Good volume pedal?

**AlainJazz** · 09-27-2015, 04:40 AM

Can anyone recommend a good quality volume pedal? I'm not looking at doing swells, or using it as an effect pedal. Rather, I just want a good way to control volume on stage. I'll be putting it at the end of my effects chain. Primarily, the pedal should not be a tone sucker and have an "even" volume control. Has anyone had good experience with a particular brand/ model? If yes, I'd love to hear about it. Thanks.

**Nils** · 09-27-2015, 05:52 AM

Have you tried the Ernie Ball VP Junior? I use it for the same purpose as you describe, and it does the trick for me.

Ernie Ball EB6180 VP-JR - Thomann UK

That said, I have no experience with other brands...

**nosoyninja** · 09-27-2015, 09:37 AM

Pedal steel players (me included) swear by the goodrich volume pedals. They sound great and stay put. If you want an active, no pots, super high end pedal, try the hilton. I have both and they have lasted a long time in pretty rough gigging situations.

K

**AlainJazz** · 09-27-2015, 09:39 AM

Thanks for the tips Nils and Nosoy!

**jorgemg1984** · 09-27-2015, 10:50 AM

Honestly I have used a Boss FV50 and couldn't be happier. Plastic, cheap but very sturdy. Volume pot works great. Very small too! Best used after a pedal not to suck tone but that's true to every passive volume pedal..

**nosoyninja** · 09-27-2015, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

Honestly I have used a Boss FV50 and couldn't be happier. Plastic, cheap but very sturdy. Volume pot works great. Very small too! Best used after a pedal not to suck tone but that's true to every passive volume pedal..

I have the cheap boss one too. I agree it's pretty tough and sounds good enough. But both the ernie ball and the boss have very hard movement and small travel. That's usually not an issue for guitar, but definitely a big deal for pedal steel.

K

**GNAPPI** · 09-27-2015, 11:29 AM

I had a Morley for my guitars with Varitone... a MUST HAVE with VT. Somewhere along the line it got lost, I have to replace it.

**jorgemg1984** · 09-27-2015, 11:30 AM

I get you! Bot for Alain's purposes the FV50 seems more than good enough...

**mr. beaumont** · 09-27-2015, 11:47 AM

I've had an Ernie Ball for years. It's fine...but i played with a steel player last year who let me try his Goodrich. No comparison. Outstanding.

**SierraTango** · 09-27-2015, 12:37 PM

+1 on the Goodrich. For your application, a pot pedal will work just fine. They are very sturdy, and if you manage to wear the pot out, replacing it is a simple job. I don't use a VP with guitar much, just PSG, and most PSG players are pumped on the Telonics or Hilton volume pedals. If you've got the funds they are a major upgrade, and you'll never have to replace another pot.
Sometimes you can find a pot pedal for low dollars because the owner is having noise issues and is too lazy to replace the pot or doesn't know how. So for say 50 bucks for the pedal and 30 for a new Dunlop pot from Tom Bradshaw you have a new pedal.
I keep losing volume pedals in PSG deals. Kind of like "...I'll take it for X dollars if you throw the pedal in.." I just rehabbed this Sho-Bud Pro II and picked up a Carter pedal as I lost my Goodrich in that situation. Picked up a used Carter VP replaced the pot and good to go again.

**s1track3d** · 09-27-2015, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by AlainJazz

Can anyone recommend a good quality volume pedal? I'm not looking at doing swells, or using it as an effect pedal. Rather, I just want a good way to control volume on stage. I'll be putting it at the end of my effects chain. Primarily, the pedal should not be a tone sucker and have an "even" volume control. Has anyone had good experience with a particular brand/ model? If yes, I'd love to hear about it. Thanks.

Based on your criteria, a traditional volume pedal might be overkill, here is a possible alternate suggestion I came across, Nose Volume Pro Pedal

**AlainJazz** · 09-27-2015, 01:37 PM

Wow, lots of great suggestions guys. Thanks a bunch! That Nose pedal looks really interesting too! Unfortunately, I couldn't find any dealer for them here in Germany.

**SierraTango** · 09-27-2015, 05:59 PM

AJ, here is the link to the Steel Guitar forum. There are many PSG players in Germany and Europe (well, "many" may be a relative term

)

The Steel Guitar Forum

There are usually volume pedals for sale in the "Amps & Accessories" section. Also, there is a "want to buy" section you could post something like "volume pedal in Germany" and probably get replies. I'm pretty sure there is a German specific PSG enthusiast forum as well.

It's also a great resource for items that crossover from PSG to jazz guitar, most notably amps like Evans, Fender Steel King (very similar to the Jazz King), and the Peavey amps that work well for jazz like the Session 400, Nashville series, etc.

Very fun forum!!

