Anyone replaced PCB mounted switch? (Tonebone)

[rawkguitarist]

Has anyone ever changes a PCB mounted switch. I have a Tonebone Classic, Radial sent me a switch, but I can't get the the original switch off. How do you get 6 posts un-soldered at the same time?

Any suggestions?

 

[KBN]

You have to remove the solder with a solder sucker or a braid. I think the tonebones are double sided pcbs so good freakin luck.

 

[rawkguitarist]

You have to remove the solder with a solder sucker or a braid. I think the tonebones are double sided pcbs so good freakin luck.

Yeah, I've been using my braid. Don't really see how that will work on the other side, like ya said...

 

[BillyK]

Sage advice gtrwks.

I've done this operation, and will likely do it again. I've got new switches from Radial that they say are improved, but I also have a Carling that I can hardwire in and probably never have to do it again.

I recall it being tricky, but just be patient, don't overheat the pads/lands on the board, as they will lift real easily. Applying a slight/varying tug (not a strong pry) on the switch as you desolder will move the leads just a bit and prevent them from resetting as they cool.

 

[whoismarykelly]

Youll probably have to actually break the old switch to get it off since 6 leads are a lot to desolder completely.

 

[Goku13]

lol my friend who is an electrical engineer tried to replace the switch on my tonebone hot british and wound up buying me a new one from musicians friend.....he got it off and put the new one on, but there was always this high pitched squeal that just wouldnt go away once he put the casing back on...lol.

 

[KBN]

lol my friend who is an electrical engineer tried to replace the switch on my tonebone hot british and wound up buying me a new one from musicians friend.....he got it off and put the new one on, but there was always this high pitched squeal that just wouldnt go away once he put the casing back on...lol.

A friend sent a tonebone over to me for a switch replacement last year. I figured it would be a simple task and just take a few minutes until I opened it up and saw that it was a double sided board. I told him to send it to someone else. I had better things to do.

 

[Deaj]

Voodoo Lab uses board mounted switches in their stomp boxes as well and they're a pain in the a$$ to replace as I remember.

 

[rawkguitarist]

Thanks so much for the encouragement, guys...

 

[MattHahn]

it shouldnt be too hard using a de-soldeing pump..
thats what they are made.they suck the solder out of that damn hole..

if you want you can take a good neutrik or switchcraft jack, the open metal frame type and wire it in.
they feel better, look better and are much stronger.

have fun

 

[rawkguitarist]

Are there better ones than the little red one that I got from Radioshack? I can't seem to get it to work at all.

 

[Rid]

but there was always this high pitched squeal that just wouldnt go away once he put the casing back on...lol.

It "sees" itself and feeds back....sounds like something is not connected the way it should.

 

[AndrewMartinMusic]

I got the switch off my Tonebone without too much trouble. I would not use the solder sucker, just the braid. A caveat is that I had a friend who is an EE help me with the project but it wasn't too bad. Like it's been said, just take your time. You can also try using rosin flux to help get the last bits of solder.

 

[rawkguitarist]

Any suggestions on a desoldering pump?

 

[BillyK]

Hey Aaron,
Use the braid. Be patient and work slowly.
It'll work.
-bk

 

[Eric Pykala]

Inelegant, but brute force works here. Grab a pair of big pliers and break the thing up into pieces so you can desolder one leg at a time. Done a bunch of these. I use the Weller desoldering tool, but even that doesn't help with tonebone switches. Great pedals, but we have had more than a few bad switches.-eric

 

[NoFi]

I desoldered one by taking away as much solder as i could with the braid, and then lifting the switch with a screwdriver while applying heat. It takes some time.
At first i tried to destroy the switch but i didn't have the appropriate tool.