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DIY Stompboxes => Building your own stompbox => Topic started by: Strategy on June 27, 2022, 03:40:15 AM

Title: Vintage TC Electronic - mystery footswitch!
Post by: Strategy on June 27, 2022, 03:40:15 AM
Got this fixer vintage (1st version I think) TC Electronic Chorus / Flanger / Pitch Modulator. Intermittent behavior likely culprit was this mostly disconnected footswitch that just crumbled when I touched it. It has only ONE wire and doesnt click, like a momentary. Is it an SPST? How on earth do I get the remains of it out of the enclosure, its completely sealed on somehow! Embarassed to say I've never encountered a switch like this. Challenging project...

(https://i.postimg.cc/sBTwpphK/20220626-151223.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/sBTwpphK)

(https://i.postimg.cc/wy3FF75z/20220626-151233.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/wy3FF75z)
Title: Re: Vintage TC Electronic - mystery footswitch!
Post by: digi2t on June 27, 2022, 06:12:49 AM
I have one, but I haven't messed with it much yet. If I'm not mistaken, it is a momentary latching SPST switch.

As for removing the remains, Dremel with a diamond or fiber cutting wheel. Cut back whatever remains from the inside, and the rest should fall out. You can work from the outside by cutting the nut, but nicking the top is a risk.
Title: Re: Vintage TC Electronic - mystery footswitch!
Post by: Strategy on June 27, 2022, 09:39:56 AM
Dino, thanks! a latching spst with only one pcb connectioon: think its getting ground through the enclosure?
Title: Re: Vintage TC Electronic - mystery footswitch!
Post by: duck_arse on June 27, 2022, 10:44:11 AM
can you post a photo of the board?
Title: Re: Vintage TC Electronic - mystery footswitch!
Post by: Strategy on June 28, 2022, 12:12:11 AM
Yeah duck_arse, here it is. Its actually a2-board sandwich. The light grey wire at the bottom of the pcb was the single point of footswitch connection. The schem shows the bypass with a ground connection, so I have to wonder if the original switch ground was to the enclosure.
(https://i.postimg.cc/CRMRkjgF/20220627-205709.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/CRMRkjgF)

(https://i.postimg.cc/Ny5LPBFS/TCchorus-A.png) (https://postimg.cc/Ny5LPBFS)

(https://i.postimg.cc/8fV55v4g/TCchorus-B.png) (https://postimg.cc/8fV55v4g)
Title: Re: Vintage TC Electronic - mystery footswitch!
Post by: digi2t on June 28, 2022, 12:53:55 AM
From the looks of it, the switch is indeed grounded via the case.

One wire only according to this trace....

(https://i.postimg.cc/Ppxdjpg2/SCF-Just-components.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Ppxdjpg2)
Title: Re: Vintage TC Electronic - mystery footswitch!
Post by: duck_arse on June 28, 2022, 10:47:31 AM
I was not expecting a board like that. what a mess.
Title: Re: Vintage TC Electronic - mystery footswitch!
Post by: digi2t on June 28, 2022, 12:26:20 PM
Quote from: duck_arse on June 28, 2022, 10:47:31 AM
I was not expecting a board like that. what a mess.

Always looks better when your beer goggles are on.
Title: Re: Vintage TC Electronic - mystery footswitch!
Post by: Strategy on June 28, 2022, 01:26:17 PM
It is a fluxy mess; questionable design decisions, but then what suprised me the most was the shoddy soldering. I spent a while just touching up really dodgy looking solder joints, though the failing footswitch connection was really the only clear break in continuity that I've found so far.
Title: Re: Vintage TC Electronic - mystery footswitch!
Post by: anotherjim on June 28, 2022, 01:44:16 PM
Flux! More Rosin is more Mojo. Just ask Vivaldi.
Title: Re: Vintage TC Electronic - mystery footswitch!
Post by: duck_arse on June 29, 2022, 10:29:11 AM
looks like Vivaldi did the layout, and the soldering.