Only way I'm ever going to sit down and listen to 1hr of nerding over buffers is for TPS. I hope you guys don't mind the comparison, but for me TPS is the Top Gear of the guitar world.
@@stevedixon8567 good point. Top Gear if the Top Gear hosts were funny and entertaining, but also considerate, inclusive and well adjusted. Maybe the comparison isn't that great ;-)
So true ! My favorite is when Dan breaks down the signal chain and describes what’s happening with the sound waves. That helps me understand as a visual person and a teacher lmao
I've heard that Albert Collins used a 100' cable so he could walk around the club (or even the sidewalk outside). Just imagine if he used a patch cable! Ice pick, squared?
Little Labs has a gadget called the STD that I think has the buffer built into the plug that you can put straight into the guitar if you want. I used to have a Hofner 459 guitar with the Fuzz and Treble Boost built into the body.
Way back in the '80s, some of us just had a half dozen Boss pedals in a line (all buffered bypass, of course) and we didn't have to learn about this stuff. It wasn't great with so many buffers, but it was okay :-)
Careful Dan, if Mick has that knife on hand - you might need to keep a spoon close by! You never know when Mick might wanna play a game of knifey spoony ;)
I have 10 pedals on my pedalboard, and I had to Experiment for 3 weeks before I settled on Pedal Order. It was so draining . . . but in retrospect, worth-the-time and effort: to get it right.
I always had my ole’ TC Flashback 1 at the end of my chain (after the loop-switcher output) on buffered-bypass mode and boom. I’m feeling very validated after this episode! Haha!
@@rafsbio Man I had my switcher last week and my Octafuzz is having issues when I turn my Flashback on. So you mean you put it after the switcher out, and that solves the problem? I will try it. But is a shame that doing so you will have no control for the Flashback on the switcher 's presets, right?
Recently had to move my Hartman flanger to the beginning of my chain (don't have a switcher yet) when it started making whooshing noises when placed after certain pedals. Then I noticed a volume drop when it was on. Stuck a Boss pedal after it and that sorted that out thankfully.
I personally believe that in most cases it is better to have the high end preserved and shape my eq to cut what I don't want in the right spot of the signal chain than not having the high end and then boosting and EQing to get back desired frequencies, the first option usually leads to less noise floor and preserves the dynamic range. That said, my favorite buffers are light gain overdrives that don't color the sound too much and have some EQ, like the Timmy or the prince of tone.
I know I’m late to the party here, but I just got a EUNA (before watching this video shockingly) and I have to agree with the dislike of buffers....BUT I think I saw you had the bright switch on. I didn’t like the brights on with my setup. Found it was too bright for what I was looking for. The bass and harmonic switch on the other hand still felt really natural to me. For whatever that’s worth.
I absolutely can’t praise the Phil Robinson Phuzz high enough. It stopped my search for a fuzzface type in its tracks. Phil is also a wonderful fella too.
What would work here is a “buffer” type intermediary circuit with a lower z input and low z output. So it would load the fuzz as if it were seeing the cables, but drive the next stages easily. It would be switched off with the fuzz.
This is a FANTASTICALLY USEFUL episode gents! Well done. Really interesting hearing the differences.... Its not even just WHERE the buffer is, but what the pedals circuit does to color the signal too. I think the Echorec's buffer sounds terrible (no matter where it is in the signal chain), compared to the one in the Belle Epoch or the Klon. And the Belle Epoch definitely made the Secret machine sound best. I'm struggling a bit with my fuzzes as well because I have three buffered bypass pedals as well... the Polytune 3, the Cali76, and the Klon. But! I definitely prefer my compression after the gain stages, so putting that right after the fuzz is out. Right now its fuzz into Broadcast into Klon into a few other drives, then Cali76 then delays with reverb last. So far its pretty good but I'm curious if I could get it better by swapping the Klon and the Broadcast... it never ends! Where should you put your buffer? In your case, the Belle Epoch right after the Secret Machine sounds GREAT. Since you want a delay there as well, that would seem to be your answer.
Just in case you didn't know, you can switch the Polytune 3 between buffered and true bypass (obviously without the always-on tuning when in true bypass).
Finally! I've been commenting (and giving my solution, see below) about the deleterious effect of buffers even *after*, not only before, fuzz faces for YEARS. I'm pretty sure I already commented under one of your previous videos on the topic, at least once. I also always alert people that buffers are not all the same and that the simple bipolar transistor buffers are the best sounding ones (i.e. the ones that more faithfully give you that guitar-->single 5 meters cable-->amp tone, without any added shrillness). You can also watch one of my few videos where a show how even simply swapping the transistor type in the same buffer changes its tone. But my comments probably get buried or judged too bold because most people say "it's simple, just put your buffer after your fuzz!". No, it's not! (As you showed) So, here is my trick and solution for fuzz faces and buffers after them: you MUST reproduce the capacitance of the (usually) long cable you have from the pedalboard to the amp to get the same tone! So in my fuzz faces, and in those of my friends, I always add a 470-560pF capacitor from the central (output) lug of the fuzz volume pot to ground and make it toggle-switchable. Then, I always have a buffer or a buffered pedal after my fuzz face. This way my tone is consistent: if I don't use the fuzz, I have a stable buffered signal which feeds my other pedals and cable; if I use the fuzz, I don't have any unexpected behavior from it, the tone is as good as without any buffer because my fuzz actually "sees" a 5 meters cable after it, before the first buffer; if I want to play my fuzz straight into the amp with no other effects, I toggle the cap off, and I have the standard fuzz face circuit. Hope this will help as many people as possible! Cheers from Italy! Giulio
I was just watching some of your older stuff, not that’s it’s bad, but wow you guys seem to have really hit your stride these days! Great work as always :)
First pedal in my chain: TC Electronic Polytune 3 with built in buffer turned on. At the end of the chain are two Eventide H9s with buffered bypass with trails turned on in both. After that is my final boost, the Xotic Super Sweet Boost with the buffer also turned on in that! I don't use any vintage fuzz pedals, just my Earthquaker Hoof Fuzz. Works for me!
A very sobering video, and a MASSIVE 'elephant in the room' for guitarists (and any other musician that chains pedals) that needs more exposure. Pedal manufacturers NEED to cover pedal chaining scenarios - and how to fix potential issues - in their user documentation. Unfortunately(!!), there are so many guitarists that don't know about these issues and instead, simply adjust each pedal input/output volume etc to 'compensate', thinking that is the real/correct sound of each pedal when they are chained together. They're certainly not getting what they paid for. Sad but true.
