need a certain pedal

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 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!

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.