Why would Fulltone make a pedal with an internal switch to go between buffered and true bypass? I can't imagine ever not wanting true bypass.

As far as pedal noise, I understand where you're coming from GJ. I had a Boss AC-2 that was a pretty good acoustic sounding simulator. I couldn't get past the hiss that came with dialing in the high end though, I really think Boss should work on that if they ever release a AC-3.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Hellish time diagnosing Pedalboard noise

I was kinda surprised to see the dipswitch inside, because I agree, why have one?
I guess buffered bypass is a way of putting a bit of drive in the dry signal, which keeps a string of pedals from loading down the tone. Nice feature, but I want everything as transparent as possible, when off. Even tho it looks like my board is a major tonesucker, it's really silent. The Voodoo Lab pedal power II is underneath the tier and keeps everything isolated and hum free. My signal actually goes through the true bypass Buddawah, Mudhoney, Klon, ADA Flange, and Choralflange. By using the pink loopbox, I can preset the L6 pedals, then bring them in or out with one button.
The other button mutes my signal straight to the tuner. I'm extremely happy with the board now. I don't overuse FX, but I've got my Line 6's setup for otherworldly sounds that don't sound like ANY analog pedal......they add great and strange texture to certain song parts. Ya know when you hear something cool on a record and can't figure out what the hell it is? That's what I use the L6's for. I constantly tweak those things for sounds I've never come across before.

 

[mrfjones]

Re: Hellish time diagnosing Pedalboard noise

killer board gj.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Hellish time diagnosing Pedalboard noise

If I hear more about screw bypass religious hollering..I'll turn into a guitarplaying serial killer