Who else counts how many things are plugged together just for your rig?

[JohnFender]

I think I spend more time thinking about signal path from the guitar to ear including all the components inside our powered equipment and wonder how is it possible for everything to pass through going from sound to a magnetic frequency powered then reversing back to sound as fast as the speed of light then I put my guitar down and count how many pedals, amps, effect processors and recording devices altogether about 15 is that normal?

 

[G Stone496]

Not really, most pedalboards I see are maybe 6 pedals or less and with only 2 or 3 pedals on at any one time. But if you have true bypass or buffers in your pedals, the detriment to your sound will be less.

 

[northernguitar]

But if you have true bypass or buffers in your pedals, the detriment to your sound will be less.

This doesn’t make any sense.

 

[Festofish]

Yes. I bought a new neo mistress and it was noisy as hell. Swapped some pedals around and it was silent. I usually run 8-12 on my board.

 

[northernguitar]

I sometimes think about all that. Eleven pedals, two pedal switchers, amp, load box, cab sim pedal, then off to a mixer then to my in-ear monitors. Sounds sweet.

 

[G Stone496]

This doesn’t make any sense.

True bypass and buffers keep your guitar signal strong and keeps the pedals in your chain from weakening or degrading your guitar signal.

What is True Bypass and Buffers in Guitar Pedals - Guitar Gear Finder

This guide explains what True Bypass is and howto set up your signal chain to get the best tone possible. Learn about tone degradation and what options you have.

guitargearfinder.com

 

[northernguitar]

True bypass and buffers keep your guitar signal strong and keeps the pedals in your chain from weakening or degrading your guitar signal.

What is True Bypass and Buffers in Guitar Pedals - Guitar Gear Finder

This guide explains what True Bypass is and howto set up your signal chain to get the best tone possible. Learn about tone degradation and what options you have.

guitargearfinder.com

They’re two different things. One boosts the signal in bypass the other doesn’t.

 

[G Stone496]

They’re two different things. One boosts the signal in bypass the other doesn’t.

Did not say otherwise. True bypass decreases the amount of signal loss from pedal(s) when the pedal is turned off but still in the chain. A buffer in a pedal increases the amount of signal from input to output of a pedal. Both fight signal loss but in different ways.

 

[String Tree]

I think I spend more time thinking about signal path from the guitar to ear including all the components inside our powered equipment and wonder how is it possible for everything to pass through going from sound to a magnetic frequency powered then reversing back to sound as fast as the speed of light then I put my guitar down and count how many pedals, amps, effect processors and recording devices altogether about 15 is that normal?

Apparently, it is 'Normal' for You.
That is all that counts!!!

Me, I'm at 5 and a Tuner.
That is my 'Normal'.

~ST

 

[bottlenecker]

True bypass and buffers keep your guitar signal strong and keeps the pedals in your chain from weakening or degrading your guitar signal.

What is True Bypass and Buffers in Guitar Pedals - Guitar Gear Finder

This guide explains what True Bypass is and howto set up your signal chain to get the best tone possible. Learn about tone degradation and what options you have.

guitargearfinder.com

Pedals that don't have true bypass have buffers. It's one or the other. That's why it doesn't make sense. That article is poorly written.

 

[G Stone496]

Pedals that don't have true bypass have buffers. It's one or the other. That's why it doesn't make sense. That article is poorly written.

There are some pedals that don’t have neither true bypass or buffers.

 

[bottlenecker]

There are some pedals that don’t have neither true bypass or buffers.

Oh yeah? Which ones?

 

[G Stone496]

.

 

[G Stone496]

Oh yeah? Which ones?

Older Vox Wah and Crybaby Wah.

 

[msalama]

Just two, guitar and amp.

 

[Killing Floor]

Older Vox Wah and Crybaby Wah.

Wah have buffers. That’s why sometimes they sound terrible in front of a fuzz. And why the fuzz-wah was invented to solve the problem of a buffer in front of a fuzz, back when germanium ruled the day.

 

[G Stone496]

Wah have buffers.

The original Vox and Crybaby Wahs from the late ‘60s to early ‘70s don’t have buffers or true bypass.

 

[Frodebro]

A true bypass pedal mechanically bypasses all circuitry when the pedal is disengaged, and is essentially electronically "invisible" in the signal path when bypassed.

A buffered bypass pedal has circuitry that remains intentionally active when bypassed in order to retain signal integrity over longer cable runs.

A non buffered, non true bypass pedal will still have some circuitry active in the signal path when bypassed, but it can often degrade the signal quality to some degree, particularly with long cable runs.

True bypass became the hot buzzword years ago when buffers weren't quite as good as they are now, as it was viewed as the best option at the time.

 

[Twang-ineer]

OP, I read your post. 15 conversions I would think is about average. With a single pedal inline, you have a minimum of 10 conversions/modifications. And that is only counting broad brush "stages" not components.

And yes I too marvel at that wonder of physics... transducing, transcoding, reassembly, processing, conversions of signal type etc. just to get the vibrations of the string through the path, through the room and into the ear in a matter of milliseconds.

 

[swarfrat]

Not signal but I sometimes think about sticking one of those power measuring circuit breakers in. I'd love to know what the actual usage is.