Home › Forums › Help/Technical Questions › Does your LittleBigMuff pop loudly when engaged?
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December 20, 2008 at 6:06 am #77409MuffitMember
I’ve had mine for at least a couple years now, and have conditioned myself to put up with it, but every time I switch it on a loud pop comes through my amp. I’ve tried everything from taking it out of the chain and running it by itself, to using it with different amps and it still pops. I took it to a tech but he couldn’t figure it out and rather than modify it and risk losing some integral tone element I opted to learn to live with it. I love this particular pedal’s midrange snarl and wouldn’t exchange it for anything, but if anyone out there’s encountered a similar problem and fixed it, I’d like to hear about it.
Thanks!
December 20, 2008 at 6:18 am #89260julianModeratorI never had that problem, but with true bypass pedals, it can be a problem
this may be of help
read about pulldown resistors on the first one
and the second one just recommends cleaning
http://www.diystompboxes.com/wiki/index.php?title=DIY_FAQ#MISC
http://www.diystompboxes.com/wiki/index.php?title=DIY_FAQ#POPSDecember 20, 2008 at 6:25 am #89263John JMemberDo you run it in front of a dirty amp? Try turning your gain down if you do, and if that doesn’t help, get yr. hands on a new 3PDT switch and put that in. If I run LBM->gain/compression->amp, I get a nasty pop every time.
In front of a clean amp, mine only pops a few times when I first plug it in. I usually just hit the switch five or six times to get rid of the static electricity; if your switch is faulty, it may build up static continuously OR it could be a mechanical issue. Either way, a new switch should fix it. I think the LBM switch has a PCB connection to the rest of the circuit, so it might be in your best interest to have that tech install the new switch.
December 20, 2008 at 6:31 am #89265MuffitMemberGreat, thanks for the advice.
Btw, I run my amp open and clean as possible, there’s no dirt whatsoever and tons of headroom.
I also have my compressor before the LBM, but there’s been no problem in the chain. The pop’s been there since day one and I was just lax to go through the hassle of exchanging it, especially since I fell in love with the tone.
I think I’ll replace the footswitch like you suggested, thanks a lot! And thanks for the links to the sites there Julian, great stuff!
December 20, 2008 at 6:41 am #89266Ned FlandersModeratorYou don’t need to replace the switch these switches are good for 30,000 cycles, to fix this problem will cost you 20cents.
Solder a 4.7Meg resistor form input to ground and from output to ground.
That’s from the first silver band to the last silver band on each black plastic jack inside.
This will totally remove any pop.December 20, 2008 at 6:44 am #89267MuffitMemberWhoa! Really? I’ll try that first then. What time’s Radio Shack open? Seriously though, is that where I’d get the resistor?
December 20, 2008 at 6:45 am #89268Ned FlandersModeratorYes, and you need two resistors, both 4.7 meg, 1/4 watt each.
Before you solder on the the shiny metal surface scratch it up with the tip of a knife so it becomes rough, solder will stick to it very easily after this.December 20, 2008 at 9:41 am #89278Ned FlandersModeratorHere’s a diagram I done for you.
December 20, 2008 at 4:31 pm #89298McSpunckleMemberI have this problem with my Graphic Fuzz. I modded it (it popped before), so I can’t just have it repaired.
Will the fancy resistor trick work on it as well?
December 20, 2008 at 6:59 pm #89306Ned FlandersModeratorIt will work.
December 21, 2008 at 1:26 am #89337MuffitMemberThanks a bunch Ned! The diagram rules!
December 28, 2008 at 2:48 pm #89755StormbringerMemberThis is an ongoing problem period! It has absolutely nothing to do with going through the front of a dirty amp or not! Besides these were meant to go before amps anyway and don’t particulary sound that much better in the effects loop section of an amp, let alone cancelling out any pops or clicks.
EHX was started in the early days when effects were being used more and more. Ie: Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Deep Purple etc etc. A certain amount of noise was either acceptable or simply put up with back then, given the present state of technology at the time. These are not $200 to $300 high end boutique pedals. Maybe thats why they are not modified to eliminate noise like more expensive pedals.
The effects sounds with EHX pedals are awesome however and that is why they still sell. Some musicians probably use some noise cancelling device-which is more bullshit and another unnecessary pedal to have in a chain. EHX simply ought to upgrade their product range with moden electronics!
December 31, 2008 at 6:09 pm #89895MuffitMemberTrue. That Little Big Muff is a noisy MF. When I’m not playing and it’s engaged its white noise hiss is almost visible, even with my guitar’s volume knob all the way off. I’m sure that’s where EH’s lovely distortion frequencies take bloom. That white noise is fine by me though.
The main topic here was the loud pop of the footswitch when the pedal is turned on. None of my 20 other effects pedals make that loud a pop when engaged. I know not all EH pedals pop, but Ned’s Anti-Pop diagram seems like the cure for this particular problem. Thanks again!
December 31, 2008 at 6:50 pm #89899Kevin DemuthMemberi had the same problem (popping switch) with a Small Clone a couple of years ago (i’ve also had this occur with a couple of ’boutique’ pedals)… the resistor trick worked on that – except i used 2.2M resistors.
December 31, 2008 at 7:09 pm #89900McHavenModeratorQuote:This is an ongoing problem period! It has absolutely nothing to do with going through the front of a dirty amp or not! Besides these were meant to go before amps anyway and don’t particulary sound that much better in the effects loop section of an amp, let alone cancelling out any pops or clicks.EHX was started in the early days when effects were being used more and more. Ie: Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Deep Purple etc etc. A certain amount of noise was either acceptable or simply put up with back then, given the present state of technology at the time. These are not $200 to $300 high end boutique pedals. Maybe thats why they are not modified to eliminate noise like more expensive pedals.
The effects sounds with EHX pedals are awesome however and that is why they still sell. Some musicians probably use some noise cancelling device-which is more bullshit and another unnecessary pedal to have in a chain. EHX simply ought to upgrade their product range with moden electronics!
If you want to see how much quieter guitar technology has become in 40 years, go check out a video of Cream-era Clapton and his Wah pedal. He’s running it through his Marshalls of course, and it is the noisiest thing I have ever heard.
edit: here we go http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvBlICAzxJw
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