Introduction: Rock Band Stratocaster Stomp Box Overdrive Pedal

Here's how to add a pedal to your Strat to active overdrive with the stomp of your foot for under $20.

Step 1: Parts List

Things you'll need to have:

1 x Rock Band Fender Stratocaster Guitar Controller (with it's warranty prepared for departure)
1 x Phillips screw driver. I'm sure Phillip won't mind.
1 x Wire cutters/Wire stripper
1 x Solder Gun with some solder
1 x strand of double wire, as in speaker wire, or really any decent small gauge wire you can find
1 x Hot glue gun with some glue sticks. (Some might consider this to be optional)
1 x Drill with drill bit. Or a Dremel. Or a round file. Or something else that will make a 1/4" hole in the side of your beloved axe.
1 x Patience. Yeeeeeeaaaah. Just a little patience.

Things you'll need to buy if you don't have.
1 x Radio Shack Part# 274-0252 1/4" Mono Phono Jack. Panel mount, open circuit. UPC# 040293131401 (is a two pack in case you need to do two guitars or manage to lose/melt the first one) This will set you back about $3.
1 x Best Buy Lo Duca Universal Sustain Pedal Model# 3781 UPC# 013148037814. Of course you don't HAVE to buy this pedal but for $12 I think it's a good deal. Especially sense it has a polarity switch that allows you to step activate or lift activate. Meaning you can stomp this thing or lift your foot off of it to activate the switch.

Step 2: Go Backless

Take out all the screws on black part of the back of the controller. If you need a photo of this you should probably stop right now ;)

Step 3: Flip Side of the Circuits

Remove the 6 screws that hold the controller circuit board in place. We need to work on the other side of it.

Step 4: Heat Up the Gun

You're going to need to solder wires to these two points, the ground and the back/select button.

Step 5: Solder Hero

Hopefully it'll look something like this.

Step 6: Fun With Glue

Give a dab of hot glue to cover up any exposed wire. Once it's dry you can reattach the circuit board to the guitar.

Step 7: The Other Side of the Wire

Solder up the other end of the wire to your 1/4" phono jack.

Step 8: Jumpin Jack Flash

Time to pick a spot where you want the jack to be. I recommend putting it in the bottom corner where the USB cord comes out. Of course you can put it wherever it'll fit but I think this will work best. The hot glue you see here is just to hold it in place while the guitar shell is open.

Step 9: Getting Close Now...

Here's a close up of the jack mount.

Step 10: Humpty Dumpty

After testing to make sure it works, put the shell back together again. Hopefully you didn't lose any screws. Once the shell is back together (don't overtighten!) add the washer and hex nut that came with the phono jack and you are ready to shred!