Why put strips of tape over pedal settings?

[BrickIsRed]

I've noticed a lot of bands put some tape over their pedal knobs. Do you think it's to protect from people stealing their tone, or just to prevent them accidentally changing something while playing?

[whoatherechunk]

i do it. i tape my stuff up like a sweatshop worker delivering nike shoes. i kid i kid. but i really do tape up my pedals with masking tape. simply for the fact that when i'm playing live i'm tap dancing on a bunch of stuff and with 15+ pedals it can get hectic. tape just makes it easier.

[MatticusMania]

I sometimes put tape on my pedals, though not over the knobs, usuallly just above them. i do this when i have multiple settings I like to use on a pedal and need a reminder of what they were. I have about 8 pedals on my board and as far as I know Ive never accidentally changed my settings. Actually, I take that back, Ive seen the knobs on my overdrive slip a little bit, but none of the others.

[ric426]

A Ralph Steadman avatar! That is so cool....

[bovine mind]

i'll do it if a pedal is fugly. most boutique manufacturers can't contain their goofy sensibilities and go off on these horrible day glow paint jobs or tacky names. every part of my board i'd like to be minimal and sharp on the eye. black duct tape over anything too colorful or zany usually does the trick. especially with the new EHX XO pedals. ideally i'd have everything look like it originated in the 70's, and that includes battered road rash.

[FreaqyFrequency]

I take it you aren't talking about people who put tape on their pedals to remember settings (a la Wolstenholme.) Otherwise, I can really only think of Chunk's purpose (not knocking the knobs when switching on/off).

[jimmy rocket]

Originally Posted by BrickIsRed

I've noticed a lot of bands put some tape over their pedal knobs. Do you think it's to protect from people stealing their tone, or just to prevent them accidentally changing something while playing?

I don't know about you, but I guard my tone secrets fiercely:



I see this as a new trend for the "post your pedalboard" threads. Absolute tone secrecy and discretion!

Also, I don't want you to know what note my tuner is registering.

[MooseLumps]

I can guess the big muff secret












And why on earth is the tuner blacked out?

[J. Crawford]

Fail on the Big Muff covering..

[jimmy rocket]

Originally Posted by MooseLumps

I can guess the big muff secret













And why on earth is the tuner blacked out?

perhaps I need to exercise a little more discretion with my muff!

Also, see the tuner edit above

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Originally Posted by Jordasch

Fail on the Big Muff covering..

Maybe he removed the chickenheads and put them back on randomly to confuse the enemy?

[jimmy rocket]

I turned them exactly 37.6 degrees to the right.

[sonic assassin]

yea, i keep masking tape around the pots (poke a hole, take off the knob, place it around the pot, put the knob back on) and document settings.

[Mingus Addict]

I sometimes use gaff tape to hold knobs in place just so I don't turn up/down the gain on a fuzz or anything like that when stomping on it. I always assumed that's why other people do it too.

[atheos]

My AX3000B has built-in secrecy as the only thing that hints what the tone is is the patch name like DRIVE, CLEAN or INSANE++ And those are really "No [brown thing], Sherlock" when you just hear them

[wagstaff]

AX3000B for secrecy win!

[jimmy rocket]

Irony lives.

I went home last night and noticed that the potentiometer on the Muff's tone control actually had worked itself loose so the chicken head wasn't representing the setting that it appeared to be.

I suspect KGB involvement.

[Flintlock]

Originally Posted by wagstaff

AX3000B for secrecy win!

Just in case I wrap mine in newspaper so no-one can see what I'm using.