Roadster footswitch faulty

[AlexS]

Hi all,

I have a problem with my footswitch. Channel 1 specifically. It won't switch on. When I stomp on it nothing happens and the light doesn't come on.

I've given the lead and connections a good clean but I'm still getting the same problem.

Any ideas?

Many thanks.

 

[domct203]

Hello and welcome to the board.

Is this a brand new amp?

Is this a used amp that is new to you?

Did the footswitch work correctly before?

Are you able to access CH 1 with the control on the back of the amp?

Dom

 

[shytfayse]

Are you able to access CH 1 with the control on the back of the amp?

Dom

If so, I would suspect a bad switch on your foot pedal. If you are handy with a soldering iron, you can get one or more through Mesa. Otherwise, go through an authorized mesa repair center.

Good luck. - Pat.

 

[domct203]

It may even be something as simple as the wrong footswitch cable.

How many pins does the plug on the cable have?

Dom

 

[deeman]

Hi all,

I have a problem with my footswitch. Channel 1 specifically. It won't switch on. When I stomp on it nothing happens and the light doesn't come on.

I've given the lead and connections a good clean but I'm still getting the same problem.

Any ideas?

Many thanks.

quit stomping on it then! :lol: you may have damaged the circuit board from stomping too hard

 

[AlexS]

Hello and welcome to the board.

Is this a brand new amp?

Is this a used amp that is new to you?

Did the footswitch work correctly before?

Are you able to access CH 1 with the control on the back of the amp?

Dom

Hi Dom, sorry for the delayed reply.

I've had the amp a couple of years now. I bought it used. I've been in a band for a year or so, practicing and gigging a lot. It's been like a tank until now.

The manual channel selector does still let me play through channel one. So it looks like the foot switch itself then?

 

[domct203]

Well, it sounds like it's either the footswitch, or a broken connection in one of the cable ends.

Do you own a Multi-Meter? You could ohm out the pins and check for continuity.

Dom

 

[AlexS]

Well, it sounds like it's either the footswitch, or a broken connection in one of the cable ends.

Do you own a Multi-Meter? You could ohm out the pins and check for continuity.

Dom

I do. So plug one end into the back of the amp and then test each pin with the multimeter, then switch the ends around and test again?

What setting do I set the multimeter to, and what reading should I look for? Any signal?

 

[domct203]

Don't plug the cable into the amp, you need to check it alone. Just check for zero ohms between matching pins on each end of the cable (pin 1 on one end to pin 1 on the other end, etc). Your looking for a broken connection somewhere.

Dom

 

[thebigcheese]

It may even be something as simple as the wrong footswitch cable.

How many pins does the plug on the cable have?

Dom

If the other channel buttons are working, it's probably not the cable. Channel switching is actually handled all on one lead, if I recall correctly. I don't know if I still have it, but one of the guys at Mesa was nice enough to give me the pinout when I wanted to cut my switch down to only 5 buttons so it would fit on my board. I have full channel switching and solo boost via a standard MIDI cable, and even then I'm only using like 4 of the plugs.

 

[AlexS]

Hi folks,

Believe it or not, I didn't fix this problem! I can't believe it's been 20 months. In that time I've been in two other bands.

Anyways, the band I'm currently in are about to set off on a UK tour in April, so I need to get this issue with channel 1 sorted once and for all.

Assuming the cable is not to blame, what is best course of action. Should I contact Mesa for a new switch? Has anybody swapped one of these out before on the Roadster footswitch?

What are my options for the footswitch as a unit? It's really quite long, are there any smaller alternatives I can replace it with?

 

[deeman]

So did you try replacing the cable? Just bring the amp to your nearest dealer and ask to use one of their cables and or foot-switches to diagnose your problem already!

 

[AlexS]

I didn't replace the cable. Bear in mind that the rest of the footswitches work as normal, so my intuition tells me it's not the cable. But I know it's important to rule it out.

My mate has a dual rectifier...

Will his footswitch cable be the same as mine?

If so, I should be able to borrow his.

 

[BrentSSL]

I have a roadster footswitch and cable I'll sell you barely used shoot me an offer

 

[AlexS]

Okay so I tried my mates cable and the foot switch is still not working, so my cable is fine.

Next steps?

 

[Authorized Boogie]

Probably just the momentary switch, which can be replaced easily. Thanks!

 

[aeddy]

I also have a problem with the footswitch on my relatively (2 Yrs) new Roadster Combo amp but a bit different than the CH1 issue above. The switch controls the REV, Tuner Mute, FX Loop and Solo just fine however after powering on the amp when all four channels light on the switch, it does not respond to CH1,2,3 or 4. All four channels remain lit with CH1 being the default sound. I can switch between all four channels on the back of the amp however the control from the footswitch is non existent. Is there a relay that may be the cause? Cable and plugs are like new.