Need to listen to this back and forth to understand…! But it might explain why there’s a difference between 10 pedals and 3 pedals when everything in turned off… Just find out that almost halfway of my top pedals avec buffered 😞
Mick - you should have a go with the fender ready set buffer. It has a switch that changes the input impedance (I think) and a knob to control the high end presence of the buffer. May really work for you.
This was helpful even after watching TPS's newer follow-up buffer video first. About the only thing missing in this one was the 29 Pedals OAMP. After watching all these buffer videos, I didn't get the impression that Mick ever found a solution that he was really satisfied with. Is that an accurate impression?
IK Multimedia makes a pedal that allows you to change input impedance via dial, solving at least one part of the problem here. It’s called “Z-TONE Buffer Boost”
I think using the Euna after the fuzz would “solve” the “problem”. Use the Euna with the delay in the loop, that way there’s always a buffer after the fuzz and no more volume/tone change. Of course that will change the sound of the fuzz but like you guys said, it’s all subjective to opinions. Awesome video!!
But Mick didn't want the Euna buffer on the rest of the time. He needed an inverse functionality, buffer on only with the loop engaged, otherwise off. If the delay is only to pair with the fuzz, then putting them both in an unbuffered loop would be the solution.
While some might think this isn’t a particularly sexy topic, this might be one of the most universally helpful topics you guys have ever covered! SO illuminating. There is no guitarist on the planet who doesn’t benefit from this video. Thank you, as ever, for being the informative, inspiring legends that you are!
You can turn off the brightness on the euna. Switch it off if it’s not to taste. The loop on the euna isn’t intended to act as a buffer for fuzz. It’s just there to get the euna out of the way, because if you euna, it’s designed to be first in the chain. Side note. Pop the euna open. The writing on the circuit board is endearing. 😊
Just to clarify the revelation of running the patch cable straight into the amp ... Was the conclusion that it sounded bad because the patch cable was too short and the pickups and amp were designed to use a longer cable? If so, what's the optimal instrument cable length? Or is that a whole other can of worms?
No joke at all... I just did almost the exact short cable/lead thing days ago... I have a Player Series Strat that is the brightest guitar of my 5... I made two cables to customize length for my office and the lower capacitance was too bright! I knew there was more signal and less loss/suck... but it just was not better... so I ended up putting a cheap buffer midway through my chain and using the darker cable to balance it out. In other words, had I waited two days, you would have given me all the answers and saved me tons of work! Next time do the video on Tuesday guys! Ha ha ha... true story. With my tests, this is the first time I grasp buffering in a practical way... thanks so much!
Buffer, I barely know her, oh lordy....I've been reduced to this ... sorry, I'm American....been trying to keep it easy breezy covergirl because of recent shenanigans, Pete Cornish was a master at this type of thing , good show but that's no surprise
To buffer or not to buffer: that is the question whether ’tis nobler in the mind to true bypass the slings and arrows of outrageous tone loss Or to take buffers against a sea of capacitance and by driving impedance end them?
Totally. If you mean Euna, there are people who love that sound (post-Cream Clapton fans in the most part! ) and those people who really, really don’t (Cream-era Clapton fans). Hahaha! It sounds like his Music Man amps to me and makes me wonder if we’re all hearing the same set of frequencies. I seem to have a particular sensitivity to that ‘brittle’ stuff. Sounds brittle to me anyway..... may well sound like butter to some other folks. Fascinating!
This episode came at THE absolute perfect time for me. When I play my strat straight into my DSL20CR (clean channel), sounds great. As soon as I plug anything else in front of the amp, it seems to lose fidelity. So I've spent the entire week moving my Archer Icon in and out of different positions in the chain. And I've been contemplating "do I sandwich the board with a Mesa Boogie High-Wire - or just put a stand alone buffer at the head of the chain - or replace my tuner with the new TC Polytune that has a buffer built in?" My only fuzz is a Fulltone Catalyst, which is super stable from an impedance standpoint. So that can go after the buffer. Blimey, It's been quite a week between my ears ... Glad to know I'm not the only person on this earth who is completely ... nuts.
Honk for Shakespeare ? Or not. Lol... Mick is riff monster of the week! Wish I could afford a Dans gig rig switcher with all the other bells and whistles... Dan gets riff monster of the weekend. Lol... Just kidding, animals, the both of you... Ya-all drove your selves right into the ditch on this one. Very interesting predicament...
That Euna seems pretty awesome. Talk about hi-fi! Turning that on made it sound like you plugged right into the desk. Definitely going to look that one up.
So the answer appears to be as follows.. "Good" buffer, if at all, somewhere after germanium fuzz, precise location to taste -- but oftentimes immediately after, and maybe another at the very end of the chain, if you like.
I'm surprised the subject of independent buffer units like the little JHS one didn't come up, but for obvious reasons (*cough cough, g2, cough*) I can see why you wouldn't have them lying around. On a separate note, I can't recall if it was recently but I recall Mic saying he might want an SG. I haven't had my eye on the guitar market for a tick but I'd still think you should be able to get a '61 reissue for a decent price. They were kind of revolving door in the shops. I think people picked them up because they were real pretty but: A) I don't think they were used to the vintage spec (which Imagine you would prefer) and B) came off the factory floor with a garbage setup. Plus I'm encountering a level imbalance with a weaker signal in the bridge pickup but I'm thinking that's either the height or maybe some fault that's creeped up electronically because it was out of my circulation a while and I don't recall that being an issue before. Easy fix in any event. Bit of this or that. I think they're great value for money
@@c.p.1589 Maybe it's a climate thing? Though I wouldn't imagine conditions there being drastically different from central Pennsylvania. Once mine was setup I didn't really have any problems. I just had to be sure to keep my nut lubed because using 11's it would start to bind which is a problem I'm used to with that break angle of theirs. That gauge is just on the edge of needing to have the nut redressed. (Which come to think of it I think Mic uses 11's too I think) Or maybe I just got a Pearl amongst swine, their QC has been a bit sporadic around that time.
@@paulmatulevich3623 I've had a bunch of SGs From 62 to 74 and Some of them are just unstable rubber necks. There just isn't a lot of gluing area. If the neck is flat sawn or has a lot of run out in the grain it doesn't help. The mid 60s necks can be pencil thin too with a big weighty headstock. Having said that, I have a 69 now with a log of a neck. It's like an iron bar and refuses to go out of tune. My 62 was the same. The modern ones can vary a lot. The newer growth mahogany can be quite porous but there are definitely gems amongst them.
Thank you Dan and Mick!! I’ve been wondering about this. Is the radial SGI box considered a buffer? What does it do to signal when running amps 50ft away offstage?
