Willwork4food Posted March 13, 2009 Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 Anyone know where to find a schematic for a multi effects processor? All i'm interested in the the switching part of it. I've looked high and low on the net and can't find a thing. Any help would be highly appreciated!!! Thanks in advance add ROCK ON!!!! Darrell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted March 13, 2009 Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 Hi WW4F... Not sure I follow you...a switching circuit...for something particular, or for switching chains of stomp boxes as on a pedal board? Not the specialty here, but with some more info...maybe could be set in the right direction ~ pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willwork4food Posted March 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2009 i wanna take the electronics out of the guitar and out them on th floor. Problem is i can;t figure out how to do the switching, I'm lookinjg to use the "switch" like multieffects processor, but am having NO luck finding a schematic for one. When i step on one swithch i want the other switches to turn off. I don't knjow if i njeed to use digital switches, relays, or what not, which is why i'm trying to get my grubby little hands on a multi effects processor to see how they do it. Once i get that part figured out i plan on adding a switch to the guitar itself to switch between onboard electronics to floor board electronics. Any help is Greatly appreciated. You guys rock, and this forumj is a GOLD MINE of info!!!! ROCK ON!!!! Darrell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Hmmm...still not clear on what you want to do or if it's even practical at all...generally all these pedals and even the boss stomps effectively use electronic (ie digital) switching. It can be a tricky thing to understand and unlikely you'll see anything in an effects pedal. Generally it is a simple switch that triggers complex electronic switching in chips and transistors, they require power to run of course and multiple wires that might not like being extended to the guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
space_ryerson Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 I think I get what you mean. Back in the 90's there was a pickup switch by Starr Labs, which is similar to the type of switching you describe. There aren't any pictures, but here's some info. I wish I could find you a photo, because it was pretty decent looking. Also, Jerry Garcia actually buffered his effects through his guitar, and was able to switch them on and off via his guitar. There's some info here, including a wiring diagram. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billm90 Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 (edited) This is a very confusing post. Do you have individual pedals, or a digital effects processor, or willing to buy whatever it takes to work? You basically want buttons on the guitar that you can press a button and a predertimined set of effects are enabled or disabled? I once had a set of 5 buttons, one is always pressed down. when you press another one, the previous one deactivates. Similar to 1970's AM car radios presets. Maybe something like this? I have several processors. (I think these are the right names) Boss gt5 or 6, digitech GSP 21, blues one as well, DOD g7, digitech rp12. They all have foot pedals or built in switching. the button basically enables of disables a certain effect, or changed to another preset number. It is all computer controlled basically. I picked up a few cheap Zoom floor mounted pedals that do multi effects. I was thinking I would mount them in a guitar at some point, but they are only 2 button operation. so I could cycle presets only. But I am going off on another topic. Reply back if any of these points are on target and we will see if we can work something out with those of us here. I did an image search for starr labs and this came up. Edited March 20, 2009 by billm90 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billm90 Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 rereading the post over and over.... If you did have a pedal unit like an rp10 or 12. I think they just use momentary buttons. Perhaps you could parallel the wiring to the button in the floor board, run it to a 13 pin connector, put the same 13 pin connector on the guitar, and install momentary push buttons on the guitar, you would be able to change effects/presets with a guitar button press, or by floorboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Ross Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Are you talking about something like the Graph Tech Hexpander? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billm90 Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 (edited) Not so much. I see the 13 pin connector there The 13 pin connector is the only connector I know that would allow him to parallel wire in multi buttons. He could get 6 buttons working off it. Or he could make his own cable, but it would take a ton of wire to do so. or he could pair up tons of 1/4 mono cables. lol. Make a monster cable. Maybe midi would work with a 5 wire cable, but I dont know enough about midi, and I asume he would need some sort of computer in the guitar. I am trying to give him the simplist solution without causing major damage to something. As for the graphtech hexpander. I tried to make my g2k pickup versital on several guitars with piezo pickups in the bridge. I tried to use telephone cables and jacks. this way I had 4 wires per telephone cable. I used 2 for a total of 8. the g2k needs 7 wires. 6 leads for each string and a common ground. The idea did not work well, as I had noise and a bad signal. I dont think it was due to non shielded wire, but do to the pickups maybe needed a preamp on each pickup. Anyhow, the same kind of idea might be able to be used. Now I think sometime this weekend I will pull apart one of my digitec floor boards and take a peak at the foot switching. Edited March 20, 2009 by billm90 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
space_ryerson Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 I did an image search for starr labs and this came up. That's their ZTar, or whatever it's called. Starr Labs sells a drop-in replacement pickup switch to replace a standard 5-way, but has either 3 or 4 LED buttons that lit up when selected. The current price list has them at $50 for the 3 button, and $75 for the 4 button switch. I still have an old catalog of theirs somewhere in my parent's house. After some googling, I found some pictures. If you look at the blue guitar here, you can see the 3-button version. It probably just utilizes some logic switch chip, and could be DIY'ed, but it's out of my current grasp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 I think billm90 is on the right track...but it all seems very impractical and full of potential difficulties. Chief amongst these is switch noise from running current through a cable combined with switching currents alongside and a lot of cabling. Anyhow, the same kind of idea might be able to be used. Now I think sometime this weekend I will pull apart one of my digitec floor boards and take a peak at the foot switching. What you are likely to find in there is a very cheap momentary switch much like a computer keyboard switch (as used by Boss pedals) most likely on the circuit board. Basically you will have latching logic digital switching circuits activated by simple pulses when the switch is pressed. Conceivably you could perhaps have several cables for switches all going up to the guitar, monster cables and such, internal duplicate switching and stuff. A lot of work and modifications...as well as potential problems like noise and power supply issues. With the cost of digital effects what they are, you could (and it has been done) build a complete digital pedal right into the guitar easier than such a switching system...though this wouldn't provide remote control and still might need a power adapter. The perceived benefit of remote effect control is probably completely overcome by the complexity and costs of modifications, development and monster cables and internal power requirements. pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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