Boss RC-2 and external stop switch

victorludorum

I just bought a basic external tap tempo switch, which I presumed would also work as a stop switch. Having just tried it, it stops the loop, but it also seems to trigger the inbuilt beats of the pedal. I'm now asking myself if I should have chosen another type of switching pedal, but I can't see that any other types are available, apart from the model with the switch for NO/NC. Does anyone have any experience with the RC-2 and an external switch?

JezWynd

Check out this video, I found it very helpful -

victorludorum

Cheers for that. I think I've found a solution/workaround. By turning the 'guide' knob to zero it kills the sound of the drums, so problem solved I think.

JezWynd

victorludorum said:

Cheers for that. I think I've found a solution/workaround. By turning the 'guide' knob to zero it kills the sound of the drums, so problem solved I think.

That is the only way to turn off the drums in the RC-2. For a good overview of RC-2, check out the above vid's accompanying 'Intro to RC-2', lots more help than the manual.

victorludorum

Following on from a couple of posts that I made on another 'loop' post, I'm beginning to wonder whether I've been sent the wrong switch for my RC-2. I bought a Tap Tempo switch from Raygun FX, which claims to be a Boss FS-5U alternative, but when I use it it doesn't seem to function as the Boss switch would. I want to use it as a stop switch, but when I do, it stops the loop, but then wipes it immediately. If I understand the manual correctly (as well as some YouTube vids), it shouldn't do this, and it rather it should just stop the loop just as the 'double click' function does on the main switch. When playing with it earlier, I tried to use it as a tap tempo controller, but again it selects the tempo for a second, but then wipes everything.

All of this strange behaviour suggests that maybe the switch is wrong; either it's latching when it shouldn't be, or maybe it's NC when it should be NO, or vice versa. Does anyone have any obvious thoughts on this? Here's a link to the Raygun page:

https://fuzzboxes.co.uk/product/tap-tempo-micro-square

steamabacus

I don't have an RC-2 (I'm a JamMan user) so this is just speculation.

What type of cable are you connecting the footswitch to the looper with? If it's just a mono cable that MAY be the root of the problem. Looking at the RC-2 manual, it uses a stereo socket at the looper which goes to a split-mono cable and two footswitches (or a stereo cable to a double footswitch).

Do you perhaps need to wire up a bespoke stereo to mono cable with one of the contacts on the stereo plug left unconnected? If you have a stereo cable (or even just a blank stereo plug) you could try shorting across the various connections (tip, ring sleeve) and see what does what so far as pedal operation.

Another posibilty - the JamMan SoloXT has a similar stereo jack footswitch connection but has further diodes (which allow current in one direction only) in the switch to enable all the functions on the three footswitches. Does the Boss possibly need something similar? (although the manual doesn't seem to suggest this is so)

Branshen

I used to have an RC-2 (before I sold it and got an RC-1) and using a mono patch cable was fine with it. It would stop at a single press and clear when you press and held.. 

victorludorum

Branshen said:

I used to have an RC-2 (before I sold it and got an RC-1) and using a mono patch cable was fine with it. It would stop at a single press and clear when you press and held.. 

What external switch were you using, the Boss one?

Branshen

I used a bright onion momentary with the rc2, which is the same as a boss fs5u. I also have tried the bright onion momentary, a boss fs7 and a roland dp1 sustain pedal with the rc1. They all behave the same way.

I don't have a latching switch unfortunately so I cannot confirm your suspicions that that's what's happening with your rc2. 

steamabacus

If it's latching then it is effectively 'press and hold for 2 seconds' so will clear the loop.

A latching foorswitch will give a noticeable click when pressed (assuming it's not some fancy relay affair). Momentary switches have a softer action, usually clickless although the early TC footswitches had a slight click (to give a more positive feel, I think although they redesigned them if memory serves) but still less 'clunky' than a latching.

Branshen

I just remembered that my boss fs7 footswitch allows me to change polarity and also use latching mode. 

I've tried all combinations of latching, unlatching with both polarities and cannot recreate the behaviour you're describing with a single press. 

But, since I have the rc1, and not the rc2, I can't confirm that the rc2 will respond the same way with a latching footswitch. The following Web page confirms that the rc1 will function correctly with the latching or unlatching version of the footswitch. But a quick perusal of the rc2 manual, and I cannot find any mention of compatibility with the fs-5L

https://www.boss.info/us/support/knowledge_base/212158726/

Do you have any other pedal that you can test the function of the external pedal? Or multimeter to see if the circuit goes from open to close or switches state when released. 

victorludorum

I have a multimeter, so that route is possible. I also have a DD-7, which has a tap input I think.

steamabacus

Try shorting across the tip-screen connections of a cable plugged into the looper footwsitch socket (but not the footswitch) and see how it behaves. That is all a basic momentary switch is doing anyway. It will allow you to know if it's the switch or the pedal at fault.

victorludorum

It looks like it's the pedal. When shorting the cable very quickly it simply wipes it. I'll open it up and see if someone has tried to play with the switch as I bought it used. Plus, the switch works perfectly for the tap tempo of the dd-7