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DIY Stompboxes => Building your own stompbox => Topic started by: Iamthejazz123 on February 07, 2017, 02:13:40 PM

Title: DC Offset Removal Box
Post by: Iamthejazz123 on February 07, 2017, 02:13:40 PM
I have an electric guitar with regular magnetic pickups and a Fishman Piezo bridge and preamp in it. The preamp splits the magnetic and piezo signals over each conductor of a TRS cable.

The problem I'm having is massive pop with any true bypass pedals. I suspected DC Offset might be the issue, so I put a meter to the guitar's output. From tip to sleeve I measured 3.7v DC, and from ring to sleeve I measured .05v DC. It measured negative with the red probe on the conductors and the black on the sleeve. I suspect it's because the 9v battery shares a ground with everything else, but I don't know much about any of this...
Isn't there a fairly simple way to build a pedal to remove all that DC offset? Could somebody make me a quick schematic? Or is it possible it's another issue entirely?

Thanks!
Title: Re: DC Offset Removal Box
Post by: PRR on February 07, 2017, 05:54:53 PM
Put a sweaty finger on the "3.7VDC".

Does it drop way down?

Wait. Does it come back?

I am thinking your internal preamp has a leaky output cap. It is actually quite normal to have DC there right after switch-on. Sweaty finger (or 10K-1Meg resistor) will bleed that. But if it won't stay bled, the cap is leaking.
Title: Re: DC Offset Removal Box
Post by: ashcat_lt on February 07, 2017, 07:34:39 PM
If you don't intend to fix the preamp itself, the box you're asking for is a cap in series with the T and a pulldow resistor across T and S at the output.
Title: Re: DC Offset Removal Box
Post by: pinkjimiphoton on February 09, 2017, 03:32:56 PM
Quote from: PRR on February 07, 2017, 05:54:53 PM
Put a sweaty finger on the "3.7VDC".

Does it drop way down?

Wait. Does it come back?

I am thinking your internal preamp has a leaky output cap. It is actually quite normal to have DC there right after switch-on. Sweaty finger (or 10K-1Meg resistor) will bleed that. But if it won't stay bled, the cap is leaking.

great tip paul, thanks man...
i think you just solved an issue i was having with something else! ;)
Title: Re: DC Offset Removal Box
Post by: EATyourGuitar on February 09, 2017, 07:51:45 PM
DC removal box sounds like a $$$ scam for selling a gooped box with a cap inside. someone would probably buy it. they can't sue for false advertising.