My Hilton Pedal........... Excellent..!!

David Hartley · Posted 22 Mar 2008 1:26 am

Done my first gig last night with my new Hilton pedal. It was at the Ipswich Orwell Crossing Truck Stop/Restaurant. (the closest thing we have to a honky tonk nearby)! This pedal has got to be the next thing any steel guitarist buys after buying a steel. What a fabulous sound it has. I really can't rate this item enough. Thank you Fred for keeping one by for me and thank you Keith Hilton for producing an excellent volume pedal, I will never use anything else again.

Its 9.20am here in the UK so I am going in to cook me a great big Texas style breakfast. David

Bill Myrick · From: Pea Ridge, Ar. (deceased)

David--Have you noticed the outlandish sustain on that new pedal ?? Between it and my Rains, I only have to pick about a third as much now ! - Very Happy

Dennis Lee · From: Forest Grove, Oregon, USA

Hello David and Bill,

Just got my new pedal on Friday and find it to be as outstanding as you say. Did you just pull it out of the box and use it as I have, or does it require some tweeking as noted in the instructions? I don't know if I could improve on it at this point.

Keith Hilton · From: 248 Laurel Road Ozark, Missouri 65721

I am honored that you guys are using my volume pedal. I have done nothing but build volume pedals for the last 14 years. I try to put my heart and soul in every volume pedal I produce. I always wanted to be a great steel player, but I guess I never made that goal. Someone told me a lot more women hang around Bill since he got another Hilton pedal.

David Hartley · Posted 23 Mar 2008 12:08 pm **Hi Dennis, Bill and Keith**

Yes Bill, Outlandish sustain as you say, and it sounds almost like theres a fraction of compression added, but I suppose its just because of the sustain. You really dont have to 'over' work this pedal to hold notes and chords. And Yes Dennis, out of the box and use it. There's no tweaking around that can get this better, the gain is set to maximum and I cant see a reason to alter the tone. the third adjustment is the 'off' point so you can set it to have a little or no volume at all in the off position, but I just left it alone. As the instructons say, it a factory preset unit and gains and tones are best adjusted with the amp. I also have no trouble with coming out of the pedal into my Boss DD-2 as I thought there might have been too much output from the hilton going into the delay unit but its fine. Thanks to Keith for replying to this thread, nice to hear from you, you have a 'winner' here without a doubt. Question? Have you thought about making them battery powered? Or would it drain one out too quickly? Oh, and I haven't noticed any more woman hanging around me since Friday but I'll give it a few more gigs and let you know! Perhaps I need to own more than one pedal! David Hartley

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

I tried one out, in conjunction with a POD XT, and got a lot of unwanted distortion.

Is there a compatibility issue here, or did I do something wrong?
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin

Keith Hilton · From: 248 Laurel Road Ozark, Missouri 65721

Mike, When I set and test pedals for shipment, I set the 3 adjustments on the bottom of my pedal according to the following hookup method: Guitar to Hilton pedal, to the front side of a Pro Fex II, out the back of the Pro Fex II, into the 3rd 1/4 inch plug on the left, on the back of a Peavey Nashville 400. By using the 3rd 1/2 plug on the left, on the back of the Peavey Nashville 400 amp, you are only using the power part of the amp, the controls on the amp do nothing with this hookup. Everything is then controlled by the Peavey Pro Fex II. With the back output volume on the Pro Fex II, I run wide open. On the front input volume on the Pro Fex II, I run about 9:00 for testing pedals. I recently quit using my ears to test the output signal strength on individual pdeals. I have a sine wave generator set up at 100 mili-volts. That is the signal feed. Then I look at the out put of the pedal wide open, and make sure it is right on 100 mili-volts. That way, each pedal ,when wide open,is set exactly equal to a straight guitar cord from your guitar to your amp. Mike--I install a adjustment on the pedal marked "Volume". This control was put on the pedal to lower output signal strength, so it is impossible for the Hilton pedal to overdrive anything. Why? Because you can turn this control the oposite way a clock goes, and it takes away signal strength going out of the Hilton pedal. So you can turn your signal strength down,down,down,down,down,down,down--even to off, where there is no signal. So how can something overdrive something if there is ZERO signal? I put this control on my pedals because now days many players have a bunch of powered devices in their signal chain. Every powered device in a signal chain creates gain, even battery powered devices. Each powered device is like pouring gasoline on a fire. Even a direct box creates gain. Some people plug into a high impedance input on their amp, instead of the low impedance input. Even the Peavey 3 chord hookup creates a bunch of extra gain. Many of the powered effect devices of today have no input or output gain controls. Now days some powered effect units are so complex users don't knbow how to control input or output signal strengths. Remember, and old pot pedal is not powered, it actually takes away a very small bit of your signal. Kind of like throwing a cup of water on a fire. Way too many musicians are already running such a hot signal that adding anything else throws them into distortion. Remember the old story about the straw that broke the camel's back. Mike, you are still having any problems with my pedal, I am always here to help people. I will be glad to test your pedal and help you free of charge. From what David Hartley said, I can tell he is a pretty smart guy. David is aware that some devices are designed to see only a low level magnetic pickup signal. Just about every effect device you can think of was designed for guitar NOT for pedal steel guitar. Some of these devices were designed for the low level signal created from a magnetic pickup. Any powered device creates a signal almost 1000 times greater than a magnetic pickup signal. Most quality devices will accept either a low level magnetic pickup signal or a signal coming from a powered device. If the little effect unit you have is acting up, try putting it first in the signal chain. It may well have been designed to only see a low level magnetic guitar pickup signal. If you do that, there is no way the Hilton pedal or anything else will be overdriving it, because it is getting it's input signal from your guitar pickup. Hope this information helps.

