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Topic: My Match Box mods |
Al Carey
From:
Dublin, NH USA
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Posted 4 Mar 2013 6:56 am |
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After seeing the other thread about mods to a Match Box I thought I'd share mine.
I don't like having to plug and unplug all the time, so I first installed a power switch:
it's just a simple toggle switch, spliced into the existing battery wire. So the device is still off when the output cord is unplugged, regardless of the switch position. I'd like to add an LED, I'll have to figure that out.
Next I installed a tuner output to the front panel:
It's fed off the input, with a 1M resistor to isolate it. Since it's before the electronics of the Match Box, it works whether the device is on or off. And I can now have my Stroboflip connected all the time, and it doesn't mess with the tone.
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Sierra U-12, Gretsch 6120, Fender Tele, old tube amps, etc... |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 4 Mar 2013 10:32 am
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I wouldn't put an LED in it. That will draw current and shorten the battery life. How much? but it will shorten it and probably use more power than the op amp in it.
I used to have one and put a power switch on it. I now have a MatchBro and put a power switch in it, like you in series with the batteries so that either the switch or unplugging the guitar cord will turn it off. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 4 Mar 2013 11:02 am
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| That's a neat job Al. Thanks for sharing the particulars. |
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Helmut Gragger
From:
Austria
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Posted 5 Mar 2013 1:35 am
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| Jack Stoner wrote: |
| I wouldn't put an LED in it. That will draw current and shorten the battery life. |
What you say is eminently true if you use a standard LED or even what used to be called "low power LED".
Not if you use one of the new ultra-bright LED´s, or any white LED out of a defunct LED flash-light.
You can throttle them down to 150µA and still get an appreciable on-indicator. That amount of current is by a factor of 10 at least smaller than any active electronics and won´t significantly contribute to any battery consumption.
As a rule of thumb, where you would have used a, say, 560 Ohm resistor on a classic LED, you can use something like a 15kOhm on a ultra-bright LED just to give a number.
-helmut
_________________
feel at home at: http://me.aquataur.guru |
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Pete Nicholls
From:
Macon, Georgia, USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2013 5:20 am
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What is a matchbox? I presume it has something to do with impedance matching, but I'm not familiar with it.
_________________
Justice The Judge SD-10, 2007
Justice Pro Lite SD-10, 2011
Quilter Steelaire
Quilter Labs Tone Block 202 Head
Roland Cube 80-XL
American Stratocaster - Yamaha Bass Guitar
1 Fender Telecaster Nashville Edition
Ham Call: N4BHB |
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Ray Anderson
From:
Jenkins, Kentucky USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2013 4:13 pm
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Best gadget I ever bought, I was skeptical at first and decided to try one. It made a signifanct difference in my tone, made the highs clear as a bell. I tried it with and without the box and others that were listening could also tell the difference. YMMV. Could just be me.  |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 5 Mar 2013 5:49 pm
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Yes, Pete. An impedance matching/dropping device; much like a Lil' Izzy, Freeloader, et c.
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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