If we read left to right. ..

[solspirit]

Why are our pedals set up right to left, meaning input on the right side and output on the left

What is the first pedal in your set up, and why?

Please explain your signal path to me like I'm 12.

 

[Mincer]

It wasn't always that way with pedals, just like the current DC adapter standard wasn't 'standard' until recently. I agree, it is stupid to have pedals connected backwards and it becomes an issue with multi-effects that go from left to right which makes a whole lot more sense to me. What it would take is a few well known players who have signature left-to-right pedals designed and then it will trickle down into being the 'standard' as punters on YouTube swear they can hear the difference.

 

[Supernautilus]

My theory has always been because most players are right handed, and the jack is also on the right side, the guitar cable lines up with the right side of your pedals. I'm probably wrong though lol.

 

[ehdwuld]

It's right to left because the way you stand in front of your amp

Right handed players with the input on the left side of the face of the amp

The cable comes out of your guitar under the right arm

You don't want it crossing you before the board
So it goes in on the right

 

[AdrianSD]

It wasn't always that way with pedals, just like the current DC adapter standard wasn't 'standard' until recently. I agree, it is stupid to have pedals connected backwards and it becomes an issue with multi-effects that go from left to right which makes a whole lot more sense to me. What it would take is a few well known players who have signature left-to-right pedals designed and then it will trickle down into being the 'standard' as punters on YouTube swear they can hear the difference.

And then everyone will start dumping their BOSS, MXR or Ibanez right to left pedals and you'll find them abandoned on the side of the road. Looking forward to picking up some old CE-2 and OD-1 from the dumpster.

 

[Chistopher]

It's right to left because the way you stand in front of your amp

Right handed players with the input on the left side of the face of the amp

The cable comes out of your guitar under the right arm

You don't want it crossing you before the board
So it goes in on the right

This is what I've heard as well, but it doesn’t make much sense to me. If you consider 95% of the places on stage you can stand are either to the right or the left of you pedal board, there are few situations where this makes a difference.

I build my own pedals to be left to right because it's easier, considering the circuits are drawn left to right

 

[Chistopher]

Also top jacks make it way easier to integrate both types of pedals onto a board

 

[ehdwuld]

As you want

The question was why, asked nd answered

 

[Mincer]

I think now, 'why' is simply tradition. Back then, when the pedal market started, it was probably a random decision that stuck.

 

[beaubrummels]

Why is your guitar wired with the pickups on the right and the output jack on the left, until you pick it up and play it, then it's pickups on the left and output jack on the right. Do you think it's because of "reading order"? Wiring has absolutely nothing to do with reading order. Has everything to do with ergonomics and logic in wiring a circuit, reducing the length of conductors/resistance in the circuit.

 

[jeremy]

If you consider 95% of the places on stage you can stand are either to the right or the left of you pedal board, there are few situations where this makes a difference.

i pretty much stand with my pedal board in front of me most of the time.

 

[Hank-]

Not all written languages are read left to right though.

What was the first pedal ever released & by whom?

Amp channel selector pedal doesnt count.
My first pedal is a tuner>tremolo>Phaser> wah> OD> delay>amp.

 

[Chistopher]

Not all written languages are read left to right though.

What was the first pedal ever released & by whom?

Amp channel selector pedal doesnt count.
My first pedal is a tuner>tremolo>Phaser> wah> OD> delay>amp.

Actually your signal chain is amp<delay<OD<wah<phaser<tremolo<tuner

 

[ehdwuld]

Bah debate it forever

Answer is in post 4

 

[GuitarStv]

Bah debate it forever

Answer is in post 4

Yeah, but also . . . . in Japan they read right to left. I always figured that Boss, Ibanez, Guyatone, Shin-Ei, Aria, Teisco, Maxxon, Arion, etc. kinda set the stage for the modern guitar pedal orientation, and being Japanese right to left would make more sense to them.

 

[RanchManSandy]

Yeah, but also . . . . in Japan they read right to left. I always figured that Boss, Ibanez, Guyatone, Shin-Ei, Aria, Teisco, Maxxon, Arion, etc. kinda set the stage for the modern guitar pedal orientation, and being Japanese right to left would make more sense to them.

When Japanese is written horizontally, it's read left to right. When written vertically, it's read right to left.

 

[solspirit]

Cool, I learned something today

When Japanese is written horizontally, it's read left to right. When written vertically, it's read right to left.

 

[GuitarStv]

Cool, I learned something today

Me too!

 

[donaldr]

My theory has always been because most players are right handed, and the jack is also on the right side, the guitar cable lines up with the right side of your pedals. I'm probably wrong though lol.

+1 for me

 

[Masta' C]

Then you get into modeler signal paths and they go the opposite direction of real pedals, LOL!