Hey everyone. Just got my QC and it is incredible so far. (And I am a tube amp snob).
Quick question: will running buffered bypass pedals before the QC have a bad effect on “cleanup” with amp or drive blocks? i.e. will having something between the pickups and the QC ruin the impedance relationship that models want to see or is it fine?
I have a Collider in stereo taking up the FX Loop 1/2, so I want to put my Sunface, Pettyjohn Lift (or other preamp) or maybe a Klon into the front.
Thanks for your help!
You should be fine. Let your ears be the guide.
The amp blocks themselves are only algorithms, and not impedance-specific (as we’re used to with tube amps and analog pedals). However, the QC’s impedance selection does have an effect on how the guitar’s signal is converted to a digital waveform before it hits an amp block.
I keep my QC impedance at the standard 1 MΩ value and have had no issues with other pedals in front, whether buffered or true bypass. I currently have an Earthquaker Devices Special Cranker* in front of my QC and love the way it interacts with most amp models.
[ *Don’t @ me about creating a capture for this, folks, I fiddle around with the settings around too much for captures to be practical. Also, I’m lazy. ]
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I run my guitar first into a JHS Little Black Buffer then a Hotone Wah then various OD’s which may or may not be used then into the QC which is set at the normal 1 Mohm value. Sounds great. Could probably bypass the JHS and not notice any difference. It was there on the board from my gigging where I wouldn’t have played without it due to some cable runs. You should be fine doing what you’re doing.
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Thank you both for chiming in with logical and helpful advice. I’ll just let it rip!