Build Your Own Clone Message Board

What say ye, those of you who have tried it? Is it an improvement? Do you think it makes the build easier and less confusing. Or is it a step backwards?

I haven't soldered the new piece into the build yet because I'm waiting on the enclosure graphics/clearcoat to dry first, but I have the pcb populated and ready to install. According to the instructions I'll have some nut adjustment to do with the 3pdt to get everything lined up so that I can attach this small mini pcb to the main one with the pin hookup and then solder the switch lugs. Personally, this is a bit of a hassle. I would have rather just had the flanger build work like the new analog delay build worked.

Its not that bad at all. Once you try it you might change your mind. Unlike the delay and other builds, you cant quickly disconnect the switch from the board like you can with the new assembly. Less offboard wiring, the better IMO.

If you think adjusting the height of a nut is more of a hassle than jumpering solder lugs on a footswitch, you don't have to use the footswitch PCB and headers. You can still wire the footswitch up oldschool and connect the wires to their respectively numbered eyelets on the main PCB.

the biggest problem I can see it that.
if your a newbee at soldering you now have twice as much to do for the switch. (and those pins look close)
and it will make changing out the switch much harder. if you have a bad one!
I reciently built the OD2 and had a bad switch and with all the connection running thur the board it was a lot more
confusing to figuring this out.

I think if you put a plug instead of the head it would be easyer if the plug was bad.
also in you left the standard wire holes as well as the new head pin holes.
I'm not a newbe but most problems are around bad soldering this now makes it twice as likely.
please take this as constructive criticism.

Just keep in mind if it was a plug, it could loosen up and then you'd have no effect at the worst possible time (in hte middle of a gig let's say). Pedals need to be road worthy.

And correct me if I'm wrong (I haven't built a pedal with the new switch assembly yet) but aren't there exactly the same number of solder joints to make now as there were before?

I like it but I could see wrecking the switch by getting it too hot if a person is not careful.

I like it. It makes things quick, clean and easy. After hooking up who knows how many switches I can honestly say it's nice not to have to for once. The only negative I can think of is that it hampers the learning process (ie, what lug does what, and how to neatly and correctly solder those suckers)

I agree but what I want to know is when is basic too basic? With the new system there is going to be no learning of how the switch works at all. Plus I always enjoyed doing the wiring. Figuring out ways to run the wire neatly and pretty. In my opinion anyone can build a PCB, but the wiring is what separates the men from the boys. If you don't believe take a look at on of Dragonflys pedals

Just my $0.02 worth.

With SO many people having SO much trouble with their soldering I feel the new switch design is a step in the wrong direction. Just my $.02

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This is good I think;
Just fer instance, say a total noob (or some old guy with a caffine deficiency) solders the little PCB on up-side down (might could happen) and then they solder both parts of the connectors to their respective PCBs. Then they discover that there is no way that they can un-solder all 25 of those joints. They are going to have to use a new footswitch (assume that I, er I mean they, have plenty). The female connector on the main PCB has to be removed. Don't try to remove it in one piece. Much easier if you snip it apart and just remove the individual pins.

Wiring the PCB is pretty straight forward. I (they) will be using 4 wire solid core telephone wire from Rat Shak. It's the switch connections that I have a question on: You said 'old school'. Do you mean wire the switch like all of the previous ones? Do we jumper pins 3 and 6 together? And 4 and 9 also? The photo on page 21 of the instructions shows 3 and 6 connected. However there also appears to be a connection between pins 6 and 7 (and nothing between 9 and 4.)

So just tell me what pin-to-pin connections are made and I will write up a little post to help those who just might put the thing on wrong.

So helpful of me
Red

I just finished a British Blues OD (WOW! GREAT JOB BYOC ON A CLEAR, SINGING OD!) and although I like the set-up of the new footswitch and had no problem with setting the height of the nut on the switch- Holy crap are those pads on the 2x4 pin SMALL! I was having an issue getting my iron and the solder in position (my second build), it may lead to some poor solder joints and cold solder issues. It does make mis-wiring (if that's a word) the switch more difficult, but those solder pads are tiny!

I will have to post on the reviews about how much I really like the BBOD- makes my Analogman modded TS9 not sound as good (although it still has a place in my heart and board).

I'll be shallow and say that the thing I like best about it is how cool it is! Just the way it looks and fits in your hand and then fits together is really awesome. I kept coming back and looking at the whole assembly during my flanger build, dry fitting it, and thinking "man that's pretty awesome".

