Potential OCTAVATOR

[pstan3]

Hi All,

I am looking to add something a little more advanced to my guitar. I have a standard Fender Stratocaster, and I have added a cutout switch with great success. My next project however is to add another switch.

This switch, when on "OFF" will just play guitar properly, but when turned on, will instantly give the note 1 octave above its original. The problem is, I want to fit this INSIDE my guitar, and drill a hole in the pickguard to put the switch in. I was wondering if anyone could provide a possible solution, with a schematic, and wiring diagram.

In my infinately rubbish wisdom, i believe I would need a push-to-break button, and then instead of going nowhere, like my cutout switch, it would go around the potential "Octavator".

PLEASE PLEASEHELP!!!

[petemoore]

You could practice making the smallest octave ever...
 I would think you'd be wanting to have controls that you can access?
 and a momentary bypass switch.
 If you're good with space relations, or have access to CAD, you might figure a way to do it.
 Another thing to consider is a special guitar cable [with an extra conductor, or other remote triggering method] and a remote bypass...that way you can try different octaves, or other circuit chains, yet control the bypassing on the guitar....I've never actually read reports or tried this, I hope there isn't a big glitch like..isolating the switch current from the signal.
Anyway take a look at the Green Ringer, while I've been typing, I remembered this one has no pots. I'd work up the smallest perfboard I could [...], and see if I could fit the shape of that, and a battery in the guitar. Oh and the switch.
 I might not like the way a mechanical switch works for stutter use.

[Hal]

I did pretty much that same thing with a small preamp.   You can probably try to save some space by not using a 9v...it was hard to fit that in there, but i managed.  However, the point of hte preamp was to be able to plug headphones straight into the guitar, not for an "effect."    I would highly recomend you simply building the octave as a pedal...it'll cost a bit more, but save you a _lot_ of trouble...

also, im not sure what you're expecting, but most of the analog octave effects around here are octave/fuzz.  Can't seem to get a good, clean octave up effect.  Probably could find a way digitally...

well, good luck either way.

[StephenGiles]

A good clean octave up - I would say impossible.

[smoguzbenjamin]

What about Hemmo's 21st century Green Ringer? That had a relatively clean octave in some settings. What if you hard-wired it into that setting with a DPDT or SPDT momentary switch instead of normal bypass?

[leonhendrix]

i'm still new to building effects so you can ignore this suggestion if u want but the rambler is an octave pedal that only uses 5 components (2caps 2diodes and a LM386) and you probably could use trim pots instead of panel mount pots

[chumpito]

What about a simple transformer rectifier circuit.  A mini transformer and two diodes.  The diodes would drop the voltage some but it wouldn't need a battery.

[Ansil]

you can use a camera flash unit from disposable camera the transformer form it is a good small transformer.  and free..