How crucial is a true bypass switcher?

[The Villano Dude]

I am considering picking one up for a new board. I am probably using 10 or so pedals both TB and non-TB. How do people like the switchers?

[Blakemore Effects]

I only ever used switchers for two reasons. If I was using pedals like a vintage Big Muff, or Digitech Space Station that had just awful, awful bypass, or if I wanted the convenience of running things in loops sort of like presets. So I could hit one switch to turn on a delay and boost, or hit another switch to turn on my mod effects, etc. I never really bought into the hype that Boss pedals suck tone that badly or anything. Most modern pedals with buffers seemed just fine to me.

[Flying_Milkman]

I had a TB switch for my Digitech Whammy IV, other than that my ears can't discern a giant difference between TB and the buffer on my current pedals, so I don't bother.

[stevemcb]

I use a 9-loop switcher on my big board, but more for convenience of having all the switches in a row down the bottom, and not having to deal with pedal heights and a couple of sideways-mounted pedals which would have been difficult. I also had a bit of an issue with the buffers on the tuna melt and fish'n'chips both of which I felt stole a little high end. Works well for me for all of these reasons, but does add the odd pop on switching sometimes.

 

Steve

[V]

It depends on the pedal. Most new buffers are alright. The worst problems are with older designs where it's not really buffered bypass. They literally leave part of the circuit connected to the signal chain and those are the ones that make your sound totally dead (ahem, big muffs prior to like 2002ish)

 

Like Blake said, TB loops can defeat a bad buffered or just plain crappy bypass or they can be used for multiple effects being turned on at once.

[ChuckNorris1982]

For me, I've never found them necessary from a tone perspective. Having a chain of pedals does change your tone, but I've always just compensated with the amp EQ anyway. I am seriously thinking about building myself a couple of loopers for convenience though, as my clean tone is one pedal and my dirty tone is another, so I have to press two switches simultaneously to change that, and then there are other parts in our set where I'm turning effects on and off. Sometimes I end up having 4 stomps to do in time to switch to the next riff, so I'm thinking of ways to build loopers to help out with that a little. Off the top of my head, I want an A/B looper which switches between my clean and dirty pedals, and then I'm thinking about putting all the effects out front of my amp in one loop, and all the effects in my effects loop in another.

[Elessar [Sly]]

I have been after one for a while. The problem is they are ridiculously expensive for what there are... it is insane.

[ChuckNorris1982]

 

I have been after one for a while. The problem is they are ridiculously expensive for what there are... it is insane.

 

 

Check this out - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LOOOPER-CUSTOM-5-WAY-LOOP-SWITCHER-TUNER-MUTE-TRUE-BYPASS-PEDAL-MINT-/370631836836?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&hash=item564b6104a4

 

I got a custom Loooper from Davey Boggs about 10 years ago and it was sweet. His work is really nice, and

[Elessar [Sly]]

 

Check this out - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LOOOPER-CUSTOM-5-WAY-LOOP-SWITCHER-TUNER-MUTE-TRUE-BYPASS-PEDAL-MINT-/370631836836?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&hash=item564b6104a4   I got a custom Loooper from Davey Boggs about 10 years ago and it was sweet. His work is really nice, and

[V]

Indeed this is true, but it is still a lot for what it is. I will hold off until I can find someone who will make them cheaper, since it isn't a big deal at the moment. Theres cetainly no way I'm going to pay

[ChuckNorris1982]

If you were to build that exact thing yourself, it'd cost you somewhere close to

[Elessar [Sly]]

If you were to build that exact thing yourself, it'd cost you somewhere close to

[delayed delay]

Here's the reasons I could see:

 

1.) if you've got pedals with crappy bypass/buffers.

 

2.) if you've got a big board, the switcher makes them much easier to access. Seeing as how you've got 10 pedals, you might find one pretty useful.

 

3.) if you're a singer in your band and can't always look down when wanting to kick on an overdrive or something else, a switcher allows you to put those pedals anywhere you want to, to avoid accidentally hitting the knobs with your feet.

 

TB switchers are a pretty inexpensive, yet very useful addition. I got my current one from RoadRage for around $100, and I find it extremely beneficial and essential to my board.

 

Here's my board, and I cite reasons 2 and 3 for why I use a switcher:

[Lanefair]

I use them but mainly for punching more than one effect in. It's handy for figuring out what's killing your tone. Like I won't leave my tuner in the chain, but I will leave my timefactor on dsp bypass. No zoom g2 in the loop either.

[The Villano Dude]

Great answers. That helps a lot. I think I might try one out to see whether I get along with it.

