Grateful Dead Music Forum

I'll preface this by saying I don't have the skill to build my own pedals

I'm really looking to pick up Brad's Blackbox when I have saved enough coin and was wondering if anyone has already grabbed one - and if so if they have integrated in to a rig with a OBEL equipped guitar. I talked to Brad about this and he was thinking about it as well, but I believe his thinking was to offload the OBEL bypass from the guitar to a floor pedal. I understand this - but I really do love using the bypass toggle on my guitar.

Any thoughts on whether would be possible to do a custom OBEL switch box (like the hubbub) that would allow for the SGBB to remain the first stop in the signal path regardless of guitar OBEL bypass setting?

I have both a Waldo OBEL Pedal and a Sarno SGBB here at the house, but usually use the SGBB for Pedal Steel, and the OBEL Pedal for guitar.
I can give it a try maybe thur/fri.

I think yo have to have it put into the guitar like Jerry's buffers. You would be best served to use a waldo buffer, not knocking Brads gear, just the application in this case. The box seems to be developed for guitars/steels that are single output, or non OBEL in this case. Its the same problem as having a buffer in line on the OB effects loop side with a boss pedal for instance and then switching to the direct clean line and not having a buffer in line, and a huge loss of tone. I mean the tone was NIGHT AND DAY annoying to me to the point I rarely used the switch as to keep a buffer in line constantly. Now I have the Waldo buffer installed and life is good having the proper tone on the non effects line, plus I can switch up a storm! after a few buffer home made dysfunctions I finally did what Jerry would do, get a Waldo clone.

I have waldo's buffer in my axe as well - and you are right it definitely designed for single output instruments. Personally I think I'd be using it on all my stringed instruments for both playing live and recording. I am just trying to assess if it is even possible to keep using my onboard OBEL bypass toggle.

I am from a computer background and I just keep thinking of it as a "if" "then" "else" solution - but because of lack of knowledge with circuit building and parts don't know that I can apply that logic to a pedal.