Perfection

[Xelent]

Hi Everyone,

I had some somewhat abstract questions to ask you.

I found myself wondering this morning, is there such a thing as a perfect guitar pedal?

A delay, for instance. If a delay creates a carbon copy of the original signal, has a range of repeats from one to infinite, and a range of offset from 1MS to 10S, is that a perfect delay?
Can you improve on that device?

My question applies to all of the audio effects found in these pedals. The effects have been highly documented as to how they change sound.

If we know the scientific aspects of the manipulation, then surely it's possible to create the ultimate chorus? Or the ultimate Fuzz?

Do the problems arise from a preference for simple devices? Would the pedal be to complex to control is all the parameters were adjustable?

Is the limited range of most pedals part of what makes them 'good'?

Also, if a pedal isn't perfect, what makes it inferior? Parts? Ability?

I'm not trying to sound oblivious, I just wanted to know your opinion.

Cheers,

Riley

[iaresee]

In art, as in life, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Perfect means a lot of different things to everyone out there.

[slacker]

Like Ian said you could create your perfect pedal, but it might not be mine.

To take your delay example it might give technically perfect reproduction of the signal and offer loads of delay time, but if I only want 300ms and want it to sound like an old Copycat tape echo then it's not the delay for me. Same if someone wanted reverse delay or modulation. You could probably add features to please more people, but it would never be the perfect delay for everyone.

[Nitefly182]

I can only tell you what perfection is for me but Its hard to predict what everyone else will like. Thats why there are countless effects builders out there and people still DIY their own gear.

[MikeH]

Perfect to me is a pedal that I finish without chipping the paint job.

[caress]

In art, as in life, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Perfect means a lot of different things to everyone out there.

Like Ian said you could create your perfect pedal, but it might not be mine.

To take your delay example it might give technically perfect reproduction of the signal and offer loads of delay time, but if I only want 300ms and want it to sound like an old Copycat tape echo then it's not the delay for me. Same if someone wanted reverse delay or modulation. You could probably add features to please more people, but it would never be the perfect delay for everyone.

well said.

[Boogdish]

there has to be a criteria set up to judge pedals in order for them to meet all criteria and be deemed perfect.  Any pedal can be the perfect pedal if you're judging it by the correct criteria.

[FlyingZ]

I strive to find or create a SS distortion that can sound good on both low and high notes (like tube amps), that would truly be perfect.

[R.G.]

there has to be a criteria set up to judge pedals in order for them to meet all criteria and be deemed perfect.  Any pedal can be the perfect pedal if you're judging it by the correct criteria.

"Perfect" and "ultimate" are by definition unattainable, at least in the world we live in. In the quantum mechanics world, everything of a given class is identical, so all instances of, say, an up quark are by definition perfect, since they are all identical. There are no substandard subatomic particles; they are all indentical, indistinguishable, and therefore all perfect.

In my former life, final test of goods before shipping them was the means of testing whether the product met requirements. We used to joke that one way to improve yield was to make final test consist of weighing the goods, and if they fell into the right range of weight, they were good!

Boogdish is correct. Setting the criteria for judging quality is needed. And even that doesn't address the issue of added goodness above and beyond the minimum needed.

Hmmm.  A perfect diamond is one where the flaws are too small to see.  

[Ardric]

Hmmm.  A perfect diamond is one where the flaws are too small to see.  

A really perfect gemstone is usually worth less, because it's perceived to be from a man-made synthetic rough.  Ancient rocks from the ground are always imperfect at tiny scales; it's part of the charm.  Interesting analogy there R.G.