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Modifying Amp Circuit to Make Effects Footswitchable?

Started by dumb, November 14, 2012, 11:41:02 AM

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dumb

As a couple of you saw, I posted looking for recommendations on a new amp. I'm intrigued now by a couple pieces I've seen available used locally - a Fender Ultra Chorus and a Peavey Special Chorus 212. My only concern with either one is that on neither amp are the chorus and reverb functions both controllable via the footswitches. (The Laney LV looks promising online, but I haven't found one available locally and I'm a believer in "try before you buy").

This isn't a deal-breaker at all - in between songs, I can go "old school" and, you know, use the amp knobs, and if I need to change settings a lot mid-song, I can get a pedal to take care of that. However, if I were to find a reliable, reasonably price way to render both reverb and chorus independently footswitchable, then why not?

So that's my question - is there a way to modify the circuit on a solid state amp to render certain effects footswitchable?

If this is a stupid question, please go easy on me; the only amp work I have ever done was to replace a blown fuse once. I wish to apologize in advance for my ignorance.

EDIT: I think that on the Fender Ultra Chorus, the chorus effect is controllable via footswitch while the reverb is not. I might actually have that backwards, but I know that at least one of the two is not "footswitchable."

Again, if this isn't doable, then I'm happy taking either unit as-is. It just seems most practical to be able to turn onboard effects on or off the way one would turn an effect pedal on or off.

ozzu2000

Well, I got a little orange amp that didn't even have an overdrive switch, the aren't any mods available online, so my only chance is to buy pedals. I've seen many ideas, but any of them is worth messing with the amp :P

If those amps have on the controls an on/off switch for the effects it could be tweaked just by adding a relay that would be remotelly operated by a pedal...

If there isn't a switch, I'd say don't touch them! (and even if there is a switch, I think it would be safer to just buy an amp that already has a pedal input ;) )

joecool85

You can add remote switching to a circuit, just a little bit of work that's all.  I never got around to doing it, but here is a thread all about how to do it on a Dean Markley K-20X.

http://www.ssguitar.com/index.php?topic=1855

Most small amps will be very similar if not identical in function.
Life is what you make it.
Still rockin' the Dean Markley K-20X
thatraymond.com

Enzo

ANY controllable function can be controlled remotely by a footswitch.  It is simply a matter of adding in a switching element like a relay or a JFET, and arranging some support circuit to control that, then mount a jack and plug a footswitch in to turn the control circuit off and on.

In the case of a relay, you would need to tap into one of the power supplies.

Some things are really straightforward, others more involved.  Labor costs what it costs, I work by the hour.   Parts wouldn't likely add up to all that much, the footswitch itself would be the most expensive part after labor.

What do you consider reasonable cost?  If I were to remote a reverb for example, I'd expect it to cost about $100.