SWITCH-CRAFT (got any creative uses of switches?)

[Feral Feline]

Does anyone have a schematic for a switcher to take a pedal out of an FX loop?

My use case is the HX FX- I want to have my gain pedals in the loops, but want to be able to run them stand-alone with a button press

Post in thread 'SWITCH-CRAFT (got any creative uses of switches?)'

Aug 19, 2025

Further to the above-mentioned GGG Translocator...

In the GGG documentation the LED-switching is done on SW1a. However, I've put the LED-switching on SW1d, and bumped the other poles over. If I'd kept to GGG's poles, then my SW1's lug numbers would've matched up as well.

Since I've already numbered everything and laid it all out, I'll ditch the GGG's switch-lug numbering and stick to my own numbering for that;
here's my version of the GGG layout:



Again, that perspective thing.

GGG has used the terms LOOP SEND (Jack 6) and LOOP RETURN (Jack 5) more or less as the main IN...

• Feral Feline

• 

GGG's Translocator should do the trick. SCHEMATIC PDF
Also check this out, all the deets are here:

Effects Order Switcher | General Guitar Gadgets

generalguitargadgets.com

I believe you want APPLICATION #5 ( link to PDF)

 

[DGWVI]

Post in thread 'SWITCH-CRAFT (got any creative uses of switches?)'

Aug 19, 2025

Further to the above-mentioned GGG Translocator...

In the GGG documentation the LED-switching is done on SW1a. However, I've put the LED-switching on SW1d, and bumped the other poles over. If I'd kept to GGG's poles, then my SW1's lug numbers would've matched up as well.

Since I've already numbered everything and laid it all out, I'll ditch the GGG's switch-lug numbering and stick to my own numbering for that;
here's my version of the GGG layout:



Again, that perspective thing.

GGG has used the terms LOOP SEND (Jack 6) and LOOP RETURN (Jack 5) more or less as the main IN...

• Feral Feline

• 

GGG's Translocator should do the trick. SCHEMATIC PDF
Also check this out, all the deets are here:

Effects Order Switcher | General Guitar Gadgets

generalguitargadgets.com

I believe you want APPLICATION #5 ( link to PDF)

Close, but not quite what I'm wanting. I basically want to take the HX out of the chain, leaving only the dirt.

I feel like I've seen something that could do that previously (think it was used on a delay) but can't seem to find it on the googs

 

[Feral Feline]

Close, but not quite what I'm wanting. I basically want to take the HX out of the chain, leaving only the dirt.

I feel like I've seen something that could do that previously (think it was used on a delay) but can't seem to find it on the googs

Well that changes everything... and maybe nothing. I still think the Translocator can do what you want, but you'd have to jump some jacks.



I beat my brains trying to come up with a solution, but as is often the case, it turned out to be much simpler than I initially thought.
I think it can be done with a 3PDT stomper — 2 poles for the switching and one for the A/B-indicator LED.
Here's a block diagram of sorts:



It's always quite possible I've missed something, such as having the HX LOOP SND loading down the guitar's pickups when bypassing the HX's input...

I'm certainly no rocket-appliancest, please point out whatever I did wrong.

 

[jwin615]

I think you could potentially have some weird loading issues.
Also, any time based fx on the hx will bleed over. Might be cool as a tails option, but if you flip back to the HX, there's the reverb/delay from the last riff ...

I was thinking on this early today but couldn't gather my thoughts.
I think your want to switch the dirt in and out to amp too.
You could also do it with two poles by taking the dirt out to the amp. It would only bypass post fx loop effects, but that may be a good thing too.
So, one pole to switch dirt out to return/second switch
On pole to switch HXour/dirt out from previous pole.
Then you could still use tuner compressor etc at the HX and have an indicator.

 

[Feral Feline]

I thought the idea was to get rid of the HX completely when running just dirt.

To include the HX Post-DIRT:




If you do get some loading, use a 4PDT instead of the 3PDT: 2 Poles for switching as per diagram above, 3rd pole to isolate the HX LOOP SND or wherever it's needed; last pole for LED channel-indicator.




PS:
@DGWVI


I don't see how there'd be any bleed-through now, with the 4PDT.

 

[DGWVI]

Well that changes everything... and maybe nothing. I still think the Translocator can do what you want, but you'd have to jump some jacks.



I beat my brains trying to come up with a solution, but as is often the case, it turned out to be much simpler than I initially thought.
I think it can be done with a 3PDT stomper — 2 poles for the switching and one for the A/B-indicator LED.
Here's a block diagram of sorts:

View attachment 106378

It's always quite possible I've missed something, such as having the HX LOOP SND loading down the guitar's pickups when bypassing the HX's input...

I'm certainly no rocket-appliancest, please point out whatever I did wrong.

Awesome, thank you!
I need to clear the jobs on my bench, then I'll give this one a go. If needed, I'll throw a buffer in

I thought the idea was to get rid of the HX completely when running just dirt.

To include the HX Post-DIRT:

View attachment 106381


If you do get some loading, use a 4PDT instead of the 3PDT: 2 Poles for switching as per diagram above, 3rd pole to isolate the HX LOOP SND or wherever it's needed; last pole for LED channel-indicator.




PS:
@DGWVI

View attachment 106383
I don't see how there'd be any bleed-through now, with the 4PDT.

