The only 'stupid questions' are the ones you are Too Afraid To Ask. "Battery or Power Supply: Which does a pedal use first?" is the question for this TATA video. Let's discuss how pedal power works. Leave your TATAs in the comment section and I'll make a video answering them. Gain access to exclusive content at: www.patreon.com/csguitars Buy CSGuitars Merchandise: csguitars.bigcartel.com/

@insomnia863

5 жыл бұрын

Your comment was made 2 days ago...

@ScienceofLoud

5 жыл бұрын

Yes, videos are prepared and uploaded in advance, to be released at a later date. Patreon supporters get access to new videos before the rest of the world. Videos don't just appear online the moment I'm finished editing them.

@Jam-J-Rambo

5 жыл бұрын

An introduction to amps would be great. I heard somewhere not to turn an amp on unless it is connected to a speaker cabinet. I have only ever used small solid state combi amps, so I find anything more than this a little confusing. I'm guessing I'm not the only one who knows nothing about anything beyond bedroom gear. Could you do like a beginners guide on how to set up with some do's and don'ts?

@insomnia863

5 жыл бұрын

@CSGuitars oh cool I guess I have to become a supporter now

@fish3649

5 жыл бұрын

Does leaving your pedal plugged in over a long period of time degrade anything inside of it?

"Too afraid to ask" is brilliant.

y-you're tackling my what?

@phoenixstone4208

5 жыл бұрын

I admit, I blushed

@jturquoise

23 күн бұрын

Tatas

You should make a Pedal board tutorial just because you are one of the only people i trust on youtube when it comes to technical knick knacks. kinda like your ''Logical order of effects'' video

@ScienceofLoud

5 жыл бұрын

What specifically would you like to see covered that wasn't already in the 'Logical Order' video?

@triledink

5 жыл бұрын

@@ScienceofLoud You making a step by step tutorial on how you would build a pedal board. Sutch as keeping noise out with a around 5-8 pedals. I know you already told in that video on what order to put it, but some pedals are different from others and might mess upp the chain. Utility, volume, pitch, dist, mod and delay are usually the way to go, but i have had those times where i put pedals in that kind of order and they don't sound right. Where do i put the compressor pedal on the board? is it the same as a noise gate? you can't place it after reverb and/or delay anyways.

My TATA question is somewhat similar: do active pickups use up their batteries when they're plugged in, even if the other side of the jack cable is not plugged to an amplifier?

@ScienceofLoud

5 жыл бұрын

Yes, just like with pedals, the input jack on an active pickup guitar operates as an on/off switch. Inserting a cable turns the battery on, regardless of what the other end is doing.

@riccardostopazzola7931

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot Colin!

@flekkzo

5 жыл бұрын

What I’d like to know is what happens if they hook up ground inside the guitar on let’s say EMGs. It always drained my poor batteries pretty fast until I reworked the whole thing from scratch myself, but didn’t ground it anywhere (as per, you know, the instructions). Been bugging me.

@AndrewStonerock

5 жыл бұрын

John Gustafsson active pickups are designed not to need a ground. Just the +/- from the battery.

Which shampoo do you use?

@Videohead-eq5cy

5 жыл бұрын

L'óreal, because he's worth it

@christopherstorrier5560

2 ай бұрын

'Head & Shoulders'....must be as we can only see his 'Head & Shoulders'..oh, he does have legs ?...then it must be 'Timotae'....they should film him running through a feild of Scottish Barley in the sunshine shaking his hair in slow-motion...or 'Tunnocks Caramel Wafers'...not in his hair, obviously......

Just wanted to say your videos are always great to watch! Great looking picture quality and excellent content. Look forward to your next upload! Cheers from Kansas

Thanks so much for the TATA series!

Great information as usual! Keep it coming!

I just set up my pedal board and haven't used batteries for years. I have an old MXR power brick and it's been absolutely reliable for my 18 and 9 volt pedals. Cool video's, cheers!

Thanks for confirming what I thought. Looking forward to the next video!

Love your vids dude

Very nicely done, Colin. A good clear explanation.