The term for impedance in regards to capacitance is "capacitive reactance". While I get you love the vintage circuit, it's clear that as finicky as it is to the tiny changes in capacitive reactance, that fuzz doesn't play well with even a slightly complex signal chain. If you have to have that circuit, you're going to have to overcome it's limitations.
As confusing as buffers and their resulting impedance can be: Just a cool tip for anyone wanting to have the ULTIMATE KLON! I use a Way Huge Conspiracy Theory which has no internal buffer in the circuit so after this I have an Xotic Super/Clean Buffer/Boost pedal. These two pedal are treated as just one pedal. I keep the Xotic always on with no boost or DIP EQ enhancments but that is the beauty of this, you have all these options at hand. Anyway the Conspiracy Theory makes for a better Klon even though it is not Germanium based it sounds actually better than a real Klon to me (try gain only about 9:00). The Xotic is a superior buffer with very low output impedance. Try this it's just killer!!!
@@TheElrondo I got that, except I wanted to acknowledge that all buffers aren't the same. Have you ever tried putting the first buffer after the Drive section? Recommended.
Might be a related thing I came across the other day whilst mucking about with the pedal chain. Got a stereo chorus and I plugged the outputs into the stereo inputs of my delay. Tone went to hell. Sounded like I'd thrown blanket over the speaker cab. Maybe the chorus is mucking about with phase in order to get it's stereo output. Pulled one of the outputs and we're back to business as usual. Perhaps this could be a topic to explore on another day.
Oh and RIP EVH! We lost probably the second greatest after Hendrix this week.... Hendrix only above in my opinion because without him, there are no shredders, and there is no shredder like Eddie was
RIP Eddie. There’s been a few tears the last few days, for reasons I don’t fully understand. The man was an innovator, inventor and inspiration to so many people. The man is the reason I play. My first concert was Van Halen in the late 90’s with Gary Cherone on vocals. Not long after I had a beginner combo. The Wolfgang had a serious working over on Wednesday evening
Solid Show -- Important topic. I ventured down the True Bypass rabbit hole at one point only to have the pendulum swing back the other way. My approach now, good or bad, is not put too much thought into it all UNLESS, I run into an issue like you demonstrated. As to how I have my pedalboard wired, the difference any one buffer plays may be insignificant. In its current configuration, much like the setup in the show, I run everything (symbolically) in a straight line; pedal to pedal to pedal. As my compressor is always at the start of the chain, set with a nice blend and light compression, it provides a buffer-like function and helps drive the signal down stream. I also, for the most part, leave my JHS Clover on all of the time (mid-chain). In addition, the delays and reverbs are set in trails mode (buffer on) so again, there exist a plethora of buffers along the path. One thought I have -- and perhaps I am wrong in this -- I like the idea of all my effects getting a full and robust signal for them to then process, thus (and especially with delays and verbs) I get to hear all of the life, nuances, and personality of said effects. To combat the potential shrill, I currently run the Strymon Deco at the very end of the chain to add some warmth and saturation -- sort of polish the rough edges/spikes on the final tone that is delivered to the amp. --- Food for thought: perhaps there is an 'Anti-Buffer' that could be placed at the end of the chain to add a little dulling effect. ----
That word 'impedance' drives me nuts, as I get no intuitive impression of it, ever. It's like 'loading' and 'driving' like the pickups are supposed to be doing. I had some hope when Mick started talking about water hoses. But, then I was lost again when a small trickle from the hose apparently 'drove' the pedals down the chain like crazy, and the analogy made me flounder again. That being said, while I despair at ever gasping the terms, the testing things in order videos like these at least gives a doofus like me examples to fall back to when ordering pedals myself. Quite helpful indeed. Cheers.
I’m with you Andreas! Mick here. Hated science at school, hate it now. I’m sure it’s not that hard - hell, scientists do it! - but I just can’t be arsed to try and understand it. That’s the middle man, and quite frankly, he can do one. Etc. Grumble
Hi Andreas! It's kind of confusing at first but it's just a measure of how much a circuit resists (impedes!) current flowing through it. Really it's resistance plus phase shift. In other words, it accounts for how much the signal is delayed when it goes through a circuit. Purely resistive stuff has no delay while capacitors and inductors do have it. As for the difference in impedances between stuff, it might help to picture a high impedance (not very conductive) input as a very thick and heavy rope and a low impedance output (highly conductive) as a very light and thin rope. Tie them together and try to wiggle the heavy rope by wiggling the light rope and vice versa. That's impedances for you!
@@juanfichtl2011 thanks for trying to make it approachable. Really appreciate the attempt. We'll see if it sinks in, but it do sound graspable presented like that. What do you say Mick, eh?
I was chatting with the guys at Cornerstone after I got my Gladio and suggested that more pedals should come equipped with switchable buffers just so that issues like this are easier to solve. I have a small board with a buffer in my modded VPJr after between drives and mods which keeps my hose flowing smoothly. But folks with more complicated boards might want buffering before and after. What are your thoughts on having switchable buffers?
45:26 "shortest cable possible" - this is why Kinman (of the noiseless p'ups not beloved by Mick) counsels using a reasonably short cable, as a long cable run (he claims) robs the p'ups of their character. FWIW.
The Empress Buffer+ is similar, but also has a variable input impedance control that can load the pickups more and reduce excess highs. Put the Buffer+ right after the vintage-style fuzz (that's what I do). It also has a clean boost, mute, tuner out, etc. It's the same small size as the standard Empress Buffer.
Woah gents, the timing. Would this be why I loved the sound of a Homebrew Germania 44 (similar to a Dallas Rangemaster if I haven’t got my wires crossed) that I got today when it was only it and then straight into an amp, but not so much when I tried to put it in the drive section of my board?
I’m surprised that buffer pedal’s loop doesn’t bypass the entire thing along with the loop. That would solve the problem. It would buffer the fuzz when the fuzz is on, but bypass the buffer and the fuzz. Personally I like the buffered Strat sound.
So I now have a treble bleed circuit on a push pull pot with twisted tele neck pickup. (I love that pickup). Running through a Hudson broadcast duel. On low gain the treble bleed keeps a bright tone as I roll back the volume, on the high channel I take the treble bleed circuit out because it cleans up beautifully when the volume rolls back without it. Now I’ve added an old bb preamp which again reacts with the treble bleed circuit (I believe Andy Timmons uses treble bleeds). I just fitted a filterton pick up into a thinline and again fitted a push pull treble bleed. Again also rtfs of loveliness or not depending on the combination. Then add a buffer. Broardcast doesn’t seem to care if it’s in front or behind. I don’t know the science but it’s a bit like a rather frustrating mindfulness exercise, which I find fascinating . Plus I’m in a block of plasterboard lined flats so restricted to a low volume strymon iridium set up for the neighbours, but my recorded guitar tone is awesome (the tone not the playing). I do envy you the space to let rip! But as a mediocre guitar player I love tinkering for tone. The rise of TH-cam channels like yourselves and homesckooling and Tim pierce have inspired me over the past few years. Any way my question is. Why not have Annie Clarke (st Vincent) on.? She has an awesome fuzz tone and one of the most adventurous guitarists out there. That would be a great show.