[The Villano Dude]

 

For me, I've never found them necessary from a tone perspective. Having a chain of pedals does change your tone, but I've always just compensated with the amp EQ anyway. I am seriously thinking about building myself a couple of loopers for convenience though, as my clean tone is one pedal and my dirty tone is another, so I have to press two switches simultaneously to change that, and then there are other parts in our set where I'm turning effects on and off. Sometimes I end up having 4 stomps to do in time to switch to the next riff, so I'm thinking of ways to build loopers to help out with that a little. Off the top of my head, I want an A/B looper which switches between my clean and dirty pedals, and then I'm thinking about putting all the effects out front of my amp in one loop, and all the effects in my effects loop in another.

 

 

I agree with the tone comment. I do like the idea of being practical with sets and all.

[The Caper Kid]

 

I am considering picking one up for a new board. I am probably using 10 or so pedals both TB and non-TB. How do people like the switchers?

 

 

Not to sound like spam, but this looks like a good deal, especially if you're not inclined to build your own:

 

http://www.loop-master.com/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=249

[Fender&EHX4ever]

 

I am considering picking one up for a new board. I am probably using 10 or so pedals both TB and non-TB. How do people like the switchers?

 

 

I love the Carl Martin Octaswitch. Much more useful IMO than a standard bypass switcher, but also more expensive.

[GREC]

Old pedals are real tone suckers when not engaged. My 70's Big Muff is the worst.

Also my 90's Cry Baby is a huge tone sucker too.

Test your pedals one at a time & test with guitar straight in with no FX. Even some 'true bypass' pedals change the tone a bit.

Switchers are essential if you want to retain that high end sparkle.

[The Villano Dude]

 

I love the Carl Martin Octaswitch. Much more useful IMO than a standard bypass switcher, but also more expensive.

 

 

Care to elaborate?

[The Villano Dude]

 

Not to sound like spam, but this looks like a good deal, especially if you're not inclined to build your own: http://www.loop-master.com/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=249

 

 

Not spam at all, thanks for the heads up. I was going to inquire about the one on the spam thread but it's listed at $155. I'm a fool, the one on the spam thread is way bigger.

[Fender&EHX4ever]

 

Care to elaborate?

 

 

Yes, it's a switching system that allows you to store 8 preset combinations of 8 bypass loops.

 

For example, let's say you have the following 8 loops arranged as follows:

 

1. compressor

2. pitch shifter

3. overdrive/fuzz

4. wah/phaser

5. chorus/flanger

6. delay

7. reverb

8. tremolo/pan

 

Now you have 8 footswitches that are programmed to use any combination of those 8 loops:

 

1. compressor only

2. dirt/fuzz only

3. compressor / chorus / delay

4. dirt / wah / delay

5. dirt / reverb

6. compressor / reverb / tremolo

7. compressor / pitch shifter / chorus / delay / reverb

8. compressor / pitch shifter / phaser / chorus / delay / reverb / pan

 

So, step on any of those 8 switches, and it automatically activates all of the effects programmed in that preset.

[The Villano Dude]

 

Yes, it's a switching system that allows you to store 8 preset combinations of 8 bypass loops. For example, let's say you have the following 8 loops arranged as follows: 1. compressor 2. pitch shifter 3. overdrive/fuzz 4. wah/phaser 5. chorus/flanger 6. delay 7. reverb 8. tremolo/pan Now you have 8 footswitches that are programmed to use any combination of those 8 loops: 1. compressor only 2. dirt/fuzz only 3. compressor / chorus / delay 4. dirt / wah / delay 5. dirt / reverb 6. compressor / reverb / tremolo 7. compressor / pitch shifter / chorus / delay / reverb 8. compressor / pitch shifter / phaser / chorus / delay / reverb / pan So, step on any of those 8 switches, and it automatically activates all of the effects programmed in that preset.

 

 

Sweet. That makes sense. I never quite understood how they functioned all that well until now. Yeah, presets would be awesome. As it stands, a normal switcher doesn't prevent one from tap dancing as much as it localizes how one tap dances, would that be correct?

[Fender&EHX4ever]

 

Sweet. That makes sense. I never quite understood how they functioned all that well until now. Yeah, presets would be awesome. As it stands, a normal switcher doesn't prevent one from tap dancing as much as it localizes how one tap dances, would that be correct?

 

 

With a standard bypass looper, in order to accomplish a similar system as the octaswitch you would have to place all of the pedals of any combination in the same loop together. That would effectively turn them all on with one stomp. But if you are switching between loop 1 and loop 2, and both needed delay, then you'd need 2 separate delay units, one for each loop. The Octaswitch allows you to use the same delay in the different combinations.

[The Villano Dude]

 

With a standard bypass looper, in order to accomplish a similar system as the octaswitch you would have to place all of the pedals of any combination in the same loop together. That would effectively turn them all on with one stomp. But if you are switching between loop 1 and loop 2, and both needed delay, then you'd need 2 separate delay units, one for each loop. The Octaswitch allows you to use the same delay in the different combinations.

 

 

Thanks for explaining. That really helps and it changes my plan. I was considering trying a TB switcher but I know I would eventually prefer something like the Octaswitch or even the midi Peak controller.