Recommend a Volume Pedal?

[mborn]

Probably the best volume pedal you can buy is a Telonics FP100 (or their latest version). maybe C or D

Pros:
No tone suck, flat from about 30 to 20KHZ. high input impedance buffered preamps, -100 db noise floor
Has a built in HPF or get it without
No String, No pot. Uses a micro processor and angular sensing chips.
8 switchable tapers, 6, 7 and 8 have gain boost.
adjustable input impedance
adjustable drag
software upgradable
2 outputs, isolated shorting one does not kill the other one.
tuner out, always on
expression voltage out or remote angle sense. (you can put the sensor on your hat and tilt your head to control vol)

Stereo available, (remote sense and stereo are extra cost)
Two treadle angles available, (cowboy boots and regular shoes.) Changeable, but only at the factory
All connections are on the right side.

EXTREME customer service

Cons:
requires 24 VDC, power supply and tools included
EXPENSIVE can be over $600

These were designed for pedal steel and are available from

Telonics.com
Mesa, AZ

Go to web site and then select pro audio. call and ask for Sophie


Some times used ones are available, visit the Steel Guitar Forum and check the for sale section under amps.

(I have no connection to Telonics, but I do have most of their products. )

 

[jdjk7]

I use a Dunlop Mini Volume X. Mine needs to fit on a pedalboard in the same form factor as a standard pedal, so that's my need. It's also passive.

 

[smo]

Most volume pedals will be fine in the bedroom. Live performance will be different, as I tend to find the useful range will be in the last 1/3 of the travel. Reducing volume below that can tend to make you vanish from a dense mix.
So I prefer a pedal like the Morley 20/20 Volume Plus. You can set the minimum for the lowest point, and use the footswitch to change between that and a setting of zero. So I can simply heel down for the quiet parts of songs or switch it over for swells. Easy!

 

[cbnutt]

Hilton , favored among steel players in one of the best .

 

[kho]

I have a Mission Pro. It has some internal dip switches with settings to help reduce tone suck.

Another vote for the Mission Pro. Great pedal.

 

[Carl Hillman]

I tried searching but couldn't come across anything. I'm looking to try a volume deal for cool swells, but I haven't gotten one before. I see there are a lot of them that have "toe suck" in reviews and some don't have a great volume taper, while others don't seem to have a smooth motion (going off amazon reviews mainly).

Any recommendations for one that will work great with active basses, not have any tone suck, and has a nice smooth taper and motion? I have seen great reviews of the Lehle Mono but its 3x as much as the Boss, the Fender, or the ErnieBall ones.....so it seems steep.

Lehle...buy once, cry once.

I went through 3 Ernie Ball pedals and a Morely before buying the German-engineered one that will last the rest of my life.

 

[Sid Fang]

I have been using Morley pedals for years on guitars and basses. The optical pot is super simple but wonderful because it never gets scratchy or needs cleaning. They have a long "throw", which makes it harder to do radical stuff fast, but makes it easier to do subtle stuff, and I've got big feet. I've got a Volume Plus on my bass pedalboard, but on my Marshall guitar amp, I made the horrifying discovery that they don't work in the effects loop of that class of amp! So my vote is "Morley, unless...".

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I tried searching but couldn't come across anything. I'm looking to try a volume deal for cool swells, but I haven't gotten one before. I see there are a lot of them that have "toe suck" in reviews and some don't have a great volume taper, while others don't seem to have a smooth motion (going off amazon reviews mainly).

Any recommendations for one that will work great with active basses, not have any tone suck, and has a nice smooth taper and motion? I have seen great reviews of the Lehle Mono but its 3x as much as the Boss, the Fender, or the ErnieBall ones.....so it seems steep.

Dunlop. The big one

 

[Jeff Scott]

For that fat vintage volume you'll want one of the giant chrome Morleys

Back in my Top 40/Diss-Cho Daze® ('77-'79) I had the wah/volume model.

I have a EB VP Jr. that has served me well for many years.

Here it is in action.

 

[logdrum]

A sushi Box More will provide subtle, kleen tube sheen and about 30X gain factor if you substitute a 12 AT7 for the stock AX7...it just might be the ultimate volume/boost pedal

That's a boost pedal not a volume pedal to do swells like the OP asked. The MORE when pushed can saturate a FET, opamp or tube preamp section -- could be pleasant but sometimes not.

 

[HolmeBass]

Ernie ball tone suck is only an issue if its the first pedal in your chain after a passive bass. Active bass, not a problem. The lame string assembly that is prone to breakage is a problem though.

Best option: Lehle. Most economical best option: whichever dunlop size you like best. Coolest/most hip points, Goodrich or Hilton.

I have an active bass and the EB is at the end of my chain. I guess I've been lucky with the string so far?

 

[Pauly 4001]

Back in my Top 40/Diss-Cho Daze® ('77-'79) I had the wah/volume model.

I have a EB VP Jr. that has served me well for many years.

View attachment 5243352

Here it is in action.

I still have an assortment of the giant chrome Morleys, probably because they are discreetly tucked away on top of a high bookcase. There's a Power Wha Fuzz, a Volume Boost and a Phase Pedal that I opened up and somewhat randomly tweaked the internal trimpots on it to give it a more intense phase experience which I'm sure was not a good idea.

 

[crapusername]

I'm surprised there's no mention of the boss fv500h.
Highly adjustable and no tone issues, plus it can be used as an expression pedal.

 

[J.Wolf]

I have an active bass and the EB is at the end of my chain. I guess I've been lucky with the string so far?

yeah I had one for a few years before mine snapped. I just always thought it was funny that the thing was so beefy and robust but it all hinged on a piece of twine.

 

[Bob_Ross]

The first time the string on my Ernie Ball volume pedal broke, I figured I'd better stock up so I bought half a dozen replacement strings.

That was over 30 years ago, and I still have not had to use another one of those replacement strings yet.

 

[J.Wolf]

FWIW, I thought the Lehle was worth every penny. I have a Dunlop these days and its OK, doesn't feel super great, taper is so so but it was also a lot cheaper than the Lehle.

 

[mapleglo]

I also have a Dunlop mini and a DOD mini. Both of those I just use as mute switches, as they have such a short sweep.