The only 'stupid questions' are the ones you are Too Afraid To Ask. "Battery or Power Supply: Which does a pedal use first?" is the question for this TATA video. Let's discuss how pedal power works. Leave your TATAs in the comment section and I'll make a video answering them. Gain access to exclusive content at: www.patreon.com/csguitars Buy CSGuitars Merchandise: csguitars.bigcartel.com/
Yes, videos are prepared and uploaded in advance, to be released at a later date. Patreon supporters get access to new videos before the rest of the world. Videos don't just appear online the moment I'm finished editing them.
An introduction to amps would be great. I heard somewhere not to turn an amp on unless it is connected to a speaker cabinet. I have only ever used small solid state combi amps, so I find anything more than this a little confusing. I'm guessing I'm not the only one who knows nothing about anything beyond bedroom gear. Could you do like a beginners guide on how to set up with some do's and don'ts?
You should make a Pedal board tutorial just because you are one of the only people i trust on youtube when it comes to technical knick knacks. kinda like your ''Logical order of effects'' video
@@ScienceofLoud You making a step by step tutorial on how you would build a pedal board. Sutch as keeping noise out with a around 5-8 pedals. I know you already told in that video on what order to put it, but some pedals are different from others and might mess upp the chain. Utility, volume, pitch, dist, mod and delay are usually the way to go, but i have had those times where i put pedals in that kind of order and they don't sound right. Where do i put the compressor pedal on the board? is it the same as a noise gate? you can't place it after reverb and/or delay anyways.
'Head & Shoulders'....must be as we can only see his 'Head & Shoulders'..oh, he does have legs ?...then it must be 'Timotae'....they should film him running through a feild of Scottish Barley in the sunshine shaking his hair in slow-motion...or 'Tunnocks Caramel Wafers'...not in his hair, obviously......
My TATA question is somewhat similar: do active pickups use up their batteries when they're plugged in, even if the other side of the jack cable is not plugged to an amplifier?
Yes, just like with pedals, the input jack on an active pickup guitar operates as an on/off switch. Inserting a cable turns the battery on, regardless of what the other end is doing.
What I’d like to know is what happens if they hook up ground inside the guitar on let’s say EMGs. It always drained my poor batteries pretty fast until I reworked the whole thing from scratch myself, but didn’t ground it anywhere (as per, you know, the instructions). Been bugging me.
Thank you for the info! There are definitely some exceptions to this rule. I've experienced non working/ low power pedals that did not switch when I plugged in the power supply. I had to go in and take the battery completely out before they functioned correctly. It was an electro harmonix brand pedal
ThrashingBasskill yes! The input jack on pedals with a battery option is typically a stereo jack. Inserting a cable closes a loop connected to the third lug of the jack, thus enabling power to the circuit.
@@ThrashingBasskill isn't that some of the first things ever pedal player got to know with his first metal zone? I know I paid my dues in 9v batteries for forgetting to disconnect back before I bought a shitload of power cables
I just set up my pedal board and haven't used batteries for years. I have an old MXR power brick and it's been absolutely reliable for my 18 and 9 volt pedals. Cool video's, cheers!
Hey Colin! I am afraid to ask this one, sounds stupid. I have been playing guitar for years. But only recently with a good job, have I been able to really afford tube amps. So my question is, can I stack a Marshall and an Orange head together and then use some kind of switcher or something and use both heads on a single cab? One at a time I mean. Not both at once. I also heard about people "blending" two amp heads together. How is that done? Thanks for your awesome vids.
Can you explain why PRS connect resistors in their coil split circuts, and why it is worth adding 250K resistor when using 250 pots with single coils in hss guitars??
I save the batteries from pedals to replace the ones for my pickups. But the power supply I use is the Voodoo Labs pedal power 2 plus. It powers eight pedals and I've got five that I use regularly. I plan on adding two to 3 more, to cover all my bases.
Phillip McKnight from Know Your Gear has a killer idea. You can buy those 9V battery plugs (like what's inside the pedals themselves) and splice them with the external connector wire so you are powering the unit with the battery, but you don't have to take the thing apart to change it out. And for 18V pedals, like an MXR 10 band EQ you can hook them up in series to double the voltage and still use the external jack with two batteries. That way you can just unplug them when finished and don't have to worry about them draining because you forgot to turn it off.
