# 3PDT foot switch recommendation for breakout board



## giovanni (Dec 31, 2020)

Hey guys, I tried to search on the forum but couldn't find the answer, so I am going to ask. I bought some 3PDT breakout boards and now I am in the process of ordering a bunch of 3PDT foot switches. I just want to make sure they switches are good quality and fit the board. Do you guys have any recommendations? And most of all, anything I should definitely avoid? I was planning to order some stuff from Tayda and some from LoveMySwitches.
Thank you!


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## Barry (Dec 31, 2020)

I buy mine from LMS









						3PDT Latched Foot Switch - Solder Lugs - Blue
					

Same day shipping and awesome prices for guitar pedal parts! A family owned business with AMAZING customer service.




					lovemyswitches.com


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## BurntFingers (Dec 31, 2020)

3PDT Stomp Foot / Pedal Switch
					

3PDT | ON-ON | Latching | Solder Lugs | Long Lasting | High Quality




					www.taydaelectronics.com


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## manfesto (Jan 1, 2021)

I am *loving* StompBoxParts’s new “Pro” footswitches, pretty sure they’re the same as the old Mammoth Pro Switches (green body, softer “click”), and the epoxy they’re using can take a *lot* of heat









						3PDT Footswitch Pro - Latching
					

Top Quality Parts for Guitar Effects Pedals and DIY Music Devices. Knobs, Pots, Switches, LEDs, Enclosures, Jacks, Wire, Resistors, Capacitors, Semiconductors




					stompboxparts.com


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## Danbieranowski (Jan 1, 2021)

LoveMySwitches and StompBoxParts are my two sources. Tayda if I’m desperate, but I don’t find theirs to be as nice of quality.


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## giovanni (Jan 2, 2021)

Thanks all for the recommendations! I assume these will all solder fine in the ppcb breakout board?


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## manfesto (Jan 2, 2021)

giovanni said:


> Thanks all for the recommendations! I assume these will all solder fine in the ppcb breakout board?


The only 3PDT I’ve ever had *not* fit a PPCB breakout board was the Gorva/LMS Pro Footswitch, but @PedalPCB has said the board’s been redesigned recently and so might fit now?


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## mdc (Jan 3, 2021)

These do *NOT* fit the ppcb boards:
https://www.taydaelectronics.com/alpha-3pdt-stomp-foot-pedal-switch.html

These do *NOT* fit:
https://www.taydaelectronics.com/3pdt-stomp-foot-pedal-switch-fk-series-on-on.html


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## BeeSharp (Jan 15, 2021)

Danbieranowski said:


> LoveMySwitches and StompBoxParts are my two sources. Tayda if I’m desperate, but I don’t find theirs to be as nice of quality.


Has anyone else had the Stomp Box Parts blue epoxy switches fail?  I had about 10-20% failure rate so I'm hesitate to buy more in a green body


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## SYLV9ST9R (Jan 15, 2021)

mdc said:


> These do *NOT* fit the ppcb boards:
> https://www.taydaelectronics.com/alpha-3pdt-stomp-foot-pedal-switch.html
> 
> These do *NOT* fit:
> https://www.taydaelectronics.com/3pdt-stomp-foot-pedal-switch-fk-series-on-on.html


I used 6 or 7 Alpha 3pdt from Tayda and never had any trouble fitting them in the 3pdt breakout board


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## StompBoxParts (Jan 15, 2021)

BeeSharp said:


> Has anyone else had the Stomp Box Parts blue epoxy switches fail?  I had about 10-20% failure rate so I'm hesitate to buy more in a green body


That doesn't seem right. DM'd, I'll get you taken care of.


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## Danbieranowski (Jan 15, 2021)

BeeSharp said:


> Has anyone else had the Stomp Box Parts blue epoxy switches fail?  I had about 10-20% failure rate so I'm hesitate to buy more in a green body


I have yet to have a stompboxparts switch fail on me. Maybe you got a bad batch?


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## BeeSharp (Jan 15, 2021)

Danbieranowski said:


> I have yet to have a stompboxparts switch fail on me. Maybe you got a bad batch?


Yes, but he took care of me.  Excellent customer service.  I have already placed another order, so buy with confidence.


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## mdc (Jan 15, 2021)

SYLV9ST9R said:


> I used 6 or 7 Alpha 3pdt from Tayda and never had any trouble fitting them in the 3pdt breakout board
> View attachment 9161View attachment 9162


Interesting! The ones I have are labelled "AH4." I just checked again and of the 3 I have here, one fit on (but *very* tightly) and the other two were no-go.


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## BeeSharp (Jan 16, 2021)

mdc said:


> Interesting! The ones I have are labelled "AH4." I just checked again and of the 3 I have here, one fit on (but *very* tightly) and the other two were no-go.


Same here. They fit the Aion board, but not the pedalpcb ones


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## Robert (Jan 16, 2021)

The 3PDT board was recently reworked to fit more switches.

I'm going to order each of the switches above today, and if necessary I'll make more adjustments.

