SD Shape Shifter

polifemo · Post by **polifemo** » 23 May 2009, 10:56

I have 2 issues that needs to be fixed in my Seymour Duncan Shape Shifter Tremolo.

The first one is that the volume needs to be increased a bit when the pedal is engaged and I´ve gathered info on how to go about that (Don´t know how hard it will be to work with these surface mounted stuff though...)

Here is the mod:

The easiest way to do this without removing the board from the chassis would be to change the value of R6. It is currently 1.2K. This is a surface mount part and requires skill to change. It can be reached without removing the board from the chassis, but it is tight. It might be better for non-expert solderers to go ahead and take the board out. Note that we will not honor warranty on any units that have been modified. Do not mistake this e-mail for authorization to modify Shape Shifters. Modify at your own risk.

The following new values for R6 will give the amount of gain listed:
• Change R6 to 10K = 6dB of gain
• Change R6 to 6.8K = 4.5dB of gain
• Change R6 to 4.7K = 3.3dB of gain
• Change R6 to 3.3K = 2.5dB of gain
• Change R6 to 2.2K = 1.7dB of gain
• Current value for R6 is 1.2K = 1dB of gain
For more than 6dB of extra gain, I would recommend removing the board and changing both R5 and R6. If you feel that more gain than 6dB is required, come back for further instructions.

The second thing seems a bit harder, and I don´t know how to fix this:
The pedal doesn´t accept tap tempo input in "off" mode, which is a stupid thing...
I want to be able to tap tempo before engaging the pedal and while doing so have the tap tempo led flashing.

Is there a schem floating aorund somewhere?

Any input will be much appreciated!

ps There is someone offering a mod for this: but I´d like to do it myself. ds

IvIark · Post by **IvIark** » 23 May 2009, 11:20

Someone on TGP posted how they did the easy mod to allow it to tap tempo in bypass:

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showth ... 184&page=4

Not tried it myself

polifemo · Post by **polifemo** » 23 May 2009, 11:55

IvIark wrote:Someone on TGP posted how they did the easy mod to allow it to tap tempo in bypass:

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showth ... 184&page=4

Not tried it myself

That´s the "desolder one wire-mod" right?
As it leaves both leds on all the time, I´d rather skip that one, but of course if I don´t find another way to get around this I might try it.
Thanks for the input!

polifemo · Post by **polifemo** » 24 May 2009, 13:06

I suppose that this is the mod:

• In that case...here is what you do. Open the pedal and find the blue 3PDT bypass switch. There are two brown wires that go to the outside left pole of the switch. It will be the group of three lugs that has one lug unused. Desolder one of the wires (either one) and tape off or heat shrink tube the end of it. That's it.
•
• (this is based on my particular pedal, so yours may be different although since its massed produced I expect all of them are the same)
•
• Seems closing this circuit with the switch in Bypass mode tells the digital brain of the pedal that is is "off", and it then turns off the LEDs and puts the chip into sleep mode. This is different from most analog pedals where the LED is wired into the bypass switch.

I´d like to have the "tap tempo led" on all the time and the other led showing if the pedal is "on/off".

bajaman · Post by **bajaman** » 24 Jul 2012, 03:05

late reply

- just did these mods to a friend's pedal - i cut both brown wires and reattached one (not the middle terminal) to the other switch terminal, then I cut the track between the resistor and red LED (effects indicator led) and attached the two brown wire ends to either side of the cut - now the light goes on and off as normal but the tap tempo can now be used when the pedal is in bypass mode

bajaman

Stazinish · Post by **Stazinish** » 13 Jan 2013, 19:53

bajaman wrote:late reply - just did these mods to a friend's pedal - i cut both brown wires and reattached one (not the middle terminal) to the other switch terminal, then I cut the track between the resistor and red LED (effects indicator led) and attached the two brown wire ends to either side of the cut - now the light goes on and off as normal but the tap tempo can now be used when the pedal is in bypass mode
bajaman

Could you describe this mod in a bit more detail? I want to do this with mine but I'm a little lost.

clintrubber · Post by **clintrubber** » 24 Mar 2015, 12:30

FWIW, I saw a new version of the Shape Shifter was announced, in stereo.

Apart from that not that much new as it seemed (only had a quick glimpse)