Need stereo volume pedal

[TheBassBoss]

First of all, yes, I did use the search function. However, in my search for a volume pedal, every pedal that I have heard of has gotten bad reviews at some time or another. The only one that seemed to be reliable was the Dunlop DVP1, but it isn't stereo so it wouldn't fulfill my needs. So now I ask you, my fellow TBers: What is the best volume pedal that works in stereo? (Hopefully under $150)

 

[bassman314]

Ernie Ball tends to get quite a bit of love.

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I haven't owned one, but I have used them a few times. Friends of mine swear by them.

 

[maxiegrant]

Or -- just buy two of them?

 

[sumeursault]

Visual Volume maybe?

 

[TheBassBoss]

The Visual Sound one does look nice, and it's smaller than the EB, so it would be more board friendly. Does anyone know how good it is for slow sweeps? Reliability?

 

[sumeursault]

I'm not sure if it's that much smaller. Reliability is great because the pot mechanism is super easy to replace should it ever fail. The big thing to keep in mind about the VV is that it feels different under the foot as a result of the "rack and pinion" pot mechanism. You can feel the gears coming together under the foot....takes a while to get used to it.

 

[TheBassBoss]

How well does it handle long, slow sweeps? I've heard some pedals are more of an on/off switch, or only have control in the last 15% of the sweep.

 

[sumeursault]

maybe others can chime in because I haven't tried many volume pedals. But if I had to guess, I'd say it's probably not the best for that sort of thing.

the other one to check out would be the Boss FV-500L.

 

[TheBassBoss]

Since I play only passive instruments, would having a low impedance pedal mean I would have to have a buffered bypass pedal in between my bass and the volume pedal?

 

[sumeursault]

Don't think so. The VV utilizes a [DEL]buffered bypass[/DEL] buffer (a very good one) when used in active mode. I don't know what the input impedance is exactly, but I know that my passive Pbass doesn't lose ANY top end with it. If anything it actually enhances the top end, especially with the internal gain boosted.

EDIT: The VV has no bypass, but it does use an active buffer circuit when in active mode.

 

[Jon Moody]

I'm not sure if it's that much smaller. Reliability is great because the pot mechanism is super easy to replace should it ever fail. The big thing to keep in mind about the VV is that it feels different under the foot as a result of the "rack and pinion" pot mechanism. You can feel the gears coming together under the foot....takes a while to get used to it.

It's smaller in length to the EB but is wider (due to the row of LEDs).

The pot mechanism is VERY easy to replace. I did it when I first got it to see how easy it is. Just replaced the cotter pin the other day, because I was using it so much, the pin snapped.

It does a slow sweep pretty well. I've been using mine for slow swells when faking a bowed string sound. Works much better than when I had my EB.

 

[TheBassBoss]

I watched some demos, and it looks like the Visual Sound pedal is the way to go. Thanks guys!

 

[Jon Moody]

No problem! I'm always surprised how little-known the VV is. It's truly the Swiss army knife of volume pedals.