Yes, I'm wanting to completely remove the HX from the path (tails are fine, but I don't use delay or reverb anyway)

 

[Feral Feline]

One last one for you @DGWVI:



This one almost entirely isolates the HX, save for the dirt hitting the return-loop of the HX — which could be eliminated if you go to a monster-toggle 4PDT that you can flick with your toe, downside being no LED indicator.


I look forward to seeing what you end up implementing (buffer etc).

 

[Feral Feline]

Well, this sort of fits with the theme of the thread — unusual switchery-craft...


See gull, see gull scream, mimic seagull, mimic seagull screams... post some seagull memes...









DO IT! DO IT FOR JONATHAN LIVINGSTON!

 

[PauloB]

WHAT!? How can I possibly have never known about this before?!

I've just tried it and it's excellent!

Well, this sort of fits with the theme of the thread — unusual switchery-craft...

See gull, see gull scream, mimic seagull, mimic seagull screams... post some seagull memes...


View attachment 106918


DO IT! DO IT FOR JONATHAN LIVINGSTON!

 

[PauloB]

On a much more prosaic level than electronically-backwards wah-gulls, and returning to the original theme of a repository for handy switch wirings, I always find that when I want to do a little series/parallel switching, I have to scout around for the wiring plan. So here's one:

 

[Feral Feline]

Parallel-resistors switch was already covered, IIRC, but bears repeating...

The GRUBB-SWITCH:

Thread 'Switching between multiple resistors'

Apr 22, 2022

I'm playing around with the Six String Stinger circuit at the moment, planning out a few potential mods. Having learned this week that this OD/boost pedal has absolutely nothing to do with a very clean high headroom boutique tube amplifier - which is obvious on reflection - and is instead built on the platform of Jack Orman's Minibooster, I am thinking through what I can tinker with to get different sounds out of the circuit. One of the ideas I'm considering is to increase the level of overdrive by decreasing the value of the source resistors on each miniboost stage (there are two in...

• Grubb
• Replies: 10
• Forum: General Questions

• 

Key items from that thread:

Sub out the caps for resistors or clipping diodes or...

 

[Feral Feline]

An old-thread came up on my recent-radar, so if you've run out of PedalPCB order-switcher boards,
you can still flip-flop the order of a combo build — just hand-wire up a 3PDT or 4PDT ...

Post in thread '3PDT Order Switch Wiring'

Mar 29, 2026

​

U​

B

p​

M​

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My knowledge may have improved since this thread's nascence ...

• Feral Feline

EDIT: It has been brought to my attention, by the esteemed Jimilee, that hand-wiring instead of using breakout-3PDT-boards might be less prone to circuit-oscillations (due to breakout-boards' close-proximity of traces).

Even hand-wiring, I prefer to run the IN and OUT on opposite poles of a 3PDT with the centre-pole pulling LED-indication duties. Keeps those signals as far apart as possible, unlike the other bypass methods that shunt the bypass-LED to the third-pole.

 

[mckillacuddy]

Or set up two effects loops for a miggity multi-function Translocutioner! Your layout is easier to read though

 

[Feral Feline]

Some XLR bypass toggle thingy...

Post in thread 'Wiring a 4PDT for balanced pedal True Bypass'

Apr 13, 2026

I couldn't see a way to include the LED, though there may be a way known to some-clever-body.







"1" is simply connected to ground, of course.


There are multiple ways to wire switches. For example you could group the "TO EFFECT"s together (and the "FROM EFFECT"s)...






ANOTHER way to do it, would be to employ a relay-based bypass system. Then you'd have silent switching, LED indication, and could even make it a stomper. I'm not too savvy with relay-based stuff, so ... ask somebody who knows that stuff whether/how/etc.

• Feral Feline

• 

 

[Feral Feline]

Captain requested a solution for using two Stereo-to-Mono effects in one such loop of a mixing desk...

Use a 3PDT toggle,
or a 4PDT if an LED-indicator is needed.

 

[captain]

Thank you

 

[Feral Feline]

Came across this old post today...

Still hoping for some more crazy-switcheroo tadoo from all of you...

Don't forget, the title is Switch-craft, the arcane usage of switches, not to be confused with Switchcraft the brand, which is more involved with connectors than switches, really...

I wanted to add the following to the post quoted above, but thought it might fly under the radar.
The post above gives you A \ B / A>B (both circuits in the third toggle-position) while the following changes it up gives you both circuits in the middle toggle-position ie A \ A>B / B ...

 

[Feral Feline]

The number of times I've blathered on about 2 x Order-Switchers, and given the numerous permutations of order-switchers I've made diagrams for — I was sure I must've previously draughted a diagram for the double order-switcher concept.

Apparently not, despite my addled mind's assertions I had...


Here you go, folks, mix up your A-B-Cs with your 1-2-3s!



So if you're doing a combo build, just sub in the PCBs for the send-return jackage above.

You could swap things around and have A&B revolving around C, too. Maybe I'll draught that next... BRB...



OKAY, here's the CBA Double Order-Switcher, and note that the available centre positions are indeed "different" than the ABC swapper above:



Really, though, there's no difference because you just need to work out which of the three circuits you want to revolve around the other two — where you place them in the enclosure, that order, is whatever makes the most sense to you as to what's doing what when the order toggles are being flipped, whether you want "C" first or not is arbitrary. You could swap circuit "C" above for the first diagram's "A" position and it's doing the same thing...

Hope that makes sense, it's clear as quicksand to me.

ABBOTT: "A before B and B after C, you see?"

COSTELLO: "If you're A and I'm C, I don't see who's B, the bat?"



ORDER UP!
You've been served.