" Mini FCB 1010 " ..... I'm going to buy a FCB 1010 and CUT the Expression Pedals Off ...... ! :)

benifin · Mar 3rd 2015

No, I'm not kidding

Here is my thinking. I want a KPA controller with

- lots of buttons ... ideally 10 / 12
- dedicated Bank Up / Bank Down
- no Expression pedals - I have a DVP Vol X that is awesome for wah and I don't use or need a Volume
- Midi PC and CC capability [ Browse and Performance plus IA ]
- Can display the Kemper Tuner on the Display
- as small as it can be
- not too expensive.

So .....

- the KPA Remote is great but is quite pricey ...although definelty value in absolute terms
- the RJM Mastermind GT stuff is great but stupidly overpriced ..... actually makes the KPA Remote look dirt-cheap in terms of price ..... no offence RJM
- the BJDevices TB-12 is great but it doesn't have dedicated bank up and bank down buttons [ they sell a 2 button add-on box if you need ]

So that leaves me with the .... you guessed it ..... FCB 1010.

Then I thought ...... I wonder how much "stuff" is in side such a big "box"

Turns out ....... not much at all => www.el34world.com/Misc/Music/images/IMG_0230.jpg

So .... I will be.....

-> buying a 2nd hand FCB 1010
-> buying the Uno4Kemper Chip
-> do the FCB 1010 Phantom Power Mod -or- relocating the existing IEC power
-> unscrew the black-tail-end
-> cut off the Expression Pedals casing - in a straight line
-> drill-to-re-attach the black-tail-end

The hardest part will be doing a straight cut on the casing to "cut off " the 2 Expression Pedals.

Total Cost for the 2nd hand 1010 and a Uno4Kemper and a few miscellaneous parts should be around approx. ~ US $ 170 or less .... will give me 10 x Midi PC / Midi CC midi FSW controls + dedicated Bank Up / Bank Down FSW buttons + Expression Pedal Inputs + Kemper Tuner [ in Red LED format ] on the FSW.

Anything obvious I am missing / ignoring in this project (?)

Is there an " already existing commercial " alternative I'm not aware of ?

Ben

mDan · Mar 3rd 2015

This works very good and is quite easy to achieve. I modded the FCB for a friend the same way - let me check if I can find some pictures of the build!
The biggest pain in the ass indeed was to cut it of staight... I used a metal saw which worked out surprisingly well.

benifin · Mar 3rd 2015

Awesome mDan. Any pics you could post would be fantastic

HappyKemper · Mar 3rd 2015

Good luck!
I'm sure I've seen a kemper forum thread about such DIY project, removing the FCB pedals.
Sorry I don't have the link but do a forum search.

MuddyFox · Mar 3rd 2015

This?

http://brightonguitarrepair.tu…er-fcb1010-part-i-this-is

http://brightonguitarrepair.tu…er-fcb1010-part-ii-so-now

benifin · Mar 3rd 2015

Quote from MuddyFox

This?

http://brightonguitarrepair.tu…er-fcb1010-part-i-this-is

http://brightonguitarrepair.tu…er-fcb1010-part-ii-so-now

Hey MuddyFox !

Awesome find - I was searching / googling for ages [ to no luck ] thinking that surely someone must have thought / done this before

Im actually a bit surprised more people haven't previously talked about [ or actually ] done / doing this ....

Thanks again,
Ben

saschavino · Aug 26th 2015

So has anyone done it yet? I'm about to go for it, just waiting for my FCB!

Gizmo · Aug 26th 2015

There's a pic of mine in this thread.
Simple foot switch/expression pedal combo

As mDan says, the hardest part is cutting it straight.

315ea75b3a1edca04b66d0d49de1e7e757bfdcd5 · Aug 26th 2015

Nice job Gizmo!

Gizmo · Aug 26th 2015

Thanks MrVivz
I've used it in about 20 gigs so far, works just as it should and much easier to carry around.