Because I regularly do pedalboard setups and also spent a long time perfecting my own buffer design, I often get asked about buffers and how/where/when to use. So, if you care, here's my input on how to GENERALLY get the most consistent and trouble free results... - Choose an amp and it's settings by plugging straight into it with the length of cable (or wireless system) you'll use from your guitar to your pedalboard input. That should dictate the amount of cable capacitance you'll have between instrument and amplifier. - Then choose a buffer you like the sound of (because not all buffers are created equal and sound and feel the same), testing it alone between your chosen cables to and from the pedalboard (output cable will be driven by buffer, so shouldn't add any capacitance). Tweak the amp EQ if needed/desired to suit, until you're happy with your general amp tone. - Place this buffer as early in your signal chain as possible (so straight after vintage style fuzz pedals). This will drive your signal through all the following true bypass pedals (when switched off) and patch cables without any loss of signal strength and clarity. - But be aware that as soon as a pedal is turned on, or if it has a buffered bypass, that it then dictates the output impedance from that point. It may therefore be a good idea to put another buffer at the end of your pedalboard (or possibly in another strategic place later in your signal chain) to insure you have consistent output impedance for driving the long cable running to your amp. - But also completely ignore all the above if whatever you're doing works well for you and makes you happy!!! Hope that was helpful?! Have a good weekend, Neil
Thanks Neil! My problem is that I really don’t like the sound of extra buffers in my chain. The Klon one is nice after my other drives but not before them. The Belle Epoch one is tolerable and pretty nice in some instances. It’s an interesting old bollock!
@@ThatPedalShow Sounds like you like the sound of the extra cable length capacitance in the first lump of your board? A good buffer should not change your tone at that point, only overcome the capacitance of the following cables. So maybe you just need to use a massive old curly coily cable into your board?! 🥴
Maybe even a long cable (or something something to emulate that) after your fuzz to get desired tone, then into a buffer to keep things consistent from there on. ???????
NRG EFFECTS now you’re talking... maybe in G2, a ten or twenty foot cable from the G2’s send to the Immortal Echo? That way the long cable is only used when the echo is
![ได้เวลา! พาน้องแฝดฉีดวัคซีนครบ 1 เดือน🫣 [cc] แดนแพทตี้ SS2 | EP.52 |](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/IzeLtaXBLNE/mqdefault.jpg)
I'm gonna make a pedal called the "Belly Pock Deluxe"
Mick used to say “I can’t grow facial hair” and now he’s looking like the sheriff of Boogie Town.
I wish I couldn't grow facial hair.
I should have said the sheriff of Rockingham.
It's a really nice beard! All it took was courage to look funny for some time before it happens!
@@johnballantyne3458 I liked Boogie Town.
The biggest buffering effect here is TH-cam on Somerset's pathetic excuse for "broadband" :P
Spot on !!!
Only way I'm ever going to sit down and listen to 1hr of nerding over buffers is for TPS. I hope you guys don't mind the comparison, but for me TPS is the Top Gear of the guitar world.
except neither goes round punching people when their dinner’s not ready
@@stevedixon8567 good point. Top Gear if the Top Gear hosts were funny and entertaining, but also considerate, inclusive and well adjusted. Maybe the comparison isn't that great ;-)
Oh, and respectful of other viewpoints. That's a big deal, and missing from too much of modern life, but found in abundance at TPS!
So true ! My favorite is when Dan breaks down the signal chain and describes what’s happening with the sound waves. That helps me understand as a visual person and a teacher lmao
That is Top Gear before it went shite!
Video request: the complete EVH-pedal board 🤤
They kinda already did that at the old place, with some EVH sounding pedals.
Ryan Spencer Lauderdale like my son says: do it again! Do it again! 😄
Rabea did a sound like that nailed it pretty well
Maybe about using a variac????
@@alexlewis8468 Yeas I second this. I am now considering this an official petition ,ha j/k r.i.p. EVH
That was really interesting plugging straight into the amp with a tiny patch cable that it sounded just like a buffered signal though a normal one
Boom
I've heard that Albert Collins used a 100' cable so he could walk around the club (or even the sidewalk outside). Just imagine if he used a patch cable! Ice pick, squared?
That really was an eye opener!
Little Labs has a gadget called the STD that I think has the buffer built into the plug that you can put straight into the guitar if you want. I used to have a Hofner 459 guitar with the Fuzz and Treble Boost built into the body.
Mick: "Methinks I dost need a buffer." Dan: "Forsooth."
Ye, Verily.
Way back in the '80s, some of us just had a half dozen Boss pedals in a line (all buffered bypass, of course) and we didn't have to learn about this stuff. It wasn't great with so many buffers, but it was okay :-)
What on earth is confusing about deciding if u like signal loss? Lucky I’m here for the playing and to escape my family responsibilities
“Do you expect me to ‘high impedance output’?”
“No Mr Bond, I expect you to buffer!”
Careful Dan, if Mick has that knife on hand - you might need to keep a spoon close by!
You never know when Mick might wanna play a game of knifey spoony ;)
“I see you’ve played knifey/spoony before.....”
Anyone else just hearing "belly pork deluxe"?
😂😂😂😂😂😂
I counted 24 utterances of "Impedance" and no Impy Dance? Ah, a lost opportunity!
Anybody else keep hearing them say: "Belly Pot Deluxe"? Maybe they should rename it for a limited run TPS version?
I have 10 pedals on my pedalboard, and I had to Experiment for 3 weeks before I settled on Pedal Order. It was so draining . . . but in retrospect, worth-the-time and effort: to get it right.
My take away: it just illustrates why so many people have such a hard time with fuzz.
That rabbit hole is DEEP!
So deep
@@ThatPedalShow Deep enough for many cans of worms, some already open, some to be discovered.
I always had my ole’ TC Flashback 1 at the end of my chain (after the loop-switcher output) on buffered-bypass mode and boom. I’m feeling very validated after this episode! Haha!
@@rafsbio Man I had my switcher last week and my Octafuzz is having issues when I turn my Flashback on. So you mean you put it after the switcher out, and that solves the problem? I will try it. But is a shame that doing so you will have no control for the Flashback on the switcher 's presets, right?
