Travis Griffin I play in an Ambient band and use a Volume pedal in front of everything to get those mean Gain Swells as well. I guess you can use both these methods :D
@@mattflickinger8151 I must say that I had a check out of them (price wise in Australia and some video reviews ) and I'm thinking of saving my pennies and getting one. They really do sound killer. Thanks for the personal upvote, cheers.
Mick is the compressor of TPS: he reduces the technical range of Dan. When Dan gets too complicated, he simplifies it, and when Dan doesn't explain enough Mick goes into more detail.
Cheers guys, more to think about than I thought, if you see what I mean. Just to add, and been meaning to say this for ages, Dans playing is such an asset to the channel. Thankew. :)
Im doin good things with my rig i wouldnt hav thot of myself. Watchin u guys last 2yrs or so iv picked up a bunch of useable knowledge n wisdom. Today took some notes n gona run it back stop n play probably oh 1000 times. Probably use alot of what ur showing . Hav been to the pedal store few times but wanted a D&M drive anyway. So thank u for the free education im better for it. Thank u gentleman.
Im pretty sure several others are pickin up tips n tricks to get better. Brian Wampler is an excellent source of information, he knows things ! Josh Scott of jhs pedals has a pedal channel ck it out if uv not seen it, good information, great guy, analog man i dont kno much about was on tps , makes a great sunface , all these guys are the real deal, to bad dont live closer so to hang out now n then. Oh, i dont but my mother lives in AZ, small world.
Great tips in this one, especially the two channel trick! Also if I remember correctly, G2 users can put any passive vol pedal in the insert loop of G2 and it will be made active (output buffer).👌
Kudos, gents! You managed to make something as pedestrian as volume pedals interesting for a nearly hour-long video. Thanks for your knowledge and humor as always.
Remembering that it's past midday on a Friday and there's a new TPS episode is the closest I get to that feeling when I was a kid and I'd suddenly remember there was a chocolate bar waiting for me in my coat pocket.
Guys, Thanks again for another stellar sounding and supremely informative video. I've been watching y'all for a little over a year now and I've learned more in that short time than I have in 20 years of playing. I don't like messing with knobs while I play, but have found the value in riding the volume pot for various applications....so a volume pedal made perfect sense....and did for years until I realized just how much SUCK it provided to my signal. I've found installing a standard treble bleed circuit in my Dunlop mini x volume pedal solved this issue for me. With the volume pedal between my guitar and board, I can effectively control my gain/volume levels with my foot while retaining a satisfactory amount of presence in my signal. I do use delay pedals and volume swells happen when appropriate. Keep it up guys! Much love from Texas.
How is the FV-30 L? Do you still like it? I too want to put a volume pedal between my drives but before my delays and reverb. Thinking of getting either the Boss FV-30L or Dunlop DVP4 Mini X.
@@shashankraman2512 I still am really happy with it! Works well with my rig. I’ve never had any experience with the Dunlop mini but I’ve heard good things.
@@ampoll88 That's really good to know! Now, I'm just thinking if I should go for the FV30L or the FV30H model. I need to place it between my drives and wet effects. I know Boss markets FV30L to go in between the signal chain but Dan, in this video, and a lot of gigging musicians who I know use the FV30H after the drives. Have you personally faced any issues with the 'L' model being inside your signal chain, like tone suck? Btw, do you play with a strat?
Guys, that was an outstanding episode. I’ve never used or wanted a volume pedal, but you’ve given so much food for thought here. So much great experience went into this, thanks for sharing!
I’m going to have to try your RE-201 & Vol pedal trick on my RE-20 this weekend. Big thanks because I don’t like my dry signal going through the RE-20.
About a million years ago.. when I was a teenager, I built a "solo/rhythm" pedal - a 1meg pot in a small box with a light and a bypass switch. I used it in the FX loop of may amp. I made my amp a bit louder that it needed to be, and dialed it back with the pot - my rhythm volume. For solos, I just hit the bypass switch and had a nice boost to cut over the band with.
Matt here. Loved this show in particular as I still use my Boss FV-300H (built like a tank) from the eighties. I use it, currently, to dial the dry amp in a wet/dry setup up and down. This is useful, and I recommend you try this, when you want a touch more drive, or -my favourite - to accentuate tremolo (on the dry side) over delays and such on the wet side. What a sound!!! (Dr Z wet/Vox dry.) Love for the Vox tremolo. Who does this best in a pedal format? My Fulltone Supa-Trem is now sulking in a corner. Kudos to Gig-rig; the Humdinger is awesome!
