Build Your Own Clone Message Board

I have an odd issue with my E.S.V. Fuzz Germanium pedal. I just recently built the Super8 looper and I bought a snake to connect the pedals to it. The snake is TRS cables as I couldn't find a long enough one that was TS.

The pedal does not work properly with the TRS. I have a separate power cable for it (not battery). No issue with a TS cable but nothing with the TRS - the LED doesn't even come on. Anything I can do to fix this?

All of my other pedals work.

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-Jamie

The problem is that you're not getting a path to ground for your power connection because of the isolated extra ring connection on the TRS cable tip. When using a TS cable, the ring "finger" of the stereo input jack contacts the cable sleeve, making the ground connection and completing the power circuit.

Pretty sure this fix should work: Remove the wire connecting the ring tab of the input jack to the "Ring" eyelet on the PCB. Then run wire from the Ring eyelet to the sleeve tab, per the diagram below. Or if the original wire is long enough, just disconnect the end on the ring tab of the jack and move it over to the sleeve tab.

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“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

That did the trick.

So, why did this pedal have the issue? None of my other pedals with battery snaps had this issue. Seems like this would have been an issue for all battery pedals. Just curious...

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-Jamie

Those pedals probably have the battery adapter wired in differently. BYOC kits generally use a power circuit ground connection (via the ring of the stereo input jack) that is only made when there's a cable in the input jack. That way, your 9V battery life can be preserved by just pulling out the input cable when the pedal isn't in use.

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2