Why are so many wah pedals buffered?

[Open lane]

I used to own a weeping demon wah pedal. It was ok when in use but when not in use, it was a real tone drainer. When i sold it years ago, i promised myself i would never get a wah pedal again that is not true bypass. Been looking at options for another wah, including high end sig models, and it seems like all of the options avail are buffered. Is there a reason this is the case? Is there any other indicator as to whether a pedal will drain tone?

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Why are so many wah pedals buffered?

...Tone drain....tone reduction....tone...moan...
You know it is all a compromise when you're using this high impedance low voltage signal that guitars delivers... it is one of lifes mysteries....you cannot go all categorial on this thing.
There is nothing true about bypass or cables, it is all a grey zone for everyone

 

[ThisDyingSoul76]

Re: Why are so many wah pedals buffered?

The problem is not necessarily that a pedal is buffered. It's the quality of the buffer that is used.

If you have more than just a couple of pedals you want a good buffer, whether it's a stand alone unit or built into a pedal.

My theory on why true bypass wahs are hard to come by is because they are usually one of the first things in a person's signal chain and that's where you actually would want a buffer even if every other pedal was true bypass.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Why are so many wah pedals buffered?

The switch for true bypass is a DPDT and costs more than the basic switch. Cost is even more if you want to add an LED (triple throw). Cheaper for a manufacturer to use a cheap buffer, or no buffer.

The better quality wahs are mostly true bypass. Depends on how much you want to spend. Adding a DPDT to an existing Vox is the most cost effective route.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Why are so many wah pedals buffered?

Cheaper and clones of the original circuit.

The "buffer" in the wah is not in the same category as the type of buffer that you would want to start your board with.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Why are so many wah pedals buffered?

.....As said...no one can really answer all of this, as no amp is the same, guitars comes in plenty, cables with all kinds of different loads, other pedals that do not like low impedance(read oldschool fuzz and such, OCD drive and so on) buffers are not that easy, the holy switch from the vatican....better know as the truth talking 3dptsådjdhdht swatch...oh gods....is so easy.....that is for the real lazy ones
Nothing hard setting that one up....

And you all make it sound like a buffer is a small nuclear powerplant.... it is high to low impedance....it does not have to be anything special to work well....dedicated buffers are just stuff invented to steal more of your loose sitting money
Oh I can improve me tooonyyy...
Signing out...I am all true bypassed and buffered now!

 

[Hank-]

Re: Why are so many wah pedals buffered?

3PDT switches are much cheaper now than some years back and true bypass has gotten common using those since getting an led indicator to work with a dpdt switch requires more work. Unfortunately those switches don't last long, there are times when i want prefer buffered pedals with boss style soft switch mechanism

Coming back to buffered wah, a true bypass looper would help if the buffer is really a problem but the effect sounds great when turned on.

 

[IMENATOR]

Re: Why are so many wah pedals buffered?

Wah is most of the times first in the signal chain, buffer there makes perfect sense to me specially if all the other pedals are true bypass. It is a bad thing of course if it is a poorly designed buffer. I guess you may not need it if you use active pickups.

 

[HiFiRebel]

Re: Why are so many wah pedals buffered?

I bought a $30 buffer pedal and put it after the wah. It seems to help. I know my wah has a "buffer" but it sucks and will likely go true bypass soon anyways.

 

[GoldenVulture]

Re: Why are so many wah pedals buffered?

.....As said...no one can really answer all of this, as no amp is the same, guitars comes in plenty, cables with all kinds of different loads, other pedals that do not like low impedance(read oldschool fuzz and such, OCD drive and so on) buffers are not that easy, the holy switch from the vatican....better know as the truth talking 3dptsådjdhdht swatch...oh gods....is so easy.....that is for the real lazy ones
Nothing hard setting that one up....

And you all make it sound like a buffer is a small nuclear powerplant.... it is high to low impedance....it does not have to be anything special to work well....dedicated buffers are just stuff invented to steal more of your loose sitting money
Oh I can improve me tooonyyy...
Signing out...I am all true bypassed and buffered now!

