Problem with pedalboard

[EmiAba]

Hi guys
I have an intermittent problem with my pedalboard. Sometime a drop of volume happens. It seems like I roll down the volume of the guitar. The chain is pretty simple: a boss tu3, mxr gtod, tc electronic mini sparkle, boss ce-5, Morley little alligator, tc electronic flashback 2. All pedals are powered by a true tone cs12. I have already checked all cables, all connections and it seems ok. Any thoughts?

 

[NegativeEase]

Re: Problem with pedalboard

If your power is good to each pedal (make sure there are no batteries in your pedals too)

my first suspect would be the Morley Volume -those pots can get dirty and weird -I've seen it lots.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Problem with pedalboard

Are you playing a tube amp?
My JCM800 does that when it’s telling me it needs new power tubes.

 

[NegativeEase]

Re: Problem with pedalboard

Are you playing a tube amp?
My JCM800 does that when it’s telling me it needs new power tubes.

Oh yeah -amp -good point :lmao:

OP -my advice is only worth anything after you've ruled out your amp.

 

[EmiAba]

Re: Problem with pedalboard

Are you playing a tube amp?
My JCM800 does that when it’s telling me it needs new power tubes.

I had the same occurrence with a JCM800 and a fender twin reverb

 

[jeremy]

Re: Problem with pedalboard

if the amps work fine without the pedal board then go through each pedal till you find the one thats causing the issue.

 

[BlakeC27]

Re: Problem with pedalboard

If your power is good to each pedal (make sure there are no batteries in your pedals too)

my first suspect would be the Morley Volume -those pots can get dirty and weird -I've seen it lots.

Always a good starting point. Some electronic contact cleaner should sort it out if that is indeed the problem. From the schematic, the pot is connected to the LEDs the work in conjunction with the LDR to control the volume level is if the pot is not functioning as it should, the volume with change. The pot is a 100k linear so easy to source it did need replacing.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Problem with pedalboard

if the amps work fine without the pedal board then go through each pedal till you find the one thats causing the issue.

+1

I've also seen the volume drop caused by a patch cable that wasn't making good contact.

 

[EmiAba]

Re: Problem with pedalboard

if the amps work fine without the pedal board then go through each pedal till you find the one thats causing the issue.

Both amps work properly without the pedalboard. Each pedal seems ok. What I noted is that the issue appears while the overdrive is in

 

[BlakeC27]

Re: Problem with pedalboard

Both amps work properly without the pedalboard. Each pedal seems ok. What I noted is that the issue appears while the overdrive is in

Just Guitar-Cable-OD pedal-Cable-Amp? Or still on the board running through everything else?

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Problem with pedalboard

Does the MXR have a “standard” stomp switch? I’ve had a few fail like that where you just kind of lose volume or signal. It happened when it was engaged and disengaged, but a few stomps would fix it. Obviously after the switch was replaced the issue disappeared.

 

[EmiAba]

Re: Problem with pedalboard

I spent a couple of hours last night trying to isolate the problem and trying to replicate the failure. It appears randomly but it is definitely the OD. Without it in pedalboard all is Ok. And even in guitar cable OD cable amp the failure sometimes occurs. Don't know what is the problem but it's the OD. Need a replacement and more time to investigate the root cause

 

[BlakeC27]

Re: Problem with pedalboard

I spent a couple of hours last night trying to isolate the problem and trying to replicate the failure. It appears randomly but it is definitely the OD. Without it in pedalboard all is Ok. And even in guitar cable OD cable amp the failure sometimes occurs. Don't know what is the problem but it's the OD. Need a replacement and more time to investigate the root cause

Try some contact cleaner on the foot switch of the pedal. If you can get a can with a fine nozzle and spray it into the gap between the threaded bush and the actuator of the foot switch i.e. the part to press to turn it on and off that might do the trick. I just remembered that I repaired a MXR Distortion + that did something similar and that fixed the issue.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Problem with pedalboard

I wonder if it is a power issue with the OD? What if you power it from a battery?

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Problem with pedalboard

I wonder if it is a power issue with the OD? What if you power it from a battery?

Or a completely separate power supply?

 

[EmiAba]

Re: Problem with pedalboard

Hi, sorry for my late reply. I checked again if the pedals were free for batteries. I tried several time all pedals (powered by batteries or by the CS12) in different configuration. I removed the patch work and I did it again. I removed one pedal at a time. And ended up with no issues. I am confused. One question:

what happens if a pedal is powered by battery and by external source at the same time?

Anyway now the pedalboard is in this configuration


At the moment the pedalboard works properly. All pedals are powered by the CS12. One last thing. I noticed that the power led of the CS12 is off even if the CS12 keeps on powering pedals. It's almost new (I bought it last month brand-new). I emailed the True Tone support 4 days ago but I had no reply at all. Have you experienced something like that?

 

[NegativeEase]

Re: Problem with pedalboard

Hi, sorry for my late reply. I checked again if the pedals were free for batteries. I tried several time all pedals (powered by batteries or by the CS12) in different configuration. I removed the patch work and I did it again. I removed one pedal at a time. And ended up with no issues. I am confused. One question:

what happens if a pedal is powered by battery and by external source at the same time?

Anyway now the pedalboard is in this configuration
View attachment 99337

At the moment the pedalboard works properly. All pedals are powered by the CS12. One last thing. I noticed that the power led of the CS12 is off even if the CS12 keeps on powering pedals. It's almost new (I bought it last month brand-new). I emailed the True Tone support 4 days ago but I had no reply at all. Have you experienced something like that?

Nothing bad happens.

Just hard to be sure which may be the issue if you have both in. For trouble shooting I always make sure batteries are out and then sub them in to prove if I suspect the DC jack from the power supply.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Problem with pedalboard

The power jack disconnects the battery from the circuit when a power cable is inserted.

My money is on it’s either an intermittent cable (that rearranging temporarily “fixed”) or an intermittent stomp switch.

 

[NegativeEase]

Re: Problem with pedalboard

The power jack disconnects the battery from the circuit when a power cable is inserted.

Yes, but not if the transformer is shorted on the power supply or the jack is broken. -That's the only reason I say to do that if power seems to be the issue

my money is on it’s either an intermittent cable (that rearranging temporarily “fixed”) or an intermittent stomp switch.

Agreed, but it probably doesn't matter as his symptoms don't sound power related to me and I believe he ruled out cables.

 

[BlakeC27]

Re: Problem with pedalboard

The power jack disconnects the battery from the circuit when a power cable is inserted.

My money is on it’s either an intermittent cable (that rearranging temporarily “fixed”) or an intermittent stomp switch.

Did you try clearing the switch on the GT-OD?