I'm trying to keep the mounting holes as tight tolerance as possible so less solder / heat is required so switches are less likely to be damaged while soldering.    I suspect a large percentage of footswitch failure is caused by overheating the lugs.


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## mdc (Jan 16, 2021)

Robert said:


> The 3PDT board was recently reworked to fit more switches.
> 
> I'm going to order each of the switches above today, and if necessary I'll make more adjustments.
> 
> I'm trying to keep the mounting holes as tight tolerance as possible so less solder / heat is required so switches are less likely to be damaged while soldering.    I suspect a large percentage of footswitch failure is caused by overheating the lugs.


I'd say that's probably entirely accurate. Unfortunately, I imagine that adjusting the holes will mean that the one that currently fits best (the generic blue base) will end up having the loosest fit and it also happens to be the one that takes heat least well (in my experience).


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## Robert (Jan 16, 2021)

The most recent change involved widening the slots horizontally, not so much vertically.   So while there was more side-to-side play, the slots were still just as tight on the lugs.    

Some switches (like the low-profile or Super Premium Demonts) will just require a dedicated board...


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## duffy_lane (Jan 16, 2021)

I'm using the LMS feather soft / Gorva switches (which feel amazing. This is the only switch I'm ever gonna use. Well worth the $)
I had to bend the lugs a tiny bit but the fit is super tight which I think is what we want given the perks @PedalPCB mentioned above.









						Pro 3PDT Latched Foot Switch - Solder Lugs - Feather Soft Click
					

Perfect for those who prefer a high-quality, soft click 3PDT. Our pro 3PDT latched foot switch features a feather-soft click and high-temperature epoxy.




					lovemyswitches.com
				




https://gorvadesign.com/products/mechano (SmallBear also carries them)


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## Robert (Jan 23, 2021)

3PDT Footswitch Pro - Latching
					

Top Quality Parts for Guitar Effects Pedals and DIY Music Devices. Knobs, Pots, Switches, LEDs, Enclosures, Jacks, Wire, Resistors, Capacitors, Semiconductors




					stompboxparts.com
				



*✅ Perfect Fit *
Ross from StompBoxParts was kind enough to send over a couple of their "3PDT Footswitch Pro - Latching" footswitches for a test fit.   I can confirm that these fit the current breakout board perfectly and appear to be great quality footswitches










						3PDT Stomp Foot / Pedal Switch
					

3PDT | ON-ON | Latching | Solder Lugs | Long Lasting | High Quality




					www.taydaelectronics.com
				



*✅ Perfect Fit*
The standard "Taiwan Blue" 3PDT footswitches from Tayda Electronics are a perfect fit.







						Search results for: 'mini toggle switch 3pdt on on'
					






					www.taydaelectronics.com
				



*✅ Perfect Fit*
The mini 3PDT toggle switch from Tayda Electronics are a perfect fit.










						3PDT Stomp Foot / Pedal Switch FK Series On-On Latching
					

DAILYWELL ELECTRONICS - Get It Fast - Same Day Shipping




					www.taydaelectronics.com
				



⚠️ *Tight Fit*
The red "Dailywell Electronics FK Series" 3PDT footswitches from Tayda Electronics fit without any modification, but the first was extremely tight.   Normally I would say this is a good thing, but any manufacturing tolerances could result in a switch that does not fit.










						ALPHA 3PDT Stomp Foot / Pedal Switch
					

ALPHA | 3PDT | ON-ON | Latching | Solder Lugs | Long Lasting | High Quality




					www.taydaelectronics.com
				



🚫 *Did Not Fit*
The black "Alpha" 3PDT footswitches from Tayda Electronics did not fit.   I probably could have forced it without bending / modifying the lugs, but that defeats the purpose of reducing stress on the lugs.   I will make some slight adjustments to the footprint to hopefully accommodate these in the future.


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## BeeSharp (Jan 23, 2021)

Thanks for the info. It would be nice if the Alphas fit since they are great quality and consistently in stock.


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## spi (Jan 23, 2021)

This is good to know.  I just had the Alpha ones in my Tayda cart.  Now I'll reconsider.  

By the way I also have one of those Dailywell ones and I checked the fit.  I can confirm it does NOT fit.  Maybe if I really forced it but I'd rather not.

Lately I've been using the LMS ones Barry mentioned.  Those work well with the breakout boards.


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## peccary (Jan 24, 2021)

spi said:


> This is good to know.  I just had the Alpha ones in my Tayda cart.  Now I'll reconsider.
> 
> By the way I also have one of those Dailywell ones and I checked the fit.  I can confirm it does NOT fit.  Maybe if I really forced it but I'd rather not.
> 
> Lately I've been using the LMS ones Barry mentioned.  Those work well with the breakout boards.



I really like the regular LMS ones. They have a much softer touch than the Tayda switches. I keep threatening to buy the fancy ones but am not sure they will be worth it since the quality on their normal ones seem top notch.


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## manfesto (Jan 26, 2021)

duffy_lane said:


> I'm using the LMS feather soft / Gorva switches (which feel amazing. This is the only switch I'm ever gonna use. Well worth the $)
> I had to bend the lugs a tiny bit but the fit is super tight which I think is what we want given the perks @PedalPCB mentioned above.
> 
> 
> ...


