volume pedals

[Grandor]

I'm looking at getting a volume pedal.
However it has been said that they suck your tone alot. :yell:

I'm looking at the ernie ball 6166 or the boss fv300h. :32:
Has anyone had any experience with these pedals that they'd like to share?
Or any tone-sucking testimonies or denials?


thx in advance,
grandor

 

[aleclee]

Re: volume pedals

IMHO, the EB is the best affordable volume pedal.

 

[Chaos]

Re: volume pedals

IMHO A Morley volume pedal beats a EB. They are optically controlled (no scratchy pot) and buffered.

 

[LesStrat]

Re: volume pedals

I am a fan of the Visual Volume pedal. The only negative is that it only runs on AC. BUT, it has LED lights to show where the pedal is set. Smooth operation. Good pedal.

 

[Paul S.]

Re: volume pedals

I've tried avery volume pedal out there, and I agree that nothing beats an Ernie Ball. I've had mine for 5 years, and it's played thousands of gigs all over, and had beer and cigarette ashes dumped all over it. It still sounds like it did when I bought it. Scratchy pots are NOT an issue!

P

 

[Kent S.]

Re: volume pedals

Any volume pedal that's not active is going to load your signal down if it's the first thing before other effects or amp. That being said everyone does seem to rave about the EB's the FV-300H gets wonderful studio reviews, I use the FV-50 series, and they are nice as well, no overt loading issues, but you can still tell there is something in the signal path. Most passive volumes though are just the differences in the pot and the minimum volume pot (if so equipped), mechanically speaking some may be shielded better than others, but that's about it ... I know the FV-50 series has some compensation built in, but if you're trying to control volume levels overdriven ... well you gotta put it thru the amps loop or after the overdrive/distortion pedal(s).
Try one of FV series as they are cheaper than the 300 series (and smaller), however you might prefer the longer pedal of the 300 series ... many people say they find it easier to control. Really just trying them is the best way to go, some people swear by one, others by others.

 

[Grandor]

Re: volume pedals

Its just ive been offered a 300h used for 100 AUD ( 76 USD ).
But a new EB is 100 USD ( 131 AUD).

Is the EB worth the extra 30 bucks or not?
And what are all the studio guys saying is soo much better about the fv300h than the 6166?

thx, grandor

 

[Kent S.]

Re: volume pedals

Its just ive been offered a 300h used for 100 AUD ( 76 USD ).
But a new EB is 100 USD ( 131 AUD).

Is the EB worth the extra 30 bucks or not?
And what are all the studio guys saying is soo much better about the fv300h than the 6166?

thx, grandor

For the extra 23.56 USD (31AUD) ... I wouldn't think so to the first question,
If new then again, I've used an EB before, not much to say one way or the other (not sure what model). My *studio* comment about the 300 was that I had read a couple articles back in GP magazine, back when the 300 series came out about Larry Carlton and some others of his ilk saying it was the only volume pedal that didn't muck with his tone ... And here and there since then have no heard one bad thing about it from various people, be it locals in person, or articles in general. However, that being said though doesn't make it necessarily Gospel, they are well made, good features, and very well shielded. I really can't compare the two for you though, I can tell you though that for 76USD (100AUD) the 300 would be hard to pass up though, and as far as volume pedals go worth every penny of the 100AUD.
You would really have to test them though side by side, many country players swear by the EB's also (something about the taper or the pedal angle, they way it interacts with the taper ... something along those lines) ... you'd have to ask someone else about that though. The 300s unless they changed them should still be stereo in and out, have a tuner out, and minimum volume control ... Not sure what the 6166 has though, the one I tried was an old mono one, like I said no complaints, but nothing special one way or the other ... that was a bit before I started *listening* to stuff like that so I can't be anymore help on that. The 300 is worth the money stated here though.

 

[Grandor]

Re: volume pedals

sweet thanks for the help.

one last question. when using the fv300h, it stays in the right spot dont it?

You leave it at full up or full down or middle somewhere and it stays there?
My mates morley doesnt stay all the way up, it rests back at full down. its a piece of crap.

 

[Kent S.]

Re: volume pedals

sweet thanks for the help.

one last question. when using the fv300h, it stays in the right spot dont it?

You leave it at full up or full down or middle somewhere and it stays there?
My mates morley doesnt stay all the way up, it rests back at full down. its a piece of crap.

It should stay where you put it, never heard any complaints of that nature ... if not there is a tension adjustment for the pedal inside, so you can loosen up the pedal action or tighten it up a bit.

 

[Cazmarzak]

Re: volume pedals

I second the Morley Little Alligator. I have an EB and it is very smooth and built well, but hte Morley is built better and it sounds better to my ears. The EB sucked just a BIT of high end from my sound.

I beleive the Little Alligator has a bufferin it to take care of that. It also has a minimun and maximum knob on it.

Plus Morley has the BEST customer Service of ANY manufacturer out there Period!

 

[FretFire]

Re: volume pedals

How are the Bad Horsie 2 wahs compared to the original? I had one of the originals and just flat out didn't like it. It didn't seem to give much wah at all, perhaps I got a lemon...