Things that I've learned about FX chains. (Boss content)

[Burstbucker]

I learned a couple of interesting things tonight and would like to share this with anybody who might be interested.

I noticed that my clean signal was getting really mangled even when all effects boxes were in bypass mode, so I put a true bypass box to A/B between going through the effects or going straight to the amp. Wow, what a difference! Now I know this isn't news to you but there's more.

My Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive pedal was one of the worse offenders because like most of you already know, it really sucks tone and also lets a minute amount of distortion bleed through even when it's bypassed. I then started changing the order of my pedals, many of which are other Boss pedals and as soon as I put any other non-true bypass pedal in front of the SD-1 the bleed-through distortion disappeared! I was always in the habit of putting the SD-1 first in the effects chain and that's where things get ugly. Put something with FET switching in front of the SD-1 and you should notice a big improvement.

Now that the bleed-through distortion was gone, I was still having problems with overall bad tone and loss of signal volume. By chance I happened to have a Boss LS-2 Line Selector pedal kicking around and it's proven to be the best thing for fixing up my problems. Putting all my effects through one the loops of the Boss Line Selector pedal brought back all the highs and sparkle, it was just like going through a true bypass footswitch!

This Boss LS-2 pedal also has level controls for each of its two loops which is very handy for matching the effects chain volume with the bypassed volume. I used to use an MXR Micro Amp pedal for driving my signal, it was the first pedal on my pedal board, it seems that the Boss Line Selector does the same thing. Try it it works!

[phaeton]

Cool! Interesting observation, and thanks for sharing.

FWIW when I used to do a lot of direct-into-the-4-track recording about 10 years ago, I would actually run the signal through either my DS-1 or my TS-10 in "bypass mode" for clean sounds.  I noticed that it brought the level up a little bit and cut some of the mosquito-like highs off the top end- the ones i couldn't get with the EQ on the 4track's mixing console.  Tone Sucking put to good use.  IIRC both are FET-switched, and so is the TS-15 that I have, which also has some distortion 'bleed through' in clean mode like you describe, unless i turn the Drive down.

Aside from my odd usage above, what advantages do FET-switching designs have over a true-bypass Carling?  The Carling method seems like a cheap, simple, reliable and logical option.  Everywhere else I hear nothing but bellyaching over all the non-true-bypass types.

(sorry if I hijack the thread)

[Burstbucker]

Hey, thanks for posting.

FWIW, the only footswitches that ever gave me problems were the Carling-type mechanical switches.  The mechanical switches also usually make a loud popping noise when pushed. 

I just thought that since this Boss LS-1 pedal gives me the exact signal quality as using my true bypass A/B box, what the hell.  Plus it allows me to use a bunch of my pedals that are mostly all FET switching, Boss, Ibanez, etc.....

There was a thread awhile ago about different ways to mod a Boss SD-1 to get rid of that background bleed-through distortion, no need to bother, just stick another FET switched pedal in front and all is well again.  That's simpler than trying different mods.