killswitch?

JamSpotHospital · #1 11-23-2010, 11:01 AM

Has anyone ever riged up a bass to have a button that completly cuts the power from the bass to the amp.
I'm having a buddi of mine install one in my nikki sixx epiphone bass I think its will be neat becouse the only
knob with the deep sixx pickups is to toggle between the pickups.just wondering if anyone else put a killswitch
in any of there basses and what their experiences were..

groooooove · #2 11-23-2010, 11:04 AM

yeah, its common and simple. one of my basses has one. its great to save battery when you just need put your bass down for a second (as well as to keep it quiet without having to turn off your amp.)

FunkMetalBass · #3 11-23-2010, 11:04 AM

I have a killswitch in all of my basses because I keep 4 plugged in on stage at all times.

Is your friend installing one similar to Buckethead's/Tom Morello's with a momentary switch? Or is it an actual on/off switch?

ZombieSpacebat · #4 11-23-2010, 11:08 AM

I haven't personally but a friend of mine did it to his "experiment bass" (he uses it as a test subject for mods and practice) and it worked fine even though there isn't alot of call for it in his style. Also the guy from the beastie boys has one that he uses at the start of gratitude. I'm surprised Justin from Tool doesn't have one, seems like the kind of thing he could make sound good.

here is the beastie boys song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl9he8AAqfs

pickle · #5 11-23-2010, 11:15 AM

How would you go about fitting one, is it between the pick-ps and the jack and can you do it to a passive. This sounds interesting.

FunkMetalBass · #6 11-23-2010, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZombieSpacebat

I haven't personally but a friend of mine did it to his "experiment bass" (he uses it as a test subject for mods and practice) and it worked fine even though there isn't alot of call for it in his style. Also the guy from the beastie boys has one that he uses at the start of gratitude. I'm surprised Justin from Tool doesn't have one, seems like the kind of thing he could make sound good.

here is the beastie boys song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl9he8AAqfs

I believe he has a Guyatone tremolo pedal, no?

Quote:

Originally Posted by pickle

How would you go about fitting one, is it between the pick-ps and the jack and can you do it to a passive. This sounds interesting.

Is this a question? I really can't tell. If it is, google "killswitch" and you can find a couple hundred different diagrams. It's entirely passive, and where you put it in your circuit is dependent upon your bass and the intended goal.

drnknmstr · #7 11-23-2010, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamSpotHospital

Has anyone ever riged up a bass to have a button that completly cuts the power from the bass to the amp.
I'm having a buddi of mine install one in my nikki sixx epiphone bass I think its will be neat becouse the only
knob with the deep sixx pickups is to toggle between the pickups.just wondering if anyone else put a killswitch
in any of there basses and what their experiences were..

I'm addicted to mine. I have one in my Nordy.

They're common in Foderas. I find them especially useful with 2 volume knobs so I don't have to do a bunch of turns.

mid_life_crisis · #8 11-23-2010, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZombieSpacebat

<snip> the guy from the beastie boys has one that he uses at the start of gratitude. I'm surprised Justin from Tool doesn't have one, seems like the kind of thing he could make sound good.

I am thoroughly confused. Isn't the OP talking about a switch to cut the signal going to the amp without unplugging the patch cable or turning off the amp?
How does that affect your sound (other than stopping it completely, that is)?

FunkMetalBass · #9 11-23-2010, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mid_life_crisis

I am thoroughly confused. Isn't the OP talking about a switch to cut the signal going to the amp without unplugging the patch cable or turning off the amp?
How does that affect your sound (other than stopping it completely, that is)?

If you wire it up to a normally-on momentary switch, you can use it as a quick tremolo effect like Buckethead frequently does:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ4DQHZEsIA

It doesn't alter your sound - it just cuts your signal.

mid_life_crisis · #10 11-23-2010, 12:06 PM

I never would have thought of that.

**line6man** · #11 11-23-2010, 12:07 PM

Killswitches are extremely common, though most people use latching switches to mute the output as opposed to momentary pushbuttons for stuttering effects.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass

If you wire it up to a normally-on momentary switch, you can use it as a quick tremolo effect like Buckethead frequently does:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ4DQHZEsIA

It doesn't alter your sound - it just cuts your signal.

You mean normally-open.
"Normally-on" would imply a normally-closed switch.

jumbodbassman · #12 11-23-2010, 12:10 PM

all my early fodera's have them. love em

FunkMetalBass · #13 11-23-2010, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by line6man

Killswitches are extremely common, though most people use latching switches to mute the output as opposed to momentary pushbuttons for stuttering effects.

You mean normally-open.
"Normally-on" would imply a normally-closed switch.

Sorry, yes, typo. Normally-open.

These super-late-night math/soldering sessions need to stop.

mid_life_crisis · #14 11-23-2010, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by line6man

Killswitches are extremely common, though most people use latching switches to mute the output as opposed to momentary pushbuttons for stuttering effects.

You mean normally-open.
"Normally-on" would imply a normally-closed switch.

Which is what he wants, I think. He's describing a way to break the connection to the amp. Normally closed would leave the connection complete until you pushed it, breaking the connection. I don't think it would be set up so you sink the signal to ground by pressing a normally open switch and closing the connection to ground, although electrically speaking there are good reasons for going that way.

mid_life_crisis · #15 11-23-2010, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass

Sorry, yes, typo. Normally-open.

These super-late-night math/soldering sessions need to stop.

So now I'm puzzled again. How are these things set up again?
You posted while I was typing my last entry.

onosson · #16 11-23-2010, 12:19 PM

Wouldn't it be easier to get one of those patch cables with a switch? I think PlanetWaves makes them?

**line6man** · #17 11-23-2010, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mid_life_crisis

Which is what he wants, I think. He's describing a way to break the connection to the amp. Normally closed would leave the connection complete until you pushed it, breaking the connection. I don't think it would be set up so you sink the signal to ground by pressing a normally open switch and closing the connection to ground, although electrically speaking there are good reasons for going that way.

When you do a killswitch, it is important that you short the output, because simply breaking the connection from the pickups/pots to the jack leaves an infinite output impedance, which can give you the "open guitar cable buzz." This short across the output would be achieved by "closing" a switch. If you are going to have a pushbutton switch, you want it to only "close" when you press it down, otherwise you would only have output when you hold down the button. This is why it would be necessary to use a normally-open switch.

**line6man** · #18 11-23-2010, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onosson

Wouldn't it be easier to get one of those patch cables with a switch? I think PlanetWaves makes them?

Not if you want to make stuttering sounds.

FunkMetalBass · #19 11-23-2010, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mid_life_crisis

So now I'm puzzled again. How are these things set up again?
You posted while I was typing my last entry.

If you're using a normal toggle switch, the switch either sends the signal through into the rest of the circuit, or it directs it to ground (killing the signal).

If you're using a normally-open momentary switch, the signal is constantly going through into the rest of the circuit until your press it down. When you press it down, depending on the switch setup, is directed to ground, or just cuts the signal path (leaving that loop line6man was talking about). However, they are spring-loaded, and the switch will pop back up after pressing it, restoring the original signal path.

Milothicus · #20 11-29-2010, 01:46 PM

it's good practice to put a small capacitor between the switch and the ground to avoid the 'pop' sound when you hit the switch.

when i did this in '04, i used a resistor instead of the capacitor, which seemed to work the same.

that way when you're switched 'off', then the amp still sees a resistance rather than a short. i don't think it will cause any issues with the short, but you're more likely to get the 'pop'.

here's my thread:

Kill switch wiring