No reverb F/Switchl jack on amp Any way to add on - off switch / jack output patch?

[SteveGA]

Hello ... I am a new member. I have a Dean Markley KPA-4100 100watt 4 channel amplifier.
It was given to me as I do free shows locally for hospitals / senior homes and charity events and had no amp as such to do the shows properly. The problem I have is whilst the amp is great for my purposes ( I sing/ play guitar & use backing tracks)
It has no built in reverb footswitch outlet.. The internal Spring plate reverb is controlled from the front Reverb level knoob.. and also has rev level control on each channel. I have to either turn he reverb down manually on the master or even the channel.. either way it means I have to talk to the audience with the reverb on .. or turn it down completely. ..If I had a footswitch to quikly turn off the reverb it make things so much more practical.. The amp has a Send / Return section.. 2 x quarter inch jacks on front of amp.. c
Is there any way I can attach a footswitch to turn the reverb on off on/off via the send / return?.. or is there any way to try and install a internal footswitch patch / wiring connection from the reverb section to a jack connection that will allow me to insert a footswitch. ?
there is a circuit diagram I found of the amp.. https://elektrotanya.com/dean_markley_kpa4100_sch.pdf/download.html
I tried to upload the copy I have on my pc but the file size is over the limit allowed on Seymur Duncan..
i hope someone can help..
I hope this post is in the right forum .. if not please accept my apologies..

 

[Darg1911]

Re: No reverb F/Switchl jack on amp Any way to add on - off switch / jack output pat

The easiest thing to do would be to use an effects pedal for reverb. Wiring in capability to footswitch the on board reverb is probably doable but it's probably not simple. Maybe the techies will chime in.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: No reverb F/Switchl jack on amp Any way to add on - off switch / jack output pat

+1 on the effects pedal. This could be anything from a simple reverb pedal to a complicated reverb pedal to a feature-packed multi-effects unit with many presets.

 

[SteveGA]

Re: No reverb F/Switchl jack on amp Any way to add on - off switch / jack output pat

The easiest thing to do would be to use an effects pedal for reverb. Wiring in capability to footswitch the on board reverb is probably doable but it's probably not simple. Maybe the techies will chime in.

The easiest thing to do would be to use an effects pedal for reverb. Wiring in capability to footswitch the on board reverb is probably doable but it's probably not simple. Maybe the techies will chime in.

Thank you for responding.. Can I ask again please, would I able to attach a footswitch to the send / return jacks?.
Eg: if a footswitch (with input and output jack(s) on it. ) was plugged in to amp send , then after clicking the switch the signal of the reverb turned on or off ) then sent back to amp via the return jack on the amp ..or would than not have any effect on the reverb?. ?Is that possible with Send / Return ... ?

In addition regarding installing a patch kind of fix to rig up wiring / jacks from the reverb tank to a female jack socket to ttach a footswitch.. I searched for ages to try find something on that kind of thing.. I have basic soldering skills ... The only thing I could find on this idea ws here at http://billmaudio.com/wp/?page_id=841 The gentleman mentions it is possible but he uses a specific amplifier and there is a part of the IC board where he shows a photo that needs a positive wire of good quality coaxial cable to be soldered to the top leg of a "C19" (Resistor?) and the sheild wire of coax to the bottom leg of the C19 for that specific amp .. I have the circuit diagram of my amp and could find the (Spring) reverb tank easily on my Dean Markely KPA-4100. If a patch is possible to solder into the amp for Reverb switch.. i would need to know what equivalent the "C19" mentioned in the above link is on the Dean Markley Circuit? I have not opened up the amp yet.. thought it best to get advice first..

(BTW I had never heard of Dean Markley.. evidently they were highly regarded back in the 60 thru 70s?...This amp I have is superb condition.. looks like it was hardly ever used. There is not a scratch on it..I live in the Bible Belt lot of churches round here that keep their Pa amps in one place .. dont move them around etc.. or buy newer amps and put the old equip into some dark room for storage.. I guess this amp has been stored for at least 30 yrs ...Works great, very quiet stable amp .. but when I cranked it up to tesst the level, wow, it really does its job well for a 100 watt.!. (2 x 8 ohm spkr jacks on rear..)
I tried to find an owners manual for it and history of these Dean Markley amps.. no real success. They seem to have stopped making them some time ago.. I think they make special guitar strings now..I did manage to find a circuit diagram ( The link is in my post above) I think it must be about 1980s when it was made?. I have no idea why they did not include a reverb footswitch on it.. was it because they built in the Send / Return and Main Out Jacks to attach to other amps and effects?...It also has 2 x RCA in and 2 x RCA out jacks I have seen other amps with all that stuff from way and yet still they had a footswitch jack included as well. Beats me why they did not do that with this amp.

From what i understand back in the day this amp cost over $450 list price, yet no footswitch built in? Unless they were very special circuitry in some way?.I had never heard of them.. .seem to have been well built for sure..
Evidently Dean Markley amps were used by top performers like Andy Summers etc .
but thats about all I know about Dean Markley.

PS: I looked at vocal fx pedals but to be honest I cant afford them .. they seem to be all around 80-100 dollars plus?. Could I use a cheap second hand guitar pedal for vocal fx.. reverb etc..?.. or is that not possible to put voice thru a guitar pedal?

Thank you once again for your kind advice.