Awesome demonstration on a question I also was curious about. Big thank you from me!

So erudite and entertaining! Brilliant! Thanks!

I learn so much from this channel, thanks and great work bud.

Thank you,you answer for me.

Great video! Thanks for the detail. I wish you had mentioned about leaving patch cables on inside the the input and output of a pedal (while battery is inside) but the power adapter is not connected. Maybe another tutorial for the new comers. Cheers

Very informative 👍🏻

Hi Collin, Brilliant video, thank you. 👍 Melbourne, Australia.

Great videos ! Have you thought about making a Discord ? Could by nice for people to ask their TATAs

Many thanks :)

Great choice for the graphic of "touching". Made me smile.

Love That Battery Check !

Next question: If I run a 9V Battery, will it get drained if I leave a cable connected to the "input"?

@thesphericalguy9018

5 жыл бұрын

ThrashingBasskill yes! The input jack on pedals with a battery option is typically a stereo jack. Inserting a cable closes a loop connected to the third lug of the jack, thus enabling power to the circuit.

@thesphericalguy9018

5 жыл бұрын

And yes power still flows even with the pedal disengaged. Otherwise there would be a loud pop every time you engaged the pedal.

@ThrashingBasskill

5 жыл бұрын

@@thesphericalguy9018 I actually knew the answer but I'm sure someone will ask this question, but thanks for the confirm! :D

@thesphericalguy9018

5 жыл бұрын

@@ThrashingBasskill haha gotcha! A video on this would be great :D

@ithemba

5 жыл бұрын

@@ThrashingBasskill isn't that some of the first things ever pedal player got to know with his first metal zone? I know I paid my dues in 9v batteries for forgetting to disconnect back before I bought a shitload of power cables

Is mayonnaise an instrument? What other condiments are instruments?

@joshstarkey8883

5 жыл бұрын

Not horseradish, that much we know

@cadpole

5 жыл бұрын

Salt in a shaker.

@sebsthexeno9460

5 жыл бұрын

There’s a guitar brand named Mayones, so I think that’s close enough.

@cliftongardner4367

5 жыл бұрын

Possibly, but as Rob Scallon has shown, it does not, in fact, djent.

@figjam9530

5 жыл бұрын

*in scottish accent* HP brown sauce *metal finger-horns*

Colin - solving the world's greatest mysteries, one at a time. Luv ya man :D

I save the batteries from pedals to replace the ones for my pickups. But the power supply I use is the Voodoo Labs pedal power 2 plus. It powers eight pedals and I've got five that I use regularly. I plan on adding two to 3 more, to cover all my bases.

Great video I was thinking the same thing and was scared to ask 😁

I would love a TATA vid just explaining power supplies in general, I am so lost when it comes to that whole area of gear.

Can you explain why PRS connect resistors in their coil split circuts, and why it is worth adding 250K resistor when using 250 pots with single coils in hss guitars??

Phillip McKnight from Know Your Gear has a killer idea. You can buy those 9V battery plugs (like what's inside the pedals themselves) and splice them with the external connector wire so you are powering the unit with the battery, but you don't have to take the thing apart to change it out. And for 18V pedals, like an MXR 10 band EQ you can hook them up in series to double the voltage and still use the external jack with two batteries. That way you can just unplug them when finished and don't have to worry about them draining because you forgot to turn it off.

Here's a good one. How do I properly clean the hardware on my stoptail or tune-o-matic (Les Paul) styled bridges? I've been taking a dry Q-tip to them during string changes and it just isn't doing much.

Thanks man. Cool to know. Why is my non tape echoplex so noisy with the provided power supply?

Can you please make the video I've been asking for forever? All about Wah. What is it? What does it do? How does it work? I was told that Wahs cut treble and boost bass and then cut bass and boost treble. Apparently, the pedal does it so fast that that is what makes the warbling sound. Can you describe Wah pedals in the classic CSG style? I like your explanations

Hey Colin! I am afraid to ask this one, sounds stupid. I have been playing guitar for years. But only recently with a good job, have I been able to really afford tube amps. So my question is, can I stack a Marshall and an Orange head together and then use some kind of switcher or something and use both heads on a single cab? One at a time I mean. Not both at once. I also heard about people "blending" two amp heads together. How is that done? Thanks for your awesome vids.

