Parralell or Series switching

[rjkanejr]

I am hoping someone can help me out with a schematic and building what I think is a simple pedal but I am having trouble thinking it through.  I believe that I can build a pedal that consists simply of jacks, switches and a few resistors and LEDs to switch between looping two pedals in series or in parallel.   Here is what I am trying to do.  I have two delay pedals and I would like to switch between running them in series or in parallel.  So the chains would be such, as examples, 

Ex1 - Signal from Looper pedal would split the input to two outputs - one going to one delay and the other to the other delay.  The delays would return to the pedal and the combined signal would then go out to other pedals/amp

Guitar -> Overdrive -> Looper|-> Delay1 |
                                        |              | -> Reverb -> Amp
                                        |-> Delay2 |

OR

Ex2  Signal from looper pedal would not be split but would go to delay one and then into delay two so that the first delay cascades into the second.



Guitar -> Overdrive -> Looper|-> Delay1 -> Delay 2 -> Reverb -> Amp

[Mark_McQ]

You should be able to use a diagram for doing this type of switching with pickups. It's the same principle with the wiring.

[k.rock!]

I'm working on a wiring diagram for you It has a main switch to go from parallel to series. 2 LEDs to indicate the mode, and as a bonus I'm adding a toggle switch to switch the order of the series configuration:  D1 into D2 or D2 into D1

Getting close! So I'll post what I have in a few hours


-Kaleb

[druz15]

I'm working on a wiring diagram for you It has a main switch to go from parallel to series. 2 LEDs to indicate the mode, and as a bonus I'm adding a toggle switch to switch the order of the series configuration:  D1 into D2 or D2 into D1

Getting close! So I'll post what I have in a few hours


-Kaleb

wow this sounds cool

[rjkanejr]

Kaleb - anxiously awaiting the diagram.  You rock!

[k.rock!]

Ok, I have not confirmed this so I can't guarantee it will work but it's a start

I kinda doodled this at work for u and if somebody takes a look and agrees this might work I can make it a lot prettier and show all the point to point in detail.

I used a 4pdt toggle to route the delays in series one way or the other. I noticed there are two lugs available which may be used for indicator LEDs if wanted.

Even though I don't show it there, ground all the jack sleeves to ground. Daisy chain them until u reach the ground lug at the DC jack.

Please feel free to comment, correct and suggest anything.

There may be errors/issues so feel free to call me an idiot

[rjkanejr]

Nice!  I think I follow all the connections.  I drew out a rudimentary diagram to think this through and I think that we could add two more switches to this.  One would be a bypass switch which would bypass both effect loops A (Send/Return 1) and B (Send/Return 2).  The second and third switches would be inserted between Send 1 and Send 2 after the 4PDT switch would can bypass (turn on/off) Effect A or Effect B.  Originally I was thinking that this would be great for running two delays but this might work great for someone who wanted to switch between other effects like say a Boost into an Overdrive or switching to the Overdrive into the Boost.  I would think that the switches would be aligned on the pedal with three closest to the user with stomp one (from left to right) being Effect Loop A On/Off, Total Bypass in the middle, and third stomp being Effect Loops B on/off.  The second row above would be Series/Parallel and the second stomp being Reversing the Series A -> B or B -> A. 

Question:  With all these switches, would there be any requirement for a buffer?  I wouldn't think so but I am not that skilled at this.   Would there be an easier way to do what I described without the addition of three more switches?  Could it be done using another method or fewer switches?

Would anyone out there be interested in anything like this?

[k.rock!]

I would simplify it by only adding 2 switches. One for bypass A on/off and the other for B. I would have them close enough that you can activate each individually but also press both at the same time (and by doing so you bypass all).

I don't think adding a buffer would be necessary. I think a physical layout for the footswitches would probably look like this (keeping the distances as short as possible)


(para./series)<---2.0"+/-0.5"--->(order)<---2.0"+/-0.5" --->(A byp.)<--1.0"+/-0.5"-->(B byp.)


-Kaleb                   

[k.rock!]

Or maybe like this to save horizontal space:

        LED                                                                  LED


(parallel/series)                                                    (series order)


                            LED                         LED


                       (A bypass)                (B bypass)

[rjkanejr]

I like it.  So this should fit in a 125B or a 1590B right?  Maybe add one more switch and one output for tap tempo?

I was thinking layout more like this.... Or were you thinking multi-colored LED for the series order?

       LED                                                         LED                LED
                                                                   A -> B            B -> A

(parallel/series)                                                    (series order)


                            LED                         LED


                        (A bypass)                (B bypass)

[k.rock!]

Yeah I was thinking 2-color LEDs. Some say they add noise. I have used color changing LEDs and in my case I corrected the noise issue with a cap in parallel with the LED. So if you wanna use a 2-color LED and you have noise, maybe this would be a solution. If not, then 2 LEDs would really work the same.

I like your tap tempo idea. This would be a very simple addition and very useful as well. I would think a 1590B would be ideal, if not, a 1790 might be better to accommodate the extra switch.

I love how a simple idea is turning into an useful beast. haha 

[rjkanejr]

SO I am trying to figure out the new diagram with the added switches.  DO you just use 2PDT switches for the Effects Bypass switches and wherever there is a lead that goes to Send 1 (for example) you snd that the the 2PDT common?  Kind of like such

1                  4
TO SEND1      FROM RETN 1
JACK             JACK

2                   5
SEND1           TO RETN1
(from other     (to other switches)
switches)

3                   6
Wire from this  Empty
pole to pole 5

[rjkanejr]

Interesting article from 1979 (http://hammer.ampage.org/files/Device1-7.PDF) "Generlized Series/Parallel Switching" on this very topic.  Intresting.

[k.rock!]

Very cool...I'll give it a read tonight Thanks for sharing.

Sorry I kinda dropped off the map on this thread. I've been very busy these days. I'll try to sit down and come up with a consolidated wiring diagram for all of this.

I think we have the basics down and collecting all the different posts here we can put something together. Definitely an interesting build and very practical. I was thinking the other day how awesome this would work with an Overdrive/Delay combination. Sometimes you wanna have the delay in the background to give your solos a little more space and dimension so a switch to place the delay behind the overdrive for that scenario would be great. Then switch it back for rythm and fills...

Anyways, I'll post something back as soon as I can sit down with this

Thanks!

-Kaleb

[rjkanejr]

I agree.  I think it works for a variety of situations.  Reverb in to Pitch Shift for that Shimmer effect or Pitch Shift before Reverb.  Chorus into Delay or Delay into Chours to modulate the delay if you don't have built in modulation on teh delay pedal.  Boost into Overdrive or Overdive into boost.  Mostly I think it would be used for dual delays though.   The design could be worked into a looper.   True Bypass looper with this as an option along with Tuner out, buffer, etc.   Thanks so much for your time and effort on this!