Stomp switch in an external enclosure?

[tweaked]

Is it possible to put a 1/4" jack in place of the stompswitch so you can use a standard external stompswitch to bypass the effect? I'm thinking of just a basic external footswitch like for changing between 2 channels on an amp. How would something like that be wired (meaning, how would you wire the 1/4" jack in place of what would normally be the stompswitch on the pedal?)

[Meanderthal]

 You wouldn't, not unless it's a spst switch you're replacing, maybe even momentary. You're trying to stuff 4 (or 6)thru 2... Would require electronic switching, or a DIN connection or other 'snake' system.

[Harry]

The original EA Tremolo had a jack for footswitch which bypassed the LFO.

[tweaked]

OK then instead of "replacing the stomp switch" how would you make a bypass jack for an effect assuming you're building the effect from scratch?

[zyxwyvu]

Two ways I can think of:
a) Use electronic switching triggered by something like an spdt connected through a stereo 1/4" jack.
b) Make a separate bypass box (in/out/send/receive), and connect send/receive to the effect.

[orgaqualia]

Relay.

[Processaurus]

I did that with this pedal, using the geofex 4053 based electronic switch.  It wasn't as hard as I thought, some of its complexity was made up for by not having to wire up a 3pdt, and its cool if its a pedal that has controls that you want to twiddle a lot, so you can put it up on a table or a stand.

Interestingly its a very  simple mod to make any comercial pedal that uses electronic switching (boss, DOD, digitech, danelectro, etc) remotely switched, just run wires from their momentary stomp switch out to the tip and sleeve of a jack, and connect an external momentary switch that connects the tip and sleeve.

Otherwise you could always use a true bypass box.

[Mark Hammer]

There are essentially 3 categories of remote switching:
1) The remote switch electronically actuates the "true" switch situated in the main unit.
2) The remote switch directly changes signal paths and wires out to the remote carry audio.
3) The remote switch is used to ground out something, which could be either audio or some other signal.

#2 is the trickiest with respect to maintaining audio fidelity since long cable runs make it suceptible to picking up noise and hum, as well as losing audio bandwidth due to cable capacitance.  One is also limited to the number of contact sets on the switch itself, whereas with #1 a single switch closure can be used to electronically actuate multiple relays/FETs/SS-switches or gates etc.  #3 is regularly used with many guitar amps for cancelling either reverb, tremolo, or both - all you need to do is ground out a given signal and the audible effect disappears.  The effect is never really bypassed, as such, nor the audio signal path changed, but grounding reduces the audible effect so much that it is effectively cancelled.  However, because the wire being grounded is still connected to the audio path, you still need to be careful about shielding it properly so that it doesn't act like an antenna for hum.

Obviously, since it carries audio, #2 is the remote switching approach you want to keep leads shortest for so as to maintain bandwidth and minimize acquisition of audio garbage.  Conversely, since it does NOT carry audio in any form, #1 is the one where you can tolerate the longest lead lengths.  Although there is likely a point at which the reliability of the circuit's performance may come into question, you can probably sink a little hole for a mini phone jack in any Boss or DOD pedal and run a cable from the pedal to a remote momentary switch (paralleled with the onboard switch) and stick the pedals themselves offstage at most venues other than arena-sized stages.