Boss switches - anyone else have trouble with them?

kevteop · #1 01-10-2009, 11:36 AM

So I've re-organised my board a bit tonight and I'm left with an LS-2 being the master bypass for all my effects (because of the way I wanted to blend them). It's a good setup, sound-wise, but I don't trust the thing to actually stay on when I stomp on it.

On all my Boss pedals it seems to be pot luck whether the effect actually stays on when I take my foot off the switch. Any Boss users out there with any suggestions for improving the reliability of the footswitch?

Jimbob Jones · #2 01-10-2009, 11:54 AM

I've never had trouble with Boss switching. What are you using to power your pedals?

kevteop · #3 01-10-2009, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimbob Jones

I've never had trouble with Boss switching. What are you using to power your pedals?

I can't remember what they're plugged into... Either a Gator G-BUS or an unbranded 9V daisy chain. There's no power issues though, both supplies are fine. It's the switches that are the problem I'm sure.

The switch on my OC-2 is much worse, I often have to tap it with my foot half a dozen times to get the thing to stay on (I've started leaving it on and sticking it in a bypass loop!). The LS-2 is much more reliable but still doesn't always behave.

JustDavid · #4 01-10-2009, 12:04 PM

Could be the switch, the mechanics that hit the switch, or it's circuitry.If mechanics, you might find that a layer or 2 of thin tape can help. Onto the pedal part so it pushes the switch down farther.

kevteop · #5 01-10-2009, 12:17 PM

Maybe it's just dirt in the switches or something. When I stomp the LED comes on, but when I lift my foot often it just turns back off again. It's irritating.

CuticleThorns · #6 01-10-2009, 12:32 PM

I had a similar problem with my PN-2 for a while, but then it simply went away. It did temporarily come back and again the problem disappeared again.

Only thing I can suggest is to open up the battery compartment and manually turn it on and off with your finger, if its working fine like that then maybe you could glue a rubber foot (like what you get on the bottom of most non boss effect pedals) to the contact point of the pedal lid. Hope that makes sense!?

edit: if its dirt in the switch try some 'air in a can' to clean it up. If you don't have any I'll bring mine when I come for your BYOC 440!

kevteop · #7 01-10-2009, 12:46 PM

I hope by 'air in a can' you're not referring to the flatulence mentioned above.

I'll give them a few cycles tonight to see if they just need loosening up a bit.

I've pulled my board to bits again - I'm sure using an LS-2, a volume pedal and a bypass looper I should be able to set up a blendable wet/dry mix using the vol. pedal, but I can't figure out how the hell to do it...

CuticleThorns · #8 01-10-2009, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevteop

I hope by 'air in a can' you're not referring to the flatulence mentioned above.

I'll give them a few cycles tonight to see if they just need loosening up a bit.

I've pulled my board to bits again - I'm sure using an LS-2, a volume pedal and a bypass looper I should be able to set up a blendable wet/dry mix using the vol. pedal, but I can't figure out how the hell to do it...

ha no 'air in a can' is awesome, turn the can upside down and you have 'ice in a can'.

I have never seen flatulence perform such a feat.

Sounds doable, it'd go at the start of your effects send on the LS-2 right?

kevteop · #9 01-10-2009, 01:07 PM

Dunno!

I don't think it's going to work tbh. I need to figure it out for sure before I put my board back together though, because if I work out a way to do it once I've wired everything back up I'm going to be CROSS.

CuticleThorns · #10 01-10-2009, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevteop

Dunno!

I don't think it's going to work tbh. I need to figure it out for sure before I put my board back together though, because if I work out a way to do it once I've wired everything back up I'm going to be CROSS.

I was told the volume goes before the effect you intend to fade out; stick the volume pedal in the FX send of your LS-2 followed by a distortion pedal then FX return.

This way should yield the following (with dist pedal turned on!);

Toe down - Dist.
Little bit of heel down - less dist/clean
then the more heel down you go you move into normal 'volume pedal' territory.

This way your not faffing with your whole set up and if it works try more! If not get back to the drawing board.

kevteop · #11 01-10-2009, 01:25 PM

Nah, that won't work for what I'm trying to do.

Basically I need to be able to have either both channels of the LS-2 coming back fully wet or one of them coming back dry. I need more gear... Like usual.

CuticleThorns · #12 01-10-2009, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevteop

Nah, that won't work for what I'm trying to do.

Basically I need to be able to have either both channels of the LS-2 coming back fully wet or one of them coming back dry. I need more gear... Like usual.

Ahh ok I'm out then. Don't you just love weekends; this morning I rethought my pedal set-up then figured out how much its gonna cost me

plus Im trying to find a half decent P-Bass I can de-fret.

Oh and to top if off thanks to you I'm now sat playing along to sledgehammer.

Lindsay · #13 01-11-2009, 01:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevteop

The switch on my OC-2 is much worse, I often have to tap it with my foot half a dozen times to get the thing to stay on (I've started leaving it on and sticking it in a bypass loop!).

I have the same issue with my OC-2...

Swimming Bird · #14 01-11-2009, 08:31 AM

I had a similar problem with my PS-3. It gets better if you hit the stomps directly above the switch (near the top right corner of the stomp). Also, you want to hit it quickly but not too hard. Make sure the battery cables aren't interfering with the action of the switch.

bongomania · #15 01-11-2009, 08:50 AM

I find that disassembling the switch mechanism and spraying a little Caig Deoxit Gold in there solves the problem most times. PITA, but saves you the cost of a new pedal.

LarryR · #16 01-11-2009, 11:32 AM

I've had a problem with my GEB-7. It doesn't engage (or turn off) cleanly. I can't trust it.
But, in my setup the pedal is always on (in a loop with an Octave) so it wasn't a big concern.
On Bongomania's suggestion I shot the switch with contact cleaner.
Works fine now. No glitches. Thanks Bongo.

Preventative Maintenance: never a bad idea to go through all your connections with a good contact cleaner. Gets rid of oxidization etc..

kevteop · #17 01-11-2009, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swimming Bird

Make sure the battery cables aren't interfering with the action of the switch.

I've got the battery connectors taped down inside all my Boss pedals to avoid exactly that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

I find that disassembling the switch mechanism and spraying a little Caig Deoxit Gold in there solves the problem most times. PITA, but saves you the cost of a new pedal.

Yeah I should do that. Half-way through my re-wire I decided I'm shifting a few pedals and replacing them with an Octavius Squeezer. I've been putting it off because of the cost but I've realised the pedals it's replacing will pay for it.

So I'm going to stop stressing pedal order for now.

CuticleThorns · #18 01-11-2009, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevteop

So I'm going to stop stressing pedal order for now.

Surely its half the... fun!?

kevteop · #19 01-11-2009, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CuticleThorns

Surely its half the... fun!?

It's alright. I much prefer buying really expensive ones though.