The Steel Guitar Forum

I recently got a Boss CE-5 Chorus ensemble to enhance my sound, or give me something different on the bandstand. But I found when I plugged it in, the tone totally changed on my amp, even with the pedal off. I hated it. I have found the same problem with my tuner, and have taken to tuning the guitar at the beginning of the set & then removing it while I am playing. I play a Mullen through a Fender Twin. I wonder if anyone else has noticed this, and if there is a solution other than twisting the knobs on my amp to try to get the purer tone I get without the tuning or effect pedals. Sometimes the band doesn't give me time to add those pedals in between songs.

Tom, about 25 years ago I saw a diagram in one of the old steel guitar magazines for a bypass switch using a Radio Shack project
box, a toggle switch and 3 or maybe 4 female jacks. I built one and it will allow you to switch an effects pedal, tuner or whatever you wish completely out of your system. If I can find it I could open mine up and try to draw it for you or perhaps Jay, Ken or another of the electronics guys on this forum may have or draw you a schematic for this simple device.
Jerry<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jerry Roller on 09 December 2002 at 09:21 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jerry Roller on 09 December 2002 at 09:24 PM.]</p></FONT>

Moved to Electronics section

I play through a session 500. I plug the guitar into the first (high impedance?) input and plug the tuner into the second input (there is only one channel on a 500). The tuner will pick up the guitar just fine, and isn't in the loop so no tone problems. I also use the volume pedal in-out plugs on the 500 so I can back all the way off the pedal and tune the guitar with no sound coming from the amp. Works for me anyway.