So which volume pedal does not suck (tone)

FruitarGeek

Im on my research spree yet again for a decent Volume Pedal. Soon Im going to place a relativly big order with GPS and to make the free shipping deal I will need a $99 Volume Pedal. The thing is they limited in stock and I am not going to compromise my pedal board with a volume pedal that sucks tone. Ive heard bad things about the Ernie Ball volume pedal which is unfortunate cause I was thinking about going for it. I see the BOSS Heavy Duty 500 series looks pretty good, but, How does it sound? :bopping:

Im not going to pay an arm and a leg for a simple function pedal, not like the Hilton pedals which are way over $200 just for the satisfatction that its 'true' bypass. I dont mind a little tone sucking, but what would you guys recommend based on all your wise opintions ?

AlanRatcliffe

If you use a passive volume control of the right impedance for the application, there is no reason why they should suck tone. Just don't connect a cruddy tuner to the parallel tuner output and you're fine.

I got the Boss FV-500L (Stereo low-Z) from PGS for $99 recently and am happy with it - works well and is solidly built. There is nothing wrong with the EB either, but PGS doesn't stock them.

ActionArnie

Alan what impedance would you suggest for the following setup:

guitar -> true bypass OD -> volume pedal -> delay -> amp

where the OD may or may not be engaged?

I assume you'd have to go for a high impedance volume pedal? Or active?

AlanRatcliffe

The problem there is the overdrive output is low-Z when active, but high-Z when bypassed (one of the reasons true bypass is not always a good thing).

Two things you can do:
1. use a high-Z volume in front of the overdrive (which also ends up controlling the amount of drive).
2. Add a good buffered bypass pedal or a buffer/preamp pedal into your chain so that when your drive is bypassed it's still low-Z. Then use a low-Z volume pedal before the delay.

FruitarGeek

Yea you right they dont stock them. What about the Dunlop Volume Pedal, any good?

Just to make certain, I have an active guitar which would mean I would have to get the 500H right? or is it the 500L I always get these 2 confused

ActionArnie

FruitarGeek wrote Yea you right they dont stock them. What about the Dunlop Volume Pedal, any good?

Just to make certain, I have an active guitar which would mean I would have to get the 500H right? or is it the 500L I always get these 2 confused

I would guess an active guitar is better suited to a low impedance volume pedal.

@Alan: thanks for the help ... so I guess then the DD3 I wasn't using that I just sold could've done the buffer job reasonably well, grrr

AlanRatcliffe

FruitarGeek wrote Yea you right they dont stock them. What about the Dunlop Volume Pedal, any good?

I don't know them.

Just to make certain, I have an active guitar which would mean I would have to get the 500H right? or is it the 500L I always get these 2 confused

EMGs and other actives are low-Z, so you would use the 500L (low-Z).