Don’t even like fuzz at all. Sounds like broken drive
Totally off topic. I thoroughly enjoy your shows, however, Dan, have you had that red spot on your right bottom eyelid checked out?
“Someone summon my Master of Terriers because we're going down a rabbit hole today.”
Simple - V=IR they taught this in school; Volume = Impedance x Repeats!!!!!!! I'll see myself out...
Recently had to move my Hartman flanger to the beginning of my chain (don't have a switcher yet) when it started making whooshing noises when placed after certain pedals. Then I noticed a volume drop when it was on. Stuck a Boss pedal after it and that sorted that out thankfully.
All this talk about capacitance and impedance.....
but no "impy-dance" :(
I personally believe that in most cases it is better to have the high end preserved and shape my eq to cut what I don't want in the right spot of the signal chain than not having the high end and then boosting and EQing to get back desired frequencies, the first option usually leads to less noise floor and preserves the dynamic range. That said, my favorite buffers are light gain overdrives that don't color the sound too much and have some EQ, like the Timmy or the prince of tone.
Mick's playing just keeps getting better and better 🔥
Thank you!
With all the cool videos and challenges they do they'll only get better!
Both of them have their mojo back...
Hmmm...fuzz with a “ph.” I wouldn’t have thought acidity was so important.
I’ve learned a lot and now I’m completely confused! Once again it boils down to ears , time plus patience.
I know I’m late to the party here, but I just got a EUNA (before watching this video shockingly) and I have to agree with the dislike of buffers....BUT I think I saw you had the bright switch on. I didn’t like the brights on with my setup. Found it was too bright for what I was looking for. The bass and harmonic switch on the other hand still felt really natural to me. For whatever that’s worth.
It was on and off at various points. Hope you’re doing well Sam. Followed your posts on Instagra this year. Much love mate.
That strat in the intros get me every time 🤤
I absolutely can’t praise the Phil Robinson Phuzz high enough. It stopped my search for a fuzzface type in its tracks. Phil is also a wonderful fella too.
"Chalk & Day, Night & Cheese" - Mick's Solo release
What would work here is a “buffer” type intermediary circuit with a lower z input and low z output. So it would load the fuzz as if it were seeing the cables, but drive the next stages easily. It would be switched off with the fuzz.
This is a FANTASTICALLY USEFUL episode gents! Well done. Really interesting hearing the differences....
Its not even just WHERE the buffer is, but what the pedals circuit does to color the signal too. I think the Echorec's buffer sounds terrible (no matter where it is in the signal chain), compared to the one in the Belle Epoch or the Klon. And the Belle Epoch definitely made the Secret machine sound best.
I'm struggling a bit with my fuzzes as well because I have three buffered bypass pedals as well... the Polytune 3, the Cali76, and the Klon. But! I definitely prefer my compression after the gain stages, so putting that right after the fuzz is out. Right now its fuzz into Broadcast into Klon into a few other drives, then Cali76 then delays with reverb last. So far its pretty good but I'm curious if I could get it better by swapping the Klon and the Broadcast... it never ends!
Where should you put your buffer? In your case, the Belle Epoch right after the Secret Machine sounds GREAT. Since you want a delay there as well, that would seem to be your answer.
Just in case you didn't know, you can switch the Polytune 3 between buffered and true bypass (obviously without the always-on tuning when in true bypass).
Finally! I've been commenting (and giving my solution, see below) about the deleterious effect of buffers even *after*, not only before, fuzz faces for YEARS. I'm pretty sure I already commented under one of your previous videos on the topic, at least once. I also always alert people that buffers are not all the same and that the simple bipolar transistor buffers are the best sounding ones (i.e. the ones that more faithfully give you that guitar-->single 5 meters cable-->amp tone, without any added shrillness). You can also watch one of my few videos where a show how even simply swapping the transistor type in the same buffer changes its tone.
But my comments probably get buried or judged too bold because most people say "it's simple, just put your buffer after your fuzz!". No, it's not! (As you showed)
So, here is my trick and solution for fuzz faces and buffers after them: you MUST reproduce the capacitance of the (usually) long cable you have from the pedalboard to the amp to get the same tone! So in my fuzz faces, and in those of my friends, I always add a 470-560pF capacitor from the central (output) lug of the fuzz volume pot to ground and make it toggle-switchable. Then, I always have a buffer or a buffered pedal after my fuzz face. This way my tone is consistent: if I don't use the fuzz, I have a stable buffered signal which feeds my other pedals and cable; if I use the fuzz, I don't have any unexpected behavior from it, the tone is as good as without any buffer because my fuzz actually "sees" a 5 meters cable after it, before the first buffer; if I want to play my fuzz straight into the amp with no other effects, I toggle the cap off, and I have the standard fuzz face circuit.
Hope this will help as many people as possible!
Cheers from Italy!
Giulio
I was just watching some of your older stuff, not that’s it’s bad, but wow you guys seem to have really hit your stride these days! Great work as always :)
First pedal in my chain: TC Electronic Polytune 3 with built in buffer turned on. At the end of the chain are two Eventide H9s with buffered bypass with trails turned on in both. After that is my final boost, the Xotic Super Sweet Boost with the buffer also turned on in that! I don't use any vintage fuzz pedals, just my Earthquaker Hoof Fuzz. Works for me!
"Capacitive Elements"
The next TPS shirt?
I'll take two!
This is a great and informative episode!
A very sobering video, and a MASSIVE 'elephant in the room' for guitarists (and any other musician that chains pedals) that needs more exposure. Pedal manufacturers NEED to cover pedal chaining scenarios - and how to fix potential issues - in their user documentation.
Unfortunately(!!), there are so many guitarists that don't know about these issues and instead, simply adjust each pedal input/output volume etc to 'compensate', thinking that is the real/correct sound of each pedal when they are chained together. They're certainly not getting what they paid for. Sad but true.
I absolutely loved this episode. I've run into this exact issue with buffers after fuzz. Super helpful findings for the rest of us. Thanks guys!
Need to listen to this back and forth to understand…! But it might explain why there’s a difference between 10 pedals and 3 pedals when everything in turned off… Just find out that almost halfway of my top pedals avec buffered 😞
Mick - you should have a go with the fender ready set buffer. It has a switch that changes the input impedance (I think) and a knob to control the high end presence of the buffer. May really work for you.
This was helpful even after watching TPS's newer follow-up buffer video first. About the only thing missing in this one was the 29 Pedals OAMP. After watching all these buffer videos, I didn't get the impression that Mick ever found a solution that he was really satisfied with. Is that an accurate impression?
