Any alternative stompswitches?

[markeebee]

I guess I'm a little bored of the standard metal-button stompswitches that we all use, plus I can't help feeling that their price is artificially high.

Just wondering if anybody has found a robust, cheapish, simple alternative switch??

I know that this question has been posted before (probably) but I'm struggling to find anything. 

Thanks!

[joegagan]

rg outlined the brilliant method used by visual sound in a thread here a few months ago. they use a momentary tho, not sure if you want to go that route

if momentary is ok , there also the elevator style vandal proof types, they look cool as hell but i have heard they are expensive.

soulsonic posted this at facebook tonight, his new design:

[Rectangular]

having just shelled 10 bucks out for two  DPST's , I can't help but agree that the prices feel artificially inflated. I  used to be able to get them for around 3 bucks each...

the closest thing I've found usable, in terms of durability is 250v toggle switches.

[Processaurus]

rg outlined the brilliant method used by visual sound in a thread here a few months ago. they use a momentary tho, not sure if you want to go that route

if momentary is ok , there also the elevator style vandal proof types, they look cool as hell but i have heard they are expensive.

soulsonic posted this at facebook tonight, his new design:

Those switches look cool, but a tad shallow... I bought some vandal proof switches recently (with a LED lit circle around the actuator), but they are just a bit too shallow, so something wide, pressing on the switch, like a foot, doesn't always reliably click it.  Thinking about it, almost every vandal proof switch will be like that, to be less likely to be damaged by people hitting them with bassball bats and swords and firewood logs.

[Mark Hammer]

EHX used soft touch push switches on some of the Russian pedals, like this Big Muff:

The soft touch bush-button switches with the "caterpillar legs" like you'll find on old tape decks and stereos can make pretty decent stompswitches.  One of the nice things about them is that they are essentially latch-and-release, such that their status is indicated by whether the button/cap is close to the chassis or stick out more.  Obviously not as visible from a distance as a status LED, but if you don't need long-distance visibility they can work fine.  I have one on an Anderton Bi-Filter follower I made for myself.  They work great, are dirt cheap, come in many different pole formats (though more poles means a longer switch) with many different cap choices, and give just enough click to provide suitable tactile feedback.

Their chief shortcomings are that:

1) They often require more depth than a stompswitch, which some commonly-used chassis can not provide.
2) Mounting is more complicated than a stompswitch.  These need to be secured via a bracket that gets screwed to the chassis, or via a PCB that is secured in some fashion.
3) The cap has to be able to move freely through the hole in the chassis, like a piston, yet not have any room to wobble sideways.    This means that your mounting system and switch hole have to line up flawlessly.

[jacobyjd]

I've been tempted for a long time to try using one of these:


They're pretty deep though...plus, I think they're MORE expensive than 3pdts

[Mark Hammer]

The sub-sub-mini PCB-mount push-button switches that Steve Daniels refers to as "bypass-on-board" are neat in both the idiomatic sense (neat!!) and space sense (compact).  You can pick them up for well under $2@ (and probably much less from the right place).  I gather these are the very sort of switches used on those more recent-issue MXR pedals that have pushbuttons situated to the side of the controls.

Their shortcoming is that I've only seen them in DPDT, they do not give visual feedback of status the way the soft-touch switches do, give precious little tactile feedback, and the choice of buttons/caps seems to be more limited.  They CAN be used with the actuators that Steve sells (which look like stompswitches from the outside), and I've used one of them in my personal Great Cheddar pedal.  Works fine, though.

[jkokura]

Not cheaper, but perhaps if you could take his method and learn from it..

http://www.buildyourownclone.com/board/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=24609

Jacob

[Top Top]

I salvage the power switches from old stereo components whenever I can...



That one isn't mounted very well (just one screw), and I don't know if I would trust giving it to anyone else to literally stomp on (I am careful), but for free, it works.

[Taylor]

Not cheaper, but perhaps if you could take his method and learn from it..

http://www.buildyourownclone.com/board/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=24609

Jacob

This is basically a relay controlled by a microcontroller. You would need to program the mcu in order to make this, which is a fairly large project for a DIYer. A simpler way would be a regular discrete relay driver (see Geofex) but it doesn't really work out cheaper than the $4 3PDTs at Pedal Parts Plus.

[slacker]

That's not really a solution to the problem either is it, you still need a decent rugged switch to stomp on.

[earthtonesaudio]

Robust, cheap or simple: choose any two.


Robust and cheap: see lots of stuff on GEO, like the "pancake" switches

Cheap and simple: step lightly

Robust and Simple: open yer wallet