Wah Changes Tone Even When Not In Use?

[gesx]

Only a few days into experimenting with the HD500x, but one thing I notice is the drastic effect that a wah fx has on the overall tone of the preset.  I'm not talking about when the wah is activated just when it is in the chain.  The tone becomes much more bright.  Completely changes the tone of the preset.

 

It seems to me the wah shoudn't effect the tone until you have activated it. 

 

Is there a fix for this?  Or am I missing something?

 

ges

[silverhead]

There must be something wrong in the preset settings. The Wah should have no effect on tone when its off, even if it is in the chain. Make sure that the preset is saved with the Wah FX OFF, and that your EXP selection and Toe Switch are properly set up to operate it.

[TheRealZap]

unless maybe the input z is set to auto and the wah is first in the chain... then it could have some effect....

[Akeron]

Only a few days into experimenting with the HD500x, but one thing I notice is the drastic effect that a wah fx has on the overall tone of the preset.  I'm not talking about when the wah is activated just when it is in the chain.  The tone becomes much more bright.  Completely changes the tone of the preset.

 

It seems to me the wah shoudn't effect the tone until you have activated it. 

 

Is there a fix for this?  Or am I missing something?

 

ges

 

That's because the POD is not True Bypass:

 

"True bypass means when a pedal is OFF, the signal goes in the INPUT jack and out the OUTPUT jack without touching any components (resistors, capacitors, op amps, etc). You can not check for this by pulling out the battery, as you will still get a signal out of, for example, an old wah even though it is not really true bypass (the circuit still is attached to some components when off). Let's call this type of effect a "stomp switch" pedal, it uses a round stomp switch to turn it on and off, and passes signal through even with no battery."

 

"If you have a "stomp switch" type pedal without true bypass (all MXR pedals, most EH, most wahs, almost any pre 1980 pedal except a fuzzface) then when OFF you MAY lose some high end due to your signal bleeding into the components."

 

http://www.analogman.com/faq.htm

[gesx]

Thanks for the replies.  I'm afraid it was just newbieness on my part. 

 

I was using the POD edit program and I thought I needed to turn the wah FX 'on' in Edit.  Funny, it didn't activate the wah pedal per se, but it did 'turn' it on to the extent of making the sound very bright.

 

ges

[spaceatl]

That's because the POD is not True Bypass:

 

"True bypass means when a pedal is OFF, the signal goes in the INPUT jack and out the OUTPUT jack without touching any components (resistors, capacitors, op amps, etc). You can not check for this by pulling out the battery, as you will still get a signal out of, for example, an old wah even though it is not really true bypass (the circuit still is attached to some components when off). Let's call this type of effect a "stomp switch" pedal, it uses a round stomp switch to turn it on and off, and passes signal through even with no battery."

 

"If you have a "stomp switch" type pedal without true bypass (all MXR pedals, most EH, most wahs, almost any pre 1980 pedal except a fuzzface) then when OFF you MAY lose some high end due to your signal bleeding into the components."

 

http://www.analogman.com/faq.htm

 

oh great...another "true bypass" regurgitation....I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit... :ph34r:

[gunpointmetal]

^{how would a modeled wah INSIDE a modeler have a preference for "true bypass" or not? I'm gonna second the Real Zap here and suggest you check your input Z settings. If its set to auto, it changes depending on the first effect in the chain, and this can brighten or darken your tone. Depending on the guitar/pickups it can be almost unnoticeable or very annoying.}