14:15: Dan: "We're not gonna get the same... sort of suckiness.." Mick: "Tone suck." Dan: "Ex-suck-ly!" Haha! Laughed hard :) Thanks for a great and well-explained episode guys!
Highly recommend the Hilton volume pedal - made in Missouri, and he has versions for both steel guitar and regular guitar - they're the standard among the Nashville guys for a reason : ) Great video guys
I just picked up a used Morley Little Alligator volume pedal on my way home, and lo and behold, TPS is talking volume pedals! What a coincidence. Thank you for a very, very good show and keep up the good work :-)
Have you seen the Rig Rundown for Jimmy Herring? Instead of monitors to hear the rest of the band he has separate combo amps and wedge monitors for each instrument of the band running through them, controlled by Volume Pedals. He can then give himself a stage mix hands free. He has a pedalboard full of volume pedals.
Nice idea but why combo amps? They have a very bad frequency response for everything but guitar, so you would hear the frequencies from the rest of the band that shouldn't be there, because they should be left to the guitar
Great show guys! The diagrams really helped. At some point, I hope you get a Reverend guitar or any guitar that has a bass roll off pot and show how controlling the amount of bass going to a dirt pedal (especially fuzzes) can be a revelation.
Just ordered my first couple of shirts with this episode in the background lol can't wait for them to get here! You guys are informative, massively knowledgeable, great playing, awesome tones, and just plain entertaining. Cheers gents!
Haha the bewildered Mick face appears @24:26 no worries Mick, we can tell volume pedal usage is something you haven’t explored much. This was a great episode. I really like these utility episodes. Not a pedal demo, a “how to use your pedalboard” -type episode. Very good job guys!
Thanks for the awesome content as always. How about an episode that goes deep into the GigRig G2 and some complicated setups. For example; using the volume insert loop for other pedals, how to setup and use a looper on a stereo rig, how to setup a ‘sometimes’ stereo rig with stereo pedals that may run in mono sometimes, using remote loopy to get 2 alternatives in one loop, etc. I am considering get a real pedalboard setup, but am not sure how to solve some real world problems like those.
Been using the Boss volume pedal in parallel loops to swell in layered delays and ambient pads, great stuff! Used to have the FX17 until it broke down!
Hi guys. Thank you so much for doing this video. I have an or50 which is a single channel no fx loop amp. I always wondered what would happen if i used an expression pedal instead of the guitars volume. This video has answered all my questions regarding pedal position and possible options on getting a universal practical set up. Cheers guys, keep doing what you do you make a lot of like minded people very happy.
After Dans intro playing, mentioning preferred retailers and what not in the beginning of this video thru me off - normally they are at the end of videos. For a second I thought it was already the end of the video haha
This is so bad ass. At first you may think that, oh it's just a volume pedal, but really a volume pedal is a huge effect. After all, volume is quite essential when you consider its importance.
I am a strat guy and I keep my amps just on the verge of breaking up.. thats where I live.. But Dan, the red tele and those particular 2 over drive pedals... are juSt Gloriusssssssssss!
Dang you guys solved a few problems for me once again! Thanks mick and dan! Btw if you haven’t heard of Marcus King, you need to, and if by any chance you should have him on the show!
Thanks for an update! I had so many questions since the last episode you did with the active Morley pedal. Everyone has varying different opinions and theories about volume pedals and I appreciate your knowledge and input as always.
Also check out: the Earth Quaker swiss things which has a brilliant volume pedal input. Fully buffered, post gain pedal loop, just plug a cheap expression pedal into the jack w a TRS cable and it works as a volume pedal. Allows you to not mess up your fuzz pedals with a buffered input and since it's post fuzz + you cut the "hiss" from the fuzz, but still get the trails from your ambient pedals, and control how hard you hit your fuzz with the volume pot on your guitar. Putting volume pedal after fuzz/overdrive but before ambient effects is very practical, as you detail. Cut the noise, keep the trails.
