Vintage Rat re-wire problem...3PDT switch...

[drew foppe]

Hey guys...
Well, I just recently found this forum and everyones posts have been extremely helpful!  :mrgreen:

Here is the problem I am having. I just re-wired my Vintage Rat pedal with a fulltone 3pdt switch so I could install an LED. The millenium bypass is sort of confusing for me...due to the fact that I have NEVER modified/altered ANY electronic devices in my life before this!  :shock: Instead I used that wiring diagram floating around this forum for wiring a 3pdt switch and an LED.

Believe it or not, I actually got the pedal to work with the new switch...even the LED works! I'm SO HAPPY!! I am just having a problem when I turn the effect off. It seems as though the effect does not completely go away. When it is off my tone is suffering quite a bit as well as my volume compared to when I'm not using the RAT. I must say that most of my effects are from Robert Keeley and Brian @ indyguitarist.com...I really respect those who have this electronic knowledge/imagination/creativity.

Being that I am probably the newest effects tinkerer on this entire forum I could truly use someone's advice and expertise! I know nothing about schematics...I have just been so interested in the whole DIY effects thing for the past year I thought I would just dive in head first and start taking apart some pedals. Now I just need help putting them all back together again...humpty dumpty syndrome!  :roll:

Thanks in advance!
Drew

[Mike Burgundy]

With a 3PDT, you get a DPDT for REAL true bypass, and an extra switch for the LED.
If wired correctly, this should *completely* take the pedal out of the loop, period. No tone-loss in bypass, 'cause there's nothing to lose to.
How'd you connect it all?

[drew foppe]

Mike,

I don't know how to post pictures on this forum, but here is the link to the diagram I used to wire my vintage Rat.

http://www.diystompboxes.com/sboxforum/viewtopic.php?t=18895&highlight=vintage+rat

I wasn't exactly sure where some of the wires from the circuit board were located...say for example which hole I needed to run a wire from cb to 3pdt for the ground. Whatever I did, the effect works, it just doesn't sound very good when I turn the effect off. Loss of volume and highs???
Like I said before, I'm just a guitar player who has decided to try and take on this new project of effects modification. I don't even know how to wire it back to stock...I would really like to keep the LED...just make it sound good when it is off.

Any suggestions you may have are greatly appreciated!!!  :wink:
Thank you,
Drew