Laney VC50 channel switching fault...

Stevepage

A few weeks ago at the fretboard meet up I realised that my amp has a problem with changing channels when using the footswitch. It seems to cackle and then completely cut out. However I don't get this problem when changing channels using the switches on the front panel.

Does this sound like a problem with the footswitch itself or could there be something else?

ICBM

I think it must be the footswitch - according to the schematic the switches on the amp are simply in parallel with the footswitch, so if the amp switch works properly there can't be anything wrong with the switching circuit.

What's more puzzling is why it should make it crackle or cut out - a failure of the switch, or even a short in the cable or something, doesn't look like it has any means of doing that. The footswitch is purely a passive connection to ground for each of the four functions, bypassing the LED - and none of the functions are connected directly to the audio path (even the reverb, which some amps do have).

Odd!