Guitar Amp Footswitch Adapter?
April 24, 2005 1:35 PM   Subscribe

I am wondering if there is an adapter or something for my Marshall footswitch to plug into my amp...?

I bought an amp (I don't have it with me right now and I don't remember the model number) recently at Guitar Center and the footswitch they gave me seemed to have a serial type plug on it, a lot like this. However, on the amp the footswitch plug seems to be a normal 1/4" plug. Is there some sort of adapter I need to plug it into the amp or was I just given the wrong footswitch? Also, do any footswitches just have 1/4" plugs, because most of the ones I saw on Musician's Friend seemed to have more XLR type (but not XLR) plugs.
posted by rooftop secrets to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (5 answers total)
 
I have a Fender Deluxe and the footswitch is a normal 1/4" plug.
posted by gfrobe at 1:55 PM on April 24, 2005


you probably got the wrong footswitch.. I've seen some Marshalls with 1/4" footswitch jacks and my old Peavey had the same kind as well. (probably depends more on what kind of effects you're toggling - one or two effects (like switching between clean/lead channels) would only require a 1/4" or XLR-type jack, whereas that one switches a bunch of things). when you go back make sure you have the model number so they give you the right one.
posted by mrg at 1:58 PM on April 24, 2005


Here are the results of a brief interview with my boyfriend:

Footswitch types vary from brand to brand, with 1/4", RCA, and XLR all common. Yes, they gave you the wrong one, but you can get an adapter at Radio Shack that will solve the problem if you don't want to take the footswitch back.

Of course, we are a Marshall-free household, so there could be something weird that I can't answer.
posted by climalene at 2:02 PM on April 24, 2005


It sounds to me like you got the wrong footswitch. The 1/4" mono (guitar) plug is the simplest sort of footswitch and most older amp designs use it. Newer amps have fancier connectors, electronics onboard the switch, and so on.

Post the question with the model number on Guitar Geek in the amps forum and you'll have an answer within an hour or two.
posted by ikkyu2 at 2:19 PM on April 24, 2005


Since you bought it at Guitar Center, chances are very good they gave you the wrong switch. Guitar Center has its problems, but its 30-day no-questions guarantee makes up for a lot.
posted by mischief at 4:47 PM on April 24, 2005


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