need a certain pedal

PearlJamaholic
PearlJamaholic Posts: 2,019
edited January 2008 in Musicians and Gearheads
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.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • exhausted
    exhausted Posts: 6,638
    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
    mccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    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.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • exhausted
    exhausted Posts: 6,638
    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
    mccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    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!
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • exhausted
    exhausted Posts: 6,638
    i'd rather use a secondary box but yep, simple mod depending on the pedal.
  • ok whats a dpdt?

    im so gonna make this pedal.
  • mccreadyisgod
    mccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    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.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • mccreadyisgod
    mccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    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.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • exhausted
    exhausted Posts: 6,638
    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
  • can i throw a switch like this in a boss pedal? i have a boss pedal and dan electro fabtone just laying around.
  • exhausted
    exhausted Posts: 6,638
    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
    ianvomsaal Suncoast, FL Posts: 1,224
    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
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  • exhausted
    exhausted Posts: 6,638
    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.
  • 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
    exhausted Posts: 6,638
    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.
  • 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
    exhausted Posts: 6,638
    let me think about that one for a bit and how it would be wired if possible.
  • 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
    exhausted Posts: 6,638
    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.