Unity Gain :friday:utahere:

 

[Firebrand]

Re: Why are so many wah pedals buffered?

Dunlop 535Q
CAE MC402
Both are true bypass and can be had used under $120.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[devastone]

Re: Why are so many wah pedals buffered?

Might want to double check the 535Q, the old one I had was NOT true bypass. I know they have changed them some, but I think they are still what Dunlop calls "hardwire bypass" which leaves the circuit connected.

The best deal in a TB wah out there is probably the Modtone Vintage wah.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Why are so many wah pedals buffered?

Dunlop 535Q
CAE MC402
Both are true bypass and can be had used under $120.

535Q's can be had used for well under $100.

 

[Southbound Suarez]

Re: Why are so many wah pedals buffered?

I used to own a weeping demon wah pedal. It was ok when in use but when not in use, it was a real tone drainer. When i sold it years ago, i promised myself i would never get a wah pedal again that is not true bypass. Been looking at options for another wah, including high end sig models, and it seems like all of the options avail are buffered. Is there a reason this is the case? Is there any other indicator as to whether a pedal will drain tone?

Maybe this is what you need...

http://www.analogman.com/foxwah.htm

I have one installed in my Budda Wah.

 

[devastone]

Re: Why are so many wah pedals buffered?

Might want to double check the 535Q, the old one I had was NOT true bypass. I know they have changed them some, but I think they are still what Dunlop calls "hardwire bypass" which leaves the circuit connected.

The best deal in a TB wah out there is probably the Modtone Vintage wah.

I take that back, it looks like the 535Q is now listed at True Bypass on the website, so if you go with that one be sure to get the new version. It is a great sounding wah. That said, the Modtone is still a great deal ;-)

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Why are so many wah pedals buffered?

Isn't the reason because OD's and Fuzz's tend to play nicer with buffered wah's, and can be positioned before the wah without squealing?

 

[Southbound Suarez]

Re: Why are so many wah pedals buffered?

Isn't the reason because OD's and Fuzz's tend to play nicer with buffered wah's, and can be positioned before the wah without squealing?

See Post# 14.

The Foxrox Wah Retrofit is a self-contained FET buffer/amp circuit that gets installed into your Wah Wah pedal, giving it the ability to cut through any Fuzz Face or Fuzz Face clone. By essentially installing a "real" output section, the Wah Wah pedal becomes immune to the effects of loading, restoring range and depth to older, vintage Wah wah pedals without affecting their vintage value. Newer, high-end "boutique" wah pedals, such as Teese RMC pedals also benefit from this mod because they are based on the same, classic inductor-based circuit. Since it is a basic FET audio buffer/amplifier, this circuit can also be added to effects pedals that need more output, as well as effects that need more drive at the input.

 

[EDX]

Re: Why are so many wah pedals buffered?

in my opinion the biggest problem with a buffered wah is if the buffer is bad quality, and by bad quality i don't mean cheap, for example some really good fet buffers aren't more expensive to make than 2 bucks, but still they can be affected by bad quality noisy fets, same applies to ic based buffers, so as long as the buffer is good the wah will be good

i don't know about the 535q but the crybaby from hell, which is based on it has a really nice buffer, you can't tell there's a wah on the chain until you step on it and make some noise haha

 

[blueman335]

Re: Why are so many wah pedals buffered?

I take that back, it looks like the 535Q is now listed at True Bypass on the website, so if you go with that one be sure to get the new version. It is a great sounding wah.

+1. Dunlop is continually revising their wahs and making improvements, the 535 series has gone through a few enhancements. The latest GCB95's have a red fasel.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Why are so many wah pedals buffered?

The Foxrox Wah Retrofit is a self-contained FET buffer/amp circuit that gets installed into your Wah Wah pedal, giving it the ability to cut through any Fuzz Face or Fuzz Face clone. By essentially installing a "real" output section, the Wah Wah pedal becomes immune to the effects of loading, restoring range and depth to older, vintage Wah wah pedals without affecting their vintage value.

I've got several wah's, and while I don't always combine them with my many fuzz's and OD's, my Dunlop Jimi chrome top w/Foxrox buffer is the one that plays the nicest with pedals.