Not just demos here. These videos are much more. Very educational for kinesthetic learners who never read directions. This type of thing should be helpful to many hobbyist or even pro rock musicians who are not the typical, band camp prodigies. Thanks for getting us through the boring crap! 🤘
Hey Dan - that trick you mention around 24:09 of putting the VP in the loop before the delay is very similar to what Jimmy Herring does with his digital reverb. The only pedals that Jimmy uses are volume pedals for the most part.
I think throwing in those preferred retailers etc at the beginning is genius! Let’s be honest .. after an hour of playing guitar creating musical fusion having to remember all that is a right challenge. Personally I’d need a sleep
Although I'm quite glad that they have sponsors to keep them on the air. The quality of the video and gear keeps getting better. But I wondered if my UA-cam glitched to the end too!
What about a lo-z in the effects loop? I have a stereo rig that starts with my guitar to a Morley A B Y into a GT 100 & a Alesis IO Dock II with a iPad Pro. The GT 100 L /R out go the input L/R of a RC300. The IO Dock L/ R outputs go into a Korg lo z stereo volume/expression pedal into aux input of the RC300 loop staition. Ufda then into two Roland 30 monitors with new speakers that don’t fart like the old ones. The guitar is a Fernandez sustainer/locking vibrato . I put in a Scream n Demon F spaced pickup in the bridge. Sounds much better. Now I bought a Mackie 16 Ver 2 FX mixer to expand on the never ending options of hooking up cables & drinking beer. At least my wife knows where I am. Love you’re show. First one I saw was the Marshall Guv into a Marshall amp. You got that Gary Moore tone down perfectly. Thanks
My Dad showed me in the late 70's using his home made volume pedal (he rejigged an old wah) that putting the volume pedal at the end was a great way to control and shape sounds. Dad used it because his amp was a 68 Marshall Super Bass head that he played at insane levels of volume. I was lucky to inherit that amp many many years later.
I never got what the point was in volume pedals, then I got one and now I don't like doing a gig without one! After my drives but before delays and verbs is my favourite place. Great video as always chaps!
Smart move, switching the video outro to the intro! On the other hand, I am a bit worried as I read the written intro - Mick seems to have come down with a bad case of barfelonus of the blowhole. Very interesting topic to me - I am constantly amazed at how many ways we can modify a guitar signal. For that matter, I am constantly amazed at how we derive that signal in the first place! Thanks again for a super show.
I'm such a Larry Leadfoot with Volume/Expression/Wah pedals. All or nuffin. Bloody good thing I'm not a driver - I'd be an over-driver *rim shot* Thank you, thank you save your applause for after the show.
Worth a mention: a friend uses the Vertex Effects Boost because it has an expression out, so you can put your “volume pedal” later in the chain but without any tone-suck (and without a switcher, or weird cabling issues). And this works even with the boost off!! I think the boost is also very good, but that’s why he has it on multiple boards. I’m still loving my Chase Bliss Condor for my “volume pedal,” but I use the Low Pass Filter instead! Very different curve, especially stacked before other gain pedals.
My Space-Echo, er, our Space-Echo... Same problem with the Jazzmaster... I sense the need for a Pedal Show Pre-nup. lol. Great show. I use a an Ernie Ball VP Jr. 250K model with my lap steel and, recently, on the wet output of an EHX B9 pedal to gently bring in and control a touch of simulated organ when I play acoustic fingerstyle. Only caution with volume pedals is pot maintenance. Good to work them back and forth through their full range to fend off a scratchy pot or give 'em a spritz of good quality contact cleaner now and then.
Ok. Anyone else think Dan and Mick should create a second channel where we can just listen to them play? You know, for those of us who can't make it to their gigs... I'd support that channel on Patreon, too. Beautiful licks and tones as always! (Plus valuable knowledge!)
OK, thanks sooooo much to the brilliance and wisdom of this show that I am now able to use my vintage Vox AC30 with a wonderful clean delay on the second channel with gain in the High TB channel!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👋🏼👏🏻👋🏼👋🏼👋🏼
Another great master class on what most of us would view as a rather mundane utility pedal! I, like Mick, have never gotten on well with volume pedals in the past, however after Dan's, yet again AMAZINGLY well diagramed (insert diagram hands) & explained examples, I am going to dust off my trusty Earnie Ball volume pedal & have a shwang! Thank you so much Gents!