Guitartone · Aug 26th 2015

[Blocked Image: http://i1240.photobucket.com/albums/gg494/Tokai_Guitars/untitled_zpsyiqwmbdb.jpg]

[Blocked Image: http://i1240.photobucket.com/albums/gg494/Tokai_Guitars/fcb%201_zpsoq1mr7ok.jpg]

Fireloogie · Aug 27th 2015

That looks great! Is this photoshopped or real?

Lokasenna · Aug 28th 2015

That picture is photoshopped, but it's fairly easy to do.

tntent · Aug 28th 2015

Quote from saschavino

So has anyone done it yet? I'm about to go for it, just waiting for my FCB!

quite a few here have done this mod as well as others. Go for it. A few reccomendations.... Cutting it straight is most difficult. Pay a machine shop a few bucks and carefully mark it exactly how you want it. Check it repeatedly. Install two trs jacks to existing pedal wires. Check trs mounting location carefully. It can get tight. Drill more carefully. I drilled into some of the wires and had to repair them. Search the forum for what others have done and decide what mods you want and do it in one shot... I also have a one cable mod with a cat 5 cable

saschavino · Sep 3rd 2015

Quote from tntent

Zitat von saschavino: „So has anyone done it yet? I'm about to go for it, just waiting for my FCB!“ quite a few here have done this mod as well as others. Go for it. A few reccomendations.... Cutting it straight is most difficult. Pay a machine shop…

@tntent thats what i want to do. i'd like to get rid of one pedal and run everything through a cat5. but its hard to find a step by step guide to this exact plan haha.

tntent · Sep 4th 2015

Quote from saschavino

@tntent thats what i want to do. i'd like to get rid of one pedal and run everything through a cat5. but its hard to find a step by step guide to this exact plan haha.

Here is mine Fcb1010 single rj45 power and midi poor mans remote kfc here is where I go the idea and his guide https://mackatackblog.wordpres…-rj45-cable-modification/ I did not go exactly with his guide but a bit different. Initially I left both power supplies but now have only doc power when plugged in with cat 5. There is no standard for wiring the cat 5 so get a good understanding of the midi and power and put on whatever cat 5 wire you like

slateboy · Sep 5th 2015

Another example of a butchered FCB pedal-
I removed the second expression pedal and changed it for a push button. Ideal for tap tempos or toggling some midi controllable function. (a KPA FX slot?)
The other modification is what i call the "idiot guard" which is a piece of angled metal on hinges covering the plugs on the rear of the unit. Helps when unwanted feet trample on the unit by protecting the cabled and plugs in the back of the unit. Stage-invasion protection of for those singers that don't look where they're going. Chip is the UNO standard, not the Kemper chip.
[Blocked Image: http://www.thelookmusic.co.uk/kemper/fcb_1.jpg]
[Blocked Image: http://www.thelookmusic.co.uk/kemper/fcb_2.jpg]
[Blocked Image: http://www.thelookmusic.co.uk/kemper/fcb_3.jpg]

alex_it · Sep 5th 2015

Quote from slateboy

Another example of a butchered FCB pedal-
I removed the second expression pedal and changed it for a push button. Ideal for tap tempos or toggling some midi controllable function. (a KPA FX slot?)
The other modification is what i call the "idiot guard" which is a piece of angled metal on hinges covering the plugs on the rear of the unit. Helps when unwanted feet trample on the unit by protecting the cabled and plugs in the back of the unit. Stage-invasion protection of for those singers that don't look where they're going. Chip is the UNO standard, not the Kemper chip.

the idiot guard is awesome!
So you selected "volume pedal to wah" to have both functions with one expression pedal

rdamato · Sep 5th 2015

Quote from mDan

This works very good and is quite easy to achieve. I modded the FCB for a friend the same way - let me check if I can find some pictures of the build!
The biggest pain in the ass indeed was to cut it of staight... I used a metal saw which worked out surprisingly well.

find a friend with a table saw and adjustable gate. buy a metal blade and your done.

slateboy · Sep 6th 2015

Quote from alex_it

the idiot guard is awesome!
So you selected "volume pedal to wah" to have both functions with one expression pedal

The expression pedal sends out either cc1 for wah or cc7 for volume. Mostly cc1 as a wah as i only use vol-swells for one song. all done in the pedal rather then "volume pedal to wah" in the KPA

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