Volume Pedals

[Racermech]

I love my visual sound volume pedal. The led's make it really easy to use. Also, the trip pots inside can help do a clean boost or adjust for different outputs. Its stereo and has a tuner out.

Best part is 8 blue cancer causing led's.

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[Baird6869]

Ernie Ball pedals are built like tanks!

+1.

The ONLY downside to the EBMM Volume JR is it weighs a ton. It is truly an indestructable pedal. Works great IMO (althought there really isn't much that can go wrong with a volume pedal.

 

[four2oh]

(althought there really isn't much that can go wrong with a volume pedal.

except plugging it in wrong! couple gigs ago i accidentally plugged my output into the tuner out... couldn't figure out why the whole show the volume couldn't be turned off.. hehehe

 

[Jazz Ad]

I wonder why more people don't buy the George Dennis GC20.
It's active with a buffer so you won't ever be bothered with impedance issues. It's also optical which means you won't get crackles after a while. It's not even expensive ($130 at MF's).
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[johans]

get a used VP JR .. so far one of the most highly rated vp..

Which do you recommend? I don't really need stereo output or a tuner output but a tuner output could be handy. The expression pedal output on the high end Boss isn't needed, but it looks like a solid pedal.

I'm looking mainly at the Dunlop GCB-80 High Gain, Ernie Ball VP. Junior Active/Passive, Boss FV-500H, or you can recommend others.

Questions:
Can the non-specified "active" pedals handle hot basses?
Is it important that a high/low impediance pedal be placed before or after the other effects?

Thanks!

Links:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Dunlop-GCB80-High-Gain-Volume-Pedal?sku=151003
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http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Ernie-Ball-VP-Junior-25K-Active-Volume-Pedal-?sku=152108
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Boss-FV500H-Mono-Volume-Pedal?sku=151042

 

[syciprider]

Ernie Ball. Small footprint, well built.

 

[niftydog]

...well built.

In the sense that a Sherman tank is "well built"!

 

[johans]

back to the VP Jr.

if we have both active and passive basses .. which one really would be best for both worlds?

do vp normaly be the first on the chain or does matter?

 

[niftydog]

My rule of thumb; if it's directly connected to a passive bass, get the high impedance one. All other cases (active bass, or connected after an effect pedal) get the low impedance one. Hope that covers your situation!

do vp normaly be the first on the chain or does matter?

You should know by now that there's no such thing as "normal" when it comes to fx rigs! Put it wherever you want it.

 

[olaff421]

I've used an Ernie Ball Jr. for awhile. I believe I have the lower impedence one with an active bass. I haven't really looked at the pedal in awhile, and can't remember which one I got.

I used to have the other version, but it broke (gasp.) I'm kind of glad it did, because even at full toe-up I have soundcomming through. The problem was solved when I got this one. I wish I could help a little more with the version, but just can't remember.

I'm still a little wary of the little string. When the pedal broke, the clasp, or whatever it is, came undone on one end. My guitar player had one at the same time, and about two weeks before mine went his string actually broke.

They do sell repair kits for them, so they can be fixed. However I would rather give my bass to a guitarist and shove my head ito one of the ports on my cab than try and actually use the kit. I don't know who they have making them originally, but they must be part-timers from the Wonka factory. Even with tools I had no way of getting anything into the pedal to manipulate any of the parts.

All that aside, I do like my Ernie Ball Jr.

 

[TaySte_2000]

Anybody got any opinions on the Boss FV50H? I found one I can pickup cheap.

I particularly want to know if I can use it as an Expression pedal

 

[niftydog]

The plastic treadle cracks underneath right at the halfway point between the treadle hinge and the switch actuator (I've had two go this way.) You WILL loose the screws holding the base on, unless that's been redesigned since I last saw a new one. And no, it can't be used as an exp. pedal.

 

[Justin Tuskey]

check out the visual sound visual volume... wooten uses one, its great, 11 leds, stereo ins and outs, active or passive modes, tuner output, boost capabilities, sweetest volume pedal ive seen.

I have the visual volume, and it is really really awesome! leds look sweet and it can be used as an expression pedal

 

[johans]

in general,

do you always .. put your volume pedal first in the chain?

thanks

 

[Racermech]

my volume pedal is sitting between the bulk of my effects (Filters, pitch shifters, overdrives, and modulation) and my Delay/reverb and looper.

That way, I can kill the noise caused by a lot of effects (ex. distortion hiss) but still have the trails if I want to do swells with delay.

If you had a tuner, you could use the tuner mute at the beginning or the end, interchangeable with the volume pedal.

But again...like all fx...put it whereever you want it!

 

[niftydog]

in general,

do you always .. put your volume pedal first in the chain?

Heck no! I work hard to get just the right settings on all my pedals, there ain't no way I'm gonna let a volume pedal come in an stuff everything up!

DEAD LAST!

 

[bongomania]

in general,

do you always ..

Absolutely, sometimes, but don't hold me to it.

 

[niftydog]

Good old Mr. Occasionally Reliable!

 

[Jazzdogg]

1. Can someone please define "expression pedal" for this pedal noob?

2. Do any of these volume pedals include a mute switch in the heel-down position?

3. Do any of these volume pedals provide for the connection of a tuner without tone suck?

Thanks!

 

[niftydog]

First, the disclaimer: there's no such thing as "normal" when it comes to effects accessories. What's described below is my perception of the most popular form of each device, but there may be an infinite number of variations!

Expression pedal = a foot-treadle controlled potentiometer in a box. You feed a voltage into the pot, the treadle then controls the voltage output via the voltage divider action of the potentiometer. The output voltage is then interfaced to the electronics and allows you to control a parameter of the effect with your foot.

I've never seen a mute switch on a volume pedal as they don't need one. If the volume pedal doesn't "mute" the signal when it's heel down, then it's not a very good volume pedal or it requires adjustment!

Any active or buffered volume pedal with a tuner output should prevent tone suck - but YMMV as the definition of tone suck varies from person to person.