Recommend external METAL footswitches w/lights

[Dr. Dipwad]

Hey, folks,

I'd like to have four external footswitches connected to my MFC-101.

I would like them to have quiet, metal momentary switches similar to those on the MFC-101 (not plastic like the BOSS/Roland footswitches).

And I would like them to have indicator lights which I can power using some kind of DC-input from my pedalboard power supply, so that I know which ones are currently active.

Can anyone recommend a pre-built product out there, that matches that description?

(I probably will never have the time to build such a thing for myself; and I'd have to learn how since I can barely solder as it is.)

I've looked around on the Internet a bit, and (other than the plastic BOSS/Roland units) I can't seem to find any that have LEDs, and use metal footswitches similar to the MFC-101, and can be plugged in.

Thanks!

 

[iaresee]

DIY? Really easy to put something together yourself. Like this:



Super easy to put that sort of thing together. Total cost in parts is like $15. If that.

Otherwise check out Loop-Master maybe? ThisIsMyne sells them too but he's kind of flake according to the TGP tanpants crowd so I hesitate to recommend him.

I'll caution you against using LEDs. They won't ever stay in sync with the state of the IA that the switch is controlling. The external switches receive no feedback from the MIDI controller you attach them to so if you do something like engage an effect with the external switch and then have it disengage with a scene change, the LED will stay lit on the external box. Not good, right?

Also, you can have indicator LEDs and momentary switches on one of these boxes. Won't work. They won't latch and keep the LED lit. You'd be deep in to complicated relay switching if you wanted silent, momentary switches and latching to work to keep an LED lit.

But LEDs won't work anyways because of what I wrote two paragraphs above so that's a moot point, right?

If you want to try something more complicated you could investigate combining something like a Morningstar FX MC6 with the MFC -- you might be able to get the MC-6 to read the incoming MIDI signal and change the LCD display to show state of the IAs or something. Not sure. Definitely more complicated though.

 

[Dr. Dipwad]

Iaresee,

Wow, thanks for the detailed reply! There's a lot to absorb in that.

DIY? Really easy to put something together yourself.

I honestly was trying to avoid anything that might require my first attempt at soldering. (Well...my second. But the first was when I was a kid, and ended badly, and anyway I'm pretty pinched-for-time to do that kind of thing.)

...kind of flake according to the TGP tanpants crowd so...

Sorry to be a noob -- but I guess that's what I am. I have no idea what TGP is, so I can't even guess what "the TGP tanpants crowd" is!

I'll caution you against using LEDs. They won't ever stay in sync with the state of the IA that the switch is controlling....

Hmm. My main use would be to toggle ON/OFF a dotted-8th-note delay which (a.) I have on all my patches, for whenever I want to have timed echoes, and, (b.) I like to keep turned on (with spillover) whenever I change patch. I think that the light would always be synchronized when used this way.

Also, you can have indicator LEDs and momentary switches on one of these boxes. Won't work.

Uh...did you say that right? Didn't you mean to say that "you can't have indicator LEDs and momentary switches?" Or did you really mean can?

They won't latch and keep the LED lit. You'd be deep in to complicated relay switching if you wanted silent, momentary switches and latching to work to keep an LED lit.

I didn't realize that. (Totally ignorant of how to hand-wire electronics.) But, I really only said "momentary" for 2 reasons:
1. I've used a product with latching switches before, and it had a loud click to it which I'm trying to avoid. I often play in church P&W settings, and I prefer the quieter switches that the MFC-101 Mark III has.
2. Various posts in this forum said I should use momentary rather than latching.

If you want to try something more complicated you could investigate combining something like a Morningstar FX MC6 with the MFC....

Heh. You're right; I could always just have another MIDI footcontroller add-on. I guess I was trying to avoid that because, well, there are these two jacks on the back of the MFC-101 and I'm not using them for anything, so....

And even with another MIDI footcontroller, it sounds tricky to maintain the synchronization. I guess it would send MIDI out to the MFC-101, but then it would also have to receive MIDI in, and automatically reset everything whenever it "heard" a patch change. Yeah, that's getting kinda tricky.

Lots to chew on, there. Thanks for the info.

 

[iaresee]

Hmm. My main use would be to toggle ON/OFF a dotted-8th-note delay which (a.) I have on all my patches, for whenever I want to have timed echoes, and, (b.) I like to keep turned on (with spillover) whenever I change patch. I think that the light would always be synchronized when used this way.

Ah, yes, if you set it up as a global external switch it will retain the value across preset changes. In that case, if you really want an LED, you'll need to look at latching switches. Momentary + LEDs are not common.

Sorry to be a noob -- but I guess that's what I am. I have no idea what TGP is, so I can't even guess what "the TGP tanpants crowd" is!

TGP is another website for guitarist. Don't sweat that too much; the point is the guy behind ThisIsMyne has been reported to not fulfill orders.

Uh...did you say that right? Didn't you mean to say that "you can't have indicator LEDs and momentary switches?" Or did you really mean can?

Did not mean to say can. Meant to say can't. Sorry for the confusion!

I didn't realize that. (Totally ignorant of how to hand-wire electronics.) But, I really only said "momentary" for 2 reasons:
1. I've used a product with latching switches before, and it had a loud click to it which I'm trying to avoid. I often play in church P&W settings, and I prefer the quieter switches that the MFC-101 Mark III has.
2. Various posts in this forum said I should use momentary rather than latching.

Momentary is definitely better than latching for externals IMO, but yea, you can't get them to work easily with LEDs. The Boss stuff has some slightly complicated internals using electronic relays and the momentary switches on them to make it all work. Not sure there are a lot of Boss alternatives out there that have that. It's far easier for the small, boutique-y builders to build in LED indicators using latching switches and those are going to be a little clicky no matter what. Honestly, the Boss stuff really is quite good. And quiet. You might find the work best for your application. Have you seen their newer, over-under type setup for a two switch box? Basically does what you ask for with the quiet thing too.

Heh. You're right; I could always just have another MIDI footcontroller add-on. I guess I was trying to avoid that because, well, there are these two jacks on the back of the MFC-101 and I'm not using them for anything, so....

And even with another MIDI footcontroller, it sounds tricky to maintain the synchronization. I guess it would send MIDI out to the MFC-101, but then it would also have to receive MIDI in, and automatically reset everything whenever it "heard" a patch change. Yeah, that's getting kinda tricky.

Lots to chew on, there. Thanks for the info.

No problem. I think Boss actually has your best fit given the quiet and LED requirements!