Modular slide/light switches

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cloudhop
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Modular slide/light switches

Post by cloudhop » Fri Sep 16, 2011 6:46 am

the old Moog modulars used a lovely slide switch that illuminated when switched on and in different colours too. It was used for CV and trigger routing.

has anyone come across anything similar thats available? What happens when the origional ones break? how are they replaced?

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MC
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Re: Modular slide/light switches

Post by MC » Fri Sep 16, 2011 10:30 am

Those switches are pretty sturdy and easy to restore. Replacement bulbs are readily available, but I have my doubts about the switches.
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Christopher Winkels
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Re: Modular slide/light switches

Post by Christopher Winkels » Fri Sep 16, 2011 12:47 pm

I can't speak to the technical issues, but they do look lovely. I don't think even the "clone" manufacturers (Mos-Lab and COTK, specifically) make use of them.

Someone please prove me wrong.

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Kevin Lightner
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Re: Modular slide/light switches

Post by Kevin Lightner » Fri Sep 16, 2011 5:52 pm

The earliest lit switches Moog used were made by Switchcraft.
They called them Leva-light or something like that. (Lever-Light?)
They were flip type lever switches that were all clear and when moved they'd move a different colored gel insert in front of the bulb and the switch lever would change colors.
Those types I once found on Ebay, but have since ran out.
A pity too because I have someone's Moog IIIp here with a broken one and none to replace it with.

The later lit switches Moog used, which sound like the ones you're talking about, were standard DPDT slide switches.
These switches were available in blue, green, red and white.
They didn't change colors, but simply lit up when switched on.
One set of the contacts turned on the 6 volts of AC power needed for the bulb, while the other contacts switched whatever signal they were meant to control, usually a CV or trigger.
These switches could also exhibit an undesirable problem from age and dirt where the AC from the one set of contacts bleeds into the other contacts and causes the VCOs (or whatever they're controlling) to have some undesirable 60 cycle AC hum modulation in the tone.

I have no idea where to get such switches, but have on occasion seen some for sale on Ebay or at surplus stores.
But the point I'm trying to make here is that if you find some white or clear ones, you can always use colored LEDs inside.
You'll have to provide DC power and a current dropping resistor, but there's then no chance for them to cause the aforementioned hum problem, they'll run cooler and not increase heat inside the case of the Moog (which can cause drift) and they won't blow out nearly as often as a real lamp.
They also won't be susceptible to the shock of sliding the switch back and forth which can sometimes break a lamp's filament.

So if you can't find such switches in various colors, try finding white or clear ones and light them with LEDs.
It's a compromise, but would still look cool and has some real-world advantages.
I'd suggest doing some Google and Ebay searches for "lit slide switch."
Also look at the body of one of the switches to see who the maker is as this may help with your search.
Good luck!
Better to be king for a night than schmuck for a lifetime. - R. Pupkin

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MC
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Re: Modular slide/light switches

Post by MC » Fri Sep 16, 2011 6:33 pm

"illuminated slide switch" brings some hits on google. No direct replacements but interesting stuff.
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Trigger
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Re: Modular slide/light switches

Post by Trigger » Fri Sep 16, 2011 8:44 pm

Hmmm...wonder if the 2-position model would be a fit for the older modulars:

http://www.fullcompass.com/product/305286.html

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ChristopherWinkels
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Re: Modular slide/light switches

Post by ChristopherWinkels » Fri Sep 16, 2011 8:57 pm

$87.18!

A bargain at twice the price. :wink:

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Kevin Lightner
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Re: Modular slide/light switches

Post by Kevin Lightner » Fri Sep 16, 2011 9:47 pm

Trigger wrote:Hmmm...wonder if the 2-position model would be a fit for the older modulars:

http://www.fullcompass.com/product/305286.html

Wow... those are pretty expensive.
Regardless, those are Lever-Lite III models, a newer and seemingly larger switch.

The originals look like this:

Image
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chromium
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Re: Modular slide/light switches

Post by chromium » Sat Sep 17, 2011 1:59 am

I had looked around quite a bit for something like this and didn't have much luck. I did end up with a lifetime supply of CW rockers, like the model d switches, but no light shows. Figure I can use some on my modular diy backlog, which I should get to sometime around 2037.

NKK makes some neat illuminated switches. I thought they were pricey, but pale in comparison to that Switchcraft up above! :shock:. Here are a couple of their toggles I had used on a ribbon controller (lit up white when powered)

Image
Regards,
Joe

cloudhop
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Re: Modular slide/light switches

Post by cloudhop » Sat Sep 17, 2011 8:14 am

It really is a pleasure when posting a query here on the forum to get such good and useful replies, once again they have been a great help, many many thanks to all and particularly Kevin/etc for the great photos

I am planning to replace my standard slide switches on my DIY modular, at the moment I have LED's at the side of each switch but not happy with this.
When I played a "real" modular I was delighted with the illuminated slide switches..the sequencer lamps were also quite impressive. Big bulky and primitive..but brilliant magic.

Analogue
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Re: Modular slide/light switches

Post by Analogue » Thu Sep 19, 2013 10:38 am

chromium wrote:I had looked around quite a bit for something like this and didn't have much luck. I did end up with a lifetime supply of CW rockers, like the model d switches, but no light shows. Figure I can use some on my modular diy backlog, which I should get to sometime around 2037.

NKK makes some neat illuminated switches. I thought they were pricey, but pale in comparison to that Switchcraft up above! :shock:. Here are a couple of their toggles I had used on a ribbon controller (lit up white when powered)

Image
Hi Chromium, Can you tell me where you go the "moog minimoog-modular" overload lamp sockets mounted on the panel of your ribbon? Can't seem to locate these through conventional parts searches.

sorry about starting a thread within the thread.

regards

ch

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Kevin Lightner
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Re: Modular slide/light switches

Post by Kevin Lightner » Thu Sep 19, 2013 1:18 pm

Ch,

I have stock of both those lamp sockets and lamps.
PM me. :)

K
Better to be king for a night than schmuck for a lifetime. - R. Pupkin

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chromium
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Re: Modular slide/light switches

Post by chromium » Thu Sep 19, 2013 6:36 pm

Analogue wrote:Hi Chromium, Can you tell me where you go the "moog minimoog-modular" overload lamp sockets mounted on the panel of your ribbon? Can't seem to locate these through conventional parts searches.
^ Kevin is a great source for this stuff.

The one's I used there were CML indicator sockets from Allied, part number 749-0037
https://www.alliedelec.com/search/produ ... U=70152493

Lamp's were T-2 incandescents with slide base from Mouser, part number 606-CM16ESB
http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Chi ... NOBw%3d%3d
Regards,
Joe

Analogue
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Re: Modular slide/light switches

Post by Analogue » Thu Sep 19, 2013 6:44 pm

Thanks Joe.

My regards
Chris

EMwhite
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Re: Modular slide/light switches

Post by EMwhite » Fri Sep 20, 2013 12:59 pm

ChristopherWinkels wrote:$87.18!

A bargain at twice the price. :wink:

$87 bucks (umm, and 18 cents)... I call that a bargain also.

Speaking of bargains: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Grayhill-Rotary ... 4d0e5c3bc7
'76 Minimoog, Taurus 3, Oberheim FVS + Son of 2-voice; Sequential ProOne; Juno 106; Moog Model 15; Kurzweil 250; Hammond M3; and a handful of Fender Basses Flickr!

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