Goodrich vs. Hilton volume pedal

Gary Grubb · From: Petaluma, California, USA

I am replacing my Earnie Ball volume pedal for something that is not a tone killer. (Hey, I didn't know any better!).

I know Goodrich has been around awhile but I have heard good things about the Hilton.

What pedal do you prefer and why?

Let the games begin... (and thx in advance)

Gary Grubb · From: Petaluma, California, USA

FYI -- I just talked to a local guy that is selling his year old Goodrich volume pedal 10K asking $100.

He is also selling a Goodrich Matchbox 7A, app. $100.

Since I am not seeing any used Hiltons for sale, all things being equal, would you pay an extra $200 to get the Hilton or just pickup the Goodrich pedal?

Also wouldn't mind hearing comments about the Matchbox.

Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

So which Goodrich are you referring to ?? The pot pedal or the LDR2 ?? There is a big difference.

Gary Grubb · From: Petaluma, California, USA

Dave Zirbel · From: Sebastopol, CA USA

Gary, you're welcome to check out my Goodrich pedals. I have a potless and a potted one.

Gary Grubb · From: Petaluma, California, USA

Jim Phelps · From: Mexico City, Mexico

That should be an interesting comparison. I can't tell you much about how the different light pedals compare, my Goodrich is the only light pedal I've used. Before that I used Fender and Sho-Bud pot pedals. My Sho-Bud pedal jammed up solid right in the middle of a session in Nashville, had to haul it down to Shot Jackson's place and he put in a new pot. Buddy Emmons was hanging out there that day, I didn't even have the nerve to speak to him, lol.

You guys are making me miss N. California, I lived in Santa Rosa and played all around there in the mid- '70's... played in Petaluma a lot, Napa, Sonoma, Clear Lake, Walnut Creek, Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, etc. Love that area.

Dan Beller-McKenna · From: Durham, New Hampshire, USA

I bought a Hilton a while back to upgrade from my Goodrich 120 with a touchy pot. When I sold the Goodrich I checked on the pot and discovered the wiring was a little loose. Once I tightened it up, it sounded perfect. The Hilton did indeed have less effect on the tone of my steel, but I liked the feel of the Goodrich better, and, like some others, I kind of like the subtle shift in tone across the sweep of the pedal. The Goodrich also felt more solid to me. I also disliked having one more thing to plug in at every rehearsal and gig with the Hilton (which would also be a downside for me with the Goodrich light pedal. I went back to a Goodrich 120 and have been very happy with it.

Dan
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Billy Carr · From: Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)

Easy one. HILTOM.

Gary Grubb · From: Petaluma, California, USA

Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

Hi Gary - yes the 10K pedal is a pot pedal, I used one for years before going to the LDR !

Larry Jamieson · From: Walton, NY USA

Gary,
The Goodrich 10K (H10K for high height, or L10K for a lower profile), is an excellent pedal. It has a pre-amp in it so you are less apt to hear a scratchy pot. I have used an H10K for several years and hundreds of 3 and 4 hour gigs, and it still works. The pedal has a 9 volt battery, but it lasts forever as long as your unplug the audio cables when not in use. A used 10K pedal only a year old for $100 is an excellent buy.
That being said, I am ready to try a Hilton. Totally electronic, no pot to wear out EVER, and all the pros are using them, so they must be pretty good pedals.
Larry J.

Jim Phelps · From: Mexico City, Mexico

If a pot-pedal haa a pre-amp, you shouldn't have the loss of high freqs with it that you do with passive pot pedal... but I'd still get a light pedal if it were me...despite as I wrote in Gary's other thread, I had quit playing music full-time some years back and even sold my steel, but I continued to play guitar part-time and I always use my volume pedal even with regular electric guitar, so it's been thrown around and in constant use for 25 years and all I've had to do is change the bulb a couple times. Just keep a couple spares in your gig bag or stool.

Gary, I'm about 25 miles out of Mexico City, Mexico now...been here about 4-1/2 years. I'm from the Seattle, Washington area originally. I miss something from everywhere I've ever been... but I really loved it there in Sonoma County.

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

I prefer a pot pedal. I like the way the tone changes with the volume. You don't get that sound with an active pedal.
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Gary Grubb · From: Petaluma, California, USA

Jerry Gleason · From: Eugene, Oregon, USA

Most Ernie Ball pedals I've seen have a 250k pot, which works well for guitar pickups, but isn't a good match for most steel guitar pickups. The Goodrich 120, like almost all pot pedals designed for steel guitar, has a 500k pot, which will have a less dramatic change in tone from one end to the other. My 120 loses highs wide open, but it's not drastic, and can actually be desirable in some situations.

There were a number of Goodrich pedals of different types over the years besides the 120 pot pedal. The early light beam pedals, like the Edwards and Goodrich, had a light bulb and photocell arrangement, which was liked by some, but the ones I tried didn't sound good to me. I also didn't like the idea having a 120v power supply under my foot under moist conditions.

The Goodrich 10k still uses a pot, but as mentioned, has an active preamp, and it's 10k pot is less susceptible to scratchiness. The LDR2 uses a different technology, more like the Hilton. I don't know if they are still made. The Hilton, as I understand it, uses a system similar to a laser bar-code scanner. No lamp or pot to replace. And they sound great. When I got the Hilton, I never looked back.

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Jim Bates · From: Alvin, Texas, USA

Prefer Goodrich pot pedal. Tried the Hilton, but did not like the sound. Also, had the same sound problems with the Goodrich powered pedals, and the matchboxes. Some change in the 'attack' and increase in mid-range harshness to my ears. The Lil Izzy circuitry never does this to my ears. All of this is very subjective,of course.

A physical drawback I found on the Hilton I had was the monster size a.c. power cord. Over-engineered.

Thanx,
Jim

Stephen Silver · From: Asheville, NC

I have a Hilton Low Profile (long legs) and a Goodrich L10K.

The Goodrich sits in my spares case these days.

SS

I'll also mention that Mr Zirbel is not only one of the better steel players in the neighborhood, but one heck of a fella and a great friend to all of us other steelers in the Bay Area. (end of superficial patronizing remarks.......j/k)
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Gary Grubb · From: Petaluma, California, USA

As you can see by the poll as of 09-Apr-08, the Hilton is slightly preferred, by a narrow margin. This could screw up my voting with all the contention... oh, that's another debate!

Anyway, for now my decision is made... I bought the Goodrich L10K from a guy name Eric in Sebastopol who lives right down the street from Dave Zirbel. I also picked up a Matchbox 7A Super Sustain. You should be seeing Eric's MSA D-10 posted for sale in a couple of days.

I hooked up the new pedal... very smooth. The biggest difference I heard was that the steel sounds real dark w/o a lot of highs. I popped in the Matchbox and was able to perk the upper end a lot.

I think I'll take a little break from buying more gear until I get my right hand in shape.

I have a bit more to add over on the "tone" post if you're interested.

Thx for all the great feed back.
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Jim Phelps · From: Mexico City, Mexico

Strange the 10K sounds real dark with no highs....You still need to try a light pedal. If it still sounds dark without highs with a light pedal, then there's another cause... but at least you'd know it wasn't the pedal.

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