Why won’t my pedal turn on?

Match the symptom

What the pedal is doing tells you where to start.

No light, no sound

Power is not reaching the pedal. Start with the first check below.

No light, but sound passes

A true-bypass pedal that is switched off passes your dry signal even with no power. It can still be a power fault, so start with the first check.

Light on, no sound

Power is fine. Go to “Light on, but no sound” further down.

The whole board went silent

Every LED dark means the supply, its mains cable, the power strip, or a shorted pedal or power cable dragging down a daisy chain. Some LEDs still lit? Look for a buffered pedal or a switcher that lost power. With no power, it passes nothing at all.

Checks, cheapest first

1. 01Stomp the switchOn many pedals the LED only lights when the effect is on. Click the footswitch before you decide the pedal has no power.
2. 02Check the supply is onCheck the wall outlet, the power strip switch and the supply’s own power light. If other pedals on the same supply work, the supply is fine and the problem is this pedal’s connection.
3. 03Push the plug all the way inBarrel plugs can feel seated when they are not. Unplug, push it back in firmly, and try a different output on the supply.
4. 04Swap the power cableDC cables break inside, usually right at the plug where they flex. Try a cable that is powering another pedal right now.
5. 05Plug in the input cableOn many pedals that take a battery, the input jack is also the power switch: with a battery in and nothing in the input, the pedal stays off. Make sure the guitar side goes into the input, not the output.
6. 06Try a fresh batteryA tired battery dims the LED, then makes the pedal sputter, sound thin or cut out before it dies completely. Swap in a new one before deciding the pedal is broken.
7. 07Check voltage and polarityCompare the pedal’s label with the supply output. Reversed polarity, the wrong voltage, or AC on a DC pedal can stop it working or damage it. Many pedals have reverse-polarity protection that simply keeps them off. If the pedal ran on the wrong power, have a tech check it before you use it again.
8. 08Check the output is not overloadedAn output asked for more current than it is rated for can sag or shut down, and some supplies switch an overloaded output off to protect themselves. Move the pedal to its own output, then check the numbers in the power planner.
9. 09Test it alone, then call a techGuitar, one known-good cable, the pedal, the amp, and a known-good supply. Still dead? It needs a repair. Common faults are a worn footswitch, a broken DC jack or a loose input or output jack, all routine work for a tech. Check your warranty before you open the pedal.

Light on, but no sound

• Turn up the level or volume knob. A pedal set to zero output looks exactly like a broken one.
• Check the mix or blend knob. Set fully dry, a delay or reverb plays your guitar with no effect at all.
• Check that an expression pedal or volume pedal in the chain is not rocked all the way back.
• Check the cables are in the right jacks: the guitar side goes into the input.
• If sound only comes through with the pedal off, or only with it on, suspect the footswitch. Footswitches wear out, and a tech replaces them routinely.

Common mistakes

• Testing with a cable you have not checked. Use one that is working with another pedal right now.
• Grabbing any adapter that fits the plug. A plug that fits tells you nothing about voltage or polarity.
• Plugging the guitar into the output jack. On most pedals, the input is on the right side as you look down at it.
• Opening a pedal under warranty before contacting the maker.

Words used here

LED

The status light. On many pedals it lights only when the effect is switched on.

True bypass

When the pedal is off, your signal passes straight through on a plain wire, untouched by the circuit.

Buffered bypass

A pedal that keeps a small circuit in your signal path even when off. Without power, it passes no sound.

Center-negative

The most common pedal polarity: the center of the power plug is the negative side.

DC jack

The socket on the pedal that the power plug goes into.

Footswitch

The stomp switch that turns the effect on and off. A wear part on every pedal.

Tools for this

• Power plannerCheck your supply and outputs can carry the whole board.→
• Pedal power databaseFind the voltage and mA your pedal expects.→
• Power suppliesFind a supply with an output that matches your pedal.→

Related guides

• Do I need a power supply for my guitar pedals?Voltage, polarity, mA, and isolated vs daisy chain, in plain English.→
• Why does my guitar signal cut out or crackle?Crackle, dropouts and switching pops, traced with the wiggle test.→
• How do I stop my pedalboard humming?Hum, buzz, ground loops and digital whine, cheapest check first.→