I do like a quick fix...

Chris of Arabia

Chris of Arabia

Desert RATT
My mate: This is my Fulltone Soul-Bender, it makes virtually no sound at all

Me: *takes a quick look* What power supply are you plugging it into?

Him: A standard Boss power supply

Me: You're plugging it into the wrong type of power supply. Boss is negative centre, this takes a positive centre...

Him: Oh!
 
Re: I do like a quick fix...

funny...
i blew up a (cheapo) power supply because i plugged it into a fuzzface as part of the chain.
 
Re: I do like a quick fix...

Someone educate us on why some fuzz's have reverse polarity plugs. I don't get it, and it's irritating. I'm too lazy to research it, so I just bought the Voodoo cables that are made for this. In particular, the Fulltone Octafuzz.
 
Re: I do like a quick fix...

I got.a multi efx for free once cause it was broken

Dude gave me the power supply
24vdc center negative

Pedal said 24 vac

*(Sent from my durned phone!)*
 
Re: I do like a quick fix...

Not really guitar related, but I got a free LCD monitor that way back in 2006. I was told that it wouldn't power on, but it turned out that the AC plug was oversized and wouldn't fit in the socket on the back of the monitor. I swapped it with another one I had, and it's been working fine ever since.
 
Re: I do like a quick fix...

The wonderful thing about standards is there are so many to choose from.
 
Re: I do like a quick fix...

Gearjoneser said:
Someone educate us on why some fuzz's have reverse polarity plugs. I don't get it, and it's irritating. I'm too lazy to research it, so I just bought the Voodoo cables that are made for this. In particular, the Fulltone Octafuzz.
Click to expand...

Crusty and chris have it right (of course)... but to give you more details: the transistors used in these fuzzes are PNP instead of the common NPN used in most effects (you can google the technical differences all day long if you want the low-down). Usually, most effects using NPN are using silicon transistors (worthwile NPN germaniums are rare and mostly gone off the surface of the planet as far as guitar-effects-useable ones go). Due to the scarcity of NPN germs, pedal builders use PNP germaniums (good specimens of which are getting also harder to find). Using PNP transistors means you have, in most cases, to reverse the polarity of the power source, hence the fact that you need a center-positive power source...
 
Re: I do like a quick fix...

Could you not just use a negative tip power supply and flip the polarity inside the pedal?
 
Re: I do like a quick fix...

Surgeon said:
Crusty and chris have it right (of course)... but to give you more details: the transistors used in these fuzzes are PNP instead of the common NPN used in most effects (you can google the technical differences all day long if you want the low-down). Usually, most effects using NPN are using silicon transistors (worthwile NPN germaniums are rare and mostly gone off the surface of the planet as far as guitar-effects-useable ones go). Due to the scarcity of NPN germs, pedal builders use PNP germaniums (good specimens of which are getting also harder to find). Using PNP transistors means you have, in most cases, to reverse the polarity of the power source, hence the fact that you need a center-positive power source...
Click to expand...

SlyFoxx said:
Could you not just use a negative tip power supply and flip the polarity inside the pedal?
Click to expand...

That's what I was going to say.
 
Re: I do like a quick fix...

SlyFoxx said:
Could you not just use a negative tip power supply and flip the polarity inside the pedal?
Click to expand...

There's a difference between -9v and switching your ground around. You need a voltage inverter to do so. It'eadily built on strip or perfboard though.
 
Re: I do like a quick fix...

Surgeon said:
There's a difference between -9v and switching your ground around. You need a voltage inverter to do so. It'eadily built on strip or perfboard though.
Click to expand...

Empirical evidence shows this is the case, but how would the pedal be able to tell the difference?
 
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