Common design flaws in pedals?

WarriorJoe7 · #1 05-21-2008, 02:10 AM

OK so I must admit that I know A WHOLE LOT less about pedals than basses. I am wondering what you guys think are the most common problems with pedals.

I know that not having a true bypass will probably be the number one design flaw, but what are some of the others?

Toasted · #2 05-21-2008, 02:22 AM

True Bypass isn't a panacea, Joe. It brings it's own problems too. That said, I'd rather have true bypass than crap bypass.

The main flaw I find is when a designer takes all the time over the circuit and how the pedal looks, and none over considerations that people are going to stamp on this at the gig - knobs too close to stomp switch, fragile toggles near to the stomp.

Beachcoma · #3 05-21-2008, 02:42 AM

I find that commercial pedals, with some exceptions, have a way too high noise floor.

Also, I hate sheetmetal or plastic enclosures. Like above, these sometimes get the full weight of a bass player on em

.

KarateKid25 · #4 05-21-2008, 02:47 AM

Digitech knobs that say things like:

Pain, Guts, Less noob etc etc.... Vol, Tone etc is far more practical and less stupid looking. Its not so much a 'common design flaw', just Digitech trying to be cool

Sean S · #5 05-21-2008, 03:09 AM

"Bass" versions that sound like crap on bass?

musicelectronix · #6 05-21-2008, 03:09 AM

The ones with the bypass switch is sustained with only one spring, like Ibanez pedals. Prone to failure IMO, even if the pedal seems to be built like a tank (I don't know how many times I used this phrase, we need to find another way to say this

)

The ones with outboard components are soldered directly to PCB, without any support from chasis.

The ones with controls (especially volume) jump 2 yards with the 1/32 turn.

The ones with tone control has a little range or too much range that the usable part is less than a quarter turn.

The ones have very very large enclosures, but can be fitted in a really really smaller box. Big muff for example.

I don't want to say it all and kill the thread

/post

Sean S · #7 05-21-2008, 03:10 AM

"Built like a tank" = "Requires constant maintenance"...especially after a "gig"

ga_edwards · #8 05-21-2008, 03:20 AM

Battery compartments that require a screwdriver to access, one thing Digitech has got right with the spring loaded lid.

9v battery connectors that break the first time you change the battery. I've managed to pull out on of the little metal connectors on 2 of my digitechs. Good job I use mains power.

There should also be a power supply standard. If there can be standards for guitar/patch cables with a mono jack, why not standardise the power supply connector? Why do EH have to be so damn awkward and use a mini jack instead of the boss style? And don't some manufacturers realise that we sometime need to rely on battery power for the odd occaision, 12 and 18v pedals are rediculous, so I avoid.

Sean S · #9 05-21-2008, 03:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ga_edwards

Battery compartments that require a screwdriver to access, one thing Digitech has got right with the spring loaded lid.

9v battery connectors that break the first time you change the battery. I've managed to pull out on of the little metal connectors on 2 of my digitechs. Good job I use mains power.

There should also be a power supply standard. If there can be standards for guitar/patch cables with a mono jack, why not standardise the power supply connector? Why do EH have to be so damn awkward and use a mini jack instead of the boss style? And don't some manufacturers realise that we sometime need to rely on battery power for the odd occaision, 12 and 18v pedals are rediculous, so I avoid.

The first two points, I agree. The power supply jack, I also agree. However, there are some circuit designs that require 12 or 18 volts to function properly. And the all sound good (to someone), so 18V is a trade-off for a good sound.

#10 05-21-2008, 03:36 AM

THE PRICE

Bass pedals are always way too expensive - all the decent ones anyway.

For example a mooger fooger will cost about 150 quid or something.

The other problem is the noise.

For bass, I use a multi effects Korg thing and just keep it simple. I'd never use digital for guitar, because it really sounds bad compared to analog, but for bass I find that digital is fine because it actually reigns the sound in a bit.

