Reducing Guitar Effects Pedal Noise top to bottom.

wmalan

Member
So after many years, I'm finally upgrading my guitar effects board. My pedals are currently a few old Boss units with one analog Ibanez delay. I'm still using a Boss PSM-5 P/S to power them. I just added a JHS 3 series chorus, Korg Pitchback tuner, and still waiting for delivery of the JHS Andy Timmons AT+ (super excited about this one replace my old Boss SO and Distortion pedals).

I'm replacing all the cables with new better quality ones. I've ready that one of the down sides of my Boss PSM-5 is all the pedals get their power thru the daisy chain. It's better to get a P/S with discreet outputs for each pedal. Sweetwater has a bundle for PS, cables and boards. Can folks confirm this makes a marked improvement in a quiet board?

And finally... Cleaning up the existing pedals using some sort of electronic circuit cleaner. Any tips on cleaning them up?

TIA!
 
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If you are using an AC converter, I would have to think one of those more expensive bricks that advertises isolated power might be better, but if you want to hear what cleaner power sounds like, simply stick a 9V in every pedal as you have it configured and record something as well as "nothing" to get an idea of where the bottom is. Then, without changing anything, switch to the AC adapter and see if it's markedly noisier. If not, that's not the source of your problem.

I'd work through the pedals and figure out which ones are really bad and find a cleaner version that does the same thing.

I'd use compressed air to clean the innards, if you think there's value in that, nothing more.

Maybe Dave (@ecc83) has some tips.
 
If you are using an AC converter, I would have to think one of those more expensive bricks that advertises isolated power might be better, but if you want to hear what cleaner power sounds like, simply stick a 9V in every pedal as you have it configured and record something as well as "nothing" to get an idea of where the bottom is. Then, without changing anything, switch to the AC adapter and see if it's markedly noisier. If not, that's not the source of your problem.

I'd work through the pedals and figure out which ones are really bad and find a cleaner version that does the same thing.

I'd use compressed air to clean the innards, if you think there's value in that, nothing more.

Maybe Dave (@ecc83) has some tips.
Good idea on using batteries to test because then they are isolated. I'll give that a try after I replace all the cabling as they are many years old and cause hum when moved. The Boss pedals are from the 80's as well as the Ibanez delay. I have not touched them in years. Was not sure about using those electronic sprays. So I'll stick with air and see...

Just trying to get all the noise out of my recording chain.

Thanks!
 
If you're using the board in a band setting where you need all the pedals at the same time - then I also recommend doing the battery test. Also - I'd start simply and add one pedal at a time until you can zero in of which pedal (or pedal combination) is the worst offender. Perhaps consider a power conditioner.

However - if this pedal board is for studio and/or home recording - I recommend only cabling in the pedals that you need at any given time. Keep it simple, clean.

(**You will love the AT+. It is a fantastic pedal for the kind of thing it specializes in)
 
If you're using the board in a band setting where you need all the pedals at the same time - then I also recommend doing the battery test. Also - I'd start simply and add one pedal at a time until you can zero in of which pedal (or pedal combination) is the worst offender. Perhaps consider a power conditioner.

However - if this pedal board is for studio and/or home recording - I recommend only cabling in the pedals that you need at any given time. Keep it simple, clean.

(**You will love the AT+. It is a fantastic pedal for the kind of thing it specializes in)
Yes, keeping it simple! I installed batteries and everything was dead quiet. So then I put the Boss PSM-5 back in... A bit of hum comes back Then I daisy chained the 9v power into my tuner and out to the rest without the PSM-5 (my new Korg tuner has a 9v out which is cool). Dead quiet. But my old screw connector patch cables were very old and make noise if moved.

So after cleaning everything up, I decided to build a new pedal board based on the Pedal Train style boards. 20" x 7" with that 3M loop lock tape. I just ordered new cables for guitar to pedals and pedals to amp. Also new short flat wire patch cables for the pedals. And since each pedal has the loop lock tape, I can now pop them in and out as needed! Looks like I don't need a power 'brick" at this time either.

The AT+ is back ordered at Sweetwater. It will replace my old Boss Super Overdrive.

Thanks for the help!
 
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