Great Show. Fascinating. Albert Collins used 100ft cable to take the 'ice-pick' edge off the bridge pickup of his Telecaster.
IK Multimedia makes a pedal that allows you to change input impedance via dial, solving at least one part of the problem here. It’s called “Z-TONE Buffer Boost”
I think using the Euna after the fuzz would “solve” the “problem”. Use the Euna with the delay in the loop, that way there’s always a buffer after the fuzz and no more volume/tone change. Of course that will change the sound of the fuzz but like you guys said, it’s all subjective to opinions. Awesome video!!
Great suggestion!
I was confused that they didn't try this (and that they did try the secret machine in the loop - seemed obvious that wouldn't work).
But Mick didn't want the Euna buffer on the rest of the time. He needed an inverse functionality, buffer on only with the loop engaged, otherwise off. If the delay is only to pair with the fuzz, then putting them both in an unbuffered loop would be the solution.
Still working through it, but I kinda get it now. We'll, more anyway. Love y'all! (From the American south, wherein we say "y'all")
While some might think this isn’t a particularly sexy topic, this might be one of the most universally helpful topics you guys have ever covered! SO illuminating. There is no guitarist on the planet who doesn’t benefit from this video.
Thank you, as ever, for being the informative, inspiring legends that you are!
Don't cringe but I don't have a buffer or compressor lol. I'm adding the buffer... sliding into the market dor a compressor or comp/EQ
The new Laney (Black Country Customs) pedal line up has a great buffer, first one that didn't make me sell a pedal because of it..
You can turn off the brightness on the euna. Switch it off if it’s not to taste.
The loop on the euna isn’t intended to act as a buffer for fuzz. It’s just there to get the euna out of the way, because if you euna, it’s designed to be first in the chain.
Side note. Pop the euna open. The writing on the circuit board is endearing. 😊
"Yeah, a lotta buffuhz" -- Willi Cicci (mob henchman in "The Godfather Part II", testifying before a Senate comittee)
Just to clarify the revelation of running the patch cable straight into the amp ... Was the conclusion that it sounded bad because the patch cable was too short and the pickups and amp were designed to use a longer cable? If so, what's the optimal instrument cable length? Or is that a whole other can of worms?
No joke at all... I just did almost the exact short cable/lead thing days ago... I have a Player Series Strat that is the brightest guitar of my 5... I made two cables to customize length for my office and the lower capacitance was too bright! I knew there was more signal and less loss/suck... but it just was not better... so I ended up putting a cheap buffer midway through my chain and using the darker cable to balance it out. In other words, had I waited two days, you would have given me all the answers and saved me tons of work! Next time do the video on Tuesday guys! Ha ha ha... true story. With my tests, this is the first time I grasp buffering in a practical way... thanks so much!
I'm getting closer. I'm about two or three more hour long videos on buffers before I know where to put it in my chain.
Buffer, I barely know her, oh lordy....I've been reduced to this ... sorry, I'm American....been trying to keep it easy breezy covergirl because of recent shenanigans, Pete Cornish was a master at this type of thing , good show but that's no surprise
I just bought a Belle Epoch Deluxe last night, am thinking now I'll use it end of chain always on. Thanks fellas!
It is a place where it lives in great happiness on many boards!
To buffer or not to buffer: that is the question whether ’tis nobler in the mind to true bypass the slings and arrows of outrageous tone loss Or to take buffers against a sea of capacitance and by driving impedance end them?
The sort /long lead thing at 46ish mins was a real eye opener.
This is why I could never go wireless.
Haha I was one of those guys that went "LOVE that sound with the buffer after!" Cheers guys, thanks for a great episode!
Totally. If you mean Euna, there are people who love that sound (post-Cream Clapton fans in the most part! ) and those people who really, really don’t (Cream-era Clapton fans). Hahaha! It sounds like his Music Man amps to me and makes me wonder if we’re all hearing the same set of frequencies. I seem to have a particular sensitivity to that ‘brittle’ stuff. Sounds brittle to me anyway..... may well sound like butter to some other folks. Fascinating!
This episode came at THE absolute perfect time for me. When I play my strat straight into my DSL20CR (clean channel), sounds great. As soon as I plug anything else in front of the amp, it seems to lose fidelity. So I've spent the entire week moving my Archer Icon in and out of different positions in the chain. And I've been contemplating "do I sandwich the board with a Mesa Boogie High-Wire - or just put a stand alone buffer at the head of the chain - or replace my tuner with the new TC Polytune that has a buffer built in?" My only fuzz is a Fulltone Catalyst, which is super stable from an impedance standpoint. So that can go after the buffer. Blimey, It's been quite a week between my ears ... Glad to know I'm not the only person on this earth who is completely ... nuts.
Clearly, the solution is to put the Immortal Echo right after the Secret Machine, but with a 3 meter patch cable between them. XP
Honk for Shakespeare ? Or not. Lol... Mick is riff monster of the week! Wish I could afford a Dans gig rig switcher with all the other bells and whistles... Dan gets riff monster of the weekend. Lol... Just kidding, animals, the both of you... Ya-all drove your selves right into the ditch on this one. Very interesting predicament...
That Euna seems pretty awesome. Talk about hi-fi! Turning that on made it sound like you plugged right into the desk. Definitely going to look that one up.
Happy to chat with you about it!
So the answer appears to be as follows.. "Good" buffer, if at all, somewhere after germanium fuzz, precise location to taste -- but oftentimes immediately after, and maybe another at the very end of the chain, if you like.
I'm surprised the subject of independent buffer units like the little JHS one didn't come up, but for obvious reasons (*cough cough, g2, cough*) I can see why you wouldn't have them lying around.
On a separate note, I can't recall if it was recently but I recall Mic saying he might want an SG. I haven't had my eye on the guitar market for a tick but I'd still think you should be able to get a '61 reissue for a decent price. They were kind of revolving door in the shops. I think people picked them up because they were real pretty but:
A) I don't think they were used to the vintage spec (which Imagine you would prefer) and
B) came off the factory floor with a garbage setup. Plus I'm encountering a level imbalance with a weaker signal in the bridge pickup but I'm thinking that's either the height or maybe some fault that's creeped up electronically because it was out of my circulation a while and I don't recall that being an issue before. Easy fix in any event. Bit of this or that. I think they're great value for money
Mick had a 61 RI and it wouldn't stay in tune. Just not enough good mahogany around for those small neck joints in my op.