Can you please make the video I've been asking for forever? All about Wah. What is it? What does it do? How does it work? I was told that Wahs cut treble and boost bass and then cut bass and boost treble. Apparently, the pedal does it so fast that that is what makes the warbling sound. Can you describe Wah pedals in the classic CSG style? I like your explanations
Great video! Thanks for the detail. I wish you had mentioned about leaving patch cables on inside the the input and output of a pedal (while battery is inside) but the power adapter is not connected. Maybe another tutorial for the new comers. Cheers
Just wanted to say your videos are always great to watch! Great looking picture quality and excellent content. Look forward to your next upload! Cheers from Kansas
I wonder if there is a noticeable difference in the tone and/or feel of these new woods coming in to replace rosewood fingerboards. Personally I don't believe in the tonewood debate (or if it does make a difference, it's marginal compared to the difference electronics make) and pick a board based on feel and aesthetics (ebony being my preferred choice)
If it made a significant difference, people would hear it and know it the way they know the difference between single coils and humbuckers. When it doesn't, we are left with people trading fantasies. And by the way, here's the difference between nickel and stainless steel frets: th-cam.com/video/eLstfUO9OZ8/w-d-xo.html
What's the difference between connecting your capacitor to the middle lug and ground or to one of the end lugs and ground? Most people do it the first way, Ibanez does it the second way. Is there any difference?
I know you primarily do do guitar stuff...but your thoughts on flat wound bass stings for metal? I'm aware Steve Harris and Geezer Butler used flat wounds...but do you think they may have been better of with rounds?
@Wesley Wheeler I don't think there can ever be a definitive answer to your question, since 'tone' is a very individual thing. What I *CAN* say - from personal experience - is that flatwounds aren't as bright-sounding as roundwounds.
Wow, great info! You have the best tatas! Ok, here’s mine (*)(*). I mean, is there any harm to hanging your guitars from the headstock on a guitar hanger?
The problem with the Patreon early access is, that now every time a video is posted, I have a duty to be the first person to comment something clever, but U know, sometimes I just can't come up with anything funny, and that makes my monthly 5 euro donation completely useless
But I know the effort you make, and appreciate your first comments whatever form they take. Besides, there would be less videos to comment upon if it wasn't for your loyal support.
How exactly do pedals differentiate between Gain and Volume? Say you run a tubescreamer into the front of the amp, wouldn't turning either Gain or Volume up just result in a stronger signal being sent to the amp either way? Or is gain always related to internal clipping within the pedal? What are the differnces between the 'gain circuit' and 'volume circuit' then? EDIT: Also, how does the amp differentiate between the two? Like why does my signal get louder instead of just more distorted when I run a clean boost into the effects return. Isn't that also just more signal being pushed into the power amp, which should result in more distortion?
Can you mix and match batteries and power supplies? My power supply has 8 outputs, all isolated at 9v. What if I want more pedals? For the time being, can I just use 9v batteries?
Here's a good one. How do I properly clean the hardware on my stoptail or tune-o-matic (Les Paul) styled bridges? I've been taking a dry Q-tip to them during string changes and it just isn't doing much.
If I burn out a pedal by using a 48V phantom power supply (when the pedal is designed for opetation through that), does that fall under manufacturer warranty? It's a Sansamp v2 bass preamp pedal by the way.
I bought a couple batteries for my pedals a few weeks ago. Now I realized that most of them are drained to the point where the pedals turn on but the effects aren’t active. I’ve been using 9v battery converters for my mini pedals and they worked great the first day. One day I turned my amp off along with the pedals but left the 9v battery converters plugged in to them, meaning the battery is still connected. Now all of the batteries that were plugged in doesn’t even work. Does leaving it plugged have anything to do with the batteries dying so fast?
what about connection 3 on the mains supply (talking about UK supply)? The earth is important as a lot of PSU have no earth/ground connection and instead use the neutral as ground. However, earth can be used and should be as it is important to provide clean the signal. Maybe it could be poor designs, but I swear that's a major design flaw of most cheap PSU that use the neutral as ground and have no earth connection, instead a plastic pin to open. It's connected to the transformer which I believe can create noise. That's what I have noticed anyway... I have been using a usb battery supply with a converter for pedals and it provides very clean DC. I feel it proves my theory that not having a clean, isolated negative connection risks creating noise issues
Maybe a dumb question. What is the sonic difference between 1x12 2x12 4x12 etc. Which are better for what situations? What are the tone differences from each speaker combination.
Can I get a really good tone from a solid state amp or do I need to get a valve amp to really be satisfied? If I'm using a Tube Screamer or similar to boost my overdrive can I still get a good sound? Or do I need to splash out on a tube amp?
I use a Duncan powerstage and an hx stomp as my main amp with a Morley wah as the only pedal and it seems easier to use a battery, will the battery drain if I remove just 1 of the cables? Or do I need to remove both to be safe? The wah will not turn on while the guitar input cable is removed
I know that daisy chaining pedals is a pretty bad idea if you want to avoid lots of noise, but if you want to power just one pedal is a boss power supply (PSA-230S or similar) a good idea or should you rather go for a battery? And as soon as you introduce another pedal, is it worth getting somethign like a Fuel Tank Jr or simply go with some extra batteries?