How does one go about adjusting the pedal knobs to compliment each pedal on the board? Just started getting into pedals myself, and would LOVE to hear your input (pun half intended)

What happens when you boost a solid state amp? (A lot of boost, not a little).

@faustohernandez3434

5 жыл бұрын

It gets too loud, I tried it on a Crate gx-15

@Leo_ofRedKeep

5 жыл бұрын

A real good boost should get it to orbit the earth, I suppose.

@pabcrane

5 жыл бұрын

That would depend on which solid state amp you were boosting

@merlinthomi

5 жыл бұрын

I own a vox pathfinder, it boosts as good as a vox AC30

Wow, great info! You have the best tatas! Ok, here’s mine (*)(*). I mean, is there any harm to hanging your guitars from the headstock on a guitar hanger?

Can I get a really good tone from a solid state amp or do I need to get a valve amp to really be satisfied? If I'm using a Tube Screamer or similar to boost my overdrive can I still get a good sound? Or do I need to splash out on a tube amp?

What do capacitors do that are on your knob pots on guitars and how do they effect the tone? A good TaTa

Can you plug in a amp head into a combo amp’s Fx loop or front end to use it as a cab for that said head?

Thanks man. This is a question a i didn't know I had. Do you suppose it works the same for, say, a DB-90, the big ole metronome?

Can you make a video about what happen when you put different pedals into a noise gate which an x connection

I wonder if there is a noticeable difference in the tone and/or feel of these new woods coming in to replace rosewood fingerboards. Personally I don't believe in the tonewood debate (or if it does make a difference, it's marginal compared to the difference electronics make) and pick a board based on feel and aesthetics (ebony being my preferred choice)

@Leo_ofRedKeep

5 жыл бұрын

If it made a significant difference, people would hear it and know it the way they know the difference between single coils and humbuckers. When it doesn't, we are left with people trading fantasies. And by the way, here's the difference between nickel and stainless steel frets: kzread.info/dash/bejne/l4Cn1siOf5y1ips.html

Very afraid to ask this but which strings do i use to restring a baritone be it in B/C standard or even if for some reason i would have larger hands is it possible for me to tune it into standard with lighter strings ? i asked this in a forum and all i got was ' why would you do that' *ducks for cover*

I use a Duncan powerstage and an hx stomp as my main amp with a Morley wah as the only pedal and it seems easier to use a battery, will the battery drain if I remove just 1 of the cables? Or do I need to remove both to be safe? The wah will not turn on while the guitar input cable is removed

Just a Very Interesting Answer About Something I Hadn't Thought to Think About (not as attention grabbing as your TATAs as a title)

If I burn out a pedal by using a 48V phantom power supply (when the pedal is designed for opetation through that), does that fall under manufacturer warranty? It's a Sansamp v2 bass preamp pedal by the way.

Nice

I bought a couple batteries for my pedals a few weeks ago. Now I realized that most of them are drained to the point where the pedals turn on but the effects aren’t active. I’ve been using 9v battery converters for my mini pedals and they worked great the first day. One day I turned my amp off along with the pedals but left the 9v battery converters plugged in to them, meaning the battery is still connected. Now all of the batteries that were plugged in doesn’t even work. Does leaving it plugged have anything to do with the batteries dying so fast?

just a quick question, how do I cheaply power my multi effects pedal with an analog pedal?

I never even thought about this since i have always use one or the other.

Do i have to Use a power supply or can I use an adapter cable that has 6 points to give voltage to the pedals (Sorry my English is bad so it’s hard to explain)

"I'll be tackling your TATAs." My, Colin, take me to dinner first.

I keep nquiring about the "will it shred" buid. Do you plan to revisit this guitar?

Do you put pedals through a clean channel if you are using a digital amp like a Katana?!?

i just bought a BOSS Acoustic Simulator pedal from eBay for £50 and there is no AC adapter included with it. Although i can buy an AC adapter from eBay for about £10 but i am worried because i dont know which way the polarity of the charge is (from the AC adapter) ad i dont know which way the polarity is supposed to flow at. Whatr i am worried about is that what if it reverses the polarity and fries my pedal ?

