Can true by-pass break / fade?!?

[ArnaudS1979]

Hey Guys, I have plugged my FOD-1 Fat Overdrive pedal back in the LC-15R for the first time in years. And I got a bit of a surprise. The simple fact of adding the pedal in the sound chain coloured the sound. I didn't remember that it was the case. I thought it was true by-pass. However, I can see anything on Demeter's webpage confirming that.

Is there any possibility that a pedal with true by-pass, start colouring the sound while off due to defect or decay, or damage or what not??? My understanding of how true by-pass is achieved is that you have direct link from input to output without any links to the pedal circuit. So can there be some kind of 'long circuit' of this link whereby a connection with the main circuit could happen?

The pedal when off acts a slight treble boost and loose some of the clarity... Wondering if I am just notciing this because I played with the SE C24 instead of the LP Studio. It may have been less noticeable with the LP?!?

 

[Rider1260]

Anything in your signal chain can change your sound.
Most "True Bypass" pedals are not really that , many used buffers and such to achieve a clean bypass ( which is not always a bad thing )
I your case it sounds like you are getting a bit of signal loading hotter pickups usually will push thru that a bit.
Most ( if not all ) high end touring switchers take pedals completely out of the signal chain except when in use to avoid tonal changes.
On my pedals I use a relay to take the entire circuit out of the signal chain to avoid any possible issues but even then once I get past 6 pedals there is a slight drop in signal

 

[andy474x]

Easy way to tell for many pedals whether or not they're true bypass, unplug the power supply (or battery) and switch it on or off, if the signal still comes through the same in bypass (effect off) mode, your pedal is true bypass, if not it has a buffer (needs power for the buffer even when effect is off).

 

[Boogie]

Sometimes, pedals are loved for the bad things they do to a signal chain. The old MXR Flanger was a horrid tone-sucking signal destroyer, but people like EVH loved it anyway. We didn't know any better at the time. Sounds like you have evolved past this pedal and need to flip it and find something more to your liking.

 

[László]

A switch can mechanically fail, but if it passes signal cleanly, the sound quality doesn't deteriorate.

However, components like transistors can deteriorate on an old pedal after many years.

 

[ArnaudS1979]

Thanks Guys, I'll check if it is a true bypass or not.

The more I think about it, the more I think it is the PRS that made it more noticeable. The sound of the LP is so thick that it may feel like a drop in the ocean. I'll test that as well.

It does look like I have reach the painful stage where I have 'outgrown' some of my gear...

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Guitar gear is like home stereo gear, in that, with every step up you take in transparency, you notice more good and bad about everything else in the chain. Flaws that aren't noticeable on lower end gear quickly become glaring when under the high end microscope.

Dang, that sounds like something from a real magazine article or something.

 

[László]

Dang, that sounds like something from a real magazine article or something.

Nice work, man. Very nice work.

 

[ArnaudS1979]

Guitar gear is like home stereo gear, in that, with every step up you take in transparency, you notice more good and bad about everything else in the chain. Flaws that aren't noticeable on lower end gear quickly become glaring when under the high end microscope.

Dang, that sounds like something from a real magazine article or something.

Lower end gear... We are talking about a Gibson LP Studio. Granted the PRS SE is probably better quality but it is hardly cheap and cheerful. Plus, I am using BKP Mule + MQ which is rather top notch. The overall idea of your post stands though

 

[Deleted member 5962]

yeah, I wasn't saying that you had low end gear, just that when one item in the chain moves upstream, it exposes everything else. Again, just as in home audio, your weakest link determines your transparency ceiling. If you have a great pre-amp and amp, great speakers, and a cheap phono cartridge, you won't get high end sound.

I consider the PRS amps to be high end because they are so clear and transparent. Even with gain, even with frequency manipulations, the clarity of notes comes through. The little things like string gauge changes or small pickup height adjustments or a new guitar cable, all come through loud and clear. A pedal with a buffer, good or bad, will be audible. Etc.

 

[ArnaudS1979]

yeah, I wasn't saying that you had low end gear, just that when one item in the chain moves upstream, it exposes everything else. Again, just as in home audio, your weakest link determines your transparency ceiling. If you have a great pre-amp and amp, great speakers, and a cheap phono cartridge, you won't get high end sound.

I consider the PRS amps to be high end because they are so clear and transparent. Even with gain, even with frequency manipulations, the clarity of notes comes through. The little things like string gauge changes or small pickup height adjustments or a new guitar cable, all come through loud and clear. A pedal with a buffer, good or bad, will be audible. Etc.

I hear you. However, I am worried about how my views on my LP could evolve in a not so distant future... I was already looking earlier which one of the double cut PRS was going to give the most LP like sound...

 

[Deleted member 5962]

594 It's thicker than standard PRS. But the SC version of it has even more of the low mids LP thing, from what I hear from my drug dealer (Bodia).

 

[ArnaudS1979]

594 It's thicker than standard PRS. But the SC version of it has even more of the low mids LP thing, from what I hear from my drug dealer (Bodia).

I thought it would be the case, but I don't really dig the single cuts... It's not going to happen overnight, so plenty of time to think about it...

 

[bodia]

594 It's thicker than standard PRS. But the SC version of it has even more of the low mids LP thing, from what I hear from my drug dealer (Bodia).

This is the truth!

I'd put it this way; if the SC594 has 99% of that LP grunt, the DC594 has 94%. I'll add this, the 594 prompted me to get rid of my 2016 R8. It was a nice guitar, but the 594 was just so much more of a joy to play. Of course, YMMV.

 

[ArnaudS1979]

This is the truth!

I'd put it this way; if the SC594 has 99% of that LP grunt, the DC594 has 94%. I'll add this, the 594 prompted me to get rid of my 2016 R8. It was a nice guitar, but the 594 was just so much more of a joy to play. Of course, YMMV.

Let's cut it out boys. If I was in band and all that why not, but as it stands I can't justify (even to myself, nevermind the Miss) to fork out £3,000 for a guitar. So, when is the 594 McCarty going to have a SE version? Plus, I haven't completely given up on my LP either. I tried the FOD with it earlier and the treble boost is noticeable, although I don't mind it so much with the LP, but the loss of clarity is not as perceptible. As a first step, I'll replace the pedal

 

[ArnaudS1979]

Oh, and... 94% would do me fine

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Hey, you asked! . Then the enablers showed up! Lol

 

[bodia]

Hey, you asked! . Then the enablers showed up! Lol

Preach!

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Oh, and... 94% would do me fine

That's whats important, because there are then other factors. Do you like the looks of a DC better than an SC? I think most would prefer the weight of a DC. So sounds like a DC is what you want.

 

[ArnaudS1979]

That's whats important, because there are then other factors. Do you like the looks of a DC better than an SC? I think most would prefer the weight of a DC. So sounds like a DC is what you want.

Playing my SE C24 again tonight and not having to lumber along the weight of the LP is actually no bad thing... Having said that, I think the passage from 11s to 9s is colouring my judgement here . DC weight: kind of, DC look: definitely.