modded Danelectro CoolCat Vibe, bypass problem

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eclecticsynergy
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Joined: 09 Jan 2018, 22:05

Post by eclecticsynergy »

Got a CoolCat Vibe, it's been modded to put the Speed control on top for easy turning by foot.
Works fine when the effect is engaged (sounds great) but when bypassed there's hardly any signal passing through.

Opened it up to check the footswitch connections and found a small multiplug that's not attached to anything - two red wires with yellow stripes and a green ground wire.
Can't see any terminals it might be meant to plug onto, and am wondering whether it came loose in shipping or if perhaps it's unneeded after the mod and was just left hanging.

AFAIK this model is essentially the same circuit as the Chicken Salad vibe, though it has an Intensity knob while the CS doesn't.
Not too knowledgeable about electronics (though I can operate a soldering iron) and would rather not take the whole pedal apart unless absolutely necessary.

I think moving the pot is not uncommon and it's a simple a mechanical mod, not electronic. So I'm hoping the problem is just a connection somewhere. Probably the little plug?

Anybody familiar enough with these to clue me in?

Here's the new knob location on top rather than on the side
Image

and here's the little three-conductor plug; I gently pulled it off to one side for easier visibility in a crummy cellphone pic
Image

PS: Footswitch connections are covered by black tape in the pic but they look to be fine.

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chewie69
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Joined: 24 Sep 2016, 22:54

Post by chewie69 »

Is it a connector or a trimpot for the volume mod.

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eclecticsynergy
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Post by eclecticsynergy »

chewie69 wrote:Is it a connector or a trimpot for the volume mod.
Thanks - that's what I thought at first. But it isn't from the modded speed control, because the new pot works normally when the pedal is engaged.
If it were leftover for any of the pots, that control probably wouldn't function - but they all work fine.

It's just that the output is super low when the effect is bypassed.

Does anybody know if the true bypass function in these is relay controlled?
Or am I overthinking it, and this is likely just a simple footswitch problem?

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