Guitar Effect pedals input/output specs

Stretto · 8th September 2011, 01:51 PM

Whats your average guitar input and output voltages and impedance? I know line in/out is about 2V rms and around 10k impedance. I'm working on a pedal circuit and would like to have some idea of what my output voltage should be as not to overdrive the next pedal(there will be a level control of course but one needs to know the range).

As far as the output impedance goes I'm simply wondering about the current limiting resistor to use. 1k should be fine I imagine

tinitus · 8th September 2011, 01:56 PM

found this, about impedances Moollon Musical Instrument

Stretto · 8th September 2011, 02:29 PM

Tinitus: unfortunately the site(or that page) doesn't seem to give any real numbers. I need some real values so I can get in the ballpark.

For example, I know that an avg guitar signal is about 100mV rms to about 500mV rms with generally about 10 to 50kOhms output impedance. I've seen output impedances of several popular pedals from 0.5kOhms to 10kOhms.

I have no idea what the average voltages are. Knowing pro line level is about 2V rms and that most pedals run on about 9V split I would venture to say the maximum voltage is about 4V but that is obviously way to high unless your plugging directly into a tube amp but even then it will probably cause distortion somewhere.

So what I'm interested in is about the "safe maximum level" of output I should limit my output signal to(this will tell me approximately what resistance values I need to use to set the gain).

dano12 · 8th September 2011, 02:51 PM

Jack Orman has written a lot of great stuff about guitar pickup voltages, impedance, etc.

AMZ - Pedal Impedance

Guitar Pickup Signal

8th September 2011, 01:51 PM	#1
Stretto diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2008	Guitar Effect pedals input/output specs Whats your average guitar input and output voltages and impedance? I know line in/out is about 2V rms and around 10k impedance. I'm working on a pedal circuit and would like to have some idea of what my output voltage should be as not to overdrive the next pedal(there will be a level control of course but one needs to know the range). As far as the output impedance goes I'm simply wondering about the current limiting resistor to use. 1k should be fine I imagine

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8th September 2011, 01:56 PM	#2
tinitus diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Nov 2005	found this, about impedances Moollon Musical Instrument

8th September 2011, 02:29 PM	#3
Stretto diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2008	Tinitus: unfortunately the site(or that page) doesn't seem to give any real numbers. I need some real values so I can get in the ballpark. For example, I know that an avg guitar signal is about 100mV rms to about 500mV rms with generally about 10 to 50kOhms output impedance. I've seen output impedances of several popular pedals from 0.5kOhms to 10kOhms. I have no idea what the average voltages are. Knowing pro line level is about 2V rms and that most pedals run on about 9V split I would venture to say the maximum voltage is about 4V but that is obviously way to high unless your plugging directly into a tube amp but even then it will probably cause distortion somewhere. So what I'm interested in is about the "safe maximum level" of output I should limit my output signal to(this will tell me approximately what resistance values I need to use to set the gain).

8th September 2011, 02:51 PM	#4
dano12 diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: NoVa	Jack Orman has written a lot of great stuff about guitar pickup voltages, impedance, etc. AMZ - Pedal Impedance Guitar Pickup Signal

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