Latch vs. Momentary Mod

[fu22ba55]

I'm not an effects guy, so bear with me.

Assuming I can access it, is it possible to modify most pedals from latch to momentary, simply by replacing the switch?

For example... if I ripped open an MXR Carbon Copy, could I replace the latch swtich with a momentary for "sudden" and temporary delay?

I like the idea of the EHX Freeze, but it's too smooth. (it tapers the beginning and end of the loop.)

I remember the old Boss Digital Delay having a "hold" function, but it took forever to grab the note. I need something quicker than that.

Is this possible, or are most switches integrated with PCBs nowadays to prevent such a thing?

 

[kugelspot]

I don't see why not. I've toyed with the idea of doing that mod to a distortion pedal for fills and stuff

 

[Eric!]

Just make sure you get the right KIND of momentary switch. Some default to being open when not pressed, some default to being closed.

 

[fu22ba55]

Thanks.

And I presume I'll have better luck with MXR-style (ka-CHUNK) switches & pedals, rather than those propreitary BOSS plastic switches?

 

[kevteop]

I've thought about doing this before but I figured a better idea would be to put a momentary switch into a mechanical bypass loop pedal, so you could plug it around any pedal. Only issue I could see would be delay "tails" getting cut off.

 

[fu22ba55]

I've thought about doing this before but I figured a better idea would be to put a momentary switch into a mechanical bypass loop pedal, so you could plug it around any pedal. Only issue I could see would be delay "tails" getting cut off.

Right... I'm looking into something like this right now:

http://www.loop-master.com/product_info.php?cPath=33&products_id=204

But I'm curious how easy it would be to just mod each pedal. The advantage to the loop-master pedal is that it's pedal-agnostic. Would work with any pedal(s).

 

[Herr K.]

I've thought about doing this before but I figured a better idea would be to put a momentary switch into a mechanical bypass loop pedal, so you could plug it around any pedal. Only issue I could see would be delay "tails" getting cut off.

Couldn't you just wire it so both the bypass and the FX out are always going to the output, and the switch just chooses where the input goes?

 

[kevteop]

Couldn't you just wire it so both the bypass and the FX out are always going to the output, and the switch just chooses where the input goes?

I don't know. I think you would need some... electricity... where they join. Y'know, purposeful electricity that knows what to do.

I'm not very technically-minded.

 

[fu22ba55]

Couldn't you just wire it so both the bypass and the FX out are always going to the output, and the switch just chooses where the input goes?

Plenty of guitar folks will use a volume pedal with a dedicated loop so they can pick and choose what they send to their effects... they'll send a bunch of notes into a delay loop a la The Edge or Bill Frisell and let them die off naturally... and they can still play over them with their clean sound.

But if you don't mind chomping the ends off the delay, or cutting it out abruptly, a momentary loop should work.