How does one go about adjusting the pedal knobs to compliment each pedal on the board? Just started getting into pedals myself, and would LOVE to hear your input (pun half intended)
I run all my pedals (7 of them) off a 1-spot. Its not too bad, a bit noisy occasionally. Do you think I could expect any massive tonal or noise reduction improvements if I got a decent power supply. They're mostly basic pedals, but I have two TC Toneprint pedals in there that take a few more amps!
Digital pedals sharing the same power source can sometimes result in a form of noise that is referred to as heterodying. This is produced by spikes on the power line interacting in much the same way as a ring modulator does. That is, a sum and difference between the frequency of those spikes is produced. Let's say that two digital pedals each operate with a master clock running at 10mhz, that is further divided down for other operations in the pedal. And let's say the master clocks are all within .01% of their nominal frequency, or anywhere between 1000hz above or below the nominal 10mhz clock frequency (which is a ridiculously tight spec). You certainly won't hear their *sum* , even if you're a dog or a bat, but you probably would hear their *difference* , as well as the difference between any divided-down clock spikes. This is why some digital pedal users why try out a pedal in the store, love it, bring it home and stick it on a pedalboard with a power supply shared with another digital pedal, and find themselves listening to what was often described as a "bee's nest" of noise, then return the pedal to the store, claiming it was broken. As time went on, and manufacturers had to deal with these complaints, power supplies were designed to provide more isolated outputs that did not interact, and they improved the noise rejection in the pedals themselves. So earlier digital pedals are sometimes subject to this noise source, but more recent ones, powered by more recent supplies, tend to sidestep the problem. I think some companies make little adaptor cables that go between a digital pedal and shared supply, that can block the noise spikes from interacting, though I don't know who specifically. The main point is that, yes, it occurs, and yes, it is remediable.
1. It would increase the cost and complexity of the amp 2. Most players want their pedals at some distance from their amp, particularly in a live use case, making powering the pedals from the amp rather pointless.
Very afraid to ask this but which strings do i use to restring a baritone be it in B/C standard or even if for some reason i would have larger hands is it possible for me to tune it into standard with lighter strings ? i asked this in a forum and all i got was ' why would you do that' *ducks for cover*
i just bought a BOSS Acoustic Simulator pedal from eBay for £50 and there is no AC adapter included with it. Although i can buy an AC adapter from eBay for about £10 but i am worried because i dont know which way the polarity of the charge is (from the AC adapter) ad i dont know which way the polarity is supposed to flow at. Whatr i am worried about is that what if it reverses the polarity and fries my pedal ?
Would it not make sense if pedals would make it so power supply comes first but only when the power supply is active? this was if there were to be any problems with the power supply or cable cutting out, the battery would come to the rescue?...
I have a small problem with my pedals. I leave it charging with the v9 when not in use. They even have their own batteries on but when I use the pedals, it turns off as soon as I unplug the v9. Ps: pls help :(
Do i have to Use a power supply or can I use an adapter cable that has 6 points to give voltage to the pedals (Sorry my English is bad so it’s hard to explain)
If you ever move to America and want to live next door, just know I have twenty million questions (that you're smart enough to answer, unlike myself). I love these kinds of videos, so.... Keep up the great work!
Anything that applies gain to the signal can "boost". It's a question of what you want the boost to do for you. I use my MXR 6-Band EQ as a boost, I also use my compressor as a boost. The one is intended to shape the tone to selectively clip, and the other is a general clean boost. If your distortion pedal can be dialed back to be very close to clean (e.g., a basic gain of 3-5x), it can be used as a quasi-clean boost. Not many distortions aim for that function, though. Still, a wide range of pedals can be used for what folks call "gain-stacking".
Hello i have an issue with a self made battery connector on my diy pedal kit the Acapulco gold ,when I plug it in it made some smoke and didn't make the pedal work the battery connector is from the top of a 9v battery where I soldered on the back two cables one for and hot and the other for ground thanks for all the videos you post there are really interesting and made for a great purpose hope you'll see my message and reply :) cheers
I genuinely have no idea what you are trying to describe here. Perhaps you can send me a more detailed description and some pictured of what you are doing to: colin@csguitars.co.uk However, if you got smoke when attempting to power a pedal then I'm sorry to say you killed the pedal.
@@ScienceofLoud hey thanks ,ill show you the battery connector wire that smoked tomorrow by mail in the afternoon ,but don't worry the pedal still works it ain't dead hopefully haha
As a battery 'drains' (poor description of the chemical process happening within) the voltage the battery can output drops. A fresh, new PP3 will be able to deliver just over the nominal 9V, but that will reduce over time. By the time the battery reaches around 7V it will no longer be able to power most pedals (although some fuzz circuits can operate as low as 5V) There is often a careful balancing of voltage in effects circuits to get them to operate as expected, reducing the supply voltage can throw that balance out and cause effects to do unusual things. In some cases they will sound slightly different totally, in other cases they'll show wild, uncontrolled behaviour.
