Does anyone know how to swap 4 components
in a circuit for 4 different ones, controlled by
a single toggle switch (SPDT)?

I think I would need an 8PDT switch, but I don't
imagine that is something that's commonly available.

Is there a way of doing it digitally (logic switching)?

I thought of an easy way using a couple relays,
but this circuit is 9v wall-wart powered. Would that
consume too much current?

If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

Thanks.

here's an 8PDT switch on ebay though it's a 2-position rotary switch rather than a standard flip-type toggle.

also, here are some 4PDT switches, crazy cheap, on ebay, and i think that's really all you'd need.

thinking of each component as having an "in" and and "out" (which, in the case of AC signals, is really not the case... except for diodes or fat caps and the like) you could run a wire from wherever would be the "in" point to the center position on one of the poles of the switch, and then connect the "in" of the "A" variant component to one side of that pole, and the "in" of the "B" variant to the other side, and then take the "out"s of the "A" and "B" variants and connect them to each other...

does that make any sense? i dunno. it's pretty late right now. i might be thinking it makes sense when actually it doesn't.

but yeah, the first thing i thought, after "i'm sure there are 8PDT switches out there" was to use relays.

you've totally got my curiosity going though... whatcha workin on? sounds fun.

I am in the component-gathering phase of building
an Electro Harmonix Guitar Micro Synthesizer.

I reviewed the schematics, and the only difference
between the guitar and bass model is 3 capacitors
and one resistor, so I figure why not make it switchable.

I know there's a lot of other ways (for example, I could
build a 'dongle' out of a multi-pin connector), but I see
electrical switching as much more convenient than a
physical swap.

The nicest way of accomplishing this task would be with
a momentary pushbutton connected to a latching circuit,
with an LED indicator that lets you know which mode you
are in (for example, like the mode switches on a Distressor).

Thanks for the link.

If you decide to go with the relay option, I would recommend these relays. They're small, super durable, and you can get them with 9V coils which only eat 15mA.

Cheers,

E.

Thank you, those Omron relays would suit the purpose nicely.

If I am unable to find an electronic switching solution, I've
decided to use relays. I think I will build a proper regulated power
supply into the case, I always hated walwarts anyways.

I still need to find out how those pushbutton mode selectors work
in units like the Distressor, it's a useful design I'd like to incorporate into
future projects.

The Omron relays come with latching or unlatching options, so you should be able to accomplish that easily with any old momentary switch.

E.

I'm starting to wonder if it would be possible to do the
switching using SCR's (Silicon Controlled Rectifiers).

As far as my understanding goes, a current applied
to the gate will allow current to flow through the device
until current is re-applied. I may be wrong on this,
but I believe it may serve the same function as a
latching relay.

Maybe my brain is having technical difficulties, not sure.

How about a schematic? We could surely assist you better...