Maverick Bright/Fat mod

[mdclark58]

Hey everyone, I was hoping for some technical assistance. For the longest time I've used my Mav 410 on fat, but recently realized that when I use my PRS the amp sounds sweet on bright.
Here's my question: could I replace the footswitch jack with a TRS jack, wire the bright/fat toggle to the ring of the jack, and then use a 2-button pedal to switch the channel and bright/fat on the clean channel? Anyone have any input on the ease and whether it's even feasible? Thanks in advance!

 

[Charles Reeder]

'mdclark58'

First off, let me say that I don't have a Maverick (an oversight I 'd like to remedy one day)...but I have successfully wired a footswitch to the push/pull 'fat' switch on Channel-1 of a DC-5, and I have 'experimentally' wired a footswitch to the mini-toggle 'Drive' switch on the front of a Lonestar Classic.

It's just about as basic as it gets...and wiring a bright/fat switch to a footswitch jack on the Maverick should be just as easy. In short...it SHOULD WORK.

Charles

 

[mdclark58]

Charles,
Thanks much! Since I'm a relative rookie at electronics stuff (I've wired guitars, modded pedals, etc, but always had pretty detailed directions), do you (or anyone else) know where I might find a "how to" resource?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[Charles Reeder]

"mdclark58'

No, sorry, but I don't have any books/instructional resources I can recommend.

Your best bet (my opinion) is to relocate this thread to the 'Vintage Amps (before 1991) Forum. Look up 'Monsta-Tone' and PM him. I believe he can give you some precise instructions...perhaps including schematics and pictures. He may charge for this...but I believe it is worth it to get expert advice and instructions. There are others there as well who may have done this and can help.

Basically what you have to do is: Get some shielded wire (which has an inner core and a braided outer ground) and run one piece of wire (using only the inner core) from the center connection on the mini-toggle-switch to the negative tab on the 1/4-inch FEMALE Jack for the footswitch. Run another separate piece of wire (again using only the inner core) from the positive connection on the mini-toggle switch to the positive tab on the 1/4-inch jack that you wish to use for the footswitch. Use another small piece of wire and solder it to the outer braided ground wire on both of the two pieces of wire that join the mini-toggle and the 1/4-inch jack. Attach the other end of this wire to the chassis to ground it. You can use a chassis screw to hold it in place if desired. This wire will help to eliminate hum and static.

If your toggle-switch is a 3-way (On/Center Off/On) then you proceed as above but use a stereo female jack, and connect a wire to each positive connector on the toggle-switch and connect each of those to one of the positive terminals on the stereo female 1/4-inch jack.

The way this is now wired...(whether 2-way with On/Off or 3-way with On/Center Off/On) the mini-toggle-switch still works. If you switch it to the on position it will work just as before...and defeat the footswitch. If you place the mini-toggle in the off position; then the footswitch will function to turn functions on or off.

Regards: Charles