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True Bypass Modifications...

  • 19-07-2004 9:40am
    #1
    Paladin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,313 ✭✭✭


    This is aimed at Feylya I guess, unless others can answer me...

    Is modding the pedal for true bypass simply re-arranging the "OFF" position in the switch to connect the input directly to the output as in the Marshall pedals "passive bypass"?

    Must open my wah tonight and take a look at her. Just 1 more quick Q...

    Any idea of what actually happens to the guitar signal electronically to give wah effect?
    I know that the main idea is to alter which frequencies are attenuated/boosted but is there more to a wah than this? Any idea of the levels of attenuation? Fuk it, ill just go googling till I find a circuit :)


Comments

  • #2
    feylya
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 23,363 Mod ✭✭✭✭feylya


    When a pedal has True Bypass, the switch basically has two states. One state is running the input signal through the switch and into the output jack. The other state runs it through the wah circuit, adding the effect to the signal.

    When a pedal doesn't have True Bypass (like in a Dunlop CryBaby), there is a circuit to boost any of the high end lost from running through the circuit. This wastes the battery.

    Dunlop wahs have a locking switch, ie once it's clicked, it stays like that until clicked again. Boss pedals (such as the DS-1) have momentary switches that have to use electronics to remember whether the pedal should be on or off. Again this uses battery power. It's all a way of trying to make a good pedal but to cut corners.

    As for the wah effect, all I can remember at the moment is that it alters the Q Frequency of the guitar's signal. Or something like that.


  • #3
    Eoin Madsen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,117 ✭✭✭Eoin Madsen


    A wah is more or less an EQ sweep across the low-mid range. The pedal changes the centre frequency (the range would have to be in or around 200Hz to 1500Hz, I think) of an EQ boost - which sounds about +6dB from any of the wahs I've heard. I really have no idea what the frequency ranges, Q setting, or actual level boost is for any particular wah pedals. The preset Q is probably quite important in the distinctiveness of a particular wah sound.

    I assume that a practical pedal would also need built in attenuation (a cut in level) when the pedal is on, so that when the low-mid is boosted the overall signal doesn't get significantly louder.


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