I don't know what your source is for this, but I can offer a possible explanation: Manufacturers often want you to buy their branded power supply for their products. One way in which I've seen companies do this is to specify uncommon voltages - like 9.6V - and offer a power supply quoted as supplying the same voltage. The truth is that 9V is the nominal operating voltage: these devices will operate on a range a little above and a little below the nominal operating voltage. If you were to measure the voltage of a brand new 9V battery, you'll discover it is delivering more than 9V, often around that 9.6V. That voltage will decrease with use, the longer the battery is used the lower the voltage gets until it can no longer power the device. (Note that EHX also have their own branded 9V battery with some strange claims surrounding it too) The fact is that any 9V pedal will operate happily with a little over 9V, that's expected. But it's possible to capitalise on the public's ignorance of technology by throwing a decimal place on the supply voltage and insisting they have to purchase a special supply. The most egregious example of this I've seen is a USB device asking for 5.05V to try and convince customers to buy the branded 5.05V power supply instead of powering from literally any 5V USB power supply
Why do you need to send some electricity in a current to ground? Is it because without it going to ground it would flow into us? Where is electricity flowing when I plug in a guitar on stage with a full band? Why isn't someone being electrocuted?
Inserting a patch cable into the input will engage the battery UNLESS there is a power cable inserted into the power jack. The barrel of the power connector disconnects the battery internally. So if using power you can leave the patch cables in, if using a battery take the patch cables out.
The only 'stupid questions' are the ones you are Too Afraid To Ask.
"Battery or Power Supply: Which does a pedal use first?" is the question for this TATA video. Let's discuss how pedal power works.
Leave your TATAs in the comment section and I'll make a video answering them.
Gain access to exclusive content at:
www.patreon.com/csguitars
Buy CSGuitars Merchandise:
csguitars.bigcartel.com/
Your comment was made 2 days ago...
Yes, videos are prepared and uploaded in advance, to be released at a later date.
Patreon supporters get access to new videos before the rest of the world.
Videos don't just appear online the moment I'm finished editing them.
An introduction to amps would be great.
I heard somewhere not to turn an amp on unless it is connected to a speaker cabinet. I have only ever used small solid state combi amps, so I find anything more than this a little confusing.
I'm guessing I'm not the only one who knows nothing about anything beyond bedroom gear.
Could you do like a beginners guide on how to set up with some do's and don'ts?
@CSGuitars oh cool I guess I have to become a supporter now
Does leaving your pedal plugged in over a long period of time degrade anything inside of it?
"Too afraid to ask" is brilliant.
y-you're tackling my what?
I admit, I blushed
Tatas
You should make a Pedal board tutorial just because you are one of the only people i trust on youtube when it comes to technical knick knacks.
kinda like your ''Logical order of effects'' video
What specifically would you like to see covered that wasn't already in the 'Logical Order' video?
@@ScienceofLoud You making a step by step tutorial on how you would build a pedal board. Sutch as keeping noise out with a around 5-8 pedals.
I know you already told in that video on what order to put it, but some pedals are different from others and might mess upp the chain.
Utility, volume, pitch, dist, mod and delay are usually the way to go, but i have had those times where i put pedals in that kind of order and they don't sound right.
Where do i put the compressor pedal on the board? is it the same as a noise gate? you can't place it after reverb and/or delay anyways.
Which shampoo do you use?
L'óreal, because he's worth it
'Head & Shoulders'....must be as we can only see his 'Head & Shoulders'..oh, he does have legs ?...then it must be 'Timotae'....they should film him running through a feild of Scottish Barley in the sunshine shaking his hair in slow-motion...or 'Tunnocks Caramel Wafers'...not in his hair, obviously......
My TATA question is somewhat similar: do active pickups use up their batteries when they're plugged in, even if the other side of the jack cable is not plugged to an amplifier?
Yes, just like with pedals, the input jack on an active pickup guitar operates as an on/off switch.
Inserting a cable turns the battery on, regardless of what the other end is doing.
Thanks a lot Colin!
What I’d like to know is what happens if they hook up ground inside the guitar on let’s say EMGs. It always drained my poor batteries pretty fast until I reworked the whole thing from scratch myself, but didn’t ground it anywhere (as per, you know, the instructions). Been bugging me.
John Gustafsson active pickups are designed not to need a ground. Just the +/- from the battery.
Thank you for the info! There are definitely some exceptions to this rule. I've experienced non working/ low power pedals that did not switch when I plugged in the power supply. I had to go in and take the battery completely out before they functioned correctly. It was an electro harmonix brand pedal
Next question: If I run a 9V Battery, will it get drained if I leave a cable connected to the "input"?
ThrashingBasskill yes! The input jack on pedals with a battery option is typically a stereo jack. Inserting a cable closes a loop connected to the third lug of the jack, thus enabling power to the circuit.
And yes power still flows even with the pedal disengaged. Otherwise there would be a loud pop every time you engaged the pedal.
