How is this thing put together?

[Jacew]

I opened up Worm in order to find out if I could add a footswitch to switch between modes in it.

I'm getting out of ideas how to get the pcb out: I can't lift the dc jack side because jack is stuck in it's hole. And lifting the other side to slide it out of there, pot shafts and the jack get stuck.

Weird part is that both, pots and the jack, seem to be installed before putting the pcb in. So there has to be a way to get it out? Or could it be they've dropped the pots, then put the pcb and soldered the pots...?

Pics below:

 

[Jacew]

Re: How is this thing put together?

I got the pcb out by applying scary amount of pressure from outside on the dc jack.

Well, the "mode" switch is buried on the pcb so well, it would require a lot of very precise cutting and soldering to mod the connections. I thought about gutting the switch all together and using it's lugs to add new switching, but decided that too be a bit too ugly solution.

So I decided to simply put this pedal somewhere high where I can fiddle the knobs if need to instead of modding it.

 

[Mincer]

Re: How is this thing put together?

Yikes, that seems like the right choice. What do the different modes do?

 

[Hank-]

Re: How is this thing put together?

Thats probably why one can find via googling many threads on reliability issues with the XO series. My Memory Boy was put together similarily but your DC jack protudes out a lot more. Their stuff is assembled in NYC? I'm guessing by hand & not machine. :drive:

 

[Jacew]

Re: How is this thing put together?

Yikes, that seems like the right choice. What do the different modes do?

The switch changes between circuits of the pedal. I wanted to make tremolo and phaser footswitchable, as those are what I mainly use this for.

The switch is located under that small piece of pcb with 3 LDR's on it, thats secured in place with 8 soldered pins and glue...

Thats probably why one can find via googling many threads on reliability issues with the XO series. My Memory Boy was put together similarily but your DC jack protudes out a lot more. Their stuff is assembled in NYC? I'm guessing by hand & not machine.

Micro caps and resistors are machine installed on the pcb. Rest of electronics is hand built. The dc jack is flush (picture is from partially dissassemled pedal), but pcb won't budge a millimetre inwards, so only way to get it out is to apply force on the jack to push it.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: How is this thing put together?

Ok, let’s see pics of the disassembled pedal....

 

[Jacew]

Re: How is this thing put together?

Ok, let’s see pics of the disassembled pedal....

Sorry, didn't take any and already put it back together. Was there something you would have liked to see?

I'm lazy (and bad) at taking pictures...

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: How is this thing put together?

Just curious if there was another disassembly process that would have helped. Were the pots pressed into connector instead of soldered?

 

[Jacew]

Re: How is this thing put together?

Just curious if there was another disassembly process that would have helped. Were the pots pressed into connector instead of soldered?

They're 5k pots like in pic below, soldered directly on the pcb:

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: How is this thing put together?

EHX pedals are just like that. I cut a notch into the case of an LPB-1 that I wanted to mod. They go together much easier than the come apart.

 

[Hank-]

Re: How is this thing put together?

^Yup.

The PCB is done in the New Sensor factory in Russia then the pedal is put together in NYC by hand. Its actually a quick assembly process but seeing as how tight they are fit, probably takes a while to set them up manually. The most difficult part when dissembling them is the pots & DC jack, takes effort & patience to carefully remove the board. I think they solder the pots during assembly because the soldering work doesn't have a machine work finise to it at the pot pins & pcb

They(some) sound great though & as long as they stay fixed on a pedalboard, there's less to go wrong from stress from constant plug in & out that way.