**neatomic** · 09-27-2015, 06:09 PM

i'm a long time & avid reader of the steel guitar forum..it's amazing how much cool gear i hear about first through them..telonics, milkman, 15" neos, etc etc... those pedal steel guys are on top of things!!

cheers

**SierraTango** · 09-27-2015, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by neatomic

i'm a long time & avid reader of the steel guitar forum..it's amazing how much cool gear i hear about first through them..telonics, milkman, 15' neos, etc etc... those pedal steel guys are on top of things!!

cheers

Although there are the true "traditionalist" steel players, what I find fascinating is the problem solving in order to keep the PSG alive. Many players are now advancing in age (myself included) and simply cannot physically tote a D-10, Fender Twin or Session 400, Pack-a seat, etc. around. So you get products like neo speakers, split cases and PSG's designed with weight in mind. If you are willing to play a S-10, and there is much music to be played on that tuning, the Zum Encore or Stage One or Justice Pro Lite are amazing PSG's that are easy to tote.

Just like the world of archtops, there are the 'holy grails' and most agree the icon is the Push/Pull Emmons. No longer being built in the US-but there is a company in Europe (I think Serbia) that makes a excellent copy called the Promat.
So it really is a bigger world of steel than we realize!

**nosoyninja** · 09-27-2015, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by SierraTango

Although there are the true "traditionalist" steel players, what I find fascinating is the problem solving in order to keep the PSG alive. Many players are now advancing in age (myself included) and simply cannot physically tote a D-10, Fender Twin or Session 400, Pack-a seat, etc. around. So you get products like neo speakers, split cases and PSG's designed with weight in mind. If you are willing to play a S-10, and there is much music to be played on that tuning, the Zum Encore or Stage One or Justice Pro Lite are amazing PSG's that are easy to tote.

I play a keyless universal 12 sting. Very small and light for a pedal steel. Although I'm young by PSG player metrics (38 years old), I care about my back!

Sorry for the hijack!

K

**jads57** · 09-27-2015, 07:41 PM

For me personally Ive been very happy w/ Boss FV-50H pedals over the last 10-15 years.

**marcwhy** · 09-27-2015, 07:45 PM

Mission Engineering.

**neatomic** · 09-27-2015, 08:02 PM

Originally Posted by SierraTango

Although there are the true "traditionalist" steel players, what I find fascinating is the problem solving in order to keep the PSG alive. Many players are now advancing in age (myself included) and simply cannot physically tote a D-10, Fender Twin or Session 400, Pack-a seat, etc. around. So you get products like neo speakers, split cases and PSG's designed with weight in mind….

i think thats the case for electric string players in general..downsizing, but with regard to maintaining good sound quality…was just watching new premier guitars rig video on zz top..texas bluesman billy gibbons using tele size guitars with chambered bodies and necks!!!..and 07. strings!!..flyweight!

even here, guys looking to small light rigs..its inevitable…

sometimes in club, i'll still hear an ampeg svt bass stack..with 8x10 cabinet..the sound thuds against your chest at 25 feet..you can feel the air displacement..great!..but then i think, imagine luggin it!! hahaha

cheers

**JazzNote** · 09-28-2015, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by Nils

Have you tried the Ernie Ball VP Junior? I use it for the same purpose as you describe, and it does the trick for me.

Ernie Ball EB6180 VP-JR - Thomann UK

That said, I have no experience with other brands...

I have played the whole range of Ernie Ball pedals for the past three decades (stereo, mono, regular size, junior size, for active circuit, passive circuit) and ended up wit the VP-JR which i've been using for about three or four years now. Tried some Boss and others over the years but they all felt inferior in terms of smoothness, accuracy and mechanical construction. Plus the Ernie Ball customer service is incredible - when the 4 rubbers at the bottom were damaged from longtime wear i called them and they sent me replacements for free!

**AlainJazz** · 09-28-2015, 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by marcwhy

Mission Engineering.

Marc, do you have the passive model or the active Pro model?

**AlainJazz** · 09-30-2015, 04:09 AM

After loads of research and all of the great help here on the forum, I ended up buying a Mission Engineering VP Pro. I should get it some time this week and I'll post a review. The pedal is a bit pricey so my expectations are high. It's also probably overkill for my purposes, but what the heck. Thanks again for all your responses.

**marcwhy** · 09-30-2015, 08:00 AM

Originally Posted by AlainJazz

Marc, do you have the passive model or the active Pro model?

Sorry for the late response!

I have the passive model with tuner out.

**lapideusvir** · 10-01-2015, 10:01 AM

I´m very happy with the Hilton. There is dedicated a guitar version.

**AlainJazz** · 10-06-2015, 02:05 AM

So I've tested the mission engineering VM PRO for a few days now. Unfortunately, this pedal isn't for me. It is very well built and does not change the tone in any noticeable way. However, the deal breaker is that the sweep is just way too short. In a live band situation it goes from 0 to 100 with almost nothing in between. I know that this may be something that one can get used to but it doesn't work for me. So now I'm looking at some of the bigger pedals that have a longer sweep and more resistance to pressure. Im looking at both passive and active pedals. One question I have is whether I should be looking at high or low impedance pedals? The volume pedal is going to be at the end of the signal chain, between the pedal board and the amp, acting as a master volume. The last pedal on the board is a Boss DD-3. I've read conflicting views about the optimal volume pedal impedance so I'd be happy if someone can straighten me out and recommend the right way to go. Thanks!