Is there a place to easily find specs on current volume pedals? I learned from this video, but still am having trouble finding out what the difference is between brands. Also, so happy to see the Lazy J make a return, loved hearing that amp in earlier videos!
Thanks guys! I didn't think I would on this Topic - but I watched every second of it! DOD: LookingGlass LookingGlass LookingGlass - if you ever do a gain stage show again and you're not featuring it as a tone/gain shape, I'd be very sad I have yet to find a more transparent pedal! (Ok, I have not tested as many as you have but you may be challenged by that?) Plus, with it's unique control features (filter, bass cut before/treble after gain) it shapes every other OD to your liking… (btw Mick, I also have 8 on my board :)))
I play guitar in our churches worship band and the volume pedal is absolutely essential! I definitely learned way more about them during this episode! Great work gents! Is there a volume pedal out there with a boost built in? I just know that like dan said, you have to be very disciplined to have the pedal set a hair back and step on it for solos, a boost on the pedal would be handy!
OK.... Only part way through but, the hand gesture thing at around 8:40 - a tribute to Wallace and Grommet? Please say yes. And, I should finish it before asking, but a clean boost pedal with an expression pedal option? Would that prevent tone suck? Thanks as always.
Another great episode, thanks guys. I'll also throw in that I've bought a couple pedals from Riff City since I started watching your show and can attest to their wonderful service and product selection. Solid preferred retailer.
This show came at just the right time for me, I have been trying different ways to use my volume pedal and you've helped me get a new perspective on it. However, I'm going to watch it again (maybe more than once) to revisit some specific points I probably missed, because it was waaay too early this morning when I turned on TPS. Probably right after you uploaded this episode!
Just revisited this video again as I’m in need of a volume pedal for a gig coming up in a few days.. would love to hear your recommendations for specific pedal for use after drives before delay and reverb as I’m really confused by the whole topic and not sure what to go for.. thanks for your help!!
Triddo I want to know this too. Does impedance matter as much in this position (or the 4 channel amp cleverly routed for effects loop-like configuration)?
2 questions I have are 1.) where to place the volume pedal when effect pedals (chorus, flanger, tremelo, etc) are added. If I like the volume pedal before my delays and after my overdrives, where would the effect pedals be placed??? 2.) Also, where would it be best to place the volume pedal when a buffered tuner (boss) is added, before or after the tuner???
I used to use an Ernie Ball Volume pedal to change from rhythm to lead level stage. It has the adjustment on the side to change the amount it lowers the volume, which wasn't enough so I put a block to prevent the pedal from going all the way back. It worked very well, and much smoother than any kind of switch or boost pedal, plus it was a bigger target on stage :-) It was last in the chain to act as a 'master' volume. Too bad it broke one day and I've never fixed it :-( Thank you for the video. Lots of great ideas and knowledge transferred.
Great timing, I just bought a volume pedal last night. I bought that DOD volume pedal back in the 80's, and it was ok, but not great. DOD does/did make great stuff in general.
Great show... volume pedals are so helpful in recording! I’ve been using one, as a master volume- going after my tone chain, but before my DAW. It’s fantastic for defeating 60 cycle hum, or any noise for that matter- when recording. Like anything, you develop technique to use one so it’s not “apparent”. It’s a wonderful tool that has many, many uses... thanks boys!
Personally, on all my boards I have the Volume pedal at the beginning of the musical chain, as I saw in Lukather's or Gilmour's pedalboards or in Mike Stern pedalboard (back in time, today he travel with one or two things!) and in many other friends. That's why a love to have a couple of overdrive with different setting before the gritty distortions (Muffs, OCD, Rat or other distortion) and I need to dosate the volume between OD and Dist. Moreover, I found that many volume pots, when closed a little, also close the band ends, specifically in the high frequencies, while the volume pedal gives the possibility to lower the volume without losing all the definition of the volume pot open. Of c course, this is my experience and, as Mick says, there's no Universal way to use RIGHT the volume pedal. ❤️
My usable preference is the - Volume pedal after gain, but before delay and reverb:Dan Greg to here you playing thr Lazy J love th clarity of thr Alnico Cream. Love to hear the L azyJcruiser again. Very informative presenrartion, thanks ro both of you for your hard work nd dedication.cheers
Excellent!! I've been waiting for EQ and pedal videos. Cheers and keep them coming!! My offer for the loan of the Egnater Tweaker 88 still stands, but I have to come with her since she's never been to England before and would need a chaperone.
