I have a Digitech BP-8, and sometimes when I step on the foot switches that normally change programs, nothing happens. It takes several steps, or I have to hold down the switch. Now, I’m having trouble finding anyone in town who can fix this sort of thing, and I’m wondering how feasible it is. Isn’t it just a wiring/soldering matter, and anyone who works on electronics should be able to address it, right?
Once upon a time, guitar geeks and/or electronics geeks could open up a stomp-box and take worn-down potentiometers or jacks or switches down to Radio Shack and find replacement parts of equal and sometimes superior quality. Now? There’s at least two other threads around here about Radio Shack going out of business and how they seem to have stopped carrying much in the way of hobbyist electronic parts long ago. Plus everything seems to be more discardable – built not to last – as a means of keeping the money flowing.
So, yeah, you could probably still find a guitar or electronics geek who can pull apart your FX pedal and tell you what’s wrong and what to replace. But then it might not be worthwhile to order the replacement piece from Digitech or the other on-line parts people. The shipping cost will far exceed the cost of a single piece – if they let you buy a single piece (because at those low prices, you might as well get them in bulk even if you don’t expect to use the rest…)
You might try taking it to a store that deals in guitars & pedals, but they will probably encourage you to just buy this newer model with better features…
–G
Get offa my instrument cable!
It is just a matter of soldering, but the parts are very small.
Since Digitech is still around, I’d contact them first to find out what they’d charge to replace the switch. They’re probably the most expensive option, but they’re most likely to have the part.
If they’re no longer servicing that pedal for some reason: In Dallas, I would take anything of this sort to Terry Slemmons, who runs an amp/guitar/pedal repair business. He’s had enough experience that he can usually tell me whether he’s likely to be able to fix something when I bring it in the door, and whether it would be worth the cost. If you’re not worried about keeping it 100% original, almost everything can be fixed.
In all likelihood, it’s a bad solder joint - even if it isn’t, that is the very best place to start. If the switch is directly connected to a printed circuit board, the odds of it being a bad solder joint approach 100%.
If there is a “hacker space” in your town, that is a great place to learn how to solder. It’s a very useful skill, and you can learn enough to fix bad connections in an hour or two. If the switch is directly connected to a printed circuit board, the odds of it being a bad solder joint approach 100%.
Lemmy -
I’d assume you’d know this already, but just in case an interim/quick fix is to disassemble the pedal then spray this stuff or similar all over and into where the switch body is.
Switches oxidize and so stop being reliable, and this sort of cleaner sprays chemicals on the contacts to try to fix that problem by dissolving the oxidized gunk. This is similar to how old radio volume controls would ‘crackle’ when you turned them, because oxide had built up inside the potentiometer.
Not disagreeing with squeegee but I’ve always sprayed in WD-40 and never had a problem with it. I’d be leery of finding an open Radio Shack any more, let alone if it would have any cleaner spray.
I can’t say for sure WD-40 is bad (and hasn’t been for your cases), but when I worked in TV/VCR repair I know that the techs used the cleaner spray. I’d stick with that if you could find some online - but I wasn’t a tech and am just sorta guessing here.
I sometimes cleaned the pots by myself - but usually in cases of controls on receivers and such. It’s very easy to do and pretty satisfying as it usually worked (for scratchy sounding audio). It’s one of the easier things you can do, but I have no experience with pedals.
If gaffs is right about the solder joint - you should be able to tell as if you open it up and put pressure on/near the movable parts - it should intermittently work. Also there is another type of spray (forget the name) that basically makes stuff VERY cold when you spray it on. This helps find intermittent solder joints sometimes as well.
This is probably fixable by even relative amateurs.
WD-40 is just very light oil; it might work, but actual contact cleaner is a solvent. You don’t need a Radio Shack, just search Amazon for “Contact Cleaner”.
(And, yes, that search will reveal “WD-40 Contact Cleaner” which is not actually WD-40: it’s a solvent sold under the name “WD-40” because marketing.)