Keith Hilton · From: 248 Laurel Road Ozark, Missouri 65721

I forgot to mention some things I have heard: I recently heard using the Hilton Pedal has caused hair to grown on Fred Justice's chest. Someone told me that using a Hilton pedal has caused Bobbe Seymour's big toe to quit hurting. Also heard that since Ray Qualls has been using the Hilton Pedal he sings in a lower key. I noticed a lot more women on the front row wearing red lip stick when Terry Bethel uses the Hilton Pedal.

Richard Tipple · From: Ohio, USA

Keith, would there be any issues using your pedal with the SGBB since I put the SGBB 1st in line after the steel ?
_________________
steelguitarguy.com

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Keith, thank you for your response. The pedal I tried belongs to somebody else. I merely borrowed it and tried it out.

At the moment all my spare money is going into the final production and duplication costs of my new CD, but at some future point, after I recover from that expense, I will buy one of your volume pedals and send you my POD, so you can make whatever adjustments are necessary to make sure that the 2 units work properly together.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin

Brendan Mitchell · From: Melbourne Australia

Statistics show that 9 out of 10 women prefer men who use a Hilton pedal .

Ray Jenkins · From: Gold Canyon Az. U.S.A.

Been using the Hilton pedal for over two years,still have the same current wife,Dixie,but she's a keeper.Going on 26 years May 7th.

Dave be happy with what you got Smile

and keep thoes utubers coming,(enjoyed meeting you at Fred's booth,am glad the pedal is working that well for you and Keith).
Ray
_________________
Steeling is still legal in Arizona

Keith Hilton · From: 248 Laurel Road Ozark, Missouri 65721

Richard, I assume SGBB means Steel Guitar Black Box. I have not heard any issues and there is a bunch of people using Brad Sarno's Black Box with my pedal. Also, there are a bunch of people using Brad's other pre-amps, and I have not heard a single issue with any of his equipment and the Hilton Pedal. I used Jerry Newberry's rig at the Kansas State Steel Show when I played last year. Jerry's rig had a Hilton pedal going to Brad's Revaltion Pre-Amp. It was the best sound I ever got out of my Emmons guitar. Brad is a good guy, and a very talented smart boy. I guess you can tell I like Brad. Guys, it all boils down to knowing how to operate your equipment. A few years after Hartley Peavey had been making the Pro Fex units, he told me he was going to quit building computers. By computers he meant the Pro Fex type units. I knew he was having a complete nigh mare from the people not knowing how to operate them. When the Pro Fex units came out, they were far ahead of their time, and way beyond the ability of the common guy to understand. Most guys could not understand how to program them, even after reading the thick book that came with the units. For a company like Peavey I know it was a night mare in progress. Peavey built a great unit, but the common person would not take the time to master the instructions that went with the unit.
I face the same type of problem, only on a much smaller scale. I used to include 5 or 6 pages of instructions with my pedals. It recently became obvious to me that no one reads instructions, so I have since cut the instructions down to one page and half that page is a picture. That is probably one page more than the average guy will read. Sad but true. This doesn't just apply to beginning players either. I see many famous players, players who rank top in the world, who don't have a clue as to how to run the equipment they have. They know what a good sound is, and fumble around until they get that great sound. I don't like reading instructions either. Ever since the instructions on how to program the clock on a VCR came out, I tried to stop reading instructions. As equipment gets more and more complicated, I suppose those trying to use the complicated equipment will need help. I notice that people need help from a guy named Castleberry programing their Lexicon effect units. I never have figured out how to program a Alesis Quadraverb I have. Probably the best thing I can say is this: When you get distortion, your signal feed is to hot--learn how to control your signal if you don't want distortion. If you don't want to use some of the modern equipment, they still make pot pedals, and you don't have to use any effects. If you want to sound like the steel players on the A-Team in Nashville, Branson, and Texas, you probably need to use some modern equipment. Mike I hear you are a really great steel player. Like you, I love the steel guitar, I started playing when I was 7 years old. Mike, when you want a pedal, let me know, and I will build you a great one. I will also help you after the sale if need be. Mike, I have been interested in getting me one of those PODXT units, as I have heard a lot of good things about them. Is there any difference for a steel player in the rack mount unit and the smaller bean shaped unit?

