Volume pedal recommendations? - Page 2

Got2SadowskyNYC · #21 12-23-2012, 08:01 AM

The Gain on the VS is user adjustable. I run mine without boost.

Buffers shouldn't add gain or alter the eq if they are designed properly. The "active mod" that's done to traditionally passive volume pedals is installing a buffer. Buffers can be made so small now that they fit on the jack themselves.

Smeet: note that you'll have to adjust the gain at the input of your amp to compensate for the pot not going to full "on". If you put drive pedals after the volume you'll need to adjust the drive knobs on these also.

If you have access to a switchable loop pedal you can experiment with what I've been talking about. It's really surprising. When I moved to the new VV10 from the original '93 VV I noticed a big change in tonal clarity. So much so that I asked Bob if the pedal was boosting the highs. That's the moment "tone suck" due to cables, pedals etc. became real to me. As Bass players we don't realize how much high freqs. effect the over sound of a bass.

smeet · #22 12-24-2012, 02:13 PM

I got the Dunlop, in perfect cosmetic shape as promised. Not bad for $40.
This thing is huge and heavy. Seems indestructible. Sounds good, I like the loooong travel. The volume increases a bit faster at the end of the travel, and the start is a bit more abrupt than I would ideally like. All in all I'm quite happy for now. I use a home-made pedalboard, and I'm having to build a bigger one now to fit the volume pedal and an expression pedal.

I got rid of my bypass loop pedal, so I can't switch instantly. I have an LS-2 so I'll see if that can do the same thing without gain changes between channels. I don't notice a difference switching cables, but that takes a few seconds so it's hard to tell precisely.

I'm putting the volume pedal after my gain pedals and before my delay, so I don't have to compensate for anything there. One of the main reasons I got it was so I can fade and balance volume changes between clean and distorted sounds. I don't depend on driving the front end of my amp (ShuttleMax 9.2), so I'm OK there.

For the record, when I did have the loop pedal, I could not hear any significant difference between 10 or so high-quality bypassed pedals and bypassing the whole board. The Behringer and Moogerfooger had nasty bypass but the rest were clean.

Thanks for the advice all.

Chaddycakes · #23 01-04-2013, 01:55 AM

So I just got the VV10 in the mail, added a little bit of gain on the internal pots, stuck it on my pedalboard, and used it for a gig tonight. I had a bit of difficulty using it with some sensitivity, and it also had a large boost in the beginning of the sweep, as some have mentioned. I had the gain on the amp set so as the have the first red light on the VV10 light up at the right level. Maybe I should use less gain in the VV10 pot. I had the tuner out plugged into my tuner. I think I noticed some tone suck, but I don't know the cause. I checked under the hood just now and it was in active mode so that wasn't it. It of course needs a couple more gigs before I can
honestly appraise such things, as the room or EQ settings may have been the culprit. We'll see next time.

I love the slanted sides which make a large pedal effectively small when it comes to pedal connection issues on a board. The LEDs and stereo inputs/outputs on an active pedal are what you pay for.

Where do you guys set this this when you guys are just rocking out? I was intending on using it as an adjustment for after downbeat sound checks and also hopefully for solo boosts and swells . I would prefer a deep curve.

smeet · #24 01-04-2013, 02:43 AM

Did you buy it new? How big really is the bump at the beginning of the sweep? Is it hard to fade in or out smoothly? Or do you think you can get used to it?

I had a gig with the Dunlop. We did a Pink Floyd show with no breaks between songs, so LOTS of fades and dynamics. I had the opposite problem from you. I can fade in and out nicely, but it's harder to back off a touch from full volume because of the jump at the end of the sweep.

I guess nothing is perfect. I even see Hilton and Goodrich owners complaining about sweep curves and tone suck. I found a Hilton in CL, but $250 for a used volume pedal is crazy.

I found that I didn't like not knowing where the volume was set, so the LEDs would be nice to have. If you want to get rid of the VV10, let me know, I might want to buy it from you.

testing1two · #25 01-04-2013, 09:18 AM

Here's another option if you're interested in a 'tricked out' volume pedal: http://www.thru-tone.com/Ernie_Ball_Mod.html

TimboZ · #26 01-04-2013, 06:39 PM

EB VPjr along with a T1M minibuffer.

Also T1M will do a mod to youe EB VP jr for 35 bucks.

http://this1smyne.com/shop/ernie-ball-tone-suck-mod/

Chaddycakes · #27 01-04-2013, 08:10 PM

So I turned the gain down to a bit over passive to help as a buffer, and now I'm running the VV10 at 8 instead of 5, allowing me a better amount of sweep while still allowing some boost. I'm still going to have to report later on the sweep after some gigs, tho I don't play any Pink Floyd (which is a shame). I believe the tone suck was from the room last night as I don't hear it in my apartment today. I guess my only real beef so far is the sensitivity of the pedal. I also got my new MXR bass fuzz in the mail today!