Volume Pedal ?'s

[GrandDadgad]

I am looking for a volume pedal and some recommendations.

My set-up is: Blackbird Lucky 13 w K&K Pure Mini -> Zoom A3 pedal -> Fishman Loud Box Mini.

Need/want to increase/decrease volume when playing with small ensemble (another guitar, percussion, sometimes keyboard). Also need clarification of "passive" vs. "active" please.

What about pedal placement, before or after Zoom A3?

Reviews I've read online of various mfrs. (Ernie Ball, Morley, etc.) have comments like "short sweep" or "scratchy pot" so I solicit your input.

Thanks

[MikeBmusic]

Active - has battery or AC power supply. Passive - no power supply.

'Short sweep' - means there's not much pedal movement from low/off to full volume, makes it hard to adjust in fine increments.
I've got an old (30+ years) Morley volume/wah medal - built like a tank (and as large), still works great.

[Irish Pennant]

I have an Ernie Ball VP Jr passive pedal. I use it at the front end and most often for plugging in or out my guitar. When I do use it for volume control while playing, there's no scratching or any other type of offensive sounds.

[zhunter]

EB MVP has been working fine for me. Good feature set with the min volume pot and the ability to add a little clean boost if needed. The action is decent and usable standing, and it is not super heavy in my gig bag. No negative impact on sound. Long term durability remains to be seen but it feels solid and tight after a few months of regular use. There is always the string but that thing is going to last a while and replacements are easy to get. Wouldn't want to replace on at a show though, ever.

I had a Morley LED volume pedal that never died but the guy I loaned it to managed to lose it. I always felt like I was losing a little signal strength with it and the sweep was strange but all these years later I find you can mod the LED window to help that out.

hunter

[midwinter]

I've used Ernie Ball Jrs for years.

[emmsone]

i'll try to keep my answer simple....

By placing the volume pedal after the Zoom and before the loudbox mini, this controls the volume going into the amp, and therefore the overall output.

By placing the volume pedal before the Zoom which then goes to the loudbox mini, this controls the volume going into the Zoom basically acting like a volume control on the guitar, if you have a passive pickup, this normally isn't ideal (especially on an acoustic as it can often alter the output tone and can give a thin sound if the guitar volume is lower), if you have an active pickup, it isn't as big an issue.

On my rig, the volume pedal comes after the preamp and compressor but before the reverb and delay, but as this is all one unit for you, in your situation I would suggest placing the volume pedal after the Zoom, thats the better way to control your own output volume in the bands mix from the floor.

I've found the Active vs Passive volume pedal debate becomes a much less important factor is the volume pedal is anywhere but first in the chain as the signal (and its impedance) will (usually) be controlled/boosted/buffered etc by other pedals in the signal chain. Even placing a tuner in between the guitar and volume pedal often solves a lot of the "tone issues" that get complained about, and if you have an active pickup, this can do pretty much the same job as the tuner.

I've never had issues wherever i placed mine in my chain, even my cheap all plastic passive Boss one. It did the job, just not as much feel in the feet as the more expensive ones.

[kydave]

I've used the Ernie Ball (regular and junior) for decades, for acoustic, electric and pedal steel. Bullet proof.

For the past few years, though, in my acoustic setup, I use a Morley Volume Plus. No pot (eletronic eye), so it is very clean. It is active and requres a power source.

The Plus has a control for the back off, so that you can either go full volume pedal forward/no volume pedal back OR change the amount of volume with pedal back. I use it so there is a slight gap between full volume forward and pedal all the way back. I get a volume boost for leads that way, using back as rhythm, forward as lead, without having to finesse the pedal.

AND it has a bypass switch so that when I'm pedal back rhythm position, but put my guitar aside to grab the Dobro or mandolin, it doesn't feed back but is muted.

Great pedal!

[GrandDadgad]

...to all the support and information. Just realized I left out the K&K in the Lucky 13.

[jseth]

The main problem with volume pedals is that they will cause a loss in high frequencies, UNLESS the volume pedal is active... I know there are wonderful pedals out there that do not cause that high frequency drop-out (the total sound gets compromised slightly, but the highs are the easy thing to hear), as I know too many pedal steel players that wouldn't stand for their tone being compromised...

I believe that the "good ones" are, as KY Dave stated, an optical sensor, as opposed to a normal volume pot...

I have the Ernie Ball pedal and it's fine; if you get dirt and dust in the potentiometer (pot), you will hear some scratching... but a bit of "tuner spray cleaner" gets rid of it. The EB is very durable and solid, no complaints... it does what it's supposed to do... however, for an acoustic guitar, I favor either an optical active pedal or nothing at all... and make the volume adjustments with your right hand!

[brokenpretzel]

the only volume pedal i ever liked was the visual volume pedal which now seems to be going out of production and up in price. i sold mine cause i was downsizing my board.
it has a nice sweep and barely affects tone
http://www.amazon.com/Visual-Sound-V.../dp/B003AYBZFM

[sirflyguy2000]

Originally Posted by brokenpretzel

the only volume pedal i ever liked was the visual volume pedal which now seems to be going out of production and up in price. i sold mine cause i was downsizing my board.
it has a nice sweep and barely affects tone
http://www.amazon.com/Visual-Sound-V.../dp/B003AYBZFM

I do not think it is going out of production. I have one, BTW, and it is a great pedal. Truetone (formerly Visual Sound) is a great company run by great people. The Visual Volume is really a great choice for a volume pedal.