Keith Hilton · From: 248 Laurel Road Ozark, Missouri 65721

Brendan, it draws women like flys to honey. All you have to do is sit behind your steel, smile a lot, and make those long slides.

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Just a note.

Mike too, but I don't have a lot of time to screw with my setup on my xtLive. I think it's got to do with a signal thats amplified over what we "are used to". It does have it's own "preamp" and I know just like with my xt and it's "volume pedal" theres a phenomenon where you're WAY overamplifying a quiet signal, before you get to the "meat" of the signal. I think Keith and more "pros" will indeed answer your questions. I know what you are talking about, but with me, and primarily performing, I know I've got to be "in the power band" for my compressor etc to work right. Like "Noise Gates".

Anyhow, I'm sure they will get you dialed in.

OK.

I've been TOTALLY HAPPY with My Hilton. TOTALLY, and I've used it MUCH, and HARD.

I know that if I'd had a problem with it. Say I didn't like how the cord was attached, or the tread was glued on, or maybe even the logo or paint was peeling off, that I could pay the small freight, and that he would spend more time MAKING ME HAPPY, than they probably did making the whole pedal to BEGIN WITH.

Also.

Sitting in front of a computer writing explanations is my LEAST favorite thing. I'd RATHER be OUT MAKING MONEY.

Keith could spend a half hour in front of a design or CNC program and make THOUSANDS of bucks.

He knows what I've been watching the MOST successful "internet sales" companies, WRT PSG gear, like JW, BJS, Bullseye, Peavey Ala Mike Brown and MANY others that DO the EXTRA CARE, and take the EXTRA time.

I could guarantee by the time he went through my 3 year old Hilton, took all the cigarette butts, spiders, motel keys, buffed it up, put a new tread on it. a new chord that hadn't been car doored, and shipped it off to me, it'd be about two hours Bench Time. Probably about what he makes on a whole pedal. Probably FREE.

What happens when he does this?

There are Many dozens of of people just like me that EVERY time somebody posts a question, or asks me at a gig:

"What kind of Pedal Is Best?"..

Guess what we tell him?

"Get a Hilton".

You won't find a better pedal.

You won't find a better company.

And Keith?

I don't even know him.

Just his products and his reputation.

And the extra time he takes helping people out, setting up, troubleshooting, and otherwise wet nursuing, that a few other companies don't.

Smile

EJL

Bill Myrick · From: Pea Ridge, Ar. (deceased)

Brendan--If you're interested in the pedal drawing women--see if you can talk Keith into building one with a blinking red light. He did this a couple years ago and the attorney general of Missouri outlawed it and he sent it out of state someplace --can't remember where though, I had a chance at it when I bought mine , luckily I declined, I'm way too old for that - Rolling Eyes

Keith Hilton · From: 248 Laurel Road Ozark, Missouri 65721

Bill, I have heard, through the grape vine, that several steel players addicted to "VIAGRA" we able to break the habit with the use of a Hilton Pedal.
Were you able to kick the VIAGRA habit?

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Bill Myrick · From: Pea Ridge, Ar. (deceased)

The only thing I've been addicted to Keith was Alka Mints and they took those suckers off the market !!! Sad

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

I tried an xtPro some time ago. It MIGHT have just been the one I tried, but it picked up RF, as the other ones do minimally, and anything you put after your VP is more likely to do, but MUCH more. I liked the extra features, but I returned it and got an xtLive.

I like it, though I wish you could pick which side you want the volume pedal on. That might make it PSG friendly.

But then I like my Hilton, so when I play Tele, I stand up and use the VP on the xtLive with the Hilton nailed, from the input line I take off my SB and put into my Tele.

Smile

JEL

Bob Grado · From: Holmdel, New Jersey

Keith.. Is it possible to order a Hilton pedal for left handed steels? (input jacks on the left side of the pedal)

Tks,

Keith Hilton · From: 248 Laurel Road Ozark, Missouri 65721

Anything is possible. It would require quite a bit of milling machine work, and placement of new holes. The power supply plug would have to be moved also. Frank does my milling machine work. I am guessing it would take about $30.00 more work to switch everything to the other side.

Tony Glassman · From: The Great Northwest

I use a Hilton with a Sarno Black Box.

Steel-->Hilton-->Black Box-->N-400

No problems. Great tone.

David Hartley · Posted 7 Apr 2008 2:00 am **Keith**

Hi. What about future pedals being battery operated? Or would it use too much power? There must be room for a pp3 or two in there? David

Keith Hilton · From: 248 Laurel Road Ozark, Missouri 65721

David, I appreciate you using my pedal. It is an honor to have you using a Hilton pedal, as you are such a great player. To answer your question: Battery operation is not really a good option, because of current draw. Batteries would run down about every hour. Keep picking that hot steel.

Forum Index > Electronics	Goto page 1, 2 Next	Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic