Simple Tools Battery Optimized Line Extender
Simple Tools Battery Optimized Line Extender
The most boring device ever!
PRE-ORDER 5-6 Week Delivery
Only available as direct order
Newsletter only discounted price
NOTE THIS IS A PRE-ORDER! Expect shipping in 5-6 weeks!
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Is this the most boring device ever???
Maybe. But boring can also prove to be very useful at times.
The first release in the Wren and Cuff Simple Tools Series.
From Matt:
I made one of these for myself years ago because I sing as well as play guitar. Most of the time, my 10' or 15' cables were totally fine to make the run from my guitar to the pedalboard, then to the amp. However, once in a while, a situation would arise where I’d have to make a longer run from amp to pedalboard than normal due to a larger or awkward stage layout.
I’d grab this box and my backup cable, and be good to go. The pedal also came in handy more than a few times for our bass player and was even loaned to other bands in a pinch.
A while back, I made a post about it and decided to make one with an added feature: active/buffered mode.
In passive mode, the pedal is exactly what it looks like: two jacks connected together. Plug one cable into one side and another cable into the other, and you have a simple, mechanical cable extension. Nothing magic about that. No power required. No circuit in the way.
In active mode, the signal passes through a J201 JFET buffer. This helps preserve clarity and highs over longer cable runs. Also, some players just like the subtle sheen and improved signal integrity a JFET buffer imparts on the signal.
The J201 wasn’t really chosen because of any special sound, though. The J201 buffer keeps current draw low compared to other buffer setups, and the high-efficiency red LED is paired with a large-value resistor to keep battery drain down while still giving a visible on/off indication.
Obviously, a cable extender that requires an external power supply kind of defeats the purpose. This line extender, paired with a quality alkaline 9V battery, can easily get an estimated 300 hours of continuous use, which is over 12 days of runtime from a single battery.
And if the battery ever dies, the pedal can still function. Switch it to passive mode and the buffer becomes hardwire bypassed.
Another way to always be prepared when you get to your next gig.

