Pedalboard tone suckage woes

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And before JB jumps in accusing my moulded patch leads, please read on.

So have spent a bit of time today trying to figure out my tone suckage.

My pedalboard is now basically - guitar lead (freedom cable) - switchblade plus - guitar lead 2 (freedom cable) amp.

Tone suck.

guitar lead (freedom etc) amp, no suckage.
guitar lead 2 (freedom etc) amp, no suckage.

guitar lead (etc) - fuzziebro fuzz- guitar lead 2 - amp, suckage.
and vice versa.

I've not tried with any other pedal yet as I literally have a short fuse nowadays when it comes to things like this not working (playing through the Pod Go instead). I should probably try two different guitar leads (etc) but they're all in the basement, and I was hoping somebody would give me an answer without me needing to move further than necessary.

Hive mind please?

[jeremyb]

Guitar lead 2 is likely faulty, my guess is either poor shield connection on one of the plugs, or a light short to earth, or something else in the cable thats perhaps causing a rise in capacitance which is then killing your toan.

Check the resistance from tip to sleeve on both ends, as well as tip to tip and sleeve to sleeve, if they're all zero then check the solder connections look ok, wire not frayed etc...

[NippleWrestler]

depending on the pedal's bypass, you can lose high end (tone suck) that way.

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yeah I know that, just perplexed why a Switchblade Plus would be killing tone when its not got a reputation for being a tone sucker, this was just through the switchblade... no pedals attached. Both freedom cables fine by themselves.

[rickenbackerkid]

In theory, 2 cables is doubling the capacitance, and if the switchblade/fuzz is a true bypass, then you're running through two cables. Solution is a buffered pedal.

However, if your hearing tone suckle from just two cables, either sounding is wrong or you have the ears of a god, because I certainly couldn't hear that. Unless the cables are coilies?

[Bg]

In theory, 2 cables is doubling the capacitance, and if the switchblade/fuzz is a true bypass, then you're running through two cables. Solution is a buffered pedal.

However, if your hearing tone suckle from just two cables, either sounding is wrong or you have the ears of a god, because I certainly couldn't hear that. Unless the cables are coilies?

I have ears of lead, so yeah its monstrous if I can hear it

1st test, go and get more leads from the basement.
2nd test, buy some new leads - all of mine are freedom cables made by Rob, that gives you an idea how old they are.

[Optical]

How long are these leads? could just be too much, or possibly lead 2 is faulty as mentioned

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is it odd that lead 2 sounds fine straight to the amp though?

[robthemac]

is it odd that lead 2 sounds fine straight to the amp though?

Yes, this means both cables are capable of working just fine.

[Cdog]

2 cables is doubling the capacitance, and if the switchblade/fuzz is a true bypass, then you're running through two cables. Solution is a buffered pedal.

This!

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So where to put the buffer, in front of the switchblade as its the first (and only pedal at the moment), and will it fuck up my geranium pedals as apparently they like to be first at everything, not least the chelsea flower show.

[Kiwiaxe]

I’ve had bad experiences with pedals like switch blade sucking tone. I fixed (at the time) by using a boss tuner as the first pedal because it is buffered

[Cdog]

Buffer early in the chain. When I had a germanium fuzz on the board, I buffered right after it. Like kiwiaxe, I just used a boss tuner.

[jeremyb]

is it odd that lead 2 sounds fine straight to the amp though?

If you had another lead handy you could A/B them with the switchblade

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I’ve had bad experiences with pedals like switch blade sucking tone. I fixed (at the time) by using a boss tuner as the first pedal because it is buffered

The irony being that the switchblade has a 'tuner out'