Is there a difference in sound between acoustic strings and electric strings on a electric guitar?

How exactly do pedals differentiate between Gain and Volume? Say you run a tubescreamer into the front of the amp, wouldn't turning either Gain or Volume up just result in a stronger signal being sent to the amp either way? Or is gain always related to internal clipping within the pedal? What are the differnces between the 'gain circuit' and 'volume circuit' then? EDIT: Also, how does the amp differentiate between the two? Like why does my signal get louder instead of just more distorted when I run a clean boost into the effects return. Isn't that also just more signal being pushed into the power amp, which should result in more distortion?

What 9 volt tastes the best ?? I like the energizing flavor of a Rayovac mmm Wisconsinie

Here's one I always wanted to know. Why do basses (normally) have 4 string when guitars have 6??

Guitar pickups in parallel vs series?

3:05 How do you pronounce the name of the band "Bathory"? :) Just asking...

Is there any difference between a bass pickup and a guitar pickup?

Can you mix and match batteries and power supplies? My power supply has 8 outputs, all isolated at 9v. What if I want more pedals? For the time being, can I just use 9v batteries?

I have a small problem with my pedals. I leave it charging with the v9 when not in use. They even have their own batteries on but when I use the pedals, it turns off as soon as I unplug the v9. Ps: pls help :(

But you know OneSpot Daisy Chain is obviously the most clean and noise free power source 🙄😂

I know you primarily do do guitar stuff...but your thoughts on flat wound bass stings for metal? I'm aware Steve Harris and Geezer Butler used flat wounds...but do you think they may have been better of with rounds?

@ScienceofLoud

5 жыл бұрын

I tried flatwounds on a guitar once and it was the strangest thing. I'll have to look into that one a bit further

@BertGrink

5 жыл бұрын

@Wesley Wheeler I don't think there can ever be a definitive answer to your question, since 'tone' is a very individual thing. What I *CAN* say - from personal experience - is that flatwounds aren't as bright-sounding as roundwounds.

Can i use a distrortion pedal as a booster pedal ? (Dirty shirley overdrive + boss power stack)

@markhammer643

5 жыл бұрын

Anything that applies gain to the signal can "boost". It's a question of what you want the boost to do for you. I use my MXR 6-Band EQ as a boost, I also use my compressor as a boost. The one is intended to shape the tone to selectively clip, and the other is a general clean boost. If your distortion pedal can be dialed back to be very close to clean (e.g., a basic gain of 3-5x), it can be used as a quasi-clean boost. Not many distortions aim for that function, though. Still, a wide range of pedals can be used for what folks call "gain-stacking".

TATA: Do different batteries affect your tone (e.g., Brand A vs. Brand B vs. Brand C where one may be, say, brighter than another).

What's the difference between connecting your capacitor to the middle lug and ground or to one of the end lugs and ground? Most people do it the first way, Ibanez does it the second way. Is there any difference?

@schmoemi3386

5 жыл бұрын

You're talking about the tone cap in an electric guitar, I suppose?

@mihneazoican2479

5 жыл бұрын

@@schmoemi3386 Yup. I've tried both yesterday and it seems to work the same. I don't really understand what's happening though

what about connection 3 on the mains supply (talking about UK supply)? The earth is important as a lot of PSU have no earth/ground connection and instead use the neutral as ground. However, earth can be used and should be as it is important to provide clean the signal. Maybe it could be poor designs, but I swear that's a major design flaw of most cheap PSU that use the neutral as ground and have no earth connection, instead a plastic pin to open. It's connected to the transformer which I believe can create noise. That's what I have noticed anyway... I have been using a usb battery supply with a converter for pedals and it provides very clean DC. I feel it proves my theory that not having a clean, isolated negative connection risks creating noise issues

Hello i have an issue with a self made battery connector on my diy pedal kit the Acapulco gold ,when I plug it in it made some smoke and didn't make the pedal work the battery connector is from the top of a 9v battery where I soldered on the back two cables one for and hot and the other for ground thanks for all the videos you post there are really interesting and made for a great purpose hope you'll see my message and reply :) cheers

@ScienceofLoud

4 жыл бұрын

I genuinely have no idea what you are trying to describe here. Perhaps you can send me a more detailed description and some pictured of what you are doing to: colin@csguitars.co.uk However, if you got smoke when attempting to power a pedal then I'm sorry to say you killed the pedal.