@@thesphericalguy9018 I actually knew the answer but I'm sure someone will ask this question, but thanks for the confirm! :D
@@ThrashingBasskill haha gotcha! A video on this would be great :D
@@ThrashingBasskill isn't that some of the first things ever pedal player got to know with his first metal zone? I know I paid my dues in 9v batteries for forgetting to disconnect back before I bought a shitload of power cables
I just set up my pedal board and haven't used batteries for years. I have an old MXR power brick and it's been absolutely reliable for my 18 and 9 volt pedals.
Cool video's, cheers!
Is mayonnaise an instrument? What other condiments are instruments?
Not horseradish, that much we know
Salt in a shaker.
There’s a guitar brand named Mayones, so I think that’s close enough.
Possibly, but as Rob Scallon has shown, it does not, in fact, djent.
*in scottish accent* HP brown sauce *metal finger-horns*
I learn so much from this channel, thanks and great work bud.
Hey Colin! I am afraid to ask this one, sounds stupid.
I have been playing guitar for years. But only recently with a good job, have I been able to really afford tube amps.
So my question is, can I stack a Marshall and an Orange head together and then use some kind of switcher or something and use both heads on a single cab? One at a time I mean. Not both at once.
I also heard about people "blending" two amp heads together. How is that done? Thanks for your awesome vids.
Can you explain why PRS connect resistors in their coil split circuts, and why it is worth adding 250K resistor when using 250 pots with single coils in hss guitars??
Great choice for the graphic of "touching". Made me smile.
I save the batteries from pedals to replace the ones for my pickups. But the power supply I use is the Voodoo Labs pedal power 2 plus. It powers eight pedals and I've got five that I use regularly. I plan on adding two to 3 more, to cover all my bases.
Phillip McKnight from Know Your Gear has a killer idea. You can buy those 9V battery plugs (like what's inside the pedals themselves) and splice them with the external connector wire so you are powering the unit with the battery, but you don't have to take the thing apart to change it out. And for 18V pedals, like an MXR 10 band EQ you can hook them up in series to double the voltage and still use the external jack with two batteries. That way you can just unplug them when finished and don't have to worry about them draining because you forgot to turn it off.
Great videos ! Have you thought about making a Discord ? Could by nice for people to ask their TATAs
Thanks so much for the TATA series!
Thanks for confirming what I thought. Looking forward to the next video!
I would love a TATA vid just explaining power supplies in general, I am so lost when it comes to that whole area of gear.
Can you please make the video I've been asking for forever?
All about Wah. What is it? What does it do? How does it work?
I was told that Wahs cut treble and boost bass and then cut bass and boost treble. Apparently, the pedal does it so fast that that is what makes the warbling sound.
Can you describe Wah pedals in the classic CSG style? I like your explanations
Great video! Thanks for the detail. I wish you had mentioned about leaving patch cables on inside the the input and output of a pedal (while battery is inside) but the power adapter is not connected. Maybe another tutorial for the new comers. Cheers
Just wanted to say your videos are always great to watch! Great looking picture quality and excellent content. Look forward to your next upload! Cheers from Kansas
What happens when you boost a solid state amp? (A lot of boost, not a little).
It gets too loud, I tried it on a Crate gx-15
A real good boost should get it to orbit the earth, I suppose.
That would depend on which solid state amp you were boosting
I own a vox pathfinder, it boosts as good as a vox AC30
I wonder if there is a noticeable difference in the tone and/or feel of these new woods coming in to replace rosewood fingerboards. Personally I don't believe in the tonewood debate (or if it does make a difference, it's marginal compared to the difference electronics make) and pick a board based on feel and aesthetics (ebony being my preferred choice)
If it made a significant difference, people would hear it and know it the way they know the difference between single coils and humbuckers. When it doesn't, we are left with people trading fantasies.
And by the way, here's the difference between nickel and stainless steel frets: th-cam.com/video/eLstfUO9OZ8/w-d-xo.html
What's the difference between connecting your capacitor to the middle lug and ground or to one of the end lugs and ground? Most people do it the first way, Ibanez does it the second way. Is there any difference?
You're talking about the tone cap in an electric guitar, I suppose?
@@schmoemi3386 Yup. I've tried both yesterday and it seems to work the same. I don't really understand what's happening though
Awesome demonstration on a question I also was curious about. Big thank you from me!
I know you primarily do do guitar stuff...but your thoughts on flat wound bass stings for metal? I'm aware Steve Harris and Geezer Butler used flat wounds...but do you think they may have been better of with rounds?
I tried flatwounds on a guitar once and it was the strangest thing.
I'll have to look into that one a bit further
@Wesley Wheeler
I don't think there can ever be a definitive answer to your question, since 'tone' is a very individual thing. What I *CAN* say - from personal experience - is that flatwounds aren't as bright-sounding as roundwounds.
