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DIY Stompboxes => Building your own stompbox => Topic started by: XXISouthpaw on September 05, 2013, 05:48:05 PM

Title: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: XXISouthpaw on September 05, 2013, 05:48:05 PM
Hello folks, quick question,
I'm working on a Fuzz and octave in the same enclosure, with a BMP tone control, I was wondering if it'd be possible to wire the three sections of it so that a DPDT switch can switch between all three on at the top, just the fuzz and tone at one position, and just the fuzz on the third position. I think I've got a rough idea how to do it but i'm a little fuzzy (HA) with how to go about it or even if it's possible?
Cheers in advance for any help.

Chris.

EDIT:
it's a 3 position, On, Off, On switch I was planning on using. Not sure if that was obvious but I thought I'd mention it anyway.
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: GibsonGM on September 05, 2013, 06:36:04 PM
Nope, sorry.  Best you could get out of that is two, with no LED indicator.
There is a 4PDT switch available, which you could probably do what you are thinking of with.

OR - just get a normal 3PDT stomp switch, wire up the "two in one enclosure" method...then use your DPDT to switch the tone stack in or out by hand!!  That would work pretty well :o)

You DO have an input buffer/gain recovery stage on that tone control, right??
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: XXISouthpaw on September 05, 2013, 06:49:02 PM
I don't need LED's to indicate what setting it's on or anything, and I don't have a buffer, but was going to use a LPB1 & BMP Tone control layout.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KlSM3LfNH-k/UfwEPzszzLI/AAAAAAAACfw/y2_4IvfIMwc/s1600/BMP-Tonestack-w-LPB1.png)
would that be suitable yeah?
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: samhay on September 06, 2013, 06:41:39 AM
If you can short the input to ouput of each stage with agreeable results, then you can do what you want - this will depend on input/ouput impedances of each stage (which you can diddle with by adding series resistors if necessary) and is easy to try.
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: GibsonGM on September 06, 2013, 07:01:08 AM
Schematics are much, much easier to read and figure out than 'vero layouts', Southpaw.

I think you'll be able to monkey around with your switch, yes, but the results you get might be less than stellar.  You'll want to improve on it later, anyway...just 'tossing in series resistors' isn't as simple as it sounds due to changes in frequency response that can (and will) arise as a result of that.  Think of the NEXT stage, signal coming in, and also going back into the one you just shorted.  The correct way to 'kill' an effect is to completely remove it from the signal chain, requiring a switch on input AND output.  

"On off on" sounds to me like you have a "this or that" possibility with your switch, if you get my drift.  How many POLES does it have?  You probably have a double throw, center open...one or 2 poles.

Read:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switch (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switch)
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: samhay on September 06, 2013, 07:56:45 AM
Quote from: GibsonGM on September 06, 2013, 07:01:08 AM
Schematics are much, much easier to read and figure out than 'vero layouts', Southpaw.

+1. My earlier comment about shorting input/outs will likely work if you have buffered stages. If not, then the details matter (heard that somwhere before) and a schematic would be of some help.
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: merlinb on September 06, 2013, 07:59:57 AM
Quote from: GibsonGM on September 06, 2013, 07:01:08 AM
"On off on" sounds to me like you have a "this or that" possibility with your switch, if you get my drift.
He has a DPDT with centre off. "On Off On" mean double throw, with a centre off position. Otherwise it would be "On On" for an odinary double throw switch.

Post links to the schematics you are using and we may be able to figure this out.
Also, do you care what order the effects go in? Fuzz or octave first? Where did you want the BMP control to fit in?
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: XXISouthpaw on September 10, 2013, 02:52:48 PM
Hey, sorry for the late reply, I thought the topic probably got buried but I guess this board just moves pretty fast.
I've been using Vero layouts purely for convenience, but I'm starting to realise when I want to get more interesting projects they don't tend to be as useful.
The fuzz circuit I'm using is a Maestro MFZ-1, the layout is http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/maestro-mfz-1.html (http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/maestro-mfz-1.html)
The octave is a Green Ringer, layout is http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/dan-armstrong-green-ringer.html (http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/dan-armstrong-green-ringer.html)

I've kinda rethought what I want the pedal to do, I think I'd rather have the fuzz on all the time, and the octave on on one of the switches positions, and the octave and tone controls on the other position, is this more realistic?

