CONGRATULATIONS
on your purchase of the Radial BigShot EFX. The Radial BigShot EFX is a
foot-controllable device that allows a guitarist to insert a series of effect pedals into the signal chain
and take them out when not in use. Two separate loops make it easy to prepare complex pedal
setups in ‘standby’ and activate them with a single foot stomp. Best of all, old noisy effects (or ones
that rob you of tone when bypassed) can now be taken out of the signal chain when not required.
The BigShot EFX is 100% passive without any buffering or loading of its own. True bypass switch-
ing guarantees the full natural tone of your instrument is always delivered to the amp.
To add versatility, the second loop can be used as a tuner output for quiet on-stage tuning. The
BigShot EFX is ideal for guitar, bass and keyboards for use on advanced pedalboards.
CONNECTING THE BIGSHOT EFX
The BigShot EFX is completely passive. This means that it does not require any power whatsoever
to make it work. Before making any connections confi rm your amplifi er is turned off and the volume
controls are turned all the way down. We will begin with a simple setup.
1. Start by connecting your guitar to the INPUT jack and the OUTPUT jack to your amplifi er.
2. Connect effect pedals to LOOP-1. Connect the SEND-1 jack to the input of your fi rst effect pedal.
Connect the output of the pedal to the RETURN-1 jack. Using good quality cables with proper
shielding will help reduce the potential for noise. When connecting several pedals, pay close atten-
tion to the signal path to make sure you go from one pedals output to the next pedals input. Most
effects loop problems are due to simple hook-up errors.
3. You are now ready to turn on your amp to test the fi rst loop. Always start testing at a low volume.
When you depress the LOOP-1 footswitch, the signal path is routed from the SEND-1 jack, through
the pedals, and brought back through the RETURN-1 jack. Test the pedals by turning them on and
off in sequence. If all pedals are working, you can now repeat the process for LOOP-2.
BigShot EFX User Guide
Radial Engineering
BigShot EFX User Guide
Radial Engineering
BigShot EFX User Guide
Radial Engineering
USING THE BIGSHOT EFX
Loop footswitches:
Each loop features its own true bypass footswitch. When the footswitches are in their bypass
position the guitar signal passes through the switch as if hardwired. Depressing the LOOP-1
footswitch diverts the signal to the SEND-1 jack and to the effect pedals in that loop. The signal
is received back through the RETURN-1 jack and passed on to the LOOP-2 footswitch where
the process is repeated using the SEND-2 and RETURN-2 jacks. Note that the two loops are in
series so the guitar signal will pass through effect pedals in LOOP-1 before pedals in LOOP-2.
Ground lift switches:
Each effects loop on the BigShot EFX is equipped with a ground lift switch. This disconnects
the circuit ground at the RETURN jack. If you encounter buzz or hum, lifting the circuit ground
can sometimes help eliminate or reduce noise.
Using LOOP-2 as a tuning mute:
The second loop on the EFX can be used as a mute switch to allow silent tuning. When LOOP-
2 is used as a tuner mute it cannot be used as an effects loop. To set up LOOP-2 as a tuner
mute, connect SEND-2 to your tuner, select the MUTE position on the slider switch and you
are set to go! Now, when you hit the LOOP-2 footswitch, the sound going to your amp will shut
off while diverting your guitar signal to your tuner. Hitting the LOOP-2 footswitch again will turn
the signal back on.
Using the BigShot EFX in an amplifi ers effects loop:
Since the BigShot EFX is a passive device it can be safely used in your amps effects loop.
This will effectively double the amps effects loop capacity. Most effects loops in amplifi ers use
buffers to condition the signal. If this is followed by another buffer, distortion can occur. The
BigShot EFX’s bufferless design makes it perfect for this application. To use the BigShot EFX in
your amplifi ers effects loop, simply connect the amplifi ers effect send to the BigShot EFX input.
Then connect the BigShot EFX output to the amps effect return. Connect any number of effect
pedals to the BigShot EFX SEND and RETURN jacks as described above.
