Best volume pedal for it's price?

[adamsvok]

Here's the deal:
I use a solid state amp with only one pedal a BD-2 blues driver. It gives me the kinda "tubey" sound I desire. Now the only thing is when It comes to the solo I'd like to turn it up a notch then back again. Dunlop's vol pedal seems a bit pricey tho.
Are there any good cheaper vol pedals? Or should I just save up and get it? I could get the Artec booster for a cheap price however it sounded bad in the only one youtube vid i could find. Would the booster pedal mess up my good tone??

[HurricaneJesus]

You can find used ernie ball volume pedals for like 40 bucks. Might have to clean or replace the pot but what the hell.
Or just use your guitar's volume. Set your rig up with the guitar volume on 7 or 8. Then 10 would be your lead sound.

[northernguitarguy]

I have a Dunlop High Gain pedal and it does what it should. It's just a volume pot in a pedal

[Rhust]

a player I played with built one, that wasn't a pedal... it was a second volume knob clipped onto his strap... that gave him more mobility, and a little finer control... it was just a big(like 2" across) knob on a plastic box... he repurposed something else to make it, and just made the insides a volume pedal, basically.

it gave him a lot of versatility, he could back off the volume knob on the guitar to cut the gain, and then bring it up with the strap's knob (volume pedal) so the clean would be the right volume.

[snaredrum]

the ernie ball VP Jr is everything i wanted a volume pedal to be, by which i mean it does nothing except regulate volume. no extra noise, no hiss, no odd swells. unless i want them to be odd, of course.

[adamsvok]

Originally Posted by HurricaneJesus

You can find used ernie ball volume pedals for like 40 bucks. Might have to clean or replace the pot but what the hell.
Or just use your guitar's volume. Set your rig up with the guitar volume on 7 or 8. Then 10 would be your lead sound.

I'm gonna check the Ernie ball pedal, thanks!
I'd use the vol pot (I'm actually a "bonamassa-like" player who always messes around with pots to get the prefect sound) but as i turn down a bit i loose precious gain.
Thanks again!

[Hector Arcadius]

Originally Posted by adamsvok

I'm gonna check the Ernie ball pedal, thanks!
I'd use the vol pot (I'm actually a "bonamassa-like" player who always messes around with pots to get the prefect sound) but as i turn down a bit i loose precious gain.
Thanks again!

It goes without a saying that when you turn volume down (either from guitar or from a pedal) you will lose gain. And that's exactly how everything is supposed to act.

Now, what you DON'T / SHOULDN'T lose when you turn them down, is high end frequencies (in other words, keep away from the MUD). And there is 1 thing (mainly) that you can do about it: wire your guitar in '50s wiring with a good set of volume & tone pots. Then you would be able to do what was described above, set your lead tone with guitar's volume on 10 and get your rhythm sounds by backing these down.

So, my suggestion (even though it's by no means cheaper than a volume pedal) is get your guitar rewired properly. Then, of course, you could end up looking for new pickups as well, but that's the natural course of things.

Lastly, in the style of music you play, tube amps are highly regarded due to their responsiveness. Perhaps you could consider one, down the road.


(yeah, I know, it does get bloody expensive... )

[Mookakian]

^ A volume pedal in the loop and your pre-amp will still give you the clipping as you pull back volume, im sure you know this hector, that post stumped me actually

For what you'd like OP I think this is the best way to go, volume pedal in the loop. Most boosts will add something to your signal, they add a little character due to the circuit used to ramp up the output.

[adamsvok]

Originally Posted by Hector Arcadius

So, my suggestion is get your guitar rewired properly. Then, of course, you could end up looking for new pickups as well, but that's the natural course of things.

Lastly, in the style of music you play, tube amps are highly regarded due to their responsiveness. Perhaps you could consider one, down the road.

I guess i should consider this option. sounds like it's worth it in the long run.

Originally Posted by Mookakian

For what you'd like OP I think this is the best way to go, volume pedal in the loop. Most boosts will add something to your signal, they add a little character due to the circuit used to ramp up the output.

