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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.

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.

Oh hmm. It's an Ibanez FZ7, and a Danelectro Spring King.

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.

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

I do love a snaggletoothed cutie