Wow, great info! You have the best tatas! Ok, here’s mine (*)(*). I mean, is there any harm to hanging your guitars from the headstock on a guitar hanger?
"I'll be tackling your TATAs." My, Colin, take me to dinner first.
Very nicely done, Colin. A good clear explanation.
Is there any difference between a bass pickup and a guitar pickup?
The problem with the Patreon early access is, that now every time a video is posted, I have a duty to be the first person to comment something clever, but U know, sometimes I just can't come up with anything funny, and that makes my monthly 5 euro donation completely useless
I cannot agree more to this, I spend way too much effort thinking about what I am going to comment... At least i'm not the only one !
But I know the effort you make, and appreciate your first comments whatever form they take.
Besides, there would be less videos to comment upon if it wasn't for your loyal support.
Hi Collin, Brilliant video, thank you. 👍
Melbourne, Australia.
So erudite and entertaining! Brilliant! Thanks!
What do capacitors do that are on your knob pots on guitars and how do they effect the tone? A good TaTa
Great information as usual! Keep it coming!
But you know OneSpot Daisy Chain is obviously the most clean and noise free power source 🙄😂
How exactly do pedals differentiate between Gain and Volume? Say you run a tubescreamer into the front of the amp, wouldn't turning either Gain or Volume up just result in a stronger signal being sent to the amp either way? Or is gain always related to internal clipping within the pedal? What are the differnces between the 'gain circuit' and 'volume circuit' then?
EDIT: Also, how does the amp differentiate between the two? Like why does my signal get louder instead of just more distorted when I run a clean boost into the effects return. Isn't that also just more signal being pushed into the power amp, which should result in more distortion?
Can you mix and match batteries and power supplies? My power supply has 8 outputs, all isolated at 9v. What if I want more pedals? For the time being, can I just use 9v batteries?
Here's a good one. How do I properly clean the hardware on my stoptail or tune-o-matic (Les Paul) styled bridges? I've been taking a dry Q-tip to them during string changes and it just isn't doing much.
If I burn out a pedal by using a 48V phantom power supply (when the pedal is designed for opetation through that), does that fall under manufacturer warranty? It's a Sansamp v2 bass preamp pedal by the way.
I bought a couple batteries for my pedals a few weeks ago. Now I realized that most of them are drained to the point where the pedals turn on but the effects aren’t active. I’ve been using 9v battery converters for my mini pedals and they worked great the first day.
One day I turned my amp off along with the pedals but left the 9v battery converters plugged in to them, meaning the battery is still connected.
Now all of the batteries that were plugged in doesn’t even work. Does leaving it plugged have anything to do with the batteries dying so fast?
what about connection 3 on the mains supply (talking about UK supply)? The earth is important as a lot of PSU have no earth/ground connection and instead use the neutral as ground.
However, earth can be used and should be as it is important to provide clean the signal.
Maybe it could be poor designs, but I swear that's a major design flaw of most cheap PSU that use the neutral as ground and have no earth connection, instead a plastic pin to open. It's connected to the transformer which I believe can create noise.
That's what I have noticed anyway...
I have been using a usb battery supply with a converter for pedals and it provides very clean DC. I feel it proves my theory that not having a clean, isolated negative connection risks creating noise issues
Love your vids dude
Maybe a dumb question. What is the sonic difference between 1x12 2x12 4x12 etc. Which are better for what situations? What are the tone differences from each speaker combination.
just a quick question, how do I cheaply power my multi effects pedal with an analog pedal?
Here's one I always wanted to know. Why do basses (normally) have 4 string when guitars have 6??
Colin - solving the world's greatest mysteries, one at a time. Luv ya man :D
I keep nquiring about the "will it shred" buid. Do you plan to revisit this guitar?
Thanks man. This is a question a i didn't know I had.
Do you suppose it works the same for, say, a DB-90, the big ole metronome?
Can I get a really good tone from a solid state amp or do I need to get a valve amp to really be satisfied? If I'm using a Tube Screamer or similar to boost my overdrive can I still get a good sound? Or do I need to splash out on a tube amp?
Do you put pedals through a clean channel if you are using a digital amp like a Katana?!?
I use a Duncan powerstage and an hx stomp as my main amp with a Morley wah as the only pedal and it seems easier to use a battery, will the battery drain if I remove just 1 of the cables? Or do I need to remove both to be safe? The wah will not turn on while the guitar input cable is removed
Thank you,you answer for me.
Just a Very Interesting Answer About Something I Hadn't Thought to Think About (not as attention grabbing as your TATAs as a title)
I know that daisy chaining pedals is a pretty bad idea if you want to avoid lots of noise, but if you want to power just one pedal is a boss power supply (PSA-230S or similar) a good idea or should you rather go for a battery? And as soon as you introduce another pedal, is it worth getting somethign like a Fuel Tank Jr or simply go with some extra batteries?
