SansAmp BDDI on/off switch problem

Jake of Bass · #1 12-27-2008, 06:48 AM

A few years ago I bought a SansAmp BDDI secondhand. I was told at the time the on/off switch is a little fiddly, as it's sometimes tricky to turn on or off.

As I always play with it on it never has posed a problem before. Might take a few goes to get it there but then it's solid as a rock afterwards. It's always been a minor little idiosyncrasy and nothing more.

However, just before it decided to turn itself off and I couldn't get it to go back on for about 10 minutes. As I've got a pretty big gig coming up in the new year I don't really want this happening on stage. Being electronically illiterate about the only thing I can safely do is replace the battery (lol).

Has anyone experienced this before?
Is there anything I can do to fix the switch?

gibsualdo · #2 01-30-2009, 10:11 PM

I've a similar problem with the first preset switch on my programmable BDDI. Sometimes it'll work with just one press, but sometimes it'll take as many as five to select that preset (although most of the time 2 or 3 will do it). I've had the Sansamp for about 2 and a half years and this started well over a year ago, but I've not had any problems with it turning itself off. I save the first preset for use on guitar, so I don't have to mess around trying to switch it in and out. For use on bass, I only use the second and third footswitches that still work perfectly.

Sorry, I've no idea how to fix the problem. I could've sworn though, that I saw a thread a while back about broken Sansamp switches and someone who managed to fix theirs. That's how I found this thread, but I've no luck locating the other one.

gibsualdo · #3 01-30-2009, 10:23 PM

Nevermind, seems I may have the answer to yr problem, Jake. Though I'm not completely certain, since this wouldn't address the issue of yours switching itself off.

I just opened mine up, and all I done was stretch the spring a bit, between the switch and the small pad on the circuit board. It works flawlessly now, just as the day I bought it. I guess somehow (excessive stomping perhaps), the spring got squashed a bit.

Give it a try and let me know how you get on. This honestly requires no technical know-how what so ever. Otherwise I'd never have managed it.

niftydog · #4 02-01-2009, 03:54 PM

On a lot of those types of footswitch actuators you can adjust the height of the spring actuator relative to the switch it actuates. You just loosen the top nut and tighten the bottom nut, effectively moving it downwards. Same thing can be achieved by doing what gibsualdo suggested.

The other possibility is a dodgy switch or a dodgy solder joint on the switch. Both should be relatively easy to fix for someone who knows what they're doing.

idResponse · #5 05-13-2010, 02:16 AM

Honestly... I love my sansamp a lot but i've just started having the same problem... That switch is the same button used in DOD pedals, the kind that FAIL RELIGIOUSLY!

I'm kinda pissed (pissed enough to reopen a thread that's a year old) that they'd use such a cheap switch mechanism. I will be installing my own high quality switch as soon as i figure out how to remove the existing actuator. I think it's going to end up being my dremel doing the talking here.

If anyone has any other threads regarding this let me know what they are.

Thanks!

Jazz Ad · #6 05-13-2010, 03:22 PM

I have used countless Tech21 pedals in rough conditions and never experienced a failure.
Is it a recent trend?

Jake of Bass · #7 08-01-2010, 03:11 PM

Re-reviving an old thread, I did a search and found one I'd already started lol.

I have a similar problem with my BDP. I haven't opened it up to stretch the spring but when the first channel is engaged it sometimes is a bit finicky and when it does work the LED is about half as bright as the LEDs on channels 2 and 3.

My guitarist said I just need to replace the switch. Do I just get one from an electronics store, and is this an easy thing to do?

spiker · #8 08-01-2010, 03:58 PM

I had this prob on my Sansamp Pbddi. I fixed it by holding the bottom of the switch, and twisting the top part. I think it gets loose sometimes from excessive stomping, but a bit of a twisteroony should fix it, it did for me anyway...

Jake of Bass · #9 08-01-2010, 04:05 PM

So you hold the part that is connected to the pedal and twist the part you stomp on?

The dimmed LED is a little concerning, a bit like the connection is failing a little.