Micro Vibe?

[I am the Walrus]

Hello. Would this circuit be considered true bypass? Thanks.

[imJonWain]

Yes.  It's the way Voodoo Labs does their bypass.  I'm sure someone would argue over it though.

[mth5044]

I wouldn't call it true 'mechanical' bypass, but optical bypass. I think it functions very similarly, but a die hard true bypassist would probably say nay

[swamphorn]

I hope they wouldn't have an issue with the 300 MΩ off resistance of the H11F1. That said, is there any reason to use optical bypass in a time when 3PDT stomp switches are dirt cheap?

[duck_arse]

Hello. Would this circuit be considered true bypass? Thanks.

define your version of true.

[ElectricDruid]

That said, is there any reason to use optical bypass in a time when 3PDT stomp switches are dirt cheap?

Reliability. Electronic solutions are generally much more reliable than mechanical ones. So we assume the H11F1 lasts longer than some cheap complicated switch that gets stomped on all day.

[willienillie]

^ Yeah but there's still a stomp switch, just one less pole.

[Kevin Mitchell]

I've gotta admit, I've seen that schematic dozens of times but never acknowledged the coupler at the input 

That's a neat way to dodge a 3PDT!

Since the input and outputs are shorted when switched/bypassed, it sure seems true to me 

-KM

[ElectricDruid]

^ Yeah but there's still a stomp switch, just one less pole.

Agreed. I can't say if a DPDT is a lot more reliable than a 3PDT. Maybe they are. I was only really answering "why use an optical bypass when 3PDT is cheap?". This kind of hybrid half-optical-half-mechanical seems like neither one thing or the other to me and I don't see much point in it.

Since the input and outputs are shorted when switched/bypassed, it sure seems true to me 

If that was enough for true bypass, it'd be possible with a SPDT. You also have to remove the loading of the pedal's input when the pedal is off. Here the optoFET off resistance is almost as high as the resistance of fresh air between switch contacts, so it's probably close enough.