Thanks for dealing with the noob questions, I'm in some need of some serious schooling when it comes to actually understanding schematics, rather than just being able to read them.
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: XXISouthpaw on September 11, 2013, 02:04:52 PM
(http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/4687/d127.png)

Excuse the messy diagram, but that's essentially what I was hoping to do, am I likely to run into any problems with this?
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: Jopn on September 11, 2013, 02:50:44 PM
In the "down" throw of your 3PDT, your output is going to be connected to:
- Your tone control (twice??)
- Your DPDT, which will either hook up to:
        -Your tone control (making a total of 3 connections between your output jack and tone control)
        - The octave section, which seems to have no source of input, which then connects to your tone control

I think you need to review how DPDTs/3PDTs work before going too much further down this route.
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: XXISouthpaw on September 11, 2013, 06:28:46 PM
Quick switch Diagram:

1  2
3  4
5  6

Am I wrong in thinking that a 3 position switch, in the upright position connects 1 & 2 together, middle position 3 & 4 and down position 5 & 6?

tried redoing the diagram, is it anywhere closer?
(http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/5754/hhv.gif)
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: merlinb on September 12, 2013, 03:56:44 AM
Quote from: XXISouthpaw on September 11, 2013, 06:28:46 PM
1  2
3  4
5  6
Am I wrong in thinking that a 3 position switch, in the upright position connects 1 & 2 together, middle position 3 & 4 and down position 5 & 6?

If it's a toggle switch then usually in the up position 3 & 5 are connected, and 4 & 6 are connected.

In the middle there are no connections.

In the down position 3 & 1 are connected, and 4 & 2 are connected.

(http://cdn.seymourduncan.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/DPDT-on-on.png)

If it's a slide switch then it might be different.
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: samhay on September 12, 2013, 04:26:54 AM
And with an on-on-on toggle switch in the middle position, either 1-3 and 4-6 will be connected OR 3-5 and 2-4 will be connected. Both options exist and you should check with a conitinuity tester.
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: XXISouthpaw on September 12, 2013, 02:31:41 PM
<Daft Question Removed>
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: XXISouthpaw on September 12, 2013, 02:47:45 PM
I think the penny just dropped, but one thing I'm still unsure about is this off position? Can I still use this position as a setting and have signal flowing without any other circuits?
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: merlinb on September 12, 2013, 03:15:38 PM
Quote from: XXISouthpaw on September 12, 2013, 02:47:45 PM
I think the penny just dropped, but one thing I'm still unsure about is this off position? Can I still use this position as a setting and have signal flowing without any other circuits?

Yes, you could arrange it so the signal is always connected and passing through the circuits, but flipping the switch one way or the other diverts (bypasses) the signal around one or other of the circuits, creating three combinations.
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: XXISouthpaw on September 12, 2013, 04:29:49 PM
(http://imageshack.com/scaled/large/835/wo5d.png)
That's what I'm thinking, but I still can't figure out how in the Off position the fuzz would be able to run into the tone? if I connect lugs 3 and 4, then connect lug 4 to the input of the tone circuit, would that not effect the other connections when in the up or down position?
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: merlinb on September 13, 2013, 04:16:56 AM
Quote from: XXISouthpaw on September 10, 2013, 02:52:48 PM
I've kinda rethought what I want the pedal to do, I think I'd rather have the fuzz on all the time, and the octave on on one of the switches positions, and the octave and tone controls on the other position, is this more realistic?

Yes, but what order do you want them in? From your diagrams I'm guessing you want: Fuzz > Octave > Tone, yes?
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: XXISouthpaw on September 13, 2013, 03:08:50 PM
Yeah, is there anything i need to fix from that diagram?
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: samhay on September 13, 2013, 04:56:29 PM
What kind of switch do you have - if it's on-on-on, which lugs are connected in the middle position?
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: XXISouthpaw on September 13, 2013, 10:16:35 PM
It's on, off, on, so no lugs are connected in the middle position.
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: XXISouthpaw on September 13, 2013, 10:22:06 PM
Pshhh, this is just starting to bug me now, just gonna use an ON/ON switch and have the tone and fuzz on all the time, thanks for the help anyway guys, apologies again for any non educated/daft questions.
Title: Re: 2 effects in one box question.
Post by: samhay on September 14, 2013, 05:02:34 AM
Have you considered a rotary switch?