Alembic Guitars Club
Connecting => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: rv_bass on January 26, 2020, 08:30:09 AM
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I was wondering if anyone might have a recommendation for a good and simple volume pedal. I haven't used one before, and in the absence of a master volume, I would like to set levels on the bass, and then simply control the overall volume level with my foot using a volume pedal. Stereo capability would be great.
I have read about many different volume pedals and expression pedals on line, but haven't figured out which one is a good quality simple straight forward volume control.
Thanks!
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When it comes to volume pedals, I have tried several, but always come back to the good old Ernie Ball. You can’t get more simple, straight forward, or solid than an E.B. They make them for both passive and active instruments, like our Alembics. I believe they also have a stereo pedal. When I want to travel light these days, I use a Dunlop mini volume.
Bill, tgo
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Thanks, Bill. I was just looking at the Ernie Ball 6165 500k stereo volume/ pan pedal. Your comments support going with ‘this model. Thanks!
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I used a Boss for years, but prefer the Ernie Ball.
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I'm not at all sure I've ever seen anyone use a volume pedal that wasn't an Ernie Ball; must mean something.
Peter
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I've been using the Dunlop Volume (X) Mini Pedal (https://www.jimdunlop.com/volume-x-mini-pedal/) - the first volume pedal I ever bought in 35 years of playing bass! It's small, has good action, and has a tuner out. I use mine mainly as a glorified kill-switch, but also to fade out my Alembics at the end of songs when my sustain overshadows that of my non-Alembic guitar playing friends...
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... control the overall volume level with my foot using a volume pedal ...
There are some volume pedals that have LED meters, and for your stated purpose that could be very helpful. However, other factors may be more important; like how smooth the movement is and how far the travel.
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Just for a different recommendation, I use a Sho-Bud volume pedal which was originally designed for pedal steel applications. I cannot compare it to an Ernie Ball, as I started with the Sho-Bud and never felt any need to 'upgrade'. Very smooth functioning.
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Some of the volume pedals for Pedal Steel guitars are low profile - they are easier to use sitting down than standing up. I tried a Sho-Bud a long time ago and I remember it as being very solid and substantial. In my experience, the Ernie Ball volume pedal is as ubiquitous as the Shure SM58 among vocal mics.
Bill, tgo
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... control the overall volume level with my foot using a volume pedal ...
There are some volume pedals that have LED meters, and for your stated purpose that could be very helpful. However, other factors may be more important; like how smooth the movement is and how far the travel.
LEDs on a volume pedal sounds interesting - I have also thought about using the volume pedal to have a normal volume level a little below the top setting and then be able to kick it up for certain sections/solos/etc., but it would be hard to go back to the original, slightly lower volume setting. LEDs might help attain that lower setting... (Sticking with my mini-Dunlop for now!)
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The level control on my TC Spark Booster will also lower the output, if you set it low enough.
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There are some volume pedals that have LED meters, and for your stated purpose that could be very helpful.
I've never had one, looks nifty..
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Harry, you might want to check out the Ernie Ball MVP. It is both passive and active. As I understand it, you can set the minimum and maximum range and also set it for a boost up to 20db. The visual sound pedal looks interesting. I’ll be doing a little research on that one.
Bill, tgo
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The design of the Visual Sound pedal would make better sense if the lights were on top. Hard to tell from the video if you can see them looking down from above where the player would stand. Interesting idea but IMO not really needed. Who sets their volume by sight? I use my ears and fail to see how this is an improvement but people do like equipment with glowing lights.
If I was looking for a pedal to simulate the master volume on a Series bass the most important thing to me, beyond wanting it to be dead quiet, would be how sensitive the pedal is to small changes in volume and how much control I felt over the sweep. Easy for any pedal to go from quiet to loud but how easy is it to make small incremental tweaks?
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Stephen raises an important point and aspect on the incremental attenuation of the adjustment of a said pedal ;
Are the adjustments Linear or Logarithmic ? :)
Whereas ;
On a linear scale the value between any two points will never change. A logarithm is based on exponents, which are the superscripts next to, and above, another base number or variable. On a logarithmic scale the value between two points changes in a particular pattern.
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Many volume pedals use pots, like the good old Ernie Ball, and those pots have a taper to them. Typically they use an 'audio' taper, but you could swap in other taper pots as well. I have a volume pedal on my guitar pedal board, but find it very hard to use to just set an overall volume for sound, due to my big feet and the fact that you the sweep is short and far away down there.
I have got some good deals on volume pedals that either need new pots or new cords or strings that go around the pots end. There are good youtube videos showing how to attach new strings to Ernie Ball volume pedals out there!
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For less than a grand, ???
...there's the Telonics Multi-Taper FP-100 - Pro - Black - Stereo
(https://www.telonics.com/images/products/proaudio/fp-100-typical.jpg)
(mono version pictured)
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While futzing around on line I found that Ernie Ball is about to release a new version of the VPJR that has a touch screen that includes both a tuner and a digital/numerical volume readout that does the same function as the LEDs on the Visual Sound pedal. (By the way, it seems the Visual Sound pedal is no longer in production). The EB was shown at NAMM2019, so I would expect the bugs will have been worked out when it gets released. This one does look very interesting.
Bill, tgo
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Nice pedal (the new VPJR). Now if they could just shrink my big feet as well! I imagine the pedal surface is going to get a little dirty with use though.
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I'm not sure about the efficacy of a visual volume display that's under your foot...........
Peter
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Thanks, Bill. I was just looking at the Ernie Ball 6165 500k stereo volume/ pan pedal. Your comments support going with ‘this model. Thanks!
If you are using an Alembic, you'll want the version with the 25k pot. You can even use that one after your preamp.
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Thanks, Edwin. :)
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This thread prompted me to do a little research and then pick up an older, first version, Visual Volume pedal off of reverb. It looks more like an Ernie Ball with the base sticking out on one side than the later version that looks like it was designed by Darth Vader. I used it for the first time tonight. Very nice volume pedal. Nice feel, smooth sweep. It works as a passive pedal or plug in 9v power and the line of lights on the left side of the pedal comes to life.
I found the visual display easily in my line of sight while I was playing. The reference provided by the LED really helped me keep my volume under control. It was especially useful coming out of a jam where I want to bring down the level as the vocals come in. The LED readout made it easy to hit the right volume level quickly, so I could concentrate on my vocals. Similar to my experience with my first LED equipped Alembic, the lights turned out to be more useful than I anticipated.
Bill, tgo
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Thanks for the review Bill.
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I've been looking at getting one of these for my new board. But, I wonder something, is a volume pedal and an expression pedal the same thing? Like, one pedal to control volume and another to control delay settings, etc...
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Stephanie, this might be helpful
https://www.facebook.com/sweetwater/videos/10155729013543746/
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I use expression pedals for volume and effects; I don't have a regular volume pedal in my signal chain.
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Thanks Rob!
That's interesting, David. Will keep that in mind.
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Stefanie, you can use a Y cord with some volume pedal to use them as a expression pedal.
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Now that I know a bit more about them, I'll wind up getting on of each to put on my pedal board. ^^