Any idea how to build a true bypass into pedals?

[Da LadY In Red]

Hey, I have a guitard buddy of mine who is really into DIY and wants to build some true bypasses on his pedals (big muff, Dunlop wah, Boss CS-3, Boss SD-1, Boss AW-3, etc) any idea how to do it?

I googled the idea and found people adding something along the lines of this http://pedalpartsplus.com/mm5/mercha...egory_Code=SWI and that was about it... Is it really that easy? Help, please?

[roflol]

kinda

[bongomania]

That's the switch you need, but there are two other complications:

1) The existing switch in those pedals is not "self contained", you can't just swap out the switches. The actual switching is done in a chip on the circuitboard, and the existing footswitch just controls that chip. So in order to true-bypass the effect, you have to find the places on the circuitboard where the signal enters and exits the switching chip/circuit, and attach the new 3PDT switch to those points.

2) There is often no place to securely attach the new 3PDT switch, so you have to do something like drill a big hole in the exiting switch-stomp plate and put a block of wood under it so it becomes an immobile holder-place for the new 3PDT. Even then, some Boss-type pedals don't have enough room under the existing switch to install the 3PDT. The only way around that is to use a relay-based electronic true bypass circuit instead of a 3PDT.

[arai]

Originally Posted by bongomania

That's the switch you need, but there are two other complications:

1) The existing switch in those pedals is not "self contained", you can't just swap out the switches. The actual switching is done in a chip on the circuitboard, and the existing footswitch just controls that chip. So in order to true-bypass the effect, you have to find the places on the circuitboard where the signal enters and exits the switching chip/circuit, and attach the new 3PDT switch to those points.

2) There is often no place to securely attach the new 3PDT switch, so you have to do something like drill a big hole in the exiting switch-stomp plate and put a block of wood under it so it becomes an immobile holder-place for the new 3PDT. Even then, some Boss-type pedals don't have enough room under the existing switch to install the 3PDT. The only way around that is to use a relay-based electronic true bypass circuit instead of a 3PDT.

what he said.
an other option; can wire the circuit to always on then rehouse it with a 3pdt switch

[niftydog]

Integrating true bypass in boss pedals is not a trivial process.

...and TB is over rated, IMO.

[musicelectronix]

Probabily ordering a looper pedal would be overall less expensive (damage risk), more convenient and your pedal will still have its resale value.