putting a mute switch on a DS-5

[BeenDown139]

  This conversation popped up on a different thread and it motivated me to implement it on my DS-5. 
I have a stage situation where I need to mute my amps while I change basses from fretted to fretless between songs.  it's gotta happen fast with no buzzing, popping or foolishness with equipment. For my mono basses I use a neutrik silent jack.  When I use my stereo basses it gets a little trickier – the SII has the 5-pin cable, the fretless uses an adapter to go from TRS to 5-pin.  In either case, I need to mute the stack when I unplug the bass elsewise I have open inputs making for loud buzzing out of both amps unless I turn the amps off which I really can't do in the middle of a performance.

The solution I came up with is putting a mute switch on the DS-5.  The requirements are that it has to give an unambiguous indication that it’s muted.  It can't be inadvertently activated/deactivated so an on/off lighted pushbutton is required.  Since i'm retired and trying to downsize my shop and all the stuff in it, it has to use material I have on hand.

So this is what I came up with - an SPDT pushbutton driving a DPDT pilot relay to ground both channels when activated using found electronic shop material.
It turns out my home DS-5 is a real beater.  The feet fell apart when I started disassembly.   The caps, bridge and power cord are non-original.  Somebody’s already been in it dribbling solder all over the place.  Perfect for a prototype.  It was a real tight fit for the button and relay board.  Had to do some metal work on the front panel.  It needed a BeenDown idiot light indicator for normal operation.

So I coulda got by with a DPDT toggle mounted in the LED hole.  But i'm a complicated and wonderful kinda guy with time to spare so here it is.  Gonna tear up the stage DS-5 next.

[pauldo]

Nice job! 👍🏼

Certainly impressed this Amish guy. 

[edwin]

I love it!

[BeenDown139]

i finally got around to modding the faux DS-5 that goes gigging with me.  there's no brand marking on this, i think someone said that yamaha made these at one time.  it sorta looks like an alembic DS-5 on the outside, inside it's totally a different animal:  ground lift switch, regulated +/- 15 volts, transformer mounted externally, indicator LEDs for both supplies.  these things must've cost a fortune to manufacture.  it took a little more doing on this one.  i replaced the LEDs with BeenDown's patented idiot lights.  the ground lift switch made the front panel too crowded to accomidate the new mute button, so the mono/stereo switching jack had to go, making this a stereo only box.  porbably not the worst thing that's ever happened to it.

adding the banjo board with the muting and LED switching relays makes it a little crowded.  i got a spare extra thingy outta the deal.  if for some reason ya need one of these things, my email's in my profile.  if ya don't know what it does, then ya probably don't need it.

[JimmyJ]

Awesome!  I believe what you have there is the most heavily modded DS-5 in the history of DS-5s.  Clearly it began life as an Alembic PSU, only recognizable because of the chassis.  But many mods later it has become your personal "Down-but-not-out" model.  Love the backlit mute switch too, nice touch.   

Well done!  Use it in good health.

Jimmy J