Re: Footpedal replacement parts

[Kim Flint <kflint@annihilist.com>]

At 10:00 PM -0800 11/4/97, Andre LaFosse wrote:
>Hello all --
>
>I need technical specifications on exactly what part or parts need to be
>ordered in order to replace the Record switch on the Echoplex footpedal.
>In a strictly technical sense, what do I need to tell the casier at the
>local music store to order?

you're probably wasting your time to try and get it at a music store.
Oberheim gets them from Mouser, which anybody can buy from. Mouser could
fedex the switch to you tomorrow. I don't know the part number, I guess
Oberheim could tell you. I think they only cost about $.50 or so. You could
buy a bunch and have spares for life! http://www.mouser.com

>  I've also heard that metal switches can be
>used, which are somewhat more expensive (though, at the $2.00 price I've
>heard, it's hardly prohibitive) but are more sturdy than the plastic ones
>which come factory loaded.  Any details on these?

The feel of the switch is very important, and all the switches I've tried
are different. So just picking anything would be a shot in the dark as to
whether it's right. It's critical for record, since you really need to feel
when you contact to get the timing right. And the only way to know it's
right is to put it in a footpedal and stomp on it a bunch of times. You
probably don't want to mess with this right before an audition! I've never
been able to come up with a good replacement to suggest for this sort of
thing. I always end up back with the cheap red switch from mouser, which
actually works quite well. I think I tried several made by Otto that were
pretty good too. I keep hoping someone will discover the perfect switch and
reveal it for all the rest of us....

And $2 would be a high volume price for industrial switches like these. The
price to buy one would be much higher (and they might not be willing to
even bother), unless you convince them that you are a major manufacturer
and they give you free samples. (Of course I would never condone something
like that.....)


If you want to mess around with it, here are some good manufacturers to 
try:

Otto            708-428-7171    http://www.ottoeng.com/pushbttn.html
(lots of good ones)

marquardt       315-655-8050    http://www.switches.com/

C&K             617-926-6400    http://www.ckcorp.com/

Switchcraft     http://www.switchcraft.com/re/swc/

grayhill        708-354-1040
        http://www.grayhill.com/products/pshbttn/pshbttn.htm


a few distributors:
Cal Switch:     http://www.calswitch.com/ (links to lots of mfg with data
sheets online)

Digikey         http://www.digikey.com/

Mouser:         http://www.mouser.com/



Didn't have time to find websites for these guys:

Arcolectric     818-700-1933
Carlingswitch  203-793-9281
Direct Sound Corp    617-542-9700
EAO   203-877-4577
E-Switch   612-375-9639
idec   408-747-0550
ITW     312-282-4040
lamb    503-297-8878
NKK     602-991-0942


hope this helps,

kim

______________________________________________________________________
Kim Flint                   | Looper's Delight
kflint@annihilist.com       | http://www.annihilist.com/loop/loop.html
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