Jimbob Jones · #11 05-21-2008, 04:31 AM

[rant]
pedals that have too many features crammed into them, instead of doing one thing well.

A good example is the Boss OC-3, It's an ok pedal, but I wish it just had one mode, and tracked better, instead of having lots of features that don't sound all that great anyway.

Also, really loud switches, like on the LBM...you get a CLU-CLUNK every time you switch it on or off, which isn't very good for recording or live to be honest.

just my $0.02

[/rant]

fishtx · #12 05-21-2008, 07:29 AM

1. the shape of some pedals, which causes them to not fit well on a pedalboard (ie...Pigtronix EP-1, Visual sound H2O, round pedals, spaceship like pedals, etc...). Please take into consideration that most people buying your pedals will be most likely using them in combination with other stuff, and from a pedalboard real estate perspective...they need to fit together.

2. plastic jacks...even though I have a couple of pedals that I love (the Peterson Strobostomp has plastic jacks), this is still a flaw (imo) in the overall construction quality.

3. I also wish there were a power standard that was followed. More so from a 9v or multiples thereof (ie 9v, 18v, 24v), and from apower adaptor pin out perspective (ie all 9V inputs were center pin negative)...15V pedals can be a pain to configure on a pedalboard when you a trying to use a power supply like a voodoo labs...

Silent Fly · #13 05-21-2008, 07:38 AM

Price: some pedals have just two transistors or are copied of well known circuits and cost a fortune.

Unnecessary large enclosures.

Lack of power supply out. Our life would be much simpler if we could daisy chain the power supply and not just the signal.

Lack of MIDI in/out in small multi-fx units (POD X3, Digitech RP350, Zoom B2.1u)

KarateKid25 · #14 05-21-2008, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishtx

2. plastic jacks...even though I have a couple of pedals that I love (the Peterson Strobostomp has plastic jacks), this is still a flaw (imo) in the overall construction quality.

Jacks that connect directly to the circuit board are a bad idea too IMO. Major weak link there...

KarateKid25 · #15 05-21-2008, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silent Fly

Price: some pedals have just two transistors or are copied of well known circuits and cost a fortune.

The number of transistors doesn't really mean much though.

If I made a pedal with 42 trannies in it, would that make it the best?

A popular one round here at the moment for example is the Cream Pie. Its only got 1x transistor.

Silent Fly · #16 05-21-2008, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KarateKid25

The number of transistors doesn't really mean much though.

If I made a pedal with 42 trannies in it, would that make it the best?

A popular one round here at the moment for example is the Cream Pie. Its only got 1x transistor.

I linked number of transitors (I should have said "cost of materials") to the cost of the pedals. I didn't mention quality. It is absolutely possible to build excellent pedals with just one transitors (or no transitors).

rasthedoctor · #17 05-21-2008, 08:25 AM

Not having a blend knob (though maybe it's too common to be a design flaw)?

KarateKid25 · #18 05-21-2008, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silent Fly

I linked number of transitors (I should have said "cost of materials") to the cost of the pedals. I didn't mention quality. It is absolutely possible to build excellent pedals with just one transitors (or no transitors).

ahh fair enough.. I missed your point

Jared Lash · #19 05-21-2008, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rasthedoctor

Not having a blend knob (though maybe it's too common to be a design flaw)?

I'd much rather have no blend control than a bad one. Then its just a useless knob that gets left at 100%.

Volume drop (or occasionally boost) is another common problem that bothers me. At least give me a gain knob so I can balance things out.

Not to pick on Guyatone (I've had a three of their mini series - SV-2, TZ-2, MD-3) but that rubber ring you have to remove to get to the battery compartment is terrible.

tomvelsor · #20 05-21-2008, 10:55 AM

obviously true bypass is a big deal..

but another thing that sucks is when its just not laid out right. ever accidently turn a knob when you kick on an effect, and suddenly what was supposed to be a nice watery phase now sounds like a mutant bloodsucker from outerspace? not good.

battery compartments should be easy to access..ext ext..