@@c.p.1589 Maybe it's a climate thing? Though I wouldn't imagine conditions there being drastically different from central Pennsylvania. Once mine was setup I didn't really have any problems. I just had to be sure to keep my nut lubed because using 11's it would start to bind which is a problem I'm used to with that break angle of theirs. That gauge is just on the edge of needing to have the nut redressed. (Which come to think of it I think Mic uses 11's too I think) Or maybe I just got a Pearl amongst swine, their QC has been a bit sporadic around that time.
@@paulmatulevich3623 I've had a bunch of SGs From 62 to 74 and Some of them are just unstable rubber necks. There just isn't a lot of gluing area. If the neck is flat sawn or has a lot of run out in the grain it doesn't help. The mid 60s necks can be pencil thin too with a big weighty headstock. Having said that, I have a 69 now with a log of a neck. It's like an iron bar and refuses to go out of tune. My 62 was the same. The modern ones can vary a lot. The newer growth mahogany can be quite porous but there are definitely gems amongst them.
Romeo and Juliet as and opera? Maybe Wast Side Story gets close but I don't recommend you enact the knife fight scene.
As someone who practically plastered a wah pedal in industrial velcro I can see the benefit of keeping a butter knife.
Yet another fascinating rabbit hole, guys. I really enjoyed this.
Thank you Dan and Mick!! I’ve been wondering about this. Is the radial SGI box considered a buffer? What does it do to signal when running amps 50ft away offstage?
The term for impedance in regards to capacitance is "capacitive reactance".
While I get you love the vintage circuit, it's clear that as finicky as it is to the tiny changes in capacitive reactance, that fuzz doesn't play well with even a slightly complex signal chain. If you have to have that circuit, you're going to have to overcome it's limitations.
Ohms law!
@@sharplespaul
murphy`s law ;)
@@8calm8 it just to mathematical...for my brain..full of beer hops and bong resign....
@@sharplespaul Anyone can do math.
@@sharplespaul Do you have access to my webcam? lol
T-shirt idea: "chalk and day/night and cheese"
Can you PLEASE try to review the new VHT D-50??? I must know how it compares to your Two Rock!! $850 50w Dumble? Sounds too good to be true.
Laughed out loud within 5 seconds of this video starting. Can Dan do some acting at the start of every video?
As confusing as buffers and their resulting impedance can be: Just a cool tip for anyone wanting to have the ULTIMATE KLON! I use a Way Huge Conspiracy Theory which has no internal buffer in the circuit so after this I have an Xotic Super/Clean Buffer/Boost pedal. These two pedal are treated as just one pedal. I keep the Xotic always on with no boost or DIP EQ enhancments but that is the beauty of this, you have all these options at hand. Anyway the Conspiracy Theory makes for a better Klon even though it is not Germanium based it sounds actually better than a real Klon to me (try gain only about 9:00). The Xotic is a superior buffer with very low output impedance. Try this it's just killer!!!
Remember the "TC Tore" Episode:
He said switch the first and the last TC pedal from Bypass to Buffer in your chain...
Not sure those are the best buffers you're going to find.Not a fan, personally.
@@markferguson3745
The point is not using a TC pedal, the point is have a buffer at the beginning and the end of your pedal chain.
@@TheElrondo I got that, except I wanted to acknowledge that all buffers aren't the same.
Have you ever tried putting the first buffer after the Drive section? Recommended.
Yes! Many Shakespeare operas. Well done. Your resident opera singer would happily help should you ever have operatic shredding needs. :)
I would like to try using a long cable between fuzz and buffer.
My favourite fuzz tone from the video was the one without buffers.
Good idea.. Fuzzes can cause issues.
Might be a related thing I came across the other day whilst mucking about with the pedal chain. Got a stereo chorus and I plugged the outputs into the stereo inputs of my delay. Tone went to hell. Sounded like I'd thrown blanket over the speaker cab. Maybe the chorus is mucking about with phase in order to get it's stereo output. Pulled one of the outputs and we're back to business as usual.
Perhaps this could be a topic to explore on another day.
I've found the EQD Swiss things helps
For all of you out there I have been nagging Catalinbread about the Echorec Deluxe for a while now. It's only a matter of time
Definitely appreciate the simpler pedalboard setup
I agree with a lot of comments in the future you should do an EVH related show...Brown Sound, Plexi, Echoplex, Phaser, Variac....
Oh and RIP EVH! We lost probably the second greatest after Hendrix this week.... Hendrix only above in my opinion because without him, there are no shredders, and there is no shredder like Eddie was
He is now Saint Eddie.
Saint Eddie Lord of Shred!
RIP Eddie. There’s been a few tears the last few days, for reasons I don’t fully understand.
The man was an innovator, inventor and inspiration to so many people. The man is the reason I play. My first concert was Van Halen in the late 90’s with Gary Cherone on vocals. Not long after I had a beginner combo. The Wolfgang had a serious working over on Wednesday evening
Solid Show -- Important topic. I ventured down the True Bypass rabbit hole at one point only to have the pendulum swing back the other way. My approach now, good or bad, is not put too much thought into it all UNLESS, I run into an issue like you demonstrated. As to how I have my pedalboard wired, the difference any one buffer plays may be insignificant. In its current configuration, much like the setup in the show, I run everything (symbolically) in a straight line; pedal to pedal to pedal. As my compressor is always at the start of the chain, set with a nice blend and light compression, it provides a buffer-like function and helps drive the signal down stream. I also, for the most part, leave my JHS Clover on all of the time (mid-chain). In addition, the delays and reverbs are set in trails mode (buffer on) so again, there exist a plethora of buffers along the path. One thought I have -- and perhaps I am wrong in this -- I like the idea of all my effects getting a full and robust signal for them to then process, thus (and especially with delays and verbs) I get to hear all of the life, nuances, and personality of said effects. To combat the potential shrill, I currently run the Strymon Deco at the very end of the chain to add some warmth and saturation -- sort of polish the rough edges/spikes on the final tone that is delivered to the amp. --- Food for thought: perhaps there is an 'Anti-Buffer' that could be placed at the end of the chain to add a little dulling effect. ----
That word 'impedance' drives me nuts, as I get no intuitive impression of it, ever. It's like 'loading' and 'driving' like the pickups are supposed to be doing. I had some hope when Mick started talking about water hoses. But, then I was lost again when a small trickle from the hose apparently 'drove' the pedals down the chain like crazy, and the analogy made me flounder again. That being said, while I despair at ever gasping the terms, the testing things in order videos like these at least gives a doofus like me examples to fall back to when ordering pedals myself. Quite helpful indeed. Cheers.
