HELP ME BUILD A LATCHING FOOTSWITCH!

[CARABAO]

hello guys! i'm a noob, and i've no electronics know-how.. i just know how to solder...

anyway.. i need to build a latching footswitch for my boss dual overdrive.. i dont have a footswitch for it right now.. and i think doing it myself would be really fun. i have already searched the forum archives for this, but i only ended up reading schematics that i can not understand. can you guys please help me step by step?

what materials do i need? will dpdt switches work here? 1/4 input? what and how many wires? which part to solder to which part? pardon me for not knowing anything.. but pictures/drawings may help.. thank you very much!

Cheers,
Greg

[zyxwyvu]

You probably just need a 1/4 inch jack and a latching spst (or bigger) switch. Connect the switch lugs to the two connections on the jack and it should work. I haven't used that pedal before so I can't be sure, but it's likely that's all you need.

[smallbearelec]

I may not be able to get you all the way, but maybe I can get you part way and save you some frustration. Based on this pic:

http://www.bossarea.com/loadpage.asp?file=boxes/sd2.xml

I'm guessing that this is a standard BOSS pedal, i.e., it does Not use a latching switch. You can confirm this by looking inside at the switch that the actuator presses. If the internal switch looks anything like this:

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=36

it's momentary. There is logic and transistor switching on the board that latches on or off in response to the contact closure.

i dont have a footswitch for it right now..

Meaning that you can't turn the effect on or off? If that's the problem, often just replacing that tac switch will get the pedal working again. The one I pointed you to earlier is the OEM replacement.

Regards
Steve Daniels

[zyxwyvu]

Do you want to replace the footswitch inside the pedal, or make a remote switch to plug into the pedal?

If you want to replace it, then the switch steve mentioned at small bear will probably work.

If you want to build an external switch, http://www.bossarea.com/loadpage.asp?file=boxes/sd2.xml mentions that it needs something similar to a FS-5L, which is a latching footswitch (http://www.bosscorp.co.jp/products/en/FS-5L/). Then I would go with a switch like this: http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=27. Just leave one of the SIDE lugs unconnected (given that my assumptions in my previous post are correct).

[smallbearelec]

I think I understand now...the effect in-out function works, but you want an external latching footswitch to plug in to do the lead/rhythm thing. The switch that zyxwyvu pointed to is also momentary and would not work for this. I can't be 100% certain without knowing exactly what the BOSS FS-5L provides (I could not download the manual, which might tell us) but my guess is that it's just a vacuum-cleaner switch. Try plugging a regular instrument cable into the control jack. Activate the effect. Then short the free end of the control cable. If the pedal changes mode while the control cable is shorted, you can easily make your own footswitch using a Carling 110-P:

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=28

[zyxwyvu]

I think I understand now...the effect in-out function works, but you want an external latching footswitch to plug in to do the lead/rhythm thing. The switch that zyxwyvu pointed to is also momentary and would not work for this. I can't be 100% certain without knowing exactly what the BOSS FS-5L provides (I could not download the manual, which might tell us) but my guess is that it's just a vacuum-cleaner switch. Try plugging a regular instrument cable into the control jack. Activate the effect. Then short the free end of the control cable. If the pedal changes mode while the control cable is shorted, you can easily make your own footswitch using a Carling 110-P:

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=28

Oops, you're right - that was a momentary switch. I got them confused in my head. The switch you suggested seems perfect.

[CARABAO]

Hey guys! thanks for the replies! i haven't gone back to the forum to check on it, and yes, i came back to research on footswitch building again. hehe. thanks thanks! oh by the way... with a normal footswitch that has 3 lugs, which one should i connect to the 1/4 input jack? does it require which lug position to connect to the jack? thanks!

[CARABAO]

woops! i got it. it's supposed to leave one the SIDE lugs disconnected thanks again guys! really appreciate it!

by the way, can 3PDT's work? or does it specifically require the 3 Lugged footswitch? thanks! are all X-WINGs momentary? i have seen X wings with just 3 lugs and another with 6 lugs.. the thing is, the only available footswitches here 3PDT's and X WINGS with 6 lugs. can i use either? thanks! (I'm from the philippines by the way)