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Super Bassman Foot Switch... with LED?

#21
#22
TorontoAlex said:
Sub'd

I have the 100t (100 watt version of this amp), and the foot switch is really the only gripe I have regarding the amp. I don't understand why they used the large circular switch, as opposed to the a smaller one with an LED. While they were at it, Fender should have gave it a two-button switch with a mute on the second switch. That's the only thing that detracts from an otherwise stellar product.
Click to expand...

A mute would be nice Alex. But why would you want one at your foot when you could walk all the way to the backline to pull the knob? /sarcasm
 
#23
will33 said:
That works! :)

Honestly, with foot pedals like this, I'd be more concerned about it being physically durable and having a solid switch and a good clamp where the cord goes through rather than having lights. I can usually remember what it sounded like at the end of the previous song we just finished playing. :p

But if the OP wants lights, fine. Paul here explained how to provide them.
Click to expand...

Have you seen the switch that comes with the Bassman? Hardly what I would consider durable. And I wouldn't consider an LED on a pedal as something dangerously prone to failure.
 
#24
BassmanPaul said:
A standard LED can be wired across three series connected diodes, 1N4001 will do. The voltage drop across the diodes, about 1.8V, will allow the LED to light and the amp to see ground.
Click to expand...

Thanks Paul. If I can't find the schem for that Fender switch that Linnin has used, I'll start hacking away. I know how to wire up a switch, just not sure if this particular Bassman amp will even work properly with one... was looking more or less for anyone else that has had success before I waste any time. The switch I built for my Orange head switches channels and toggles LED on that head, but doesn't do the same on the Fender (only toggles the LED, not the actual channel)... which is why I posted in the first place. After a little research on Oranges, it turns out they use a fairly non-standard method of switching so I guess I'll rip a schem for the Fender and go to town.
 
#25
negativefx said:
Have you seen the switch that comes with the Bassman? Hardly what I would consider durable. And I wouldn't consider an LED on a pedal as something dangerously prone to failure.
Click to expand...

Haven't seen what comes with the new Bassmans but I have seen what comes with Hotrod Deluxes, etc. I assume they would use something similair on the Bassman, which I wouldn't exactly consider "durable".

You'd be doing yourself a favor by building yourself a better footswitch, even it's a clone of the same thing in a pro quality enclosure. If you want to add some led's, go ahead, it's your stuff.
 
#26
Its a little circle made of aluminum foil with a plastic base and a 10ft brown electrical cord soldered directly into the pedal. The switch itself is a momentary with no tactile feedback. It feels like stepping on a spring, not a switch. Its cheap junk that probably has a factory cost of $1.
 
#27
negativefx said:
Its a little circle made of aluminum foil with a plastic base and a 10ft brown electrical cord soldered directly into the pedal. The switch itself is a momentary with no tactile feedback. It feels like stepping on a spring, not a switch. Its cheap junk that probably has a factory cost of $1.
Click to expand...

That's even worse than I remember.

Whatever you do, (and it sounds like you know what you're doing), will be a huge improvement, even over the cheap, but not quite
"aluminum foil cheap" the new ones are.
 
#28
Seems a bit different to mine. Mine's the same circle & fig 8 cord :thumbdown: but the switch itself has a definite click & solid, clunky feel.
I just went & tried it then, but I've been using the Fender branded one that came with my 78 Studio Bass amp. Same shape, but typical for things made then, far more robust feeling lead-like a decent quality guitar lead- switch itself is black & is about 2x the weight of the new one.
 
#30
Thread necro but saves starting a new one for the same question ...

Anybody know if the SB supplies voltage out to the footswitch to light an LED?

I want to build or buy a small channel switching pedal with an LED indicator that I can mount on a pedalboard. Trying to work out of I need a 9 volt powered one or not?

For the record in view of earlier posts, why I want a pedal with an LED ... I run my SB300 on top of a single Neo 115 cab and usually have to stand about six inches in front of it on a crowded stage (stupidly big number of band members :D ), I can never see the LED on the amp without having to crouch down and risk wacking someone with my headstock, it's happened before. Having a quick noodle between every other song to confirm which channel I'm on is also frowned upon. :thumbsup:
 
#31
Answered my own question. Ran a cable out of the footswitch socket into a switchable A/B box (with battery powered indicator LED) which switched the amp channels back and forth, but the LED on the A/B box didn't work.
Plugged a second cable into output of the A/B box and measured no voltage on one channel, 15.5 volts on the other.
I guess that means I don't need a battery powered channel footswitch.
 

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