Dual Overdrive switching.

[VolksWilliam]

I've got these two overdrives I'm trying to build into one box. Originally I was just going to have a bypass switch for both but I've changed my mind. I want to have 3 foot switches. One master bypass. One switch that switches between the two circuits. And one that runs through both of them. Sort of like an ABY box with the effects built in. How would I wire that?

Thanks for your help!

[rockhorst]

My suggestion would be to have each effect wired with its own stomp and use a 4PDT order switching setup to decide which effect is first. This will give you most the functionality requested with extra flexibility.

[Kipper4]

Sort of like an ABY box with the effects built in. How would I wire that?
Like an ABY but instead of jacks to send and return replace with effects.
And of course the True bypass for the whole lot.

[Mark Hammer]

My suggestion would be to have each effect wired with its own stomp and use a 4PDT order switching setup to decide which effect is first. This will give you most the functionality requested with extra flexibility.

All true.  However, are there players who want to be able to make order foot-switchable mid-song? Personally, I doubt it.  In which case, order-flipping can be done in two other ways. 

One way is what Truetone/Visual Sound has done with their dual units, and that is to have separate in and out jacks for each half, so the order can be repatched (as well as having external things, like an EQ pedal inserted between the two halves). 

The other way is to use a 3PDT toggle, and let the handle of the toggle indicate what the current order is (e.g., pointing to one set of controls indicates that side comes first).  That is not only cheaper than a 4PDT stompswitch, but will occupy less real estate on the chassis by both being smaller, and by not requiring space for indicator LEDs.

[VolksWilliam]

Sort of like an ABY box with the effects built in. How would I wire that?
Like an ABY but instead of jacks to send and return replace with effects.
And of course the True bypass for the whole lot.

I know how to wire an ABY switch for sends but what about for the returns.



Essentially something like this but like you said instead of jacks it would be hardwired to the circuits.

[VolksWilliam]

My suggestion would be to have each effect wired with its own stomp and use a 4PDT order switching setup to decide which effect is first. This will give you most the functionality requested with extra flexibility.

All true.  However, are there players who want to be able to make order foot-switchable mid-song? Personally, I doubt it.  In which case, order-flipping can be done in two other ways. 

One way is what Truetone/Visual Sound has done with their dual units, and that is to have separate in and out jacks for each half, so the order can be repatched (as well as having external things, like an EQ pedal inserted between the two halves). 

The other way is to use a 3PDT toggle, and let the handle of the toggle indicate what the current order is (e.g., pointing to one set of controls indicates that side comes first).  That is not only cheaper than a 4PDT stompswitch, but will occupy less real estate on the chassis by both being smaller, and by not requiring space for indicator LEDs.

I don't care about order switching. I just want to switch between them with one button and stack them with another.

[Mark Hammer]

My suggestion would be to have each effect wired with its own stomp and use a 4PDT order switching setup to decide which effect is first. This will give you most the functionality requested with extra flexibility.

All true.  However, are there players who want to be able to make order foot-switchable mid-song? Personally, I doubt it.  In which case, order-flipping can be done in two other ways. 

One way is what Truetone/Visual Sound has done with their dual units, and that is to have separate in and out jacks for each half, so the order can be repatched (as well as having external things, like an EQ pedal inserted between the two halves). 

The other way is to use a 3PDT toggle, and let the handle of the toggle indicate what the current order is (e.g., pointing to one set of controls indicates that side comes first).  That is not only cheaper than a 4PDT stompswitch, but will occupy less real estate on the chassis by both being smaller, and by not requiring space for indicator LEDs.

I don't care about order switching. I just want to switch between them with one button and stack them with another.

Gotcha.

One possibility is to simply situate a pair of stompswitches far apart enough that you can select them independently but close enough together that you can hit them both at once...if you want.  So, each switch is on/bypass for that overdrive, and A into B is simply stepping on both switches at once.  That also permits alternating from A to B or vice versa.  F'rinstance, A is on but B is not.  Now step on both switches and B is on but A is not.  That same switch arrangement allows you to have B on and stack A on top, or have A on and stack B after.

In essence it is simply the same thing as a dual loop-selector box, but with the switches placed a strategic distance to enable simultaneous stomping.  Were one to implement that, you'd want to be sure that both stompswitches were at pretty much the exact same height, and that they were mounted pretty close to the top of the chassis.

[VolksWilliam]

My suggestion would be to have each effect wired with its own stomp and use a 4PDT order switching setup to decide which effect is first. This will give you most the functionality requested with extra flexibility.

