3dpt tone loss?

[jolly1423]

I wired a true bypass loop box with a 3dpt switch from pedal parts plus. I have really nice shinny joints with 60/40 that I re-flowed several times and even when it's bypassed I'm getting about half as much treble and a little less volume vs. straight to the amp. This is supposed to save my tone, not kill it. What did I do wrong or what else should I try?

[ACS]

That tone's gotta be 'going' somewhere - and the most likely way it can do that is if it's dumping it to ground.

1. Post up the wiring diagram you used - can check that it's all OK
2. Post up images of your wiring
3. It is VERY unlikely that the switch is causing the issue (unless it physically faulty and has an internal short - easy to check, although you'll need to desolder to do so)
4. It is almost impossible that a 'bad solder joint' could cause this

Your most likely culprit is a wire where it ain't supposed to be, or a short somewhere...

[jolly1423]

Here's the way I wired it-
http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/pdf/ggg_sw_loop_lo.pdf?phpMyAdmin=4a28f86a515b7883e7bc35a68d4e7b6d&phpMyAdmin=78482479fd7e7fc3768044a841b3e85a

I'll take a closer look at it. The jacks got pretty close so it's possible something I can't see might be grounding. Let me know if that looks ok and if I still have trouble I'll post a gut shot. Thanks for the help!

[Ronsonic]

Are you allowing for the signal drop that is inevitable with the amount of cable used from guitar to looper to amp? Is there a buffered pedal that was saving some of that tone before but can't now that it's in the loop?

Just asking to be sure.

[ACS]

Are you allowing for the signal drop that is inevitable with the amount of cable used from guitar to looper to amp? Is there a buffered pedal that was saving some of that tone before but can't now that it's in the loop?

Just asking to be sure.

Great point, I missed the obvious!   

[jolly1423]

Well, I'm only using 2-6' cables and it just seems like a lot of high end loss for just an additional 6'. Initially (when I had posted this) I had also forgotten about the buffers and I was just testing the switch by itself. I threw my buffers back on (tu-2 before the input and dd-20 after the output) and that did help a lot. I'll check it over one more time for unwanted grounding. If I test the ground with an audio probe should there normally be any audio there? Or is there any other way I can test for that other than just by ear? Other wise it's pretty good after the buffers, now I just need to be sure it can't be better.
Thanks again!

[Ronsonic]

Simplest thing to measure is DC Ohms from signal to ground and also series resistance from in to out. The first should be an extremely large number, like >30M which is only an example but as high as any of my meters go. The latter should be a very low number, but measurable with some sort of low ohms meter. I use my ESR meter for such it's good to .01 Ohms.

Next is capacitance from signal to ground, if you've got the meter. Otherwise don't worry about measurements you can't do anything about.