Thoughts on Hilton Pedal and Tone/Character

Adam Ollendorff · From: Nashville TN

I really dig my new Hilton volume pedal, and I see many of my favorite steel players using them.

Having said that, does anybody have any thoughts on the way in which the pedal changes the tone of the guitar. I realize that Keith has given us tone control, but I'm talking more about the "character" of the sound -- not just bright vs. dark.

I'm not fishing for negatives; just curious what all y'all's impressions are about what makes a Hilton different, sonically.

Larry Strawn · From: Golden Valley, Arizona, R.I.P.

Adam,
What I like most about my Hilton VP is that I can't hear any tone change.

If I'm playing thru my little Fender amp at a very low volume, or playing thru my Sessions 400 cranked up peeling paint off the walls, I can't hear any tone changes from the top of my pedal all the way down to the bottom.

That's what I found, and like about my Hilton pedal.

Larry

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"Fessy" S/D 12, 8/6 Hilton Pedal, Sessions 400 Ltd. Home Grown E/F Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY"

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

After using pot / string controlled pedals for twenty years, my major concerns were:
* the pot gets scratchy and then wears out
* the string can break
(and those can happen at the most inopportune of times)
and, most importantly to me
* the high end goes away when you back off on the volume

I fixed the last one by using a buffer amp -- first a Li'l Izzy and later a Goodrich MatchBox -- but the other two problems got worse. You could no longer buy the US made Allen-Bradley 500K pots. The ones made outside the US and all replacements I tried lasted less than a year, in many cases.

I find NO TONE DIFFERENCE between plugging directly into the amp and playing through the Hilton at any position along the throw of the pedal.

It is important to realize that there are trim pots under the pedal that must be set properly. I like to have the gain set so that the level is exactly the same with the pedal wide open compared to the direct signal. I understand there is a tone control but I have never felt the need to change the original setting.

The Keith Hilton Volume Pedal is the best piece of equipment I own. It delivers EXACTLY what I want a volume pedal to deliver: ALL IT DOES IS MAKE THE VOLUME LOUDER OR SOFTER with no mechanical wear or replacement of parts. I have two of them and leave one in my gig bag and one at home. I had one minor problem that turned out to be a loose connection. Keith fixed it and returned it within ONE WEEK. I can't ask for more.

(I know you said you weren't fishing for negatives -- that's a good thing -- don't think you'll find many around here)

Can you describe the 'character' that changes? Maybe the tone control under the pedal has been changed. Have you tried adjusting it?

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
My CD's: 'I've Got Friends in COLD Places' - 'Pedal Steel Guitar'
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Fred Justice · From: Mesa, Arizona

They are the best you can buy, and that's why I sell them with a little extra incentive, check them out on my accessories page of my website for details.
Thanks for looking.

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Fred Justice,
Fred's Music www.fredjusticemusic.com
Rains Steel Guitars

Joe Smith · From: Charlotte, NC, USA

I also have two of the Hilton volume pedals. IMHO, it's the best volume pedal on the market. I don't hear any tone difference. I've never had any kind of problem with them.

Adam Ollendorff · From: Nashville TN

Thanks, gentlemen. I love this forum!

I didn't mean to imply that I had heard tone changes, myself -- I only wondered if anybody else had. In the interest of full disclosure, a steel player whom I revere told me he thought that the pedal did change the tone, but I'm not 100% sure he was speaking from personal experience. And maybe, if and when he tried the pedal, the tone control was set to an extreme position.

David Doggett · Posted 18 Jul 2006 1:49 pm

I'm with Larry and Larry, it works so good because it doesn't change the tone or character. It is a very high fidelity product.

However, against Hilton's advice, I use the tone control to shape my tone. The tone control is a treble cut. So you get all the tone there is when it is full on. Because of that, Keith advises not to mess with it unless you have to. Well maybe I don't have to, but here is what I have found works really well for me. When I first got my pedal, I set my amp tone controls flat (Dual Showman with 15" speaker). Then I adjusted the pedal tone until I got the sound I liked, without touching the flat amp controls. I ended up with the pedal tone control cut back about 1/3 of the way. I haven't changed it since then. Now I do all my tone adjusting for different rooms, volume levels, other instruments, different types of music, whatever, with the amp controls. And I have the full sweep of the amp controls in either direction to work with. In other words, the pedal tone control allowed me to center my preferred tone with the amp controls centered. This means I don't have to fiddle with the amp controls very much, and I don't end up with them cocked way over in one direction. It gives me the full range of the amp tone controls at all times. And it seems to work pretty well with other amps, without having to readjust the pedal tone.

I suppose if another player who is used to a Hilton with the tone control all the way on plugged my rig into his usual amp settings, he might notice my cut in the highs. But for me it works. It allowed me to customize the pedal to my preferences, which apparently is with the highs cut a little. Most amps have tons of room for me to add more highs if I need them, but I hardly ever do.

If you try my method, you just need to remember that you don't have the pedal tone control all the way on, so if you ever run across an amp that gives you tone problems, you might want to open the pedal tone all the way up, or cut it even more, whichever.

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Student of the Steel: Zum uni, Fender tube amps, squareneck and roundneck resos, tenor sax, keyboards

[This message was edited by David Doggett on 18 July 2006 at 02:54 PM.]

Mike Fried · From: Nashville, TN, USA

I've found that my Hilton DOES change the sound of my steels slightly, in a good way. The bottom is more defined as is the string definition. According to someone I know who has sold quite a few of them, the Hiltons are inconsistent in that regard - some do and some don't.

Chip Fossa · From: Monson, MA, USA (deceased)

I got one, and just love it. I got the volume set to just OFF when in the rear position, and the tone control[I think] is pegged towards 'treble'.

The BIGGEST improvement with the "Hilton" is the use of laser technology vs Goodrich's light-beam tech; Goodrich made a great break-thru, at the time, with the light-beam pedal. It definitely eliminated "POT" problems.

But, regretfully, the light-beam did alter your tone. Seemed to make it all harsh and in your face. It was hard to temper it, IMHO.

The laser techno just delivers an unaltered sound from your amp and/or outboard gear.

Thanks Keith, yet again, for a fine piece of equipment.

John Bechtel · From: Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.

I don't notice any difference, so; if I don't sound good, it's all your fault! My Hilton pedal sounds better to me than any other pedal I've owned, but; what do I know, since I have mine set according to the Mfgr.'s suggestions? Operation is very smooth, except when I hit bottom and then it won't go any farther! Dah!

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“Big John”
a.k.a. {Keoni Nui}
Current Equipment

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