Help please – VT Bass pedal TOO LOUD!!!

Jjango · #1 12-24-2009, 04:21 AM

So far, I love the tones this pedal gives me... but at every setting, it's just way, WAY, WAY TOO LOUD!!!

If I use any of the suggested settings that come with the pedal (see pic below), my bass is seriously 10 times louder than with the pedal off.

Even if I turn the Level knob all the way down to zero, and then nudge it just a hair up, it's ten times louder. I'm not exaggerating at all. I have to get down on my hands and knees to adjust the volume, as if I were safecracking a bank vault.

This can't be the way the pedal is supposed to be. I understand that the pedal is sensitive, but this is ridiculous. The level knob is completely unmanageable, it's just absurd.

Is there some trim setting I'm missing somewhere? I really love the tones of this pedal, but I'm this close to sending it back to Music123.

Jjango · #2 12-24-2009, 04:33 AM

Here's a real-world example of what I'm talking about:

Right now, my bass and amp are quiet enough for me to practice in the middle of the night without disturbing my neighbors. We're talking really quiet.

If I turn on the pedal with the SVT setting in the above image, my bass literally becomes loud enough to play with a hard-hitting rock drummer. If I want to match the volume of the bass with the pedal disengaged, I have to turn the Level all the way down, and carefully, carefully nudge the knob into the right position. On a scale of 1 to 100, I have to set the Level at 1. If I set it at 2, it's way too loud.

Something's wrong, right? This can't be the way this pedal is supposed to work.

FreaqyFrequency · #3 12-24-2009, 04:44 AM

The VT is, dead simply, the highest output pedal I've ever used. I've never used a level knob so sensitive. By the way you're describing it, the pedal is doing everything it's supposed to be doing.

enemybass · #4 12-24-2009, 05:00 AM

can you not just turn the input down on whatever you amplifying it with or on your desk
i use one all the time and would say my level is always between 8 and 12 oclock
but my input on my ashdown amp is pretty low
failing that if you have an effects send and return on the back of the amp plug straight into the return so the only thing shaping ypur sound is the vt
See how that works for ya

j.kernodle · #5 12-24-2009, 05:09 AM

Hey jjango, mine is the same way, the only time I can get the level know up near that 12 o'clock position is if I have my drive control way down near clean. The good news is the tones that come out with the drive control way up and the level control way down are great, so I haven't considered sending mine back. I've just learned where to set it. I know my level should not be quite at 8 o'clock on that SVT setting, more like 7:56 o'clock.

FWIW, I'm kinda used to that type of reaction from a Mesa Boogie guitar head I own, the volume goes from inaudible to god awful stadium volume loud between 1 and 2 on the Master knob.

Jjango · #6 12-24-2009, 05:20 AM

Thanks guys, I guess that's the way the pedal is supposed to be, then. It really makes no sense to me, though.

At least now I know I didn't get a defective pedal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by j.kernodle

FWIW, I'm kinda used to that type of reaction from a Mesa Boogie guitar head I own, the volume goes from inaudible to god awful stadium volume loud between 1 and 2 on the Master knob.

Yeah, that's exactly what my VT does, J.

I wish there was some kind of internal trim pot on the Level, setting the volume on this thing is a real exercise in coordination and patience.

Catalin · #7 12-24-2009, 05:45 AM

In my experience the drive knob between 7 and 12 o'clock affects the volume much more than level. If i put the drive at 9 o'clock i think the pedal is almost too quiet.

bassman1185 · #8 12-24-2009, 06:56 AM

That's just part of the beast. The VT is designed to drive a power amp, so yes, it's really freaking loud. It gets a lot louder when you have the gain up high, so if you are using the VT as a distortion box, your issue will be worse. I use my VT as an always-on preamp, but I ran into the opposite problem you described: the volume got bumped DOWN at a gig, and it took me a long time to figure out why I wasn't getting any output. I resolved that problem by finding the right volume, then putting a strip of duct tape over the volume doesn't move.

bassman1185 · #9 12-24-2009, 06:58 AM

Also, it is worth noting that (IMO) all of the suggested setting suck all kinds of balls. Just invest an hour or so to learn how the knobs interact, and you'll be a lot better off.

FreaqyFrequency · #10 12-24-2009, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassman1185

Also, it is worth noting that (IMO) all of the suggested setting suck all kinds of balls. Just invest an hour or so to learn how the knobs interact, and you'll be a lot better off.

+1.

I remember experiencing exactly the same frustration that you did, but understand: this is part of the learning curve with a pedal like this. If it teaches you to be more aware of your dynamics and your sound, maybe you'll come away from this experience as a better player. Touch sensitivity, both on the bass and the pedal, is included in that.

Oh, and don't forget about your bass' volume knob. Such a usable tool, yet so often overlooked.

BassBrass · #11 12-24-2009, 09:35 AM

It does shine best in high volume music. I use the low level input of my Tour 700 and have a limiter in the amp's effect/send and the VT bass is last in the floor chain, volume at 9:30, drive just at 10:30, character at 9, added bass and mid, be most careful of highs to avoid harshness. This combo seems to get the best volume and tone out of my amp and speakers. I just tried everything until I found what worked. Gives me a hot line out for recording too. At home (if my main effects board is there) I just use a Boss limiter to control the volume to a small combo. Usually at home I don't use the VT...the Mastotron rules low volume home play these days.

Crockettnj · #12 12-24-2009, 09:41 AM

Wire a resistor in series with the output jack? Might this be a simple solution? Could maybe even have a switch, resistor (padded) or normal ("really loud")

rcubed · #13 12-24-2009, 09:50 AM

I guess you didn't read through the other threads talking about how it has sensitive knobs, has a very high output (to drive a power amp) and that you should throw away the suggestive settings (or at least ignore the volume setting on them).

My name is Mudd · #14 12-24-2009, 12:40 PM

FWIW, unity for the level knob seems to be around 8:00 on mine - once I found that, the rest was easy. Don't be afraid to play with the settings.

Blue Moose · #15 12-24-2009, 12:53 PM

Yep, I keep my level around 9 o' clock and the rest is fine. Put the level at 12:00 like the manual says and things get a bit freaky, IMO.

Great pedal, BTW. Am loving mine.

lunarpollen · #16 12-24-2009, 01:02 PM

Yeah, depending on which bass I use, the level stays somewhere near 9 o'clock. The weird thing is that although it sounds a lot louder than the dry sound, it seems to not be as big a signal. In other words, if I set my amp gain so that when the pedal is off, the clip light barely flickers when I dig in, if I turn the pedal on, the clip light doesn't flicker at all even when it sounds 3x as loud as the dry signal. I have to turn the pedal's level up stupidly high before it causes the clip light to flicker on the amp. I don't know why this is, but i think maybe the pedal eliminates power-hungry inaudible subharmonic frequencies and substitues harmonics that create the effect of a huge fat sound with massive fundamentals. In other words, it allows the amp to work more efficiently to make you sound huge.

Laredo · #17 12-24-2009, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jjango

Thanks guys, I guess that's the way the pedal is supposed to be, then. It really makes no sense to me, though.

At least now I know I didn't get a defective pedal.

Yeah, that's exactly what my VT does, J.

I wish there was some kind of internal trim pot on the Level, setting the volume on this thing is a real exercise in coordination and patience.

The first time I pugged mine in, I thought I blew my speakers out!

Once you get it figured out, it has great tones. I just have to remember to keep the volume low before "punching the button"...............I don't want to have to replace all my drivers!

rcubed · #18 12-24-2009, 03:14 PM

You learned the hard. Every time you have a pedal with a volume control you should fire it up with it on the lowest level.

metalmariachi · #19 12-24-2009, 05:04 PM

I had absolutely no desire to own one until this thread.
Too Loud is where my life begins, and Way Way Too Loud is where I want to live.

Now I’ll have to check one out.

MM

OriginalCrash · #20 12-24-2009, 05:23 PM

I had wanted to check one out until this thread. I like to have the output of my pedals pretty much at unity with the bypassed signal. While the tones may be great, that strikes me as poor design IMO. What's the point in a level knob if it's almost that dang useless?!?