Clickless Soft Switch Pedals - Gotta Have 'Em - Who Got 'Em?

[JBoogy]

I HATE the loud clicking of s footswitch on my pedalboard. I have tried to keep my pedalboard free of anything that clicks when I step on it! Does anyone else feel the same and hate the click? Let's discuss it!

I know on my board I have these clickless pedals:

• JohnK pedals (Various Fuzz & OD)
• 3Leaf Audio Octabvre Mini
• Broughton Audio Synth Voice
• Empress Bass Comp
• TC Electronic Plethora X3

What pedal makers include clickless switches in their pedals? Does anyone do mods to change the switches?
Manufacturers on Talkbass, would you consider "switching" to clickless? Or offer it as an upgrade? Or a custom option? I would certainly pay more for clickless options on something like a Grey Stache!

 

[SLO Surfer]

I only hear the clicks when I’m clicking them alone in my bedroom. On stage with amps and drums going, nobody, including myself, can hear the clicks. So I don’t love them or hate them. I also don’t care about the sound of my amp popping on or my guitar case latches latching. To me these operational sounds are in the same boat.

 

[sunbeast]

You can either DIY build or buy a relay-bypass board yourself to mod almost any pedal with a soft-touch bypass. Here’s an example for sale: Relay Bypass Module for DIY Guitar Pedals

 

[JBoogy]

I only hear the clicks when I’m clicking them alone in my bedroom. On stage with amps and drums going, nobody, including myself, can hear the clicks. So I don’t love them or hate them. I also don’t care about the sound of my amp popping on or my guitar case latches latching. To me these operational sounds are in the same boat.

People always say this, but I often am hitting pedals in quiet parts of songs, in quick rests between sections, fr tuning and setting up pedals for next song in between songs, and all of these times the clicks ring out. I see audience members wince. They are absolutely audible. Yes of course in the midst of a heavy riff with guitars and drums they aren't, but that's not when I (and probably most players) are clicking pedals.

 

[mouthmw]

I see audience members wince.

Not only do they wince, they're absolutely overwrought with abhorrence and they can barely contain it. I bet their entire day is ruined at that very point and you might as well be packing your stuff and never setting foot on that stage again.

 

[NKBassman]

I personally could not care less, but thought I'd let you know that the Damnation Audio MBD2 has a soft switch.

 

[NKBassman]

People always say this, but I often am hitting pedals in quiet parts of songs, in quick rests between sections, fr tuning and setting up pedals for next song in between songs, and all of these times the clicks ring out. I see audience members wince. They are absolutely audible. Yes of course in the midst of a heavy riff with guitars and drums they aren't, but that's not when I (and probably most players) are clicking pedals.

If you're talking about audible popping that comes through your amp, that's different than a clicky switch.

 

[joel the bass player]

One thing Boss got right so many years ago was the switch, so quiet and a good target for my clumsy feet. Although I did have an OC-2 that kind of squeaked, but that probably could have been fixed.

 

[SLO Surfer]

People always say this, but I often am hitting pedals in quiet parts of songs, in quick rests between sections, fr tuning and setting up pedals for next song in between songs, and all of these times the clicks ring out. I see audience members wince. They are absolutely audible. Yes of course in the midst of a heavy riff with guitars and drums they aren't, but that's not when I (and probably most players) are clicking pedals.

Fair enough. I only play in settings where my bass and the entire band go through a PA, so I’m sure nobody can hear the pedal clicks at my gigs. And I also click my pedals during quiet parts of songs, in between songs, tuning, etc. and no bodies ever shown they notice. If I were to play a quiet coffeehouse-type setting without PA where the pedal click is as loud (aka quiet) as my bass, I probably wouldn’t be using any pedal effects at all, or at least not click them mid-song. That’s just my experience.

 

[6-3-2]

Not only do they wince, they're absolutely overwrought with abhorrence and they can barely contain it. I bet their entire day is ruined at that very point and you might as well be packing your stuff and never setting foot on that stage again.

Sad but true. I had to quit a band for this very reason

 

[HelpImaRock]

Switch noise is not an issue for me. This discussion comes up regularly on pedal forums though, and it makes me wonder why people are self conscious about pedal switch clicking.

 

[2112]

Sub'd. Anti-audience wincing crew checking in.

 

[Andy Marshman]

if there's drums of any kind, nobody in the audience is going to hear clicks. Clicks are not a big deal to me. I've had stuff with silent switches. That's nice but as long as you can tell (your ears or LED) that the device is On or Off, I'm fine with clicks.

 

[Stranger Danger]

if there's drums of any kind, nobody in the audience is going to hear clicks. Clicks are not a big deal to me. I've had stuff with silent switches. That's nice but as long as you can tell (your ears or LED) that the device is On or Off, I'm fine with clicks.

Correct

 

[OptimalOptimus]

Most time with a click switch you have to really stomp on it.

especially when you have to switch fast a soft click is better to me and I feel the sound is better

 

[JBoogy]

If you're talking about audible popping that comes through your amp, that's different than a clicky switch.

No the mute foot switch for my Ampeg amp’s tuner. It is the button and from the stage in between songs I have seen the front row since when I click it. Obviously when we are rocking no one can hear it but I am not hitting switches then 99% of the time. You guys are silly but amusing. Lol

 

[Killing Floor]

Add to your list Radio Mule, Strymon, Subdecay, Disaster Area, even Nu-X use soft switches.

I voted “hate”. But my caveat is that most builders either don’t care or don’t want to change their spec so a loud switch won’t steer me away from a tone or effect I want.

 

[Bassamatic]

Bear in mind that a soft switch is more likely to be an electronic switch rather than a mechanical one, so more parts to fail.

 

[Iristone]

electronic switch rather than a mechanical one, so more parts to fail.

That's opposite from my experience, I've owned mechanically-switched pedqls with intermittent bypass, but every of my electronically-switched pedals work fine for many years.
Also bear in mind that electronically-switched pedals've likely got buffered bypass, so they can't be used before vintage fuzz pedals.

 

[ole Jason]

Both types of switches will fail eventually. It mostly seems to depend on the quality of the switch. Darkglass and TC Electronics have both had a ton of switch issues.