Volume Pedals

Kris Oka · From: San Francisco, CA, USA

How many of you non-pedal steel players use volume pedals? What kind, when and how often? And techniques used.

Thomas Ludwig · From: Augsburg, Germany

Kris,

I bought the cheapest volume pedal for trying out. 25 Euro (30$) all plastic. But not bad at all. I used it for some gigs not for all. It's more useful for me when I play standing up.

Thomas

Steinar Gregertsen · From: Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.

I have an Ernie Ball pedal, but I rarely use it. When I do it's usually because I'm asked to provide some sort of "dreamy atmospheric sounds with lots of delay" stuff......

Steinar

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"Play to express, not to impress"
www.gregertsen.com
Southern Moon Northern Lights

Roman Sonnleitner · From: Vienna, Austria

I have two - a Morley Compact, and a George Dennis GD125 (that one als has a tremolo circuit included). I use them a lot, for fading in chords (kind of like keyboard pads), or formaking parts of solos stand out.

Randy Reeves · From: LaCrosse, Wisconsin, USA

I use an Ernie Ball vol pedal.
unlike Stienar, I use it all the time.
it is good for typical volume swells and other 'dreamy' techniques.
I use it for stepping out in front for leads and fills.
it is nice when you want to change instruments. just stop the vol flow and you can silently unplug and switch guitars.

it is located last in my pedal train. right after the delay.

I like it.

Chris Walke · From: St Charles, IL

I use the Hilton pedal. Beautiful. Never scratchy. I went thru a few pots on my Ernie Ball pedal. Thing kept getting scratchy. The Hilton costs a lot, but it's active, preserves your tone in spite of other pedals between it and the amp, and the throw is long & smooth. Worth the $$, IMO. Assuming you don't lose it, abuse it, or it doesn't get stolen. You'll never replace it.

How much I use it depends on the band I'm playing with. Some of the stuff I play sounds better with no volume pedal, some sounds good with lots of volume swells. Just play what works for the song.

Robbie Daniels · From: Casper, Wyoming, USA

I use a Goodrich 10K. It helps provide a more stable signal and at my age I need help staying low in background and increased volume on solos. When you get older the only swells you get are in your stomach.

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Carter D12, MSA D12, MSA S12, 1956 Rickenbacker D8, Evans FET 500LV, Evans SE200

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I like to use a volume pedal when playing a console steel, for some reason. When playing a single neck, lap steel, I seldom use a foot volume.

I started out with a DeArmond foot volume and still have it. Over the years I have used Sho~Bud, Emmons, Ernie Ball and Goodrich pedals.

I find that the best use of foot volumes is to cover up a boo-boo or bring out the sound of harmonics.

[This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 12 October 2006 at 07:38 AM.]

Todd Weger · From: Safety Harbor, FLAUSA

For old-time hapa-haole Hawaiian stuff, never. Sounds all wrong to me.

For the kind of thing Steiner was talking about (atmospheric, etc...), then maybe an E.B. Works well enough for that.

If I'm doing any rockabilly, then my Fender pedal with the side-to-side "boo-wah" tone pot control.

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Todd James Weger --
1956 Fender Stringmaster T-8 (C6, A6, B11); 1960 Fender Stringmaster D-8 (C6, B11/A6); Regal resonator (C6); 1938 Epiphone Electar (A6); assorted ukuleles; upright bass

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

I used an Ernie Ball volume pedal for 20+ years until it virtually wore out. Now I have a Goodrich L10K volume pedal, but I don't use it very much (even though it's a great pedal).

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Jim Bates · From: Alvin, Texas, USA

In the early 50's (53?) I bought a Gibson lap steel and then the Jerry Byrd course. Jerry recommended a volume pedal, so I got a DeArmond, which I still have and use some. It came with metal gear and rack, which I changed out to a nylon gear and rack (obtained through DeArmond). Had many controls in it, plus a few paint jobs.

I htink the Hilton would be an 'overkill' for a lap steel. Keep it simple like the steel pioneers did.

Thanx,
Jim

Kris Oka · From: San Francisco, CA, USA

Thanks all. Mr. Bates, I justed playing last year and recently ordered Jerry Byrds course. It is good to know that he recommended the use of volume pedals. I also have Cindy Cashdollars videos and she uses a volume pedal. And Cindy sure can play Country. Her intro is a Country tune that I would sure like to play someday but I don't know the name. She also has tabs for Cold, Cold Heart and San Antonio Rose.

Nathan Hernandez · From: Riverside, California, USA

I use a Bigsby volume tone pedal,,,,well I try to at least!

Keith Cordell · From: San Diego

If you want to hear Cindy use a VP with non pedal very effectively in a non-country project, check out Ryan Adams and the Cardinals' Cold Roses- a double disc of incredibly cool stuff.

Mark Tomlinson · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

I use a BOSS FV-500H which has been fantastic addition at the end of the effects chain. Both for lap steel playing, and normal guitar playing it is essential to control over the sound. I also have a classic Dunlop Crybaby at the front of my effects chain.

But still - most of time I like to play lap steel straight into the amp (on a separate line). Then for volume/tone swells (blasts) on the lap steel I use the volume controls on the guitar - using pinkie, 3rd finger, or whichever one is not busy at that time. I can imagine that if you don't want to bother your right hand with that work, you'd want a wah and volume pedal.

I'll post some new pictures of my setup on my website.

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Mark Tomlinson
mark@careytomlinson.org
www.careytomlinson.org

Rick Alexander · From: Florida, USA, R.I.P.

I use a Hilton - for swells, dynamics and sustain.

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

With PSG, I usually use my Hilton pedal and keep my Derby pedal for a spare. With Non-Pedal Steel, I’ll use a Goodrich 120 V-P and have the Hilton pedal for a spare, because; my Hilton works on the floor or on the pedal-bar, w/o having to make any modifications!
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“Big John”
a.k.a. {Keoni Nui}
Current Equipment

[This message was edited by John Bechtel on 22 October 2006 at 11:16 PM.]

Bill Creller · From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)

I have a DeArmond pedal that I bought new in 1950. It's a pot eater if it's used a lot.
When I got back into music after 40+ years, the Hawaiian bunch told me to lose it, so I rarely use it, although I'm comfortable with it.
The DeArmond is cast aluminum, and seems indestructable.

Jeff Strouse · From: Jacksonville, Florida, USA

When I use one, it's a Goodrich L-120...I've never really tried anything else, as that was what was available to me at the time...

Guest · Posted 25 Oct 2006 11:20 am

Hi, I'm new around these parts.

I haven't seen too many other folks mention this one, but I am using a Dunlop GCB-80 High Gain Volume Pedal. It is passive (no power requirements), built like a tank, and has 1 million cycle audio taper pot. You definitely want audio taper for steel swells. It appears not to color the sound at all.

I aslo have a vintage passive ShoBud pedal, but it definitely does color the sound -- making it darker.

--Jamie

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