Talkbox Switch

[ollelolle]

The upper cable which is striped is not to be a jack

[pinkjimiphoton]

this is your drawing, corrected.



i still would go for an amp rather than a direct box tho.

your schematic is still wrong tho. are you trying to send the signal to the talkbox and the pa at the same time?

[ollelolle]

Yes!
For a live performance, everything on the stage would eventually go into the PA-board, right?
I have understood how to build it now, and i am just waiting for my 3PDT switch to come by mail now
Thanks for your help

[ollelolle]

Ok, here is the schematic for a a/b switch with LED using a 3pdt...how will i do it without the LEDs but still using a 3PDT?

[pinkjimiphoton]

you don't need a 3pdt. all you need is a spdt, single pole double throw. much cheaper. save the 3pdt for an effect project.

but.... if you MUST use it...

you have 9 lugs. 3 sets of three.  the correct orientation is with each set of three terminals so the holes going thru them are vertical.

just wire as per my original diagram. common in center, talkbox on one side, speaker or whatever on the other.

that said tho, you're not gonna be happy switching between a direct signal and the talkbox. the talkbox will basically sound fine, as an amp is driving it. the direct signal will be with no amp, and no tone enhancement other than
your effect chain.

but, if you're determined to do it your way, it goes quite simply guitar>>>>effects>>>>a/b box>>>>output a talkbox/amp assembly
                                                                                                                                                             >>>>output b direct box>>>>pa.

[ollelolle]

Thanks for the help!
I will be using an amp after the switch too
But what do u mean about the soldering?
Mind making a schematic?

[Mike Burgundy]

I'm not sure I understand the question. The answers are all there, from a single SPDT (Single Pole = 1 switch, Double Throw = two options) to a 3PDT (3 switches, two options). A 3PDT is just three SPDTs coupled together, see PinkJims explanation of 3PDT anatomy above. If you switch the power amp output (which I'm always a bit apprehensive about, but as PJP said it's working just fine for a great many people including him) use his diagram. It's how Heil do their switching. Soldering is required for good electrical contact (as is good speaker cable, don't wire this with telephone wire ;P )

[ollelolle]

Ok, so I can do it like this? Just solder on any of the three vertical ones?

[Ben N]

Just thinking out loud, here: Wouldn't switching between the speaker cab and the talkbox give you some nasty switching transients--especially if it's a break-before-make type? Might it not make sense to wire a big ole wirewound R across the switch to bleed those away?

I wonder if a couple of L-pads in a panning volume pedal might not give a neat blending option.

[Mike Burgundy]

@Olle: correct.

[ollelolle]

Ok, thank you all....I don't thing it would be a transistion sound,
as it is a true bypass switch, and doesen't create noises in the circuit

[ollelolle]

But i might be wrong

[pinkjimiphoton]

Just thinking out loud, here: Wouldn't switching between the speaker cab and the talkbox give you some nasty switching transients--especially if it's a break-before-make type? Might it not make sense to wire a big ole wirewound R across the switch to bleed those away?

I wonder if a couple of L-pads in a panning volume pedal might not give a neat blending option.

nope, there's no transients or anything.
you really don't want to blend the amp and talkbox sound, as the amp will tend to overpower it. l pads are probably worse for your amp than the switch would be.

the original box i built decades ago originally was a 16r community driver rated for about 30 watts. originally i had a 15r power resistor in parallel with it to make an 8r load, but eventually i removed it cuz all it did was get hot. i also used to worry about frequency, so had a - i forget the value - non polarized cap in series with the input to block anything below about 500hz or so, but it was also overkill and i removed that, too.

live, i run a cable to a switch box from the amp's output (all hardwired in mine, the to/from cable and to talkbox as well all in the same box with the footswitch) then another back to the cab, and finally a third to the talkbox itself.

i run it right off the 8r tap of the output transformer, the difference in impedance is pretty negligible in this application. works great. i abuse it.
i've run it anywhere from 12 to 100 watts with no problem depending on the gig, with both ss and tube power amps for ...jesus...30 years.

so i'd say it's probably safe.

[pinkjimiphoton]

you're right ollie.
have fun, dude!

it takes a bit of practice to really get "on it"...start with vowels. fuzz will help with consonant sounds.

the big thing? DON'T FORGET TO BREATHE!!!!

it may just be me, but i tend to hold my breath while using mine, don't know why, cuz it's loud enough to mask breath sounds. <shakes head>

here's the talkbox i made back in 1982, still going strong:











you get the idea. 

[ollelolle]

Wow...that looks good
I made my box-cabinet from plywood,
and made it big enough to fit some stompboxes in the bottom,
and a 60w amplifier for the speaker in the talkbox

[pinkjimiphoton]

no cab for mine, it lives in a bota bag or whatever they call them things, lol!!

i use it live at gigs... too much work if not getting paid (yes, i am extremely lazy. )



60 watts should bark nicely!

[ollelolle]

Bugger...
my amp broke down yesterday...some bad capacitors...
so i had to deliver it for repair, so i wont be putting together the talkbox in at least a week...

[pinkjimiphoton]

no worries, bro. you'll get it together!!!   

[ollelolle]

Of course
But it will take some xtra waiting before trying the box