Hey guys, amazing video! Switching gears a little bit, I'm wondering if you guys would consider doing an episode on pedals from Darkglass Electronics or similar style bass pedals. If so, somebody like Nolly Getgood or Nathan Navarro would be an excellent guest!
Hah! My thoughts exactly while reading it, must have been a very large glass ( half a bottle) of red! I find myself doing the same after imbibing a pitcher or two. If anything I make myself laugh!
Love the show in general, but can I dissent somewhat? 1. It's my understanding that the pot in a passive volume pedal is operated in 'voltage divider' mode, so the loading on the pickup is constant and does not vary according to the setting. 2. Surprised you omitted to discuss the advantage of buffers/opto solutions that eliminate the problem that if you have a passive pedal, any wear or problem on the pot will cause noise/problems in the signal path. Using the pot to control the gain of a buffer/boost is more reliable and one of the main reasons that active pedals were developed.
To all of the sponsor hatters, we can all start sending Mick & Dan, money to provide us with this content... Until then, we can enjoy great content for free.
Great segment, however, one thing that you didn’t cover is how vintage-type fuzz pedals react to a volume pedal and the best ordering for that pre/post. Keep up the interesting content.
Is there a show that discusses how to deal with AB/Y Pedals that are buffered and Fuzz? Please share the link. I'm looking at splitting the signal for a fuzzy left and non-fuzzy right. Any ideas how to do this? Thank you.
Yes! A DOD comeback. What about a DOD OD250 show? It was Yngwie's choice to put before a crunchy Marshall style amp. There are a few clones out there, too: Analog Man, MXR Distortion+, Bigfoot FX Drive 250. It's the sound of 80s lead guitar, everything from Yngwie to Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Hi there from the Netherlands, love the show! Q : What about the effect of a Volume pedal before a compressor? At the moment I've got my Ernie Ball VP jr as 3rd pedal in the chain after my Fuzz (first in the chain, less noisy) and Compressor. Thinking about putting an overdrive before the Vol pedal as well. Thanks for another great episode!
This board is oddly close to my rig, some different brands but same philosophy w volume after drive, before delay. I get a tone of use and play mainly Christian rock.. ambient U2 type stuff. Rattler and Timmy are gold... Nice episode fellas.
![How To Set Your Amp For Pedals [Gain, EQ, Volume & FX Loops]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wdUGAmYqiDc/mqdefault.jpg)
The honk peaks at 95 db, just in case anyone was wondering
The real hero here
@@derekbenton196 The Honk Peaks is a great band name
Haha ... ;)
Was the volume pedal before or after the horn?
I noticed it was a dB meter only seconds before he honked and then saw this peak hahaha
An hour on volume pedals? Swell!
... Poor volume pedal joke, I know :(
Bravo!
Dude. I'll take it. Then again, I'm a dad.
That was mint! Well done Sir!
Boom.
Thank you, one and all, hahaha!
In a world of Axes and Kempers, it`s good to have That Pedal Show
It's totally fine to run a digital/analog stereo rig, right?
Volume pedals after gain, before delay and reverb, is ambiant heaven.
Travis Griffin I play in an Ambient band and use a Volume pedal in front of everything to get those mean Gain Swells as well. I guess you can use both these methods :D
Classic That Pedal Show!!! Take a topic you'd think could be covered in 2 minutes and keep it interesting for 50 minutes. Great episode. Thanks guys!
LMFAO.
They make an art of it, don't they?
I know this show's about volume pedals but I've just got to say - I really love that 'Rattler'. What a cool sound !!
8 minutes in and I've forgotten about the benefits of volume pedals, I'm just hearing the Rattler roar like a V8 engine
Yea I got one because of the Rat video couple weeks ago. It’s gnarly!
@@mattflickinger8151 I must say that I had a check out of them (price wise in Australia and some video reviews ) and I'm thinking of saving my pennies and getting one.
They really do sound killer. Thanks for the personal upvote, cheers.
Don't you just hate climate change. The way it makes you feel the need to appologise for a v8.
Mick is the compressor of TPS: he reduces the technical range of Dan. When Dan gets too complicated, he simplifies it, and when Dan doesn't explain enough Mick goes into more detail.