@nicolasmohamed279

4 жыл бұрын

@@ScienceofLoud hey thanks ,ill show you the battery connector wire that smoked tomorrow by mail in the afternoon ,but don't worry the pedal still works it ain't dead hopefully haha

Would it not make sense if pedals would make it so power supply comes first but only when the power supply is active? this was if there were to be any problems with the power supply or cable cutting out, the battery would come to the rescue?...

My TATA question is: Can I make my freeze pedal (electro-Harmonix) powered by a 9v battery???

I run all my pedals (7 of them) off a 1-spot. Its not too bad, a bit noisy occasionally. Do you think I could expect any massive tonal or noise reduction improvements if I got a decent power supply. They're mostly basic pedals, but I have two TC Toneprint pedals in there that take a few more amps!

@markhammer643

5 жыл бұрын

Digital pedals sharing the same power source can sometimes result in a form of noise that is referred to as heterodying. This is produced by spikes on the power line interacting in much the same way as a ring modulator does. That is, a sum and difference between the frequency of those spikes is produced. Let's say that two digital pedals each operate with a master clock running at 10mhz, that is further divided down for other operations in the pedal. And let's say the master clocks are all within .01% of their nominal frequency, or anywhere between 1000hz above or below the nominal 10mhz clock frequency (which is a ridiculously tight spec). You certainly won't hear their *sum* , even if you're a dog or a bat, but you probably would hear their *difference* , as well as the difference between any divided-down clock spikes. This is why some digital pedal users why try out a pedal in the store, love it, bring it home and stick it on a pedalboard with a power supply shared with another digital pedal, and find themselves listening to what was often described as a "bee's nest" of noise, then return the pedal to the store, claiming it was broken. As time went on, and manufacturers had to deal with these complaints, power supplies were designed to provide more isolated outputs that did not interact, and they improved the noise rejection in the pedals themselves. So earlier digital pedals are sometimes subject to this noise source, but more recent ones, powered by more recent supplies, tend to sidestep the problem. I think some companies make little adaptor cables that go between a digital pedal and shared supply, that can block the noise spikes from interacting, though I don't know who specifically. The main point is that, yes, it occurs, and yes, it is remediable.

@markhammer643

5 жыл бұрын

@@Ndlanding Made me smile AND blush. Thanks for that. :-)

I know that daisy chaining pedals is a pretty bad idea if you want to avoid lots of noise, but if you want to power just one pedal is a boss power supply (PSA-230S or similar) a good idea or should you rather go for a battery? And as soon as you introduce another pedal, is it worth getting somethign like a Fuel Tank Jr or simply go with some extra batteries?

@johnyang799

5 жыл бұрын

Use Li 9v rechargeable batteries. 1, these are durable, needs very long time before charging. 2, batteries always have cleaner power.

How does a footswitch work?

The problem with the Patreon early access is, that now every time a video is posted, I have a duty to be the first person to comment something clever, but U know, sometimes I just can't come up with anything funny, and that makes my monthly 5 euro donation completely useless

@hazrod13

5 жыл бұрын

I cannot agree more to this, I spend way too much effort thinking about what I am going to comment... At least i'm not the only one !

@ScienceofLoud

5 жыл бұрын

But I know the effort you make, and appreciate your first comments whatever form they take. Besides, there would be less videos to comment upon if it wasn't for your loyal support.

All The Gain!!!!!

Hey Colin, why do guitar amplifiers not have 9v outputs to drive pedals?

@ScienceofLoud

2 жыл бұрын

1. It would increase the cost and complexity of the amp 2. Most players want their pedals at some distance from their amp, particularly in a live use case, making powering the pedals from the amp rather pointless.