Thank you!

[gibsonguitar1988]

I agree with Hector about the wiring and pickups.

That said, from what I'm hearing on forums and a Facebook gear group, the new Dunlop model Volume Pedal is supposed to be one of the best especially for it's price and miles better than the Ernie Ball Volume Pedals (which are pretty widely used). Supposedly there is less "tone suck" with the Dunlop VP as opposed to the Ernie Ball. Some guys get their EBVP's modded to fix the problem. Also with the Dunlop there is no string to break, which is a common problem with the EB's from what I'm hearing.

http://www.jimdunlop.com/product/dvp1-volume-pedal

I'm thinking about adding a volume and wah pedals to my rig again (used to have them but did away with them for whatever reason) and the Dunlop VP is the one I'd get.

[Hector Arcadius]

Originally Posted by Mookakian

^ A volume pedal in the loop and your pre-amp will still give you the clipping as you pull back volume, im sure you know this hector, that post stumped me actually

You are correct Tim, my whole post was based on the idea of putting a volume pedal before the input of the amp. Perhaps I thought SS amp => no FX loop (which is entirely wrong, even my SS amp has an FX loop - but with a huge volume drop, so completely unusable). Apologies for any confusion caused to the OP!

[Mookakian]

To be honest I think your assumption is prob. right hector, I thought to add 2 cents just in case the OP had a loop and was planning on dropping the volume pedal in there, which would be ideal for the desired tone change I think.

OP, If you have no loop in you amp, you are going to loose some gain no matter what you use if you drop the signal strength before it hits the pre-amp, more so in a tube amp but SS as well.

Rock On

[Bordeaux]

Originally Posted by gibsonguitar1988

I agree with Hector about the wiring and pickups.

That said, from what I'm hearing on forums and a Facebook gear group, the new Dunlop model Volume Pedal is supposed to be one of the best especially for it's price and miles better than the Ernie Ball Volume Pedals (which are pretty widely used). Supposedly there is less "tone suck" with the Dunlop VP as opposed to the Ernie Ball. Some guys get their EBVP's modded to fix the problem. Also with the Dunlop there is no string to break, which is a common problem with the EB's from what I'm hearing.

Dunlop Manufacturing :: Electronics :: :: Volume Pedal

I'm thinking about adding a volume and wah pedals to my rig again (used to have them but did away with them for whatever reason) and the Dunlop VP is the one I'd get.

Same here GG1988, still have my wah but got rid of my Ernie Ball Volume pedal. These Dunlop ones are nice and sturdy, now that's something else for me to want.

I gotta stay away from this board

[StandingWave]

I've often read about tone suck with EB Jr. pedals. No personal experience, but I've been researching because I want a volume pedal.

[gibsonguitar1988]

Originally Posted by StandingWave

I've often read about tone suck with EB Jr. pedals. No personal experience, but I've been researching because I want a volume pedal.

Yeah I think the Dunlop is just about the best one out there right now - especially in it's price range...

[snaredrum]

Originally Posted by StandingWave

I've often read about tone suck with EB Jr. pedals. No personal experience, but I've been researching because I want a volume pedal.

i have mine in front of my gigrig, and there's no noticeable difference in tone. In all honesty, enough famous gutiarists use them for me to be ok about them. is that bad? possibly

[kboman]

I have a Dunlop VP, no idea of the exact model (it was brand new, straight from the distributor so I'm guessing it's the latest one). Big, sturdy, looong travel from heel down to toe down, big surface with traktor tire pattern to step on. It even looks good! I have only compared it to a Boss FV-50 which was kind of unfair on the Boss - it was a "no brainer" as the kids say these days.

No "tone suck" that I have noticed, but I tend not to be all that bothered. I soon have ten pedals in my chain so it would get lost in the general degradation that's going on anyway... It's a really big pedal so make sure you have room for it. Always try before you buy, VP preference is very personal and they all feel different from each other.