Get that 'vintage tone' with this super duper battery!

[Pickngrin]

http://www.ehx.com/products/9v-battery

Seriously? I think this is taking things too far.

 

[bcdon]

Fool. Money. Parted.

 

[bcdon]

Actually, after seeing this picture, I think they might be on to something!:rollover

 

[FrankenFretter]

I honestly only use zinc carbon batteries in my Fuzzface. Not the expensive ones, though. I get them at the dollar store.

 

[Pickngrin]

What is the theoretical reason why zinc carbon batteries should yield a different tone than alkaline (or NiMH, NiCad) batteries?

 

[Neal]

It is true. Those older style batteries do produce better tone, especially if they are half dead, or dieing.

 

[Pickngrin]

Great. I'll be establishing my new venture, selling 1/2 depleted, dollar store zinc carbon batteries with a cool vintagey label on them. Taking preorders now, 20% off for my Fretter friends!

 

[deeaa]

I would never even briefly consider using batteries in pedals, it's just too much trouble...so it's PSU only for me...BUT if you do want to get a tad more 'airy' sound as with weaker/vintage style batteries, just use an adjustable PSU and give the pedal something like 7V instead of nine.

 

[Ch0jin]

I've only really heard people discuss it in the context of the Fuzz Face design, but yeah, different battery types can have a variation in impedance, so in some kinds of circuits the battery type can have a small effect on tone. Different battery chemistry also effects the way a battery behaves when it discharges. Some fade away slowly, some drop off very sharply (Like NiCd's).

At the end of the day though I run all my pedals from a power supply. So much less drama.

 

[deeaa]

I recall Steve Vai and some other guitar hero as well used a weak battery with a Tube Screamer pedal back in the 90's. And yeah, the old type fades slow, giving that weak current longer. But again, AFAIK the only thing that can have an effect on the sound is the actual voltage and amperage, so it's the same to use a really weak PSU for the effect.

 

[Eric]

Couldn't you buy one of those generic one-size-fits-all wall warts and change the voltage to whatever you wanted, if it was that important? I've always wondered why people don't just do that.

 

[Zip]

You know, there's often a difference between theory & practice.

It's a hoot to read the friendly arguments regarding tone - 'Everything changes tone' vs. 'Nothing changes tone', that sort of thing. In theory, everything follows certain laws, whether Ohms law or Murphy's. But practice dictates what really is, period. Duane Allman only used half-dead batteries in his Wah pedals. He sounded pretty good to these ears.

Try this device (----->click this). Under 20 bucks, you'll quickly find out what a half-dead battery can do for your pedal's tone. Especially effective on dirt pedals. Hey, for less than a Jackson what do you have to lose?

 

[deeaa]

Ayuh, that should do the trick. I don't doubt there is a difference, quite contrary, I'm sure there is. Just that the way to achieve it best would IMO be indeed such a wallwart, not tightroping by using dying batteries