[Mr. C]

I am looking for a switch I can use as a tremelo switch (a.k.a. a
Leslie switch) for my keyboard. They are commercially available but
cost $80! (see a picture at the link below). The switch is just a
SPST toggle with light action. Although I probably cannot make
something as nice looking as a genuine half-moon switch, I thought I
could do pretty well for less than $80 .

http://music.ashbysolutions.com/moon.html

Does anybody have any sources or suggestions as to what I could use
for this? I have looked through switch catalogs, but this appears to
be a specialty switch and something equivalent is hard to find.

The action and feel is very similar to front-panel switches on older
audio gear before a lot of it went to push buttons. But I cannot seem
to locate a source for anything new. It is likely that audio switches
are custom made and are probably not readily available. Should I just
try to rip a switch out of some old audio stuff or is there a source
for new stuff out there? Any suggestions?

Lou

[GregS]

In article , Mr. C wrote:
I am looking for a switch I can use as a tremelo switch (a.k.a. a
Leslie switch) for my keyboard. They are commercially available but
cost $80! (see a picture at the link below). The switch is just a
SPST toggle with light action. Although I probably cannot make
something as nice looking as a genuine half-moon switch, I thought I
could do pretty well for less than $80 .

http://music.ashbysolutions.com/moon.html

Does anybody have any sources or suggestions as to what I could use
for this? I have looked through switch catalogs, but this appears to
be a specialty switch and something equivalent is hard to find.

The action and feel is very similar to front-panel switches on older
audio gear before a lot of it went to push buttons. But I cannot seem
to locate a source for anything new. It is likely that audio switches
are custom made and are probably not readily available. Should I just
try to rip a switch out of some old audio stuff or is there a source
for new stuff out there? Any suggestions?


I have some of yhose old telephone type lever switches.
Some of the surpluss houses may have some
Try looking here. They have a lot of stuff.

http://www.happcontrols.com/

greg

[GregS]

In article , (GregS) wrote:
In article , Mr. C
wrote:
I am looking for a switch I can use as a tremelo switch (a.k.a. a
Leslie switch) for my keyboard. They are commercially available but
cost $80! (see a picture at the link below). The switch is just a
SPST toggle with light action. Although I probably cannot make
something as nice looking as a genuine half-moon switch, I thought I
could do pretty well for less than $80 .

http://music.ashbysolutions.com/moon.html

Does anybody have any sources or suggestions as to what I could use
for this? I have looked through switch catalogs, but this appears to
be a specialty switch and something equivalent is hard to find.

The action and feel is very similar to front-panel switches on older
audio gear before a lot of it went to push buttons. But I cannot seem
to locate a source for anything new. It is likely that audio switches
are custom made and are probably not readily available. Should I just
try to rip a switch out of some old audio stuff or is there a source
for new stuff out there? Any suggestions?


I have some of yhose old telephone type lever switches.
Some of the surpluss houses may have some
Try looking here. They have a lot of stuff.

http://www.happcontrols.com/


Check out the joysticks.

[GregS]

In article , Mr. C wrote:
I am looking for a switch I can use as a tremelo switch (a.k.a. a
Leslie switch) for my keyboard. They are commercially available but
cost $80! (see a picture at the link below). The switch is just a
SPST toggle with light action. Although I probably cannot make
something as nice looking as a genuine half-moon switch, I thought I
could do pretty well for less than $80 .

http://music.ashbysolutions.com/moon.html

Does anybody have any sources or suggestions as to what I could use
for this? I have looked through switch catalogs, but this appears to
be a specialty switch and something equivalent is hard to find.

The action and feel is very similar to front-panel switches on older
audio gear before a lot of it went to push buttons. But I cannot seem
to locate a source for anything new. It is likely that audio switches
are custom made and are probably not readily available. Should I just
try to rip a switch out of some old audio stuff or is there a source
for new stuff out there? Any suggestions?

Can't tell what kind of switch action you need. Try looking here.

http://www.surplussales.com/Switches/SWLeaf-1.html

greg

[Mr. C]

I have some of yhose old telephone type lever switches.
Some of the surpluss houses may have some

I used to have a couple of them years ago. They might be OK. The lever
type switches or leaf switches you mentioned would be good if they 1) have
light toggle force and light detents, and 2) are 2-position toggle, not
momentary. A lot of those lever switches are momentary, like those used for
intercoms.

Thanks for the suggestions, I will keep looking at those.

Lou

[Richard Crowley]

"Mr. C" wrote ...
I have some of yhose old telephone type lever switches.
Some of the surpluss houses may have some

I used to have a couple of them years ago. They might be OK. The
lever type switches or leaf switches you mentioned would be good if
they 1) have light toggle force and light detents, and 2) are
2-position toggle, not momentary. A lot of those lever switches are
momentary, like those used for intercoms.

The commercial-grade Switchcraft leaf switches
can be modified for either momentary or "latched"
operation by bending the actuating leaf. They can
also be modified for actuating force (heavy vs.
light, etc.) by bending the leaves. And you can also
change the switch action by re-arranging the leaves.
I don't think you can that with the more sturdy
"telephone grade" versions.

[Mr. C]

The commercial-grade Switchcraft leaf switches
can be modified for either momentary or "latched"
operation by bending the actuating leaf. They can
also be modified for actuating force (heavy vs.
light, etc.) by bending the leaves. And you can also
change the switch action by re-arranging the leaves.
I don't think you can that with the more sturdy
"telephone grade" versions.

Yes. It also looks like a "guitar switch" might be a good thing to try too.
It seems like the right size and kind of action. But everything I have seen
is at least a 3-position and often times a 5-position. All I need is a
2-position. They don't seem to make a 2-position guitar switch. Also, it
is common to throw the tremelo switch several times in a single song. I
wonder if a guitar switch would have the durability I need. Thanks for your
input.

Lou

[Richard Crowley]

"Mr. C" wrote ...
The commercial-grade Switchcraft leaf switches
can be modified for either momentary or "latched"
operation by bending the actuating leaf. They can
also be modified for actuating force (heavy vs.
light, etc.) by bending the leaves. And you can also
change the switch action by re-arranging the leaves.
I don't think you can that with the more sturdy
"telephone grade" versions.

Yes. It also looks like a "guitar switch" might be a good thing to
try too. It seems like the right size and kind of action. But
everything I have seen is at least a 3-position and often times a
5-position. All I need is a 2-position. They don't seem to make a
2-position guitar switch. Also, it is common to throw the tremelo
switch several times in a single song. I wonder if a guitar switch
would have the durability I need. Thanks for your input.

It is trivial to make a 2-position leaf switch out of
a 3-position switch. You need a pair of long-nose
pliers and about 15 seconds.

[Mr. C]

It is trivial to make a 2-position leaf switch out of
a 3-position switch. You need a pair of long-nose
pliers and about 15 seconds.

Yeah, you're right. Maybe I can give that a try. I would also like the
make/break point to be approximately when the lever is half-way thrown, but
maybe I can do that with the way I wire the contacts, or even some more
bending on a leaf switch.

I guess my bigger concern I raised before is if a guitar switch would stand
up to use as a Leslie switch. So maybe I should go back to the leaf switch.
I would think a leaf switch would have a much longer contact life than a
wafer or wiper switch, which I think guitar switches are.