Make an easy guitar distortion pedal (STEP BY STEP!)

Step 20: Adding a bypass switch

You will need to buy a DPDT toggle switch or footswitch from your local electronics store. So go get one of those! It does not matter which way around you connect the switch. follow the pictures below.

Comments

[Grizzly_Bear]

I hooked up schematic perfectly.

ON = sound with distortion
OFF = no signal at all (I should have clean sound)

Why is this? Any help would be great!

[666sebas999]

Here are some images about how to do it; take a look and check the welds someone might be touching the ground/signal

http://media.beta.photobucket.com/user/new_pedal/media/wiring4.gif.html?filters[term]=true%20bypass&filters[primary]=images

[stuntdude47]

I added the bypass switch when the pedal is not on the guitar does not go to the amp. any idea on how to fix this? also both input and output can be switched around and it works fine is this okay? thanks

[ski4jesus]

you will need two wires going to the output. one of them will be untampered with, and the other one will have the distortion circuit on it. then have a selector switch that will select one or the other one of the wires. so if u tap the switch once, it will turn on distortion, tap it again, it will have a clean sound. good luck

[Grizzly_Bear]

Can you please explain further? Or maybe show on MS paint?

I have the same problem: I turn the pedal ON = I get sound with distortion. I turn the pedal OFF = I get no signal (i should get a clean sound instead!)

What am i doing wrong? I followed the schematic perfectly. Please help - pictures would be nice.

[Guleyo]

Hi, So i have some problems :/ But the main problem i have is this:
When i added the bypass switch ( Mine is 3dpt instead of dpdt) i wired it exactly the same as in the diagram. But only Clean worked, so what i did was i changed the lower 2 legs of the switch for the ones in the middle and i put the ones in the middle under them. This way since the middle 2 legs are always on there is always something to get current between the inputs and the inputs. (Because in the original drawing I don't understand how the top 2 legs can get connected if they don't have something to connect with each other???)
But now.... only the Fuzz works and when i switch to clean it sounds extremely low volume :/ any ideas why?
Ps. i think its something to do with the battery.

[muykeljan]

can i use 100k ohm resistor and 47k ohm resistor? does two 1n4148 rectifier diodes can produce harsh sound? tnx for an early reply

[Zul_A7x]

is there a problem if we not add the bypass switch?? just add switch between the two diods and wire like this??? pls reply

[ski4jesus]

To go from clean to distorted in that circuit you would want just a complete bypass. when the switch is open, it would have no choice except to go through the more resistant pathway(the distortion pathway) because it cannot reach the bypass. but if the switch is closed, it would go through the less resistant pathway(the bypass). electrons go through the least resistant pathway, just so you know. so if you want a bypass, just have the distortion pathway, then another pathway that just goes straight to the output and have a selector switch or a pushbutton switch. good luck! ski4jesus

[compgeek97]

that would just turn off the pedal, and no signal at all would go through. with a dpdt switch, when the switch is off, a clean tone still gets through(i think)

[Undermig]

ok so # 1 the switch could be a botton? so we can just hit it with our feet?
and also i thout we could add the distortion with a botton that you can rotate, to add more distortion or less distortion

[mikehayworth]

you could just use a regular button with two pins but it would have to go like this: (the picture below)
and yes you could add a rotating thing, that is called a potentiometer, you would have to buy it though because chances are you would'nt be able to find the right one from taking things apart . but it says how to put one in if you go to the intro page of the instructable and go through the comments. it shows how to put a distortion controll and a volume controll too!

[Undermig]

ok but not to give you a lot of trouble. could you make a final drawing but with a 1 red or green led light some were on the diagram + the switch. because wehn i will put it on i will want to see the light to make sure it is working propertly. and make a video of this diagram i just told you TOMMAROW PLZZZZZZZZZZZZZ love you xD

[mikehayworth]

haha lol, sorry though im actually busy tomorrow but i will FOR SURE!!! have one the day after tomorrow, and yeah i could make one with the LED i guess! i will put it in the video.

[applecleve]

hi....im soo excited about this project....though i dont have knowledge on electronics..but i will try this since it looks like it's the best project yet for a beginner like me....but does this sounds good????i like metallic distortion and want it that way...so please tell me how to achieve a metallic distortion...thanks in advance...and please post video for that.......luv yah

[mikehayworth]

hey, i just designed this SUUUUUPER easy distortion thing today, all u need is two sets of computer speakers (amplified ones) some duct tape and a small piece of material... it sounds really good too... ill post the instr. soon!!!!!!!!!

[mikehayworth]

ha, yeah the sound all really depends on the diodes you use, i would use rectifier diodes for harsh distortion