Use Li 9v rechargeable batteries.
1, these are durable, needs very long time before charging.
2, batteries always have cleaner power.
Alot of overdrive pedals have a 9volt and 18volt mode, is the 18volt mode only possible by power supply ?
Is there a difference in sound between acoustic strings and electric strings on a electric guitar?
3:05 How do you pronounce the name of the band "Bathory"? :) Just asking...
How does one go about adjusting the pedal knobs to compliment each pedal on the board? Just started getting into pedals myself, and would LOVE to hear your input (pun half intended)
I run all my pedals (7 of them) off a 1-spot. Its not too bad, a bit noisy occasionally. Do you think I could expect any massive tonal or noise reduction improvements if I got a decent power supply. They're mostly basic pedals, but I have two TC Toneprint pedals in there that take a few more amps!
Digital pedals sharing the same power source can sometimes result in a form of noise that is referred to as heterodying. This is produced by spikes on the power line interacting in much the same way as a ring modulator does. That is, a sum and difference between the frequency of those spikes is produced. Let's say that two digital pedals each operate with a master clock running at 10mhz, that is further divided down for other operations in the pedal. And let's say the master clocks are all within .01% of their nominal frequency, or anywhere between 1000hz above or below the nominal 10mhz clock frequency (which is a ridiculously tight spec). You certainly won't hear their *sum* , even if you're a dog or a bat, but you probably would hear their *difference* , as well as the difference between any divided-down clock spikes. This is why some digital pedal users why try out a pedal in the store, love it, bring it home and stick it on a pedalboard with a power supply shared with another digital pedal, and find themselves listening to what was often described as a "bee's nest" of noise, then return the pedal to the store, claiming it was broken.
As time went on, and manufacturers had to deal with these complaints, power supplies were designed to provide more isolated outputs that did not interact, and they improved the noise rejection in the pedals themselves. So earlier digital pedals are sometimes subject to this noise source, but more recent ones, powered by more recent supplies, tend to sidestep the problem. I think some companies make little adaptor cables that go between a digital pedal and shared supply, that can block the noise spikes from interacting, though I don't know who specifically. The main point is that, yes, it occurs, and yes, it is remediable.
@@Ndlanding Made me smile AND blush. Thanks for that. :-)
You HAVE to have a power supply. Both my TS9 and NS2 go through 1 9v battery a day when not plugged into a wall outlet.
I never even thought about this since i have always use one or the other.
Great video I was thinking the same thing and was scared to ask 😁
Thanks man. Cool to know. Why is my non tape echoplex so noisy with the provided power supply?
What 9 volt tastes the best ?? I like the energizing flavor of a Rayovac mmm Wisconsinie
Very informative 👍🏻
Tata: how do I set up Loop Boxes/line selectors?
Guitar pickups in parallel vs series?
My TATA question is: Can I make my freeze pedal (electro-Harmonix) powered by a 9v battery???
Here's my TaTa: why do all shredders have long hair? Does it help their playing? Does it put them in the zone?
Can you make a video about what happen when you put different pedals into a noise gate which an x connection
Hey Colin, why do guitar amplifiers not have 9v outputs to drive pedals?
1. It would increase the cost and complexity of the amp
2. Most players want their pedals at some distance from their amp, particularly in a live use case, making powering the pedals from the amp rather pointless.
Very afraid to ask this but which strings do i use to restring a baritone be it in B/C standard or even if for some reason i would have larger hands is it possible for me to tune it into standard with lighter strings ? i asked this in a forum and all i got was ' why would you do that' *ducks for cover*
Q: Is it better to use a tube screamer on fx loop or straight to input?
I haver never used the FX loop, but I'll put it in the front of the amp, because the tube screamer will act as a booster
@@faustohernandez3434 that's the usual way .but I heard that it can be use on FX loop
i just bought a BOSS Acoustic Simulator pedal from eBay for £50
and there is no AC adapter included with it.
Although i can buy an AC adapter from eBay for about £10
but i am worried because i dont know which way the polarity of the charge is (from the AC adapter)
ad i dont know which way the polarity is supposed to flow at.
Whatr i am worried about is that
what if it reverses the polarity and fries my pedal ?
I always watch the whole video just for the last few seconds
Would it not make sense if pedals would make it so power supply comes first but only when the power supply is active? this was if there were to be any problems with the power supply or cable cutting out, the battery would come to the rescue?...
2:49 "the Bathory"
Can you plug in a amp head into a combo amp’s Fx loop or front end to use it as a cab for that said head?
TATA: Do different batteries affect your tone (e.g., Brand A vs. Brand B vs. Brand C where one may be, say, brighter than another).
