Volume Pedal As Booster

[zanshin777]

I know that when a volume pedal is used out of the fx loop it acts like the volume knob on the guitar.

So when the toe goes up the volume decreases also the tone gets thinner. Like you do in the volume knob of the guitar. (Because higher frequencies get lost. Treble Bleed)

When you put the volume pedal in the fx loop and after the overdrive pedal, does Treble Bleed (Tone Loss) applies? (If not, it means it can be used a regular booster (clean boost) pedal.)

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Volume Pedal As Booster

Every element in your signal path has the potential for detrimental changes to that signal.

Since I have neither your gear or your ears, I suggest that you simply plug everything in and see what happens. If possible, record your experiments. This way, you can make an objective comparison afterwards.

 

[Lysergene]

Re: Volume Pedal As Booster

Depends on the pedal but in my experience you shouldn't have any changes in tone. It should be the same as you turning the output volume down on a distortion pedal.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Volume Pedal As Booster

I believe you need a ~25K resistance pedal if you want it that late in the chain.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Volume Pedal As Booster

yep as pf darkside says, youll need a low impedance volume control.
It also means running cables from your amp to the floor and back again.
I used to do it in the 90s. it wasn't great, but it worked.

 

[Guitaraxz]

Re: Volume Pedal As Booster

A loooong time ago I did that. For lots of years my set was simple yet efective with three pedals; distortion-volume-delay. I just steped on the volume for the solos, I can't remember either of the pot value or having any tone problems.

Just a week ago I had a SD Booster in my hands. It's nice and transparent and worked great after my distortion pedal for the solos, no coloring yet it made the tone better. Hard to explain. IMO a TS colors the tone too much if used after the distortion (to me it only sounds good if used as a pre-boost), so the Duncan Booster was exactly what I wanted. But a dude liked so much that I sold it, dumb, dumb, dumb.

Right now my solo booster is a Pigtronix Echolution 1. It has a knob which boosts the entire volume, so I just keep the delay elegantly in the bakground and boost the volume.

 

[ThisDyingSoul76]

Re: Volume Pedal As Booster

Treble bleed would be dependent on the pedal, I think. I doubt putting it in the loop would change that aspect. What it will change, is since it's after your preamp and any OD pedals, your tone won't clean up so much.

Reducing volume might clean up any break up from the output tubes (assuming a tube amp is being used), but any dirt generated before the volume pedal will stay in your sound. That application has its uses. I prefer my volume pedal before my dirt because I find I tend to screw up my riffs and stuff reaching for the volume knob; but I may add a second volume pedal after my gain section for volume swells.