need a certain pedal

PearlJamaholic

i need a distortion pedal that only sounds when the pedal is depressed, and when i let off it shuts off. do they make anything like this? i know one of the vai wah pedals did something like this with the wah.

exhausted

easy enough to make a separate bypass box with a momentary switch to do this. generally i can't think of any non-treadle type pedals that do it.

mccreadyisgod

My best idea here is to tell you to get a distortion pedal that you like, and then find an electronics tech who can replace the switch for you. Ideally, I'd look at something like the ProCo Rat, which uses a standard switch.

I'm not going to guarantee that there is such a replacement foot-activated switch out there... you might find your electronics guy first, and see if that's even possible. I believe what you are looking for is called a "momentary" switch, where the switch is on only while pressed. I know they have momentary toggle switches, so I would imagine SOMEONE makes a momentary push switch that would work with your foot.

The other option I just thought of is to wire the switch leads to a 1/4" jack and use an external footswitch like a piano sustain/damper, or the Boss FS-5U. You'd need to find a distortion pedal with enough room inside to put another 1/4" jack. You would need room at your feet or on your pedalboard for such an additional footswitch unit, but that would be a really easy-to-use method of achieving what you are describing.

exhausted

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=25

there's the switch. would work with a rat or any pedal switched with a DPDT.

mccreadyisgod

exhausted wrote:

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=25

there's the switch. would work with a rat or any pedal switched with a DPDT.

See? Good teamwork, Greg!

$6.50 and a little solder, and you've got your mod!

exhausted

i'd rather use a secondary box but yep, simple mod depending on the pedal.

PearlJamaholic

ok whats a dpdt?

im so gonna make this pedal.

mccreadyisgod

Once I thought of it, the external switch seemed like it would be easier to use, but it would be a bit more effort and/or money to get a pedal drilled for a new jack, and then buying whatever footswitch. But if he wants to use it how I think he wants to use it, having it wired to a FS-5U would be so easy to just jump on and use. Plus, if the switch pedal ever went bad, you could replace it much easier, an important consideration if it gets stomped on a lot.

mccreadyisgod

PearlJamaholic wrote:

ok whats a dpdt?

im so gonna make this pedal.

The type of footswitch seen on the Rat:

http://www.procosound.com/?page=viewprod&cat=150&id=741

It's a very standard switch type for guitar pedals.

exhausted

PearlJamaholic wrote:

ok whats a dpdt?

im so gonna make this pedal.

double pole double throw. just a term to describe the operation of a switch. make sure you get a *momentary* switch, not a latching one.

here's a schematic.
http://www.beavisaudio.com/techpages/PedalHacker/LooperNoLED.gif

PearlJamaholic

can i throw a switch like this in a boss pedal? i have a boss pedal and dan electro fabtone just laying around.

exhausted

PearlJamaholic wrote:

can i throw a switch like this in a boss pedal? i have a boss pedal and dan electro fabtone just laying around.

head over to diystompboxes.com and have a search around their forums. boss pedals have a certain switching method that perhaps can be modified to give the sort of momentary operation you want. it might end up being very simple but i don't know.

ianvomsaal

PearlJamaholic wrote:

can i throw a switch like this in a boss pedal? i have a boss pedal and dan electro fabtone just laying around.

I don't think it's that easy since the Boss pedals are fairly tight inside, and use a completely different type of switch.
Also, remember that most pedals with an LED don't use a simple DPDT (they typically use a 3PDT switch if they're T.B.).

I'd suggest maybe using a momentary A/B switch in your signal path, then you can just leave the pedal on all the
time and just switch to it when you want to use it - all you'll need is a 1/4" Y cable, or a double input on
whatever pedal it's going into - Here's what I mean by Double 1/4" Y-Cable - I'm sure you can find something
like this. This setup just takes both side-A and side-B of the A/B and routes them both into one 1/4' end.
Or you can always just wire up a momentary switch to do just this - that way you don't have to MOD any pedals.

- Ian

PearlJamaholic

along with that rat these would also work.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/MXR-M104-DISTORTION-Guitar-Pedal?sku=151102

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ElectroHarmonix-Nano-Pocket-Metal-Muff-Distortion-?sku=150099

just making sure i understand this. i should browse ebay for used pedals.

exhausted

the mxr has it's switch mounted directly to the circuit board and it's a bitch to get off. and you'd have to find a new switch with the same type of connections. the one i posted won't fit.

the ehx probably has it's switch mounted to the board as well but i can't say for sure.

an external box really is much simpler.

PearlJamaholic

exhausted wrote:

the mxr has it's switch mounted directly to the circuit board and it's a bitch to get off. and you'd have to find a new switch with the same type of connections. the one i posted won't fit.

the ehx probably has it's switch mounted to the board as well but i can't say for sure.

an external box really is much simpler.

like the rat?

this may be harder to find the pedal then the switch.

exhausted

no, i mean, don't bother modding the pedal itself, built a new box with the switch in it. then you can do the trick with whatever pedal(s) you want.

PearlJamaholic

exhausted wrote:

no, i mean, don't bother modding the pedal itself, built a new box with the switch in it. then you can do the trick with whatever pedal(s) you want.

is that hard? cause if im gonna build a pedal box couldnt i have both switches on it then? so i can have a constant on or just a temporary on.

exhausted

let me think about that one for a bit and how it would be wired if possible.

PearlJamaholic

i just want something thats simple that works. sorry that im making it difficult. give me too many options and i make a mess of it. no one should have said anything after stick this switch in a pedal.....

exhausted

you're not. the switch in the pedal is the simplest way. it's just that so there are so many variations in pedal construction.

ianvomsaal

So using a momentary A/B box with a Y-Cable is out??? It seems to me to be the easiest way to do this.
BTW - what's the problem with just switching a pedal on and off - isn't it just easiest to do that???

mccreadyisgod

One more option (just to confuse everyone):

You could put an effects loop pedal in your chain, wired to your distortion, and replace the switch in the effects loop pedal with a momentary switch.

Still, I like the idea of wiring in a 1/4" jack and using an external switch. It's the cleanest way to do it.

As for having both a momentary and latching switch on the same pedal, I don't see a way of doing that.

PearlJamaholic

ianvomsaal wrote:

So using a momentary A/B box with a Y-Cable is out??? It seems to me to be the easiest way to do this.
BTW - what's the problem with just switching a pedal on and off - isn't it just easiest to do that???

i really didnt understand how it works.

ianvomsaal

ianvomsaal wrote:

So using a momentary A/B box with a Y-Cable is out??? It seems to me to be the easiest way to do this.
BTW - what's the problem with just switching a pedal on and off - isn't it just easiest to do that???

PearlJamaholic wrote:

i really didnt understand how it works.

Which don't you understand???

Turning a pedal on/off??? Step on it, it's on - step on it again, it's off

The momentary A/B box - just run your pedal chain into the A/B box input - Now you have 2 outputs to choose from Output-A and Output-B. Connect the OD pedal to the B-output (or A) with a "small" cable - now connect one end of the Y-cable to the out on the OD pedal - connect the other end of the Y-cable to the A-output (or - now both those ends (A & combine down to one 1/4" end which you'll just plug into the next pedal in your chain - very simple. Basically this allows you to have the choice of 2-signals (one that bypasses the OD, and one that goes through the OD - this way you'll just leave the OD on all the time, but it's only active when you switch to it.

However, I'll say it again . . . isn't it simpler to just turn the OD pedal on when you want it on and off when you don't.
What’s the necessity of having the switch momentary???
You still need to stand over the box to hold it down while you play - just turn the OD on when you want it on, then when you want it off step on it again.

PearlJamaholic

ianvomsaal wrote:

Which don't you understand???

Turning a pedal on/off??? Step on it, it's on - step on it again, it's off

The momentary A/B box - just run your pedal chain into the A/B box input - Now you have 2 outputs to choose from Output-A and Output-B. Connect the OD pedal to the B-output (or A) with a "small" cable - now connect one end of the Y-cable to the out on the OD pedal - connect the other end of the Y-cable to the A-output (or - now both those ends (A & combine down to one 1/4" end which you'll just plug into the next pedal in your chain - very simple. Basically this allows you to have the choice of 2-signals (one that bypasses the OD, and one that goes through the OD - this way you'll just leave the OD on all the time, but it's only active when you switch to it.

However, I'll say it again . . . isn't it simpler to just turn the OD pedal on when you want it on and off when you don't.
What’s the necessity of having the switch momentary???
You still need to stand over the box to hold it down while you play - just turn the OD on when you want it on, then when you want it off step on it again.

ok i think i got it now. and i want it to only be on so i can play really fast but only have one chord distorted. its very hard to keep switching a pedal on and off and not miss it or mess the timing.

imagine playing lukin but only the E is distorted and having to quickly turn off the distortion before you got to D or C but have it back on before you played E again.

mccreadyisgod

ianvomsaal wrote:

The momentary A/B box - just run your pedal chain into the A/B box input - Now you have 2 outputs to choose from Output-A and Output-B. Connect the OD pedal to the B-output (or A) with a "small" cable - now connect one end of the Y-cable to the out on the OD pedal - connect the other end of the Y-cable to the A-output (or - now both those ends (A & combine down to one 1/4" end which you'll just plug into the next pedal in your chain - very simple. Basically this allows you to have the choice of 2-signals (one that bypasses the OD, and one that goes through the OD - this way you'll just leave the OD on all the time, but it's only active when you switch to it.

This is no different at all from using an effects loop with a momentary switch, and the effects loop would be a little easier and cleaner, although not by much. It would work, for sure.