DIY 3-Button Footswitch, Assistance Requested!

[RobinC]

Hi there! I'm planning to build a 3-button footswitch for my Shuttle 9.0. The GB pedal is huge and expensive, and I would like to nix the mute button in favor of saving space and because I use the mute function of my tuner to kill my signal. I would like the footswitch to have three buttons for the tone controls of the amp, a LED indicator for each, and a DC power jack for powering the LEDs. I know where to find the basic parts but I am not experienced with electronics. I would appreciate any help, such as wiring schematics and such. Thanks!

[RobinC]

The GB Shuttle footswitch looks like this: Genz-Benz Footswitch for Shuttle 6.0 and 9.0: Shop Bass & Other Musical Instruments | Musician's Friend

[RobinC]

And I expect to get most of my parts from here: Pedal Parts Plus, Inc.

[vin*tone]

Well... you're probably not going to save that much money really. Each 3PDT footswitch will cost you about $15......, case, leds, Midi connection (?), delivery of parts. You're probably looking at a minimum of $60 there. You'd need to get the schematic from Genz or get a midi connction and use a bit of trial and error to figure out which pins do what.

I'd save yourself the bother and buy the unit.

* wow the parts are pretty cheap there..... scratch that.

[RobinC]

I have been putting together a shopping list for parts that I know I will need. So far, I have:

Enclosure: $7.00
Switches: $4.70 (x3)
LEDs: $0.25 (x3)
LED Bezel: $0.65 (x3)
DC Power Jack: $1.25
DIN 5 Pin: $2.99

Which comes out to ~$30.00 so far. But the real point here is to have it all in a smaller enclosure, something that will fit on my mini pedalboard nicely.

[agedhorse]

Just a head's up that we don't support modifications and any damage that it may cause to your amp. From the parts that you list, you don't understand how the switching circuits work. The LEDs are part of the logic/level shifting and must be included in the various switching paths.

I suggest that you start with a factory footswitch, you may even be able to find one used from a forumite for less than you think. You also left off the cable from your BOM. The factory footswitch comes with the cable. You can NOT use standard MIDI cable.

[vin*tone]

There you go...Straight from the horse's mouth.... So to speak

[RobinC]

Originally Posted by agedhorse

Just a head's up that we don't support modifications and any damage that it may cause to your amp.

Hey, nice to have a GB professional in on the conversation! I appreciate the heads up, and I have no intention of modifying the amp itself- only attempting to modify/build a footswitch.

Originally Posted by agedhorse

From the parts that you list, you don't understand how the switching circuits work. The LEDs are part of the logic/level shifting and must be included in the various switching paths.

This is only a partial parts list... partial in the sense that these are the things I know I'll need/want on my finished product. But you're absolutely right, I have no idea how this stuff works. Like I said, I'm new to electronics so this is a learning project for me. Thats why I love the forums, they are full of people who know way more than I do!

So just to clarify, when you say the LEDs are part of the logic/level shifting, are you talking about the GB footswitch or the amp itself? I was assuming that the GB footswitch contains some kind of circuitry that allows the user to select the signal shaping circuits that are housed in the amp itself... is that way off the mark? If that is the case, this project would attempt to recreate the selection circuitry and I'm assuming most of the parts not on my list now are the essential ones in building these circuits.

Originally Posted by agedhorse

I suggest that you start with a factory footswitch, you may even be able to find one used from a forumite for less than you think. You also left off the cable from your BOM. The factory footswitch comes with the cable. You can NOT use standard MIDI cable.

Thus far I have had little luck finding a used footswitch, but I will keep my eyes open. As far as the cable goes, I had assumed I could order one from GB or find one elsewhere.

[Never_grew_up]

Buy the $99 foot switch & repackage it in a smaller enclosure.

[agedhorse]

Originally Posted by Never_grew_up

Buy the $99 foot switch & repackage it in a smaller enclosure.

This is the best option IMO.

[agedhorse]

The LEDs in the footswitch are an integral part of the switching logic of the amp.

There is more going on than just a switch, and how it's wired is important to the reliability of both the amp and the footswitch. It's not a beginner project, and I would hate to see you with a damaged amp.

[RobinC]

fair enough.