I have a mid 70’s Small Stone and it only reacts when the color switch is up. When the switch is down it does not react; almost like it is by-pass or something. Any suggestions for a frustrated owner of a Super Effects Pedal. P.S. I bought it at Manny’s on 48 Street in NYC in 76 for $35.
Thank you in advance, James

It’s possible the switch is dirty, there’s a wire off, or the Color switch has been bumped hard and is starting to come apart.  Have you opened it up and looked inside?

Hello & Thanks for the reply The EH Man.

Last week, I looked inside and did not notice any issue(s) as you suggest but, when I leave work I will check again in more detail. I will let you know ASAP. FYI - I had this issue in the late 70’s & brought the unit to EH when they used to be on W23rd Street in Manhattan. They fixed it and it is back. Thank you again for your very quick reply. It is appreciated -James

OK- I have looked inside this old darlin’ & my inexperienced eye notices nothing wrong and/or out of place.  I think it needs to go to an expert for repair. The pedal does not work like it used to.  Any suggestions where to send for repair? Is it best to go to EH in Long Island City?

All suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thank You,

James

Open the pedal, take out the Color slider switch, open it carefully (pry open the little tabs holding the switch together…carefully don’t break them), try to catch all the bits that fall out on your lap and all over the floor, curse loudly, find the bits that fell on the floor and clean them with contact cleaner—there should be a couple of little brass things that look a bit like staples—re-tension those (bend them a bit) and put it back together again and back into the pedal. See if that helps. Failing that, radio shack sells a replacement switch that will do the job for a couple of bucks.

Thanks for the advice devnulljp but, I had an expert, or should I say THE expert, Howard Davis fix my old Pedal & it is back to its old singin’ self.

Howard is brilliant!

Thanks also to The EH Man.

James

I have a 76 small stone and mine did the same thing. As was suggested, I went to radio shack and purchased a new switch and it works fine. So it’s probably the switch. Good Luck!

muffinman - 25 March 2010 11:57 AM

I have a 76 small stone and mine did the same thing. As was suggested, I went to radio shack and purchased a new switch and it works fine. So it’s probably the switch. Good Luck!

Can I have your old broken switch?

(or anyone else with an old broken slider switch)

I might have a switch for you. I have a 1977 Doctor Q that I’ve been tinkering with (the decay is warbly)—I haven’t yet tried the switch, but if that’s the problem, I will replace it and you can have the original. A year or so ago, I got some pretty helpful answers about a 1981 Mini-Chorus (not Full Chorus) somewhere in these forums, so I’m glad to have a chance to help someone else out.

I use a pencil eraser to clean the contacts once I have the switch apart.  That gets a large amount of the dirt off and after reassembly I give it a shot of contact cleaner to finish the job.