ORGANIZING LOOPS AND PEDALS
Although there are no rules as to how pedals are set up, there are some general practices that
you should consider. For instance, some devices such as fuzz pedals and wah-wahs react
directly to the guitar pickup. Because of this, fuzz and wah pedals tend to be connected at the
beginning of the signal chain before other types of effects. Since LOOP-1 is ahead of LOOP-2
in the signal chain, try placing fuzz and wah pedals in LOOP-1.
A chorus or EQ pedal will have less of an effect if placed in front of a distortion. Consider placing
EQ and modulation pedals after distortion and fuzz effects in LOOP-2. Conversely, you may
want to set up the BigShot EFX for rhythm and lead tones. For this type of setup, place the ef-
fects you use for your rhythm sound in LOOP-1 and use LOOP-2 for you lead effects.
Another real advantage of the BigShot EFX is its ability to take a noisy pedal out of the signal
chain when not in use. For this you may want to isolate the offending pedal by itself, or with
other noisy pedals in one of the BigShot EFX loops. This not only reduces noise, but also re-
duces the load on the pickup, giving you a more natural tone when the loop is bypassed.
Effect order is a matter of personal preference. The best approach is to try your pedals in differ-
ent orders until you get a setup you like best. There are no rules - just have fun!
FAQ
What does true bypass mean?
True bypass pedals are those that pass the guitar signal directly from input to output when the
pedal is not engaged without passing through any electronic circuitry. You can test this by simply
disconnecting the power. If the signal passes when there is no power (make sure you are in
bypass mode), then your pedal is, in all likelihood, a true bypass pedal. The advantage of true
bypass is that the guitar signal does not get loaded down by the circuit. The downside is that
most true bypass pedals tend to produce a slight “click” or “pop” when turned on or off. This is
because of the mechanical nature of the footswitch.
What is loading?
Every time you connect a pedal to your guitar, the pedal uses the signal from your pickup to
make it work. This applies a load to your pickup. When the pedal is not in use (bypassed), it can
still apply some type of load which can draw signal away from the amplifi er. This is known as
loading. As the loading increases, the guitar signal weakens and becomes thin and less punchy.
True bypass pedals avoid this problem by passing the signal directly from the input to the output
without passing through any electronics.
What is buffering?
A buffer is a pre-amplifi er that lets you run long cables and lots of pedals without adding noise. A
buffer exerts very little load on the pickup and is used to help drive the signal. Buffering can be
good but watch for poor circuit designs that can sound awful, change your tone and make your
guitar sound brittle. The buffer used in the Loopbone is an audiophile quality Class-A buffer that
sounds amazing. It also features Drag Control that lets you control the amount of loading. Pas-
sive devices like the BigShot EFX do not employ any buffering whatsoever, allowing the user to
decide where buffers should be used in their signal chains, if at all.
What is the difference between the BigShot EFX and the Tonebone Loopbone?
The BigShot EFX is passive while the Loopbone employs active buffering. The EFX is designed
for those that prefer a direct guitar-to-amp connection. The Loopbone is designed for those that
need to run longer cables, insist on eliminating all switching noises and do not want to deal with
loading issues. The EFX is also considerably more affordable!
Can I use the BigShot EFX to switch amps on or off like an ABY switcher?
Many older amps do not have safety grounds. These old amps are notorious for causing shocks!
As such, we are unable to recommend this practice due to legal liability. Please consult a quali-
fi ed technician should you wish to use your BigShot EFX in an application it was not intended
for.
Why are there no light indicators on the BigShot EFX?
For lights to be added, we would have to increase the size, add power and add cost. We consid-
ered the options and felt that having status LED lights would not justify the extra cost or provide
any form of sonic advantage.
I hear a slight clicking when I switch in effects. Is this normal?
Yes. The BigShot EFX is a true bypass pedal and the click occurs as the mechanical switches
make contact to the effects loops as they are engaged. This is normal for true bypass devices
like the EFX. The alternative is electronic switching schemes that route the signal through an
IC when bypassed and can change the tone of your instrument. The only switches that do not
click or affect your tone when bypassed are the types that employ opto-couplers such as found
in the Tonebone Loopbone. These more expensive units quickly ramp up and down the signal
to avoid the on-off click transient.
(noisy pedal)
(not true bypass pedals)
(Radial Trimode true
bypass distortion)
