All kinds of issues at practice last night (Ernie Ball VPjr issues)

[PFDarkside]

Last night at practice my Ernie Ball volume pedal was acting funny. Scratchy Pot, seems like not full volume at toe down, and almost like a bad connection at one of the jacks. A quick search shows that the string breaks on this pedal, and sometimes the pot goes bad.

Does anyone else have issues with their VPjr? I'm wondering if I should hit the pot with contact cleaner or if it's going to need a new pot. It seems the process of resetting the string is a pain, has anyone done it and offer tips/hints?


This is in addition to a stomp switch acting funky (not full engagement/disengagement) on my distortion and my wah not working at all. I guess that's what you get when you haven't used any of it in a few months without checking!

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: All kinds of issues at practice last night (Ernie Ball VPjr issues)

Hmm, I've never had any problems with mine...can you replace the pot?

 

[jeremy]

Re: All kinds of issues at practice last night (Ernie Ball VPjr issues)

if you can hit the pot with contact cleaner, id do that before replacing the pot. if it doesnt work then i guess youd have to get a new pot

http://www.ernieball.com/faq?category=529

for the string instructions if you need to do that

 

[Nostalgic Distortion]

Re: All kinds of issues at practice last night (Ernie Ball VPjr issues)

Chances are the contact cleaner will fix you right up, it's great stuff!!!

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: All kinds of issues at practice last night (Ernie Ball VPjr issues)

My Dunlop High Gain Volume pedal didn't seem to go all the way to "10" when I first got it. Opened it up and found that at toe-down, the pot still had a little left in it, so I reset the rotation. Now it goes to 10 but heel-down stops at 1 instead of 0. Gonna see if I can trim the treadle pads to make it go silent like it's supposed to.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: All kinds of issues at practice last night (Ernie Ball VPjr issues)

I dont have a Jr but I've redone my oldest EB vol pedal. Actually used a no load guitar pot with a different taper to get it to work how I wanted (of course, a guitar pot won't be as rugged, but I'm not smashing my guitars on it). EBs are super easy to fix and tweak.

The way I set the toe up/down was to play around with loosening and tightening the allen screw connecting to the pot shaft as I rocked the pedal to one end or the other.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: All kinds of issues at practice last night (Ernie Ball VPjr issues)

Thanks for the insight guys.

Yes, they have replacement pots with roller/cam on the EB site and on retailers like Musicians Friend.

I think I'll hit it with contact cleaner, adjust the string per the website and check the solder connections, those are all easy and cheap fixes. If it needs a new pot I might consider trying a different pedal.

(I wish there was a wah/volume that sounded like my Teese and had a nice volume sweep. Has anyone used the old Mr. Crybaby wah/volume?)

 

[Securb]

Re: All kinds of issues at practice last night (Ernie Ball VPjr issues)

Has anyone used the old Mr. Crybaby wah/volume?)

I bought one to replace my 70s Morley PWB. I didn't like the range on the sweep it was too tight not only for wah but volume swells. I ended up replacing it with a Morley Mini Vol/Wah and vould not be happier. It sounds like my 70s Morley PWB and has a very deep range.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: All kinds of issues at practice last night (Ernie Ball VPjr issues)

Thanks for the insight guys.

Yes, they have replacement pots with roller/cam on the EB site and on retailers like Musicians Friend.

I think I'll hit it with contact cleaner, adjust the string per the website and check the solder connections, those are all easy and cheap fixes. If it needs a new pot I might consider trying a different pedal.

(I wish there was a wah/volume that sounded like my Teese and had a nice volume sweep. Has anyone used the old Mr. Crybaby wah/volume?)

When I was looking at a volume pedal way back when, I thought about getting an EB, but everything I read said that the pots have a tendancy to break down, so much so that EB began selling replacements.

 

[Securb]

Re: All kinds of issues at practice last night (Ernie Ball VPjr issues)

One of the reasons I love Morley no pots

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: All kinds of issues at practice last night (Ernie Ball VPjr issues)

I bought one to replace my 70s Morley PWB. I didn't like the range on the sweep it was too tight not only for wah but volume swells. I ended up replacing it with a Morley Mini Vol/Wah and vould not be happier. It sounds like my 70s Morley PWB and has a very deep range.

How does that pedal work? Stomp between volume and wah? How is the sweep for volume, pretty natural? (I use it for swells into chorus/reverb/delay for pad type sounds)

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: All kinds of issues at practice last night (Ernie Ball VPjr issues)

One of the reasons I love Morley no pots

I think the old Visual Sound VP was the same, no pot nor string...but I could be wrong. I was interested until I saw the price tag and went with a VP Jr, love it.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: All kinds of issues at practice last night (Ernie Ball VPjr issues)

How does that pedal work? Stomp between volume and wah? How is the sweep for volume, pretty natural? (I use it for swells into chorus/reverb/delay for pad type sounds)

You could try one of the Dunlop volume pedals. Most guitar shops that do electric guitars should have one or two that you can give a shot. They're not in the Crybaby housing and I find that the sweep is a little bigger. I use one of them for an expression pedal.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: All kinds of issues at practice last night (Ernie Ball VPjr issues)

Cool...

Also, the wah had a power issue (power supply cable unplugged at the power supply) and Distortion will be repaired under warranty, so those are positives.

 

[Securb]

Re: All kinds of issues at practice last night (Ernie Ball VPjr issues)

How does that pedal work? Stomp between volume and wah? How is the sweep for volume, pretty natural? (I use it for swells into chorus/reverb/delay for pad type sounds)

There is a button near your heel to switch from wah to vol. I use mine for pad sounds also and violin effects ala La Villa Strangiato. It is a very clean sounding pedal, no pots, no scratchiness. The sweep is very balanced and deep on the wah and the volume. There is also a knob to adjust the range of the pedal depending on your preferences. I have seen people with big feet voice concerns over the size of the pedal but it is not an issue. I have size 10 1/2 - 11 feet and have no problem with it at all. Here is a review I wrote on the mini.

http://www.tmrzoo.com/2011/27474/gu...pedals-pack-a-classic-punch-in-a-tiny-package

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: All kinds of issues at practice last night (Ernie Ball VPjr issues)

Looks freakin awesome. Do you know if the wah "cuts through" a traditional fuzz pedal? I would imagine it does, but I'm curious. (You know how a traditional Vox/Crybaby gets lost if put before a fuzz without a buffered output)

Musicians Friend has the volume only version for $59.99, I might give that a go since I like my current wah a lot.

Thanks for the link and info.

 

[Securb]

Re: All kinds of issues at practice last night (Ernie Ball VPjr issues)

I have never been a big fuzz guy I actually have never owned a fuzz pedal. Here is an old clip of me with the Morley I turn on the wah at around 1:30