Absolutely no audible difference between VP JR 25k and 250k

[Lebowsky]

I have to EB VP JR, 25k and 250k. Used to use the 250k for volume and the 25k as an expression pedal, but got myself a new nicely modded one to use as a proper expression pedal, so I was able to compare both pedals as volume pedals, to see which one I'd like most.

I was expecting to hear either a difference in the sweep, or maybe in tone (due to the fact people complain a lot about tone sucking in those volume pedals)

Test rig was Gibson Ripper -> Boss PS3 -> Korg Pitchblack -> TBP Looper -> Pickle Pie B -> Xero Dlx -> Frantabit -> TBP Looper -> LS2, with each volume pedal in a different loop of the LS-2.

I set both volume knobs on the LS-2 at max to make sure they would be the same, and played with the A <-> B.

I tried many variations, clean playing, dirt, pick and finger. I noticed absolutely no difference between both pedals. My guitarist were there too, each of them listened to me and also played my bass directly and they also couldn't tell a difference. Absolutely no difference in tone when toe down, and I felt absolutely no difference in the sweep. I tested during approx. 15 minutes, and was left quite skeptical as to what the difference between both pedals could be.

Opinions?

[godblender]

I have one of each and agree completely with your findings...to me there is absolutely no audible difference. Go figure! I've certainly read about the "tone suck" with one or the other of these pedals depending on what kind of bass you're using (active or passive), but with my passive P basses both pedals work/sound the same.

[cheapbasslovin]

I think the tone suck is going to come from a passive bass directly into the volume pedal. Low impedances to ground load down the pickups and cause some high end loss.

By putting them both in the loops of your LS-2, you provided a low impedence source so the low impedance of the pedal did no harm to the signal.

Regardless, I've found tone suck to be a very subjective term. Some like it (and therefore don't notice it) and others hate it.

[walterw]

agreed about the LS-2 and its active signal eliminating any tone suck, but i am surprised you noticed no difference in the sweep! what theoretically should happen is that the 250k drops off really fast from full-up while the 25k drops off more evenly.

[Lebowsky]

do you think having the pedal inside the LS-2 loop affects how the pedals react to the signal, compared to if it was simply last in the chain?

[Lebowsky]

BTW, I wasn't interested in the tone suck, but finding out which sweep I'd like the most between both pedals...

[bongomania]

The tone suck problem is almost entirely about loading down passive basses. Putting the volume pedals in the loop of the LS-2, or after any active pedal, eliminates the tone suck. That is the end, for like 99% of cases.

There are a certain few effects that are finicky about impedance, and there can also be big problems when trying to use a stereo volume pedal as a mixer/combiner. So those are the other 1%.

The sweep should certainly have seemed different, though.

[fishtx]

It also has to do with using the tuner out. Try testing this same configuration with a tuner plugged into the tuner out on one of the Volume pedals...test it see if you notice any difference between the two...then switch the tuner to the other tuner out on the other volume pedal, and test it again...

Also it looks like you have the volume pedal after a buffered pedal. the volume pedal needs to be after a buffered, "active" signal, or it will cause tone suck as well. You can try putting it first in your chain and testing it that way as well.

Lets us know what you find...