I have a small problem with my pedals. I leave it charging with the v9 when not in use. They even have their own batteries on but when I use the pedals, it turns off as soon as I unplug the v9. Ps: pls help :(
Many thanks :)
Do i have to Use a power supply or can I use an adapter cable that has 6 points to give voltage to the pedals
(Sorry my English is bad so it’s hard to explain)
If you ever move to America and want to live next door, just know I have twenty million questions (that you're smart enough to answer, unlike myself). I love these kinds of videos, so.... Keep up the great work!
Can i use a distrortion pedal as a booster pedal ? (Dirty shirley overdrive + boss power stack)
Anything that applies gain to the signal can "boost". It's a question of what you want the boost to do for you. I use my MXR 6-Band EQ as a boost, I also use my compressor as a boost. The one is intended to shape the tone to selectively clip, and the other is a general clean boost. If your distortion pedal can be dialed back to be very close to clean (e.g., a basic gain of 3-5x), it can be used as a quasi-clean boost. Not many distortions aim for that function, though.
Still, a wide range of pedals can be used for what folks call "gain-stacking".
Hello i have an issue with a self made battery connector on my diy pedal kit the Acapulco gold ,when I plug it in it made some smoke and didn't make the pedal work the battery connector is from the top of a 9v battery where I soldered on the back two cables one for and hot and the other for ground thanks for all the videos you post there are really interesting and made for a great purpose hope you'll see my message and reply :) cheers
I genuinely have no idea what you are trying to describe here.
Perhaps you can send me a more detailed description and some pictured of what you are doing to: colin@csguitars.co.uk
However, if you got smoke when attempting to power a pedal then I'm sorry to say you killed the pedal.
@@ScienceofLoud hey thanks ,ill show you the battery connector wire that smoked tomorrow by mail in the afternoon ,but don't worry the pedal still works it ain't dead hopefully haha
Liked purely for the Still Game reference
I’ve always wondered if a 9 volt cause the effect to diminish as the battery drains? I think I’ve noticed this with my Ebow.
As a battery 'drains' (poor description of the chemical process happening within) the voltage the battery can output drops.
A fresh, new PP3 will be able to deliver just over the nominal 9V, but that will reduce over time.
By the time the battery reaches around 7V it will no longer be able to power most pedals (although some fuzz circuits can operate as low as 5V)
There is often a careful balancing of voltage in effects circuits to get them to operate as expected, reducing the supply voltage can throw that balance out and cause effects to do unusual things.
In some cases they will sound slightly different totally, in other cases they'll show wild, uncontrolled behaviour.
Thank you! I really appreciate the direct response.
If I ask something that I'm too afraid to ask am I actually afraid of it? **x-files theme intensifies**
I don't ever rely on batteries. You never know how long they're going to last... Plus I'm afraid of leaking inside an expensive pedal whatsoever
Many EHX pedals demands 9.6v but they seem to work fine with a 9v standard power supply, why? 😅
I don't know what your source is for this, but I can offer a possible explanation:
Manufacturers often want you to buy their branded power supply for their products. One way in which I've seen companies do this is to specify uncommon voltages - like 9.6V - and offer a power supply quoted as supplying the same voltage.
The truth is that 9V is the nominal operating voltage: these devices will operate on a range a little above and a little below the nominal operating voltage.
If you were to measure the voltage of a brand new 9V battery, you'll discover it is delivering more than 9V, often around that 9.6V. That voltage will decrease with use, the longer the battery is used the lower the voltage gets until it can no longer power the device.
(Note that EHX also have their own branded 9V battery with some strange claims surrounding it too)
The fact is that any 9V pedal will operate happily with a little over 9V, that's expected.
But it's possible to capitalise on the public's ignorance of technology by throwing a decimal place on the supply voltage and insisting they have to purchase a special supply.
The most egregious example of this I've seen is a USB device asking for 5.05V to try and convince customers to buy the branded 5.05V power supply instead of powering from literally any 5V USB power supply
@@ScienceofLoud thank you so much for your answer!!
TATA question
What’s the best plug in power supply?
TATA: Celtic, Rangers, or Partick?
losangelesnefastvs Too afraid to ANSWER. You trying to get him glassed?!
Why does everyone forget about Queen's Park? Glasgow's 4th team and the only fully amateur club in th SPFL.
@@mcswordfish When you're right, you're right. Apologies, because I should have known that.
All The Gain!!!!!
Why do you need to send some electricity in a current to ground? Is it because without it going to ground it would flow into us? Where is electricity flowing when I plug in a guitar on stage with a full band? Why isn't someone being electrocuted?
only came here for the Hm-2....No regrets...
Do i need to take out the cable from my maxon od808 from my (tc hall of fame 2)? Can i keep the pachcable betweene the two, without loosing power?
Inserting a patch cable into the input will engage the battery UNLESS there is a power cable inserted into the power jack. The barrel of the power connector disconnects the battery internally.
So if using power you can leave the patch cables in, if using a battery take the patch cables out.
@@ScienceofLoud as I though, thank you man.
I ❤ tatas