I’d give the StompBoxParts green 3PDT a shot, felt about the same as the Gorva to me (both seem to be modeled on the old Mammoth Pro, both have ~40oz of actuation force and are in a light green case), it fits perfectly in the PPCB 3PDT breakout board, the blue epoxy SBP is using can take *insane* heat, and it’s a buck cheaper than the Gorva


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## BeeSharp (Jan 27, 2021)




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## Robert (Jan 27, 2021)

Added the Tayda 3PDT toggle switch (A-1955) to the list, perfect fit.


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## giovanni (Jan 28, 2021)

Are you going to add a list of switches that fit to the store?


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## mastermachetier (Feb 15, 2021)

Does the orientation of the switch matter ?


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## Many__Of__Horror (Feb 15, 2021)

mastermachetier said:


> Does the orientation of the switch matter ?


As long as the lugs are horizontal, no it doesn't matter


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## Robert (Mar 10, 2021)

The 3PDT Order Switch PCB now fits all of the switches listed above.

The other breakout boards will follow as they're reordered.


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## jnfpbenjamin (Apr 28, 2021)

Just throwing it out there, I got the breakout board to fit my switch with a little plier finesse, but do these numbers mean anything ? (I'm assuming they do). 

Just wanted to check before I soldered them b/c I can see two ways it would fit in.


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## peccary (Apr 28, 2021)

jnfpbenjamin said:


> Just throwing it out there, I got the breakout board to fit my switch with a little plier finesse, but do these numbers mean anything ? (I'm assuming they do).
> 
> Just wanted to check before I soldered them b/c I can see two ways it would fit in.
> 
> ...


3PDT switches are symmetrical, in that 3 could be 1 and it wouldn't matter, so as long as it is orientated correctly it will work. The good news is that these boards will only fit in the correct orientation

Little homework for ya: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAAegQIAxAC&usg=AOvVaw2-KA9YmBgGKly_QNP9Pbfs


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## Robert (Apr 29, 2021)

jnfpbenjamin said:


> Just throwing it out there, I got the breakout board to fit my switch with a little plier finesse



Which switch is that?   And when did you order the breakout board?   The boards currently shipping should fit _most _standard 3PDT switches now.

The orientation makes a difference when working with momentary footswitches (for the Backfeeder, for example), but when dealing with latching footswitches you can rotate the switch 180 degrees and it'll still function the same.


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## jnfpbenjamin (Apr 29, 2021)

peccary said:


> 3PDT switches are symmetrical, in that 3 could be 1 and it wouldn't matter, so as long as it is orientated correctly it will work. The good news is that these boards will only fit in the correct orientation
> 
> Little homework for ya: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAAegQIAxAC&usg=AOvVaw2-KA9YmBgGKly_QNP9Pbfs


Righteous, thanks big time ! I love this forum, it's such a good resource for novice builders to get learnt. Thanks for the hook up !


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## jnfpbenjamin (Apr 29, 2021)

Robert said:


> Which switch is that?   And when did you order the breakout board?   The boards currently shipping should fit _most _standard 3PDT switches now.
> 
> The orientation makes a difference when working with momentary footswitches (for the Backfeeder, for example), but when dealing with latching footswitches you can rotate the switch 180 degrees and it'll still function the same.


I ordered it from Tayda

This one.

Ordered the BOB's last month. It didn't fit straight away, but it didn't take much work to get them to mate. I read somewhere else on here afterwards that the compact ones have a different spacing that makes them tough to fit.

Thanks big time for the info, so stoked to finish my Parentheses !


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## peccary (Apr 29, 2021)

jnfpbenjamin said:


> Righteous, thanks big time ! I love this forum, it's such a good resource for novice builders to get learnt. Thanks for the hook up !


I'm a super novice as well and try to help where I can. I just hope that I don't make too much of a fool out of myself too often.


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## Barry (May 9, 2021)

manfesto said:


> I am *loving* StompBoxParts’s new “Pro” footswitches, pretty sure they’re the same as the old Mammoth Pro Switches (green body, softer “click”), and the epoxy they’re using can take a *lot* of heat
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Is @StompBoxParts going to be restocking these? I get a page not found with this link


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## manfesto (May 9, 2021)

T


Barry said:


> Is @StompBoxParts going to be restocking these? I get a page not found with this link


There was a small manufacturing error with the last batch so he’s selling them at a discount as B-stocks, I bought ten!









						3PDT Footswitch - Latching - B Grade
					

Top Quality Parts for Guitar Effects Pedals and DIY Music Devices. Knobs, Pots, Switches, Kits, LEDs, Enclosures, Jacks, Wire, Resistors, Capacitors, Semiconductors




					stompboxparts.com


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## Barry (May 9, 2021)

manfesto said:


> T
> 
> There was a small manufacturing error with the last batch so he’s selling them at a discount as B-stocks, I bought ten!
> 
> ...


I found those also, and ordered 15


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