Woolly Mammoth into GT-100 FX loop = Silence

[Sacal]

I built a Woolly Mamoth as my first build and it works great, exactly as it should. The only additions to the circuit are the push/relax mod and output cap selector from the Mastotron. The problem is when I plug it into the effect loop of my Gt-100 I get nothing. I've tried lifting the ground with the switch on the back, this just resulted in a clicking sound so I switched it back. Changing the gain for both send and return had no effect. Do I need to put a buffer like the Klon Buffer into the circuit? Would I need two for both input and output? Am I even on the right track?

Thought i'd ask the collective wisdom before randomly pulling things apart. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated!

[Beaker]

So your Woolly Mammoth works perfectly on it's own?

Try putting it in front of the Boss GT-100. Does it work perfectly now? My guess is that it should be fine.

Now try putting it after the Boss. Does it work perfectly now? My guess is that it won't work right.

Unfortunately loads of these "circuit-bent" pedals like Z Vex, Death By Audio etc., don't like playing with multi FX units. The same applies to plenty of old school fuzzes like Fuzz Faces and Wah pedals as well - they just can't go after buffered pedals or in buffered FX loops.

So to answer your second question, no fitting buffers into your Z Vex is not the answer - it just means it won't even work right in it's own.

Just run it before the Boss.

[induction]

I disagree with Beaker.

Most of the pedals that don't like buffers in front of them will still generate sound when fed a buffered signal. They won't sound good, but they will still sound like something. In any case, the whole point of the Push/Relax control is to be able to defeat problems with buffered input signals by boosting the impedance at the pedal input. (Do you get any signal when you change the setting of the Push/Relax control?) So it's possible that Beaker is right, but my bet is that this isn't purely an impedance issue.

My initial guess is a problem with the FX loop.

My understanding is that the GT-100 has some fairly complex switching. Beyond just plugging the cables in, you have to enable the Send/Return or some such thing (I've never used one, myself, so forgive my imprecision). What if you try a different pedal in the FX loop of the GT-100? Do you get signal then?

[Beaker]

You may well be right Induction, you know far more than I do about these things.

I'm basing my thoughts purely on past experience, when I have built Z Vex or DBA pedals for somone else (I'm not a big fan myself). When testing them myself I have had issues when putting them after buffered pedals, which I have reported on to the customer. In most cases, they have phoned me after a few days, telling me that "It's not working properly". Every time, the pedal has been performing perfectly on it's own, but has not liked being put in the middle of a signal chain, and especially in combination with multi FX units. Re-positioning the pedal in the signal chain has resolved the issues.

On top of that, I have never even built a Woolly Mammoth.

That is why I suggested putting it before and after the mult FX, in order to see what happened.

Your point about the FX loop not working is a good one - I never even thought of that. Confirming that the FX loop works properly (or not) with another "good" pedal is a must.

[Chris60601]

Beaker, I agreed with your hypothesis as I too (as owner of several Digi multi effects units) have experienced much the same as you described.

I opted to just use one or the other, depending on the event being played 😊

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From: [hidden email]
Sent: ‎1/‎17/‎2016 12:05 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: Woolly Mammoth into GT-100 FX loop = Silence

You may well be right Induction, you know far more than I do about these things.

I'm basing my thoughts purely on past experience, when I have built Z Vex or DBA pedals for somone else (I'm not a big fan myself). When testing them myself I have had issues when putting them after buffered pedals, which I have reported on to the customer. In most cases, why have phoned me after a few days, telling me that "It's not working properly". Every time, the pedal has been performing perfectly on it's own, but has not liked being put in the middle of a signal chain, and especially in combination with multi FX units. Re-positioning the pedal in the signal chain has resolved the issues.

That is why I suggested putting it before and after the mult FX, in order to see what happened.

Your point about the FX loop not working is a good one - I never even thought of that.

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