The little tiny solder connections were a bitch, and the flanger was my 20th build. I managed to bridge two of the pads and didn't realize it until I looked at it under a magnifying glass. That said, it was easy to fix with a desoldering braid since they are so small and board is such good quality. But looking at the crazy haphazard soldering on the boards of some of my first builds I can EASILY see totally screwing the pooch on those tiny little connections when I was less experienced.

But overall I think it's great...it's a huge time saver, and at a time in the build when I am pretty anxious to get the thing fired up. And now I know to just check those solder connections with a magnifying glass BEFORE I take the entire pedal apart 4-5 times trying to figure out what's wrong with it

I also just finished the British Blues. Fan-freakin-tastic sounding pedal!! Will there be a post page set up for it? Anyway, the new switch. I didn't like it mainly because of the microscopic solder points, it seems you have to solder twice as much to connect the footswitch, in moveing the PCB to make room for the switch, I busted the legs off the tone knob.
Of those issues, the main problem I have with the new switch is those pesky small solder points and the whole "Am I soldering 2 or 3 times as much to install this footswitch" thing.
But, THE NEW BRITISH BLUES PEDAL IS GREAT!!!!!
Once again, great job BYOC!!

Honestly, I hate it.

Upon much reflection, I'm going to have to vote against the new footswitch assembly. For me, a somewhat experienced solder jockey, I had no issues whatsoever. But after doing a lot of thinking and reading, I can completely see how those new to soldering are going to completely wreck the whole assembly, and flood BYOC with requests for replacement parts. I can see a newbie seriously melting the switch down trying to get the PCB soldering to the footswitch. To solder the header and plug on, I had to actually learn a new technique and angle for to get it done correctly. Not to brag so much, but I've been soldering for over 15 years, and I had to be a bit cautious here. The odds for a newbie to run into to trouble here are quite high. Don't hit, just my 2 cents.

This is a repair, not a build question, but is all footswitch. I have not tried this footswitch, but am looking for a replacement for Way Huge Green Rhino, the original has been stomped to death by a band or audience member during break. Is the BYOC switch a suitable replacement for the cheap Fujitsu 9 pin 3PDT originally used? If not, are there other suggestions? Soldering should not be a problem, as I am taking it to a pro tech.

The "BYOC SWITCH" is the standard 3PDT switch sold by PPP(banner below), Small Bear and others. It is indeed a better switch then the broken one.

+1

+ another 1

Another +1 on both accounts.

I for one liked the new assembly. I think it made the project a lot easier especially for my first project. Are all the kits now coming with the new footswitch assembly or just the newly released ones. Curious if anyone knows.

I hate wiring, so I LOVE this new foot switch. Though I have to say that as much as I hate wiring it is important to learn the in's- and out's of wiring and the new foot switch acts as a lazy mans treat. Bravo guys, but leave an option for newbies that want to walk before they run. I am very inexperienced at electronics, but after learning how to wire up a foot switch correctly I was able to research how to daisy chain 5 switches in one box from different DYI sites. SO, new switch..hell yeah, but it's downfall is the "learn the math or use a calculator effect".

I very much like the new assembly. I've only built one byoc pedal (tremolo 3.0), but I've made 'true-bypass' and amp switcher boxes, and can tell you, THIS design was completely painless and preferable. You DO need to be very exact with your soldering, but you should be anyway. All good!

Just finished the flanger (great sound!), and tried the new assembly. It replaces one 'complicated' aspect of building (wiring the switch, jumpering lugs) with another (tiny solder pads on the connector and huge holes to fill on the switch). The mechanical robustness of the connector worries me, the switch sticks out from the surface of the box more than I like, and it is somewhat more difficult to make modifications later as you have to remove the switch (and the pots, and the toggle) to access the solder side of the PCB. Of course, you could still wire it old school, but than you would have to struggle to enter your wire into the tiny holes meant for the connector. Personally, I can live with the new assembly, it works and it's fun to wire things in a different manner than I'm used to, but would prefer to wire it old style. Besides, if you can't wire a 3PDT you shouldn't be building the flanger in the first place

I just finished the BBOD, which is a truly fantastic pedal, and I really liked the new switch design. Sure the tiny pins made for a soldering challenge, but no more so than attempting to wire/jumper any other switch. I still plan on learning all the theory ins and outs of properly soldering a 3PDT switch, but I needed a little ego boost after feeling a pretty crushing defeat on my last build ... this one gave it in droves. The diehards can always forgo the PCB and wire as mentioned above, so I see this as a win/win design.

As an aside, this was also my first build with the new layout for the jacks -- this seemed a thousand times easier as well.