Before or After buffer? (SHO, FF, FF, Wah)

[Auke Haarsma]

I've read/heard that a SHO, FuzzFace/Fact, Wah etc need to be in 'direct' contact with the guitar. If they are placed in an fx chain after a buffer, they will not sound as intended.

Is that true? And to what extent?

I'm using a ROG splitter/blend-based effect at the start of my fx chain, thus a buffer is the first in the chain. Should the mentioned pedals be positioned before the splitter?

[Ben N]

The only reason not to put an SHO after a buffer is that it will boost whatever noise the buffer adds. OTOH, there is no benefit to preceeding an SHO with a buffer, since the SHO's input impedance is likely to be at least as high as the buffer's. If you do put the SHO first, you could mod it so that switching doesn't bypass, but converts it to a buffer (look at the AMZ Mosfet boost article for how to do this).

A wah has trouble feeding a lo-Z input like a FF. This can be cured with an FET output buffer on the Wah,although you may not lie the effect this has on the sound of the fuzz when they are both on. You should put the FF ahead of the buffer, just make sure it is true bypass so you don't load down the pickups when the fuzz is bypassed. Everything else can go after the buffer.