Aw, thanks Charlie. That's what I try to do, and not everybody gets it!
I just watched this video. I get it and I appreciate it! You're a great team and this was a thorough education.
Cheers guys, more to think about than I thought, if you see what I mean. Just to add, and been meaning to say this for ages, Dans playing is such an asset to the channel. Thankew. :)
Thanks!
Very kind Scott, thank you!
Brilliant. You have no idea how much this has helped me!
Im doin good things with my rig i wouldnt hav thot of myself. Watchin u guys last 2yrs or so iv picked up a bunch of useable knowledge n wisdom. Today took some notes n gona run it back stop n play probably oh 1000 times. Probably use alot of what ur showing . Hav been to the pedal store few times but wanted a D&M drive anyway. So thank u for the free education im better for it. Thank u gentleman.
Im pretty sure several others are pickin up tips n tricks to get better. Brian Wampler is an excellent source of information, he knows things ! Josh Scott of jhs pedals has a pedal channel ck it out if uv not seen it, good information, great guy, analog man i dont kno much about was on tps , makes a great sunface , all these guys are the real deal, to bad dont live closer so to hang out now n then. Oh, i dont but my mother lives in AZ, small world.
This episode is vintage TPS! Blooming cool, guys. thanks
Great tips in this one, especially the two channel trick! Also if I remember correctly, G2 users can put any passive vol pedal in the insert loop of G2 and it will be made active (output buffer).👌
Legend
🤘🤘
Kudos, gents! You managed to make something as pedestrian as volume pedals interesting for a nearly hour-long video. Thanks for your knowledge and humor as always.
I've got the Lehle. Love it! Cheers from Michigan!
Remembering that it's past midday on a Friday and there's a new TPS episode is the closest I get to that feeling when I was a kid and I'd suddenly remember there was a chocolate bar waiting for me in my coat pocket.
Exactly....... or when the ice cream van came jingling into your street.
Guys,
Thanks again for another stellar sounding and supremely informative video. I've been watching y'all for a little over a year now and I've learned more in that short time than I have in 20 years of playing.
I don't like messing with knobs while I play, but have found the value in riding the volume pot for various applications....so a volume pedal made perfect sense....and did for years until I realized just how much SUCK it provided to my signal. I've found installing a standard treble bleed circuit in my Dunlop mini x volume pedal solved this issue for me. With the volume pedal between my guitar and board, I can effectively control my gain/volume levels with my foot while retaining a satisfactory amount of presence in my signal. I do use delay pedals and volume swells happen when appropriate. Keep it up guys! Much love from Texas.
I get the most detailed explanations and education on pedals and pedal chain dynamics. It's so appreciated. Very well done!
Pedal No..62 and 63 bought, Rat 2 and Volume pedal.. 3 years ago before you started I had 2. Great Show.
Great video! Just recently purchased a Boss FV-30 L as it is after my drives , but before my delays and reverbs. Really happy with it!!
How is the FV-30 L? Do you still like it? I too want to put a volume pedal between my drives but before my delays and reverb. Thinking of getting either the Boss FV-30L or Dunlop DVP4 Mini X.
@@shashankraman2512 I still am really happy with it! Works well with my rig. I’ve never had any experience with the Dunlop mini but I’ve heard good things.
@@ampoll88 That's really good to know! Now, I'm just thinking if I should go for the FV30L or the FV30H model. I need to place it between my drives and wet effects. I know Boss markets FV30L to go in between the signal chain but Dan, in this video, and a lot of gigging musicians who I know use the FV30H after the drives. Have you personally faced any issues with the 'L' model being inside your signal chain, like tone suck? Btw, do you play with a strat?
Just thinking about buying a volume pedal - this video is gold dust. Thanks Guys!
Guys, that was an outstanding episode. I’ve never used or wanted a volume pedal, but you’ve given so much food for thought here. So much great experience went into this, thanks for sharing!
Just another killer and informative video! Thanks so much for doing what you do!
I’m going to have to try your RE-201 & Vol pedal trick on my RE-20 this weekend. Big thanks because I don’t like my dry signal going through the RE-20.
About a million years ago.. when I was a teenager, I built a "solo/rhythm" pedal - a 1meg pot in a small box with a light and a bypass switch. I used it in the FX loop of may amp. I made my amp a bit louder that it needed