Integrating a Slambox circuit into a bass's electronics?

[pauloman80]

I've got a guy who borrowed one of my SHO builds and fell in love with how it made his 5-string Ibanez sound.  Apparently the electronics cavity in his bass is plenty big enough for more components, and he wants to drop one of the SHO circuits into it with a toggle switch, pot & LED.  Two questions:

1.) Would this 3PDT toggle switch do the job?  It's an "on-on" switch, dunno if that makes a difference.

2.) I'm guessing the simplest way to integrate the circuit into the bass's electronics would be to run the SHO between the final output from the bass's electronics and the bass's output jack.  Yay/nay?

Thanks!

[jkokura]

First off - your link is broken, but I found the part.

1. Yes, that switch is the equivalent of the Stomp Switch we all use but in a toggle format. On-On simply means there are two setting, and it works that the middle lugs connects to either the 'top' lugs or the 'bottom' lugs depending on how you throw the switch. There are On-Off-On switches that have a middle setting which connects nothing, and also On-On-On switches that have a middle setting that connects in other ways. There are On-Off switches, which obviously connect things one way, and don't connect anything the other.

2. Yes.

keep in mind you need room for the battery. Also, it will CONTINUOUSLY drain the battery unless you find a way to connect your battery to the output jack of the bass. Chances are that it has a Mono jack in there, and you'll need a Stereo Jack to disconnect the Battery. Make sure you warn your friend profusely that once you've done the modification:

The warranty on the guitar is voided. If that matters he should have you build a pedal instead.

The Battery will drain as long as the Bass is plugged in. Even in bypass, you'll have to unplug the bass.

You CAN set up a switch for power to the unit, but it may also cut the signal of the Bass so using that to bypass the pedal may not be best... Not sure on that one, depends on how you wire it.

Jacob

[pauloman80]

Sorry for the broken link!  Took me a few tries to get the URL-linked text, every message board I go to regularly uses a different BB system and therefore does links differently.

Thanks for explaining that toggle switch!

He's already aware we'll need room for the battery, he's a builder/tinkerer himself, mainly does more guitar body-related stuff, i.e. shielding, re-routing, etc.  We can definitely swap out the output jack for a stereo.  He bought the bass used, but since he's already done work on it the warranty was voided anyway.  He usually unplugs the bass anyway, habit due to his other main bass having active electronics.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but as long as I wire it essentially just like a pedal I would think I'd be just fine, seeing as how the switch bypasses the circuit and lets the dry signal through on a pedal. 

Thanks, man!

[jkokura]

Yes, it will work just like a pedal if you wire in the switch and use a stereo jack to switch the power in the battery!

Jacob

[pauloman80]

Sweet, that's what I need to know!  Thanks!