All true.  However, are there players who want to be able to make order foot-switchable mid-song? Personally, I doubt it.  In which case, order-flipping can be done in two other ways. 

One way is what Truetone/Visual Sound has done with their dual units, and that is to have separate in and out jacks for each half, so the order can be repatched (as well as having external things, like an EQ pedal inserted between the two halves). 

The other way is to use a 3PDT toggle, and let the handle of the toggle indicate what the current order is (e.g., pointing to one set of controls indicates that side comes first).  That is not only cheaper than a 4PDT stompswitch, but will occupy less real estate on the chassis by both being smaller, and by not requiring space for indicator LEDs.

I don't care about order switching. I just want to switch between them with one button and stack them with another.

Gotcha.

One possibility is to simply situate a pair of stompswitches far apart enough that you can select them independently but close enough together that you can hit them both at once...if you want.  So, each switch is on/bypass for that overdrive, and A into B is simply stepping on both switches at once.  That also permits alternating from A to B or vice versa.  F'rinstance, A is on but B is not.  Now step on both switches and B is on but A is not.  That same switch arrangement allows you to have B on and stack A on top, or have A on and stack B after.

In essence it is simply the same thing as a dual loop-selector box, but with the switches placed a strategic distance to enable simultaneous stomping.  Were one to implement that, you'd want to be sure that both stompswitches were at pretty much the exact same height, and that they were mounted pretty close to the top of the chassis.

Ya I've thought about that. Take into consideration my clumsy feet, a couple beers, and trying to play guitar a the same time, and now i am supposed to be switching from overdrive to distortion but all I did was turn my overdrive off and I'm doing a guitar solo completely clean.

[Kipper4]

This is unverified

it might work.
make the DPDT a 3PDT to add an led
make the SPDT a DPDT to add an led

[VolksWilliam]

This is unverified

it might work.
make the DPDT a 3PDT to add an led
make the SPDT a DPDT to add an led

Interesting. I wouldn't have a problem with only being able to use the Y in the B position. My thought was to run the switches more in a loop. So I would have to used 3pdt switch to change sends and returns to each circuit. The downside to that is the only way I can figure it would leave splitting the output of the circuits to 2 switches. So when disengaged the circuit output would be running to both the pedal output and a switch that in that position would not be connected to anything.

[Kipper4]

When switch A/b
A is on, B's output is grounded
B is on, the led lights up, telling you you can use SWY (A's output is floating, might be wise to include an output antipop R)


Bypass1-B Bypass2-B Bypass3-B is a 3pPDT true bypass with indicator led

Admittedly not the best looking schematic but I reckon it should work.

[Mark Hammer]

The absolute simplest thing would be to have A on any time the overall-engage switch is on.  The second switch simply stacks B on top of that.  Simpler, yes, but it loses the B-only option.

I was actually toying with a similar challenge last night.  After a number of mods, I finally managed to get the overdrive channel on my little Champion 110 sounding decent.  I also made a derivative of the Red Llama with more bottom, a smoother tone, and less gain, that I dubbed the Amber Alpaca (I only had yellow paint left for the chassis).  Stacking the pedal and the onboard overdrive channel sounds fabulous (to me at least); thick, sustaining, and chewy.  So there are the 4 tones: clean, pedal-into-clean, overdrive channel, pedal-into-overdrive-channel.  The channel switching on the amp is one footswitch in one chassis, and the pedal is, well, a different enclosure.  I want bypass (clean), drive A (pedal into clean), B (dirty channel) and A-into-B.  Sadly, like yourself, it can't be easily done with mechanical switches.

[VolksWilliam]

The absolute simplest thing would be to have A on any time the overall-engage switch is on.  The second switch simply stacks B on top of that.  Simpler, yes, but it loses the B-only option.

That would be easy. But I rarely use clean and want 3 drive options. I know. I'm picky.

[Kipper4]

This project is getting bigger.
So if there's a drive you leave on all the time maybe replace the input with the always on drive and use the switching to toggle between the other.
Anymore offers?
Your gonna need a big box to house that lot and switching too.

[VolksWilliam]

This project is getting bigger.
So if there's a drive you leave on all the time maybe replace the input with the always on drive and use the switching to toggle between the other.
Anymore offers?
Your gonna need a big box to house that lot and switching too.

Ya not exactly what I'm looking for. All I need is one bypass switch for the whole pedal. 1 AorB switch. And one A+B switch.

[Kipper4]

^That's what my diagram does

[potul]

I know this is not what you want to hear.. but  at a certain level of switching complexity, going digital really is the better way. I mean using relays or similar and a digital control.