Gus's Byzantine Fly Mod

[Augustonian]

I’d recommend moving forward with some sort of functional on/off switch in mind...

Yes, I'll add in the switch. Seems pertinent, and if I find out I didn't need it, then great.

I’ve never actually tested this;...

First order test: Does the LED switch turn on when you don't have any cables plugged in, if not, what cables do make it turn on?

If it doesn't turn on and you're willing:
Second order test: Leave that switch on, no cables plugged in, wait a week (depending on how many mAh your battery is) and see if it still has the same voltage.

[mmmguitar]

@Augustonian, the Belew switch LED is powered in parallel with the Sustainiac by its battery, and illuminates whether a cable is plugged in or not. I think my last post in the Supreme thread alludes to my wanting to confirm if soldering the standby wire to an isolated “sleeve” lug on the 1/4”-out is sufficient to use the jack itself as a standby switch. Your suggestion has rekindled my curiosity.

[Augustonian]

As an update, I think I'm going to go with the Polydrive-Sustainer set up almost exclusively to avoid the double battery or double cable situations I would have had other wise.

I may change the controls and such, but they'll all revolve around these two systems.

On another note, Maybe I should just take a trs plug and use that as my switch

[mmmguitar]

As an update, I think I'm going to go with the Polydrive-Sustainer set up almost exclusively to avoid the double battery or double cable situations I would have had other wise.

Being as the PolyDrive will be powered via 13 pin connection, do you intend to run the buffered mag/piezo mono signal exclusively down pin 7, or in parallel with the 1/4” jack for potential dual cable signal routing? Note that the now-standard pin 7 “guitar-out” routing offered by most guitar synths would make the latter somewhat redundant in use (unless you’re laying down several guitar tracks simultaneously with one instrument).

[Augustonian]

do you intend to run the buffered mag/piezo mono signal exclusively down pin 7, or in parallel with the 1/4” jack for potential dual cable signal routing?

I'm mulling this over currently. I've got a few potential choices:
-Add more back switches: add a switch so the mag and sustainer can run purely on their own out of the 1/4".
-Run parallel, as mentioned. I prefer using one cable, but I can see a recording advantage to this particularly in the case where I kept the piezo and mag separate and when out to TRS. Again, another switch, or route my piezo/mag switch to be an output selector. (ex. 1. piezo to TS, Mag to GK 2. Both to GK 3. Mag to TS, piezo to GK) which might be useful, not sure.

I guess the issue that comes up is who gets the tone/volume controls however.

Likely, I'll do the first one, since I don't want to double the vol/tone controls, as I'm not keen on tacking down concentric or dual push pulls for such a thin guitar. It will also mean I can use the guitar much like my other guitars minus piezo if I am not looking to haul all my gear for a jam or something.

[Augustonian]

After almost a month, I'm back. As an update, I've got about all the parts I want for the project, other than some last idle thoughts rolling around in my head. I've received my Sustainer and I ended up ordering a Polydrive from RMC, which was an old shcool process but fairly quick for those who may be interested in the future.

Here's the schematic:

I've got the following controls on front:
1. Volume (COOL circuit from RMC) and sustainer on/off
2. Tone (COOL circuit from RMC)
3. Sustainer Harmonic Mode
S1. A freeway 03 toggle. Positions are

1. Neck
2. Bridge + Neck
3. Bridge
4. Neck + Piezo
5. Piezo
6. Bridge + Piezo

S2. Synth/Mix/Guitar switch. I really only added this as I couldn't think of another thing I could use it for! Honestly, I'd fill it in if I didn't have an aesthetic aversion to it.

The Blend and Power will be accessed from the back. I'm planning on making a new back plate with a hole to adjust an appropriately valued trim pot. I will likely make a circuit board to mount it on and to simplify a little bit of wiring. Also, I'll mount the switch for the sustainer here as well. I think the single battery will fit in the compartment if I place is just right. I'll make the back plate after everything is wired in, just in case I need to place the battery in a similar place to the Belew.

Anyway, I'll be doing the wood work and wiring over my winter break so I may get a wild hair to add some other oddity, but in the mean time, I'll be making the circuit board.

[jb63]

Looks like a solid set of choices. You won't be sorry about choosing RMC.

I think you can skip the S2. Synth/Mix/Guitar switch. I've moved away from that in 2 recent mods and found I can just leave it on mix and bury the switch in the cavity to re-visit if I ever decide I need it again. You just have to turn down the volume of whatever you don't want.

This was the latest set of choices with the goal of "no more holes" or "no more knobs!"

Here's what it would look like with the RMC instead of GK3.

Good luck with the build! Its the exciting part!

[Augustonian]

Looks like a solid set of choices. You won't be sorry about choosing RMC.

I think you can skip the S2. Synth/Mix/Guitar switch...

I considered it! But I've got two switch holes there, and without it, only one of them is used. In this case, I decided that it is easy to add that control on, and if I don't have another use for that particular switch, I might as well add it.

That being said, if I were to have another idea of things to do with this guitar, that would be the first one to go.