I’m with you Andreas! Mick here. Hated science at school, hate it now. I’m sure it’s not that hard - hell, scientists do it! - but I just can’t be arsed to try and understand it. That’s the middle man, and quite frankly, he can do one. Etc. Grumble
Hi Andreas! It's kind of confusing at first but it's just a measure of how much a circuit resists (impedes!) current flowing through it. Really it's resistance plus phase shift. In other words, it accounts for how much the signal is delayed when it goes through a circuit. Purely resistive stuff has no delay while capacitors and inductors do have it. As for the difference in impedances between stuff, it might help to picture a high impedance (not very conductive) input as a very thick and heavy rope and a low impedance output (highly conductive) as a very light and thin rope. Tie them together and try to wiggle the heavy rope by wiggling the light rope and vice versa.
That's impedances for you!
@@juanfichtl2011 thanks for trying to make it approachable. Really appreciate the attempt. We'll see if it sinks in, but it do sound graspable presented like that. What do you say Mick, eh?
Ah 13min in....I saw it ! That first fuzz had a power pack in it...So it can’t be true germanium...correct?
It’s a virtual battery Mike. Cheers!
I was chatting with the guys at Cornerstone after I got my Gladio and suggested that more pedals should come equipped with switchable buffers just so that issues like this are easier to solve. I have a small board with a buffer in my modded VPJr after between drives and mods which keeps my hose flowing smoothly. But folks with more complicated boards might want buffering before and after. What are your thoughts on having switchable buffers?
YES please, and this goes especially for drive pedals.
Dunno,
I’m forever warped to see Mick’s “ impish dance” every time I hear or read the word impedance...
I like the “I shall test that” comment. Surely that’s every bloke’s reaction to anything that says “you can’t break this’
45:26 "shortest cable possible" - this is why Kinman (of the noiseless p'ups not beloved by Mick) counsels using a reasonably short cable, as a long cable run (he claims) robs the p'ups of their character. FWIW.
Howard Gee did a good job with those delays
Mick was right, there are operas based on Shakespeare. They are done by Verdi and include Macbeth and Othello.
The Empress buffer has a full loop that changes the impedance and drives the signal. Might be a cool one to try.
The Empress Buffer+ is similar, but also has a variable input impedance control that can load the pickups more and reduce excess highs. Put the Buffer+ right after the vintage-style fuzz (that's what I do). It also has a clean boost, mute, tuner out, etc. It's the same small size as the standard Empress Buffer.
Woah gents, the timing. Would this be why I loved the sound of a Homebrew Germania 44 (similar to a Dallas Rangemaster if I haven’t got my wires crossed) that I got today when it was only it and then straight into an amp, but not so much when I tried to put it in the drive section of my board?
I’m surprised that buffer pedal’s loop doesn’t bypass the entire thing along with the loop. That would solve the problem. It would buffer the fuzz when the fuzz is on, but bypass the buffer and the fuzz.
Personally I like the buffered Strat sound.
So I now have a treble bleed circuit on a push pull pot with twisted tele neck pickup. (I love that pickup). Running through a Hudson broadcast duel. On low gain the treble bleed keeps a bright tone as I roll back the volume, on the high channel I take the treble bleed circuit out because it cleans up beautifully when the volume rolls back without it. Now I’ve added an old bb preamp which again reacts with the treble bleed circuit (I believe Andy Timmons uses treble bleeds). I just fitted a filterton pick up into a thinline and again fitted a push pull treble bleed. Again also rtfs of loveliness or not depending on the combination. Then add a buffer. Broardcast doesn’t seem to care if it’s in front or behind. I don’t know the science but it’s a bit like a rather frustrating mindfulness exercise, which I find fascinating . Plus I’m in a block of plasterboard lined flats so restricted to a low volume strymon iridium set up for the neighbours, but my recorded guitar tone is awesome (the tone not the playing). I do envy you the space to let rip! But as a mediocre guitar player I love tinkering for tone. The rise of TH-cam channels like yourselves and homesckooling and Tim pierce have inspired me over the past few years. Any way my question is. Why not have Annie Clarke (st Vincent) on.? She has an awesome fuzz tone and one of the most adventurous guitarists out there. That would be a great show.
So this explains why I’ve always had to mess with the pedal volume knobs on my pedals that are downstream from my fuzz.
Nobody shakes beer! That's always a mess.
In light of this weeks tragic news we need a 'Brown Sound' show. Revist the old EVH show you did a few years ago.
I just want to hear and see more of that goldtop. Stunning.
Me too. Totally in love.
"This is your Capacitor speaking, we will be flying at an elevation of 30000 volts"
Because I regularly do pedalboard setups and also spent a long time perfecting my own buffer design, I often get asked about buffers and how/where/when to use. So, if you care, here's my input on how to GENERALLY get the most consistent and trouble free results...
- Choose an amp and it's settings by plugging straight into it with the length of cable (or wireless system) you'll use from your guitar to your pedalboard input. That should dictate the amount of cable capacitance you'll have between instrument and amplifier.
- Then choose a buffer you like the sound of (because not all buffers are created equal and sound and feel the same), testing it alone between your chosen cables to and from the pedalboard (output cable will be driven by buffer, so shouldn't add any capacitance). Tweak the amp EQ if needed/desired to suit, until you're happy with your general amp tone.
- Place this buffer as early in your signal chain as possible (so straight after vintage style fuzz pedals). This will drive your signal through all the following true bypass pedals (when switched off) and patch cables without any loss of signal strength and clarity.
- But be aware that as soon as a pedal is turned on, or if it has a buffered bypass, that it then dictates the output impedance from that point. It may therefore be a good idea to put another buffer at the end of your pedalboard (or possibly in another strategic place later in your signal chain) to insure you have consistent output impedance for driving the long cable running to your amp.
- But also completely ignore all the above if whatever you're doing works well for you and makes you happy!!!
Hope that was helpful?!
Have a good weekend,
Neil
Thanks Neil! My problem is that I really don’t like the sound of extra buffers in my chain. The Klon one is nice after my other drives but not before them. The Belle Epoch one is tolerable and pretty nice in some instances. It’s an interesting old bollock!
@@ThatPedalShow Sounds like you like the sound of the extra cable length capacitance in the first lump of your board? A good buffer should not change your tone at that point, only overcome the capacitance of the following cables.
So maybe you just need to use a massive old curly coily cable into your board?! 🥴
Maybe even a long cable (or something something to emulate that) after your fuzz to get desired tone, then into a buffer to keep things consistent from there on. ???????
NRG EFFECTS now you’re talking... maybe in G2, a ten or twenty foot cable from the G2’s send to the Immortal Echo? That way the long cable is only used when the echo is
I've never wondered how a guitar would sound if you replaced the lead with the tiniest patch cable, but now I know. Thanks!