Danelectro Mini mods: installing True Bypass?

[mrsage]

I know people have posted similar topics before, but I'm relatively new to DIY stuff, so I was hoping for a bit more hand-holding on this.

I just bought a Tuna Melt, and I want to put it in a more sturdy box with a better switch and pots...What's the best way to go about doing this?

I gather that it's a DPDT momentary switch in there right now...Other posts I found have that their solution is to wire a jumper to make the circuit always on...then hook up a DPDT latching or a 3pdt to switch the circuit and battery on/off.

So my first question is: how do I figure out where to wire the jumper cable?

My second question is: how do I wire up the 3pdt? I true-bypassed a Green Russian Big Muff, but that seems to have been a different type of true-bypass mod than this one (since this switch is momentary).

So where should I start?

[mrsage]

Okay, so I gather that it's a momentary switch, and the easiest way to accomplish this may be to essentially make it a "true bypass loop box" type setup around the entire circuit.

I have a question, though...if I leave the effect "always on," will that drain the battery faster? Or is the battery usually drained at a constant rate whether the effect is on or off (as long as you have something plugged into the input)?

Finally, is there a way to hardwire the effect "on," or should I just leave the old switch intact?

[lightningfingers]

Did you notice inside the box, there are 2 pcb's? The first one (the one with the jacks on) is for switching and the associated circuit. There is a little plastic connector thingy that connects the leads rom the fx board to the switching circuit. You need to figure out which ones are effect in/out/ etc, and connect them to your mechanical bypass switch.

The existing switching circuit is built around a momentary switch (dont know how many poles/throws etc.), a 4053 and a 4013. The 4053 is 3 spdt switches in one package, and i'm guessing the 4013 is some kind of flip-flop circuit that changes state each time the momentary switch is pressed.

I think the battery drain will be constant wether you have the effect switched on or off, as the battery will still be powering the circuit as long as you have a lead in the input jack.

As far as commercial effects go, i think this one has a pretty good switching system, it doesnt tone-suck as far as im aware, i would leave it alone.

hih

[bioroids]

Does Boss or DOD pedals suck tone in your opinion? I know they're not true bypass but they're buffered just as the danelectros..

Luck

Miguel

[lightningfingers]

i dont have any exp w/ dod pedals, new boss pedals; no problems here, its after youve had them a few years things start to go awry.....now the CRYBABY thats one helluva tone-sucker..