oren hudson Messages: 274 Registered: March 2008 Location: Gastonia, NC
Senior Member
I've had this original head and matching cab for several years and it's one of my favorite guitar and keyboard amps. Of course, it didn't come with the footswitch. I've always wanted to figure something out on this, but I'm pretty clueless as to what the footwitch even looks like. I've seen the round 1 button ones and multi-button ones. Looks like it plugs into a 4-pin female plug (with blue color insert) on the back. There's also a plug labeled "Output" and what appears to be ohm markings and a plug labeled "to tape record." I'd really love to know what the footwitch looks like and what it operates as well as what these other 2 plugs are and can be used for and eventually get all things going as intended. I've done a search with not much success - so - any info, refrences, forwards, pics etc. would be greatly appreciated. BTW - the serial # is 74127 which should put it in the July-Dec. 1971 time frame.
pleat Messages: 1452 Registered: June 2004 Location: Belding, Mi
Senior Member
Your amp being an early model uses the two button lighted footswitch. The switches turn on an off the reverb and vibrato effects. Pin 1 is ground, Pin 2 is the positive voltage for the light bulbs, Pin 3 is Trem/Vib and Pin 4 is the reverb. The jack labeled output is for the speaker cabinet, and the tape record out is to drive a tape recorder or slave amp. Later models, Kustom remove the 4 pin XLR jack and used a standard 1/4" stereo jack for the footswitch. Finding a lighted two buttom Kustom footswitch isn't an easy find. You could use any two button footswitch as long as you have the 4 pin XLR plug and wire it using pins, 1,3,4. Another option is to install a 1/4" stereo jack and use the black, green and white wire that connects to the XLR jack. Then you can use any two button footswitch.
pleat
bertaire Messages: 34 Registered: April 2012 Location: burbank california
Member
It appears I too have the same issue with a recent purchase of a k 150-2 . I took notes and the search continues. Anyone willing to build vintage Kustom footswitches please contact me. I will pay any reasonable price. I need a Boost/wah pedal for a K 250-4 and a footswitch for a k 150-2 and a footswitch for a studio series 2 valve head.
pinkjimiphoton Messages: 45 Registered: May 2015 Location: the dark side of the moon
Member
sorry to bump a zombie...
the plug you need is a 4 pin male DMX for these style kustoms.
i picked one up "broken" in beautiful blue sparkle for 150 shipped on the bay.
turns out "broken" means the reverb lock was engaged. and the pilot lamps were blown..
#335's already ordered. but every function seems to work great on it, i plugged it in to a single 15/horn last nite just to try it and was shocked how well made this amp (1970) still sounds after nearly 5 decades.
THANKS FOR THE PINOUT INFO!!
when i get the DMX plugs in in a few days i'll start wiring up a footswitch for this and be sure i return to share.
rock on kustom kampers!
pleat Messages: 1452 Registered: June 2004 Location: Belding, Mi
Senior Member
If your planning on making the foot switch, with the lights, you will also need one 1N3559A diode and two 330 ohm resistors with two single pole double throw switches. Making the foot switch without the lights, a simple single pole single throw switch is all you need.
If the 335 lights are for the power and polarity switches, be very careful, the switches are very brittle and break easy. There are some posts on this site regarding the switches.
pinkjimiphoton Messages: 45 Registered: May 2015 Location: the dark side of the moon
Member
thanks for the advice, pleat
i already replaced both lamps, they were fairly easy to do luckily.
thanks for the advice re the footswitch lamps,
i think i'm gonna just use CLR's and a couple led's instead, i don't think i've ever seen one to make an exact
analog.
gonna use a 1590 b box, with a grommetted wire coming out of it to the 4 pin dmx plug (which is JUST slightly different than the original.. can be hard to remove!!) with a pair of 3pdt's and a couple led's. only using the 3pdt's cuz i buy 'em in bulk.
dpdt is fined for this.
gonna assume around 4.7k-ish resistor for each led. will report back with what i come up with.
if it works, i'm willinhg to help other forumites out and build them workalikes for a very nominal surcharge if they need help.
i gotta drill press and have been building stomps for years, so this should be cake.
i cannot wait to gig this thing. i'm leaving in 45 to pick up an almost mint black 2x15 tnr for it, with an extra pair of 15's. since i'll be using it for guitar, if it doesn't have the original speakers in it ... the spares he took out have huge square magnets so assume they are eminence... i'll replace 'em with a nice pair i got out of a 68 standel bass amp that sound great with guitar.