DIY Pedal Questions

[bluehevy75]

I want to take the active electronics out of a G&L 1500 (that I'm not using) and use them to make a pedal that I can use with my other basses. I have a couple of questions below. I'm open to other suggestions everyone might have.

Questions:
1. What is true bypass? How do I create it when making my pedal?

2. How will the parallel/series switch act with other basses plugged into the pedal or should I not use the parallel series switch?

3. What is the best place for me to go to in the Chicago area for parts or what is the best place to order online?

Thanks everyone..

[Tomass]

Sounds like a lot more work than its worth, seeing as most preamps are used to boost the signal from the pickups. It may end up being to much of a hot signal. Another thing you have to think about is how to wire up a input jack to match the circuit. The parallel series switchs would be another tricky customer to get working correctly.

[bongomania]

First, go to diystompboxes.com, generalguitargadgets.com, geofex.com, and other DIY sites for a wealth of information on the subject.

True bypass is phrase used to sell pedals. People argue incessantly about what is "true" true bypass. The easiest, most obvious way to do it is to use a 3PDT switch. Again, read up in the DIY sites for more on that subject.

The parallel/series switch is completely and totally useless outside of your bass. It controls the wiring of your pickups.

A good place for parts online is smallbearelec.com .

[ehque]

Originally Posted by bongomania

The parallel/series switch is completely and totally useless outside of your bass...

unless you wire your bass and pedal in stereo.

[bluehevy75]

Those websites were super helpful thanks.

Anymore thoughts on wether or not this pedal that I'm trying to make will actually work? It made sense to me at the time but maybe its a bad idea.

[ChrisBowsman]

You're not the first person to make an outboard device from an onboard preamp. Ty Tabor (guitarist from King's X) pulled the preamp system from an old Fender guitar and put it in a rackmount box, and used it as you would use any preamp.

Before you get into that, look at what you want to use it for. Is it just to boost the signal? If so, you might be better served by a clean boost pedal, like Seymour Duncan's pickup booster, or one of the other clean boosts (I mentioned the Duncan coz it's cheap and sounds good).

Of course, if you wanna do this coz you like the DIY route, by all means, fire up the iron and have at it A guy over on the Duncan forum made an awesome 3 channel rackmounted preamp out of something like a Mesa Boogie V-Twin, an Ibanez Tube Screamer and a Duncan pup booster.

Before you concern yourself with True Bypass, check out Pete Cornish's opinion on it:
http://www.petecornish.co.uk/case_ag...ue_bypass.html

[niftydog]

My feeling is that it would not be worth devaluing a perfectly good bass for this purpose and the results are likely to disappoint you. I would consider making a preamp from the many schems (and possibly kits) out there already.