pedals passing effected signal when bypassed

Do-it-yourself pedal building

Moderator: Ghost Hip

Forum rules
The DIY forum is for personal projects (things that are not for sale, not in production), info sharing, peer to peer assistance. No backdoor spamming (DIY posts that are actually advertisements for your business). No clones of in-production pedals. If you have concerns or questions, feel free to PM admin. Thanks so much!
Post Reply
User avatar
friendship
IAMILFFAMOUS
IAMILFFAMOUS
Posts: 4183
Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2013 5:22 pm

pedals passing effected signal when bypassed

Post by friendship »

I wasn't sure how/where to ask this question, but I have a couple of non-true bypass pedals which have begun passing some very low-level effected signal even when the pedal is bypassed. For instance, I have a fuzz pedal in the chain, and even when it's off I can hear the fuzzy signal quietly underneath everything.

What causes such a thing, and how can it be fixed?

Sorry if this is a very common and basic thing. I don't know much about pedalworks.
sound journal
actualidiot wrote:12-bit's almost analog, right?
User avatar
Dr Satan
committed
committed
Posts: 196
Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2011 4:11 pm
Location: North of the ATL.

Re: pedals passing effected signal when bypassed

Post by Dr Satan »

There are several different methods for switching and without knowing exactly what you have it's impossible to determine the possible cause. Converting it to true bypass will fix the problem though, so long as you do it properly and ground the input to the circuit when bypassed. Even true bypass can result in leakage if you don't do it right on high gain pedals, like fuzzes.
User avatar
friendship
IAMILFFAMOUS
IAMILFFAMOUS
Posts: 4183
Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2013 5:22 pm

Re: pedals passing effected signal when bypassed

Post by friendship »

Oh hmm. It's an Ibanez FZ7, and a Danelectro Spring King.
sound journal
actualidiot wrote:12-bit's almost analog, right?
User avatar
Dr Satan
committed
committed
Posts: 196
Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2011 4:11 pm
Location: North of the ATL.

Re: pedals passing effected signal when bypassed

Post by Dr Satan »

Yeah there's really no easy fix for either of those other than using a true bypass looper. The Ibanez 7 series pedals are notoriously difficult to work on, they cram a lot of stuff into those little boxes on several different boards, making it difficult to trace. As for the spring king, I don't know, I see no schematics online but I'd imagine it's JFET switching as well. :idk:
watchyourscrew
involved
involved
Posts: 98
Joined: Tue May 29, 2012 9:45 am
Location: ATX

Re: pedals passing effected signal when bypassed

Post by watchyourscrew »

this happens to my ILF Day Delay if specific controls are maxed out before i bypass it. it hasn't bothered me yet, more of a charming "flaw" like a snaggletooth on a cutie
User avatar
friendship
IAMILFFAMOUS
IAMILFFAMOUS
Posts: 4183
Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2013 5:22 pm

Re: pedals passing effected signal when bypassed

Post by friendship »

I do love a snaggletoothed cutie
sound journal
actualidiot wrote:12-bit's almost analog, right?
Post Reply