Guitar pedals not working can be very frustrating. Luckily, they are often pretty easy to troubleshoot and fix. First make sure that the power supply or battery is the correct voltage for the pedal.
If it is, then move on to checking the cables and switch. Keep going cable by cable until you find the problem one.
Check Your Cables
Most guitarists have had this nightmare scenario play out at one point or another – you step on your pedal and it makes a horrible buzzing noise. It’s a very common problem and one of the most annoying. You’re left to wonder why your pedal doesn’t work and it can be a major annoyance when trying to practice or even perform.
When this happens it’s usually because of the cable connections, so the first thing you should do is make sure that all of your cables are plugged in properly. If you’re not sure, use a continuity tester to see if your cables are making good connections. If not, then you can swap out the cables or reseat them to eliminate this as an issue.
Another easy way to check is by putting your pedals through their paces on their own. This means connecting the guitar to the input jack and the output jack to your amplifier. If it works, then move on to the other pedals in your chain and see if they are doing the same thing. It’s often an easy fix and a good way to save some frustration.
Pedal humming is also caused by grounding issues, so this is something to keep an eye on. It can be a result of improper shielding in the case, but it can also mean that your solder connections aren’t doing their job. To check this, take off the case of the pedal and look at the circuit board to ensure that all of your solder connections are solid.
You can also check the power supply and battery to see if these are the same ones that you have been using. It’s best to try a different power supply if possible to avoid the risk of a bad connection and the possibility of the voltage not being correct for your pedal.
You can also check the voltage by looking at the power socket on your pedal. Most of the time it will be center negative, although some older pedals can be center positive or even positive/negative. Ensure that the power supply you are using is of the right voltage for your pedal to avoid serious damage.
Check the Switch
If the pedal turns on and the light is lit but it does not produce an effect it is likely that the switch has become stuck in either the ON or OFF position. This could be caused by a broken internal solder connection or even a cracked circuit board. To check this, remove the back of the pedal and take a close look at the circuit board. Check for any cracks and make sure the solder connections are all good. If they are not, a simple repair with a soldering iron should do the trick.
If a humming sound is present, it is most likely due to the 60Hz frequency from the wall outlet entering the pedal and getting confused with the signal on the power rails. This can usually be fixed by inspecting and replacing the power filter capacitor. In the DS-1 this is electrolytic capacitor C23 (100uF, 16V). The function of this cap is to remove frequencies from the power line and stabilize the voltage on the power rails.
This is a very common problem that can easily be resolved. Most guitar pedals require a specific amount of current to operate correctly and when they are daisy chained together this can often result in one pedal not working. Ensure that the power supply or battery is capable of supplying this amount of current. For digital pedals this is usually a fairly high amount of milliamperes (mA) and for analog pedals it can be less than this.
Using a decent quality power cable will help to prevent this problem. It is also a good idea to separate the pedals into their own power chains so each does not have to compensate for another pedal. If you are still experiencing problems it is recommended to take the pedal in question out of the pedal lineup to isolate the issue. This will allow you to determine if it is a power cable or daisy chain issue and to take the necessary steps to correct it. If you cannot fix the issue it is recommended that you contact a local guitar shop for assistance.
Check the Battery
Pedals are used to add different effects to your guitar’s sound and can take it to places that you couldn’t reach with most amps’ onboard controls. They work by altering your guitar’s electrical signal in either analog or digital ways. Analog pedals alter the signal by passing it through transistors, resistors and capacitors to create different sounds. Digital pedals take the input signal and convert it into binary code before sending it on to its destination.
Some effects pedals can be quite complex to use, especially if you’re a beginner and haven’t used them before. For example, a looper pedal requires you to press and release the switch at just the right moment to create an exact loop. If you miss this moment, the loop will sound sloppy and out of sync.
There are also a number of pedals that will alter the pitch and frequency of your guitar’s sound, such as an overdrive, wah, phase shifter or flanger. These pedals can be great for adding thickness to your sound, as well as changing the overall tone of the guitar.
Another great effect is a compressor pedal, which is used to even out your signal and tame those peaks in your volume, giving you a much more professional sound. Most guitarists will put compression pedals at the beginning or end of their chain, modulation effects (chorus, flanger, phase shifter) in the middle and time-based effects (delay, echo, reverb) at the very end.
Some pedals will also allow you to control the dynamics of your signal, which can make a big difference in the way that your sound is perceived by your audience. For example, a wah pedal will change the tone and pitch of your guitar’s signal depending on how hard you push down on the footswitch. It can be a very powerful tool for creating psychedelic sounds and is used in many different styles of music.
Equalisation pedals will let you fine tune the frequencies that are most important to your sound, such as bass, middle and treble. These can be very useful for a solo guitar player, as they will help you achieve a more balanced sound.
Check the Power Supply
If your pedal sounds muddy, dull or dead, you may have a problem with the power supply. Make sure you’re using a power adapter or battery with the right mA rating for your pedal. Many of the newer stompboxes will list their recommended voltage and mA requirements on the packaging or online. If you’re using a faulty power supply, it could be causing the noise in your pedal or even piggy-backing on other pedals and generating interference. This is a simple fix and you can purchase a new adapter or battery to test your pedals at home, or bring it to a guitar or pedal tech for a quick fix.
This can be a frustrating issue to deal with, especially during a gig. When you’re mid-song, a sudden lack of power can cause all kinds of problems. If you don’t have a backup, you’ll be forced to rethink your entire setlist. But it’s also possible that the pedal itself is the cause of the problem.
Static noise is a sound similar to what you might hear from a bad cable or a dead jack, but it’s usually consistent and happens across all of the jacks in a pedal. It can also be caused by a sick component such as a transistor or resistor. Often times, it’s impossible to diagnose whether this is the case or not because there is no other consistent sound from the pedal.
Sometimes, the easiest way to know if your pedal is faulty is to take it out of the chain and use it alone. That way, you can eliminate any issues with your amplifier or power supply. Regardless, it’s still important to keep in mind that these issues can be very serious. It’s better to be safe than sorry and be prepared for any situation, no matter what. Good luck and happy playing!