Here's my TaTa: why do all shredders have long hair? Does it help their playing? Does it put them in the zone?

Tata: how do I set up Loop Boxes/line selectors?

Q: Is it better to use a tube screamer on fx loop or straight to input?

@faustohernandez3434

5 жыл бұрын

I haver never used the FX loop, but I'll put it in the front of the amp, because the tube screamer will act as a booster

@tertin_studio

5 жыл бұрын

@@faustohernandez3434 that's the usual way .but I heard that it can be use on FX loop

Do i need to take out the cable from my maxon od808 from my (tc hall of fame 2)? Can i keep the pachcable betweene the two, without loosing power?

@ScienceofLoud

3 жыл бұрын

Inserting a patch cable into the input will engage the battery UNLESS there is a power cable inserted into the power jack. The barrel of the power connector disconnects the battery internally. So if using power you can leave the patch cables in, if using a battery take the patch cables out.

@kungpuk5186

3 жыл бұрын

@@ScienceofLoud as I though, thank you man.

3:58

Maybe a dumb question. What is the sonic difference between 1x12 2x12 4x12 etc. Which are better for what situations? What are the tone differences from each speaker combination.

I’ve always wondered if a 9 volt cause the effect to diminish as the battery drains? I think I’ve noticed this with my Ebow.

@ScienceofLoud

5 жыл бұрын

As a battery 'drains' (poor description of the chemical process happening within) the voltage the battery can output drops. A fresh, new PP3 will be able to deliver just over the nominal 9V, but that will reduce over time. By the time the battery reaches around 7V it will no longer be able to power most pedals (although some fuzz circuits can operate as low as 5V) There is often a careful balancing of voltage in effects circuits to get them to operate as expected, reducing the supply voltage can throw that balance out and cause effects to do unusual things. In some cases they will sound slightly different totally, in other cases they'll show wild, uncontrolled behaviour.

@michaelsnydermusic

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you! I really appreciate the direct response.

I always watch the whole video just for the last few seconds

I ❤ tatas

You HAVE to have a power supply. Both my TS9 and NS2 go through 1 9v battery a day when not plugged into a wall outlet.

If you ever move to America and want to live next door, just know I have twenty million questions (that you're smart enough to answer, unlike myself). I love these kinds of videos, so.... Keep up the great work!

Liked purely for the Still Game reference

TATA question What’s the best plug in power supply?

only came here for the Hm-2....No regrets...

I used to do this back in the day to give all my pedals unlimited power.

Why do you need to send some electricity in a current to ground? Is it because without it going to ground it would flow into us? Where is electricity flowing when I plug in a guitar on stage with a full band? Why isn't someone being electrocuted?

Many EHX pedals demands 9.6v but they seem to work fine with a 9v standard power supply, why? 😅

@ScienceofLoud

5 ай бұрын

I don't know what your source is for this, but I can offer a possible explanation: Manufacturers often want you to buy their branded power supply for their products. One way in which I've seen companies do this is to specify uncommon voltages - like 9.6V - and offer a power supply quoted as supplying the same voltage. The truth is that 9V is the nominal operating voltage: these devices will operate on a range a little above and a little below the nominal operating voltage. If you were to measure the voltage of a brand new 9V battery, you'll discover it is delivering more than 9V, often around that 9.6V. That voltage will decrease with use, the longer the battery is used the lower the voltage gets until it can no longer power the device. (Note that EHX also have their own branded 9V battery with some strange claims surrounding it too) The fact is that any 9V pedal will operate happily with a little over 9V, that's expected. But it's possible to capitalise on the public's ignorance of technology by throwing a decimal place on the supply voltage and insisting they have to purchase a special supply. The most egregious example of this I've seen is a USB device asking for 5.05V to try and convince customers to buy the branded 5.05V power supply instead of powering from literally any 5V USB power supply

@JulioCesar2

5 ай бұрын

@@ScienceofLoud thank you so much for your answer!!

Wtf are the 100ma or 300ma stuff in my pedals, i honestly have no idea and sorry if my english sucks