Radial BigShot i/o: One Footswitch, Two Instruments, Zero Noise

The Radial BigShot i/o is a true-bypass instrument selector, a compact footswitch that lets a player toggle between two instruments feeding a single amplifier with one tap and no pop through the rig. A passive, straight-wire signal path preserves the tone of each instrument, while a level control on the second input balances a hot pickup against a quieter one so both arrive at the amp evenly matched. For the guitarist juggling an electric and an acoustic, or the bassist switching between active and passive basses, it makes the changeover instant, silent, and invisible to the audience.

Why a Passive True-Bypass Selector Keeps Instruments Sounding Right

An instrument's tone is shaped by how its pickup interacts with the load it sees, and inserting active electronics or a poorly designed switch between the instrument and the amp can bleed away high frequencies and change the feel of the sound. The BigShot i/o takes the opposite approach: a fully passive, true-bypass design that behaves like a straight piece of wire, delivering near-perfect signal transfer at just -0.3 dB of loss. Whichever instrument is selected reaches the amp with its own voice intact, so switching guitars never means switching tone character.

Level Matching So the Loud Instrument Does Not Jump

Two instruments rarely put out the same level, and without correction a switch from a mellow archtop to a hot humbucker guitar can slam the amp with a sudden volume jump. Input-2 on the BigShot i/o carries its own level control that reduces the sensitivity of the louder instrument, so both sources hit the amplifier balanced and the audience hears a seamless change rather than a leap in volume. Set it once during soundcheck and every switch through the night lands at the right level.

A Bright Switch for Passive Pickups

Passive instruments and long cable runs can roll off the top end, leaving a signal that sounds dull once it reaches the amp. The BigShot i/o includes a three-position bright switch that restores high-frequency shine to compensate for that cable capacitance and pickup loading. It is a small tone tool that keeps a passive guitar or bass sounding open and articulate through the selector, so the convenience of switching never comes at the cost of clarity.

Separate Tuner Output and Silent Mute

The BigShot i/o has a dedicated tuner output and a mute footswitch that work together for clean stage management. Stomp the mute and the signal to the amp is silenced and diverted to the tuner output, letting a player tune quietly between songs without a squeal through the PA. When the mute is released, the instrument returns to the amp instantly. It is the same silent-changeover discipline the selector brings to instruments, applied to the moments in between.

Built for the Stage

The BigShot i/o is housed in a rugged 14-gauge steel chassis with a durable powder-coat finish, sized to sit on a pedalboard and take the repeated stomping of nightly gigs. The passive circuit needs no battery to pass signal, and the whole unit is designed to do one job flawlessly for years. It is the kind of utilitarian tool that earns its spot on the board by never causing a problem.

Who the BigShot i/o Is For

The BigShot i/o is for the multi-instrumentalist switching between an electric and an acoustic guitar mid-set; for the bassist alternating active and passive basses that need level matching; and for any player who wants an instant, silent instrument change into one amp without touching the amp's controls. If you carry two instruments to a gig and one amp, the BigShot i/o is the selector that makes the swap disappear.