Calling all pedal fixer type blokes. UPDATED: HALP.

cobascis · Post by **cobascis** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 11:16 pm

I just picked up a beat to shit distortion plus for 35 bucks, its sounds great. Problems: the led is constantly on, when the pedal is on and when it is off. Any pedal buffs know a simple fix? Is it the switch or just some shoddy wiring? Also, I can't open the damn thing. MXR apparently uses screws with SQUARE holes in them as opposed to phillips. W. T. F. Dunno how I can make a screwdriver to open the thing...

PICS BELOW

Post by **Doog** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 11:24 pm

Are you sure they're not allan key/wrench holes?

greenweenie · Post by **greenweenie** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 11:27 pm

I think the screws were replaced. I had a 70s Dist + and I had no problem getting to the battery with a regular screwdriver.

cobascis · Post by **cobascis** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 11:36 pm

No, it's actually a SQUARE, I might try my allan wrench set on them when I can find it... but still. Bummer. And it isn't vintage, it has the powersupply bit, I played a vintage one there too, it had real screws but it was 60 bucks and battery only.

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 12:44 am

you'll need a robertson screwdriver.

usually if you buy one of those screwdrivers with a bunch of interchangeable heads there'll be a couple square ones in there.

cobascis · Post by **cobascis** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 1:12 am

fuuuuuu

I wish I could find something square to open it.

on the plus side, pedal sounds good. I just to need fix the annoying always on led.

Justin J · Post by **Justin J** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 1:55 am

robertson screws are more popular in canada than here in the states. but you can still buy the screwdrivers in most hardware stores.
otherwise just use a flat-head screwdriver and put it in diagonally across the square.

cobascis · Post by **cobascis** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 4:02 am

holy shit. I got it apart. I thought it was filthy on the outside... this pedal has seen it all.

pics to come and maybe you guys can help me fix it.

cobascis · Post by **cobascis** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 4:21 am

Upon opening I found filth n' foam.

Aw COME ON, $35 for TAPED electronics?

I dunno if you guys can tell me if this is modded or just shittily repaired, anything helps. and, HOW can I fix the constantly on LED?

Will · Post by **Will** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 5:48 am

Someone very crappily made it true-bypass. They didn't bother to make the LED work right.

Personally, I'd just finish the job. Get a 3PDT, switch the wires over, and use the extra lugs to control the LED.

Post by **Mike** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 8:22 am

GHETTO

3PDT that thing up. Replace any of those retarded taped wires.

cobascis · Post by **cobascis** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 12:33 pm

I have (1) 3DPT coming in the mail but I was going to use it on the Behringer big muff, what sort of switch is used here? looks ordinary

Post by **Mike** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 12:43 pm

it's a DPDT. If you want true bypass and LED switching, you need a 3PDT unless you want to fuck with Millenium Bypass (you don't)

cobascis · Post by **cobascis** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 12:51 pm

Can I pretty easily mod it back it its original state? I'd actually be nice to not have a TB pedal because I don't have any buffers..

I'm an idiot, also - I ordered an Alpha DPDT instead of a 3DPT....

Post by **Mike** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 2:14 pm

I don't know what the stock bypass scheme is I'm afraid.

Sloan · Post by **Sloan** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 4:47 pm

LOL @ electrical taep

cobascis · Post by **cobascis** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 8:57 pm

wait how could it have been tru bypass modded without the new switch? or is it just a failure?

Will · Post by **Will** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 9:34 pm

cobascis wrote:wait how could it have been tru bypass modded without the new switch? or is it just a failure?

You can do true bypass with a DPDT if you don't care about having an LED. If you do, you need the extra pole on the switch to turn it on and off.

There's also a difference between output-only bypass (what the DIST+ is) and buffered bypass (like BOSS pedals). The DIST+ will definitely suck tone if it isn't true-bypass.

cobascis · Post by **cobascis** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 9:37 pm

Will wrote:
cobascis wrote:wait how could it have been tru bypass modded without the new switch? or is it just a failure?
You can do true bypass with a DPDT if you don't care about having an LED. If you do, you need the extra pole on the switch to turn it on and off.

There's also a difference between output-only bypass (what the DIST+ is) and buffered bypass (like BOSS pedals). The DIST+ will definitely suck tone if it isn't true-bypass.

Oh, so it IS true bypass at the moment, but without the led (switchable). Huh. And it doesn't have a buffer so when it isn't trubypass it is a no WIN situation. I just removed tape and resoldered some stuff. The idiot cut the wires to short, thats why he had to add the bits, so I just resoldered his work because I have to wire to rewire it.

Anything else I should do while I have my iron out?

cobascis · Post by **cobascis** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 10:19 pm

I tidied it up a bit. It is interesting, as you press the switch in the LED gets a lot brighter, and when you take your foot off it goes back to normal. huh.

NEWSFLASH: I was playing it and the LED died after I turned it off and on a few times. LOL.