Bassman

I forgot to mention, using threaded rods means you can also use one or both as a bus bar if you insulate it from any metal base. Keith

I use ones like this; Ebay item number 150230053053 (just put the number in the search). You can also get them with small rollers at the end of the lever. They're easy to mount. My method is two lengths of 1/8" threaded rod long enough to span all the pedals, a handful of same size nuts and some small corner 'L' brackets. The switches slide along the rods and you can place them anywhere with locking nuts. L brackets slide along the rods and lock with nuts also, to hold the assembly to the base at enough places to keep it all rigid. If you use longer machine screws or bolts to mount the 'L' brackets to the base, you can use locking nuts to hold the bolts to base, then lock the whole assembly on bolts at just the right height. All from any hardware store for $3-4. hope this gives you some ideas. Keith

Ok I'm very new, but I think I have got the basics to make a midi Organ bass pedal controller using MB64. It's only 13 notes and I would use 10 or 13 Program change buttons with LEDs (how many does bass need anyway?) and a volume control. Ok, a CORE, a DIN, a DOUT and a LCD should do it fine. I can upload the ready made MB64 firmware and make changes from there with the built in menu system. I don't see any Meta Event that can perform any of the following; Octave Up/Down, Octave Toggle (by 1 octave) and making a pot adjust the velocity for expression. If I'm wrong with my basic understanding, please let me know. Does anyone know how a newbie could figure out what to change to make the Meta Events peform these functions? Conceptually, I suppose variable to remember the octave, to which 12 would be added or subtracted, but then the midi note on/off routine would have to pick this up and add it to the event. Same would apply for the velocity. I know I will have to learn to be able to actually program this, but am I on the right track in principle? thanks Keith

The pots are levers, with about 20mm travel (at the button), they all (except for 2 or 3) say c-100k Ohm 1 B-2, and are made by Yamaha. They do look similar to those used on the CS-80 (great machine btw). There are spares, 1 is 20k, 1 is 25k and 2 are multi-throw switches. I've been swamped by messages wanting them, but I get this sort of stuff all the time, I've no use for them, so make requests, and have patience, I'll keep things aside. For now, I guess, I have to be fair and form a line? Oh.....and this lot is about 5lb weight.

Just a comment about the switches. I have built lots of Bass pedals, and the reed switches are a nightmare. Ok, they last a long time but they are fiddly and hard to mount to stay in place, the movement is only small (about 3mm) when you press a pedal. I would recommend microswitches, they mount easily, already have a lever for activating, and last a long time and are sealed. To be honest though, the old old organ boards had a spring wire on the pedal, and a wire bus bar across all the pedals to be contacted with the spring wire, very crude, but they all still work fine after many many years. You can spend a lot, only to find it overkill. good luck though

I see you bought from 'hongkongsuperseller' on Ebay, just for the record, I've bought lots from this guy, great seller and great prices. Probably quicker delivery to Oz than USA too.

Hi everyone, I'm a total newbi at the electronics and programming, but I do make midi bass pedal controllers for myself, but I have been buying the midi encoder boards. I really want to make my own and have been reading........and reading..........and.......well I'm still in the shade. BUT.....as I will probably need help and I hate to throw stuff in the trash, let me offer things from organs that look like they might make good projects for someone. I don't want money (ok, you can pay the USPS cost), like I said, just hate to trash things. This panel is 16"x6", plastic and made by Yamaha, with space for 22 custom 100k pots (they look like switches), 2 rocker switches, 9 buttons, 2 pots (1 dual). All the mounting hardware is there with the components and some spare custom pots (I save the screws/bolts too). Of course, this might be spoiling the fun of making everything yourself, but... I pick up old organs very often and salvage everything useful, speakers, power amps, power supplies, knobs, switches, pots, keyboards, volume pedals, components etc. I will offer them up, if it's of interest. Or you can ask me for things too. Bassman <br>