True Bypass pedal coloring sound? (OCD)

[Lucidology]

Tonight during my gig, I experienced an odd coloring of tone,
using a Fulltone OCD in front of my compressor going into my rig...

As long as I had the OCD on, everything was fine,
but when it was turned off, there seemed to be an added sheen
(or something like that) making the tone less flexible
or stiffer in nature (does that make any sense...?)

When I took the OCD out of my chain,
everything, tonewise, went back to normal...

So is this one of reasons why a lot of players don't like using true bypass
(in particular Fulltone pedals) because there is an odd coloring of tone
when the pedal is off? Or am I way out in left field here...??

Anyone had a similiar experience...??

 

[Philip]

true bypass shouldn't color your tone. In fact it should help maintaining natural sound from your guitar. I know that for example my Dunlop Wah is coloring my signal. It adds a lot more mids to the sound when it is off. And as far as I know it doesn't have true bypass,

Philip

 

[Lucidology]

Actually, that describes pretty well what went away when I removed the OCD from the chain... Unwanted High-Mids were gone

I know how unbuffered pedals can suck up the life of a guitars tone... this isn't doing that... it's adding something...

 

[Philip]

are you sure it is true bypass? or maybe you have bad quality cables connecting the pedals?

 

[DML]

How many TB-pedals are in your FX-chain??

 

[CudBucket]

are you sure it is true bypass? or maybe you have bad quality cables connecting the pedals?

Fulltone pedals are true-bypass. Sounds like either a bad battery, cable or something else.

 

[Jimi D]

A True Bypass pedal placed between two buffered pedals can cause all kinds of weirdness - I've heard of it happening before. I even had a buffered pedal that would make my EB Volume pedal behave in really weird ways... I'm willing to bet if you try the OCD by itself, you'll find that there's no discernable difference in guitar tone having it in your signal path or not when turned off - at least, that's the case with mine...

 

[lenny]

Whats a buffered pedal? one that is not true bypass i.e Boss ,D.O.D, because i have a old blue D.O.D chorus and man when i took that out of the chain i had mids and highs that were never there before needless to say it is now in the pit!

 

[DaveB]

Easy True Bypass test.....

take the battery out/power lead out and with the pedal turned off you should hear the true tone of your guitar.

HTH

Dave

 

[beej]

Hey Dave! What are you doing on the board ... hurry up and leave work so we can start drinking and I can start playing your guitars!!!

(And now back to the thread ...)

 

[lenny]

are u in the UK beej?

 

[beej]

Yep! In London for a conference and to visit the family. Tonight I'm hangin' with DaveB and we're gonna do it up!

(Maybe a drunk pic later)

 

[Roxy]

I have a really good book on the history/design/etc. of effects pedals that I picked up at Borders because I read an interview with Satriani and he recommended it. I forget the title and will look it up at home. The author interviews several pedal designers including Michael Fuller. One guy recommends having one buffered pedal in line to push the signal (ex. Morley Bad Horsie). If all pedals are true bypass, you have to add all your cable length up and if its total is over 25 feet, you still may experience signal roll off (loss of highs). One buffered pedal can boost the signal through.

I tried the VHT Valvulator and personally didn't like it. My tone was too bright. Joe Bonnamassa (sp) said in his lesson DVD that he prefers his wah to NOT be true bypass, but all the other pedals are. He likes the high end roll off. I really like the Morley Bad Horsie for modern wah tones and it doesn't appear to mess with my tone. I have the Dunlop 535Q for variety.

Effects book:

Guitar Effects Pedals: the practical handbook by Dave Hunter. Published by Backbeat Books
ISBN 0-87930-806-0 www.backbeatbooks.com

Check it out!

 

[Norrin Radd]

I've got an OCD. I think you're just whacky.

Seriously, it does not color my tone AT ALL when in bypass mode. I have tested it and my tone is identical whether straight in or through the OCD in bypass.

 

[Lucidology]

A True Bypass pedal placed between two buffered pedals can cause all kinds of weirdness - I've heard of it happening before. I even had a buffered pedal that would make my EB Volume pedal behave in really weird ways... I'm willing to bet if you try the OCD by itself, you'll find that there's no discernable difference in guitar tone having it in your signal path or not when turned off - at least, that's the case with mine...

You've got it right Jimi D...this is most likely the case,,,,
Apparently different electronic wiring can cancel out
or negate other pedal's frequencies , especially when it comes to the buffered ones...
Something in that vain...

Over on the gear page, the gear heads even break it down to what pedals don't work well with other pedals.... How you can invest in a great pedal, only to have it negatively affected by other pedals in your chain...

There are even a group of players who will not use true bypass pedals... as they swear a True Bypass Pedal colors or adds some sort of un-natural sheen to the tone...

I so do not want to be anal about it... wish my ears were more accepting...

But probably the real case is,
as Norrin Radd pointed out,
I'm just whacky...

 

[lenny]

Yep! In London for a conference and to visit the family. Tonight I'm hangin' with DaveB and we're gonna do it up!

(Maybe a drunk pic later)

Schweet! Have a guiness for Lenny!

 

[DaveB]

No Guiness but far too much Stella.

Boy that Beej can play.

Dave

 

[Norrin Radd]

But probably the real case is,
as Norrin Radd pointed out,
I'm just whacky...

Maybe it does have more to do with the other pedals in your chain. When I have used mine, it is the only thing between the guitar and amp.

Maybe you're not so whacky after all!

 

[Lucidology]

Maybe it does have more to do with the other pedals in your chain. When I have used mine, it is the only thing between the guitar and amp.

Maybe you're not so whacky after all!

Wow,,, you really only use one pedal...?

 

[robelinda2]

i used to use heaps of pedals, but i just got sick of it. really wanted to nail certain tones with my gear, so for the last 5 years all i use is one pedal at any gig, either a RAT or a tube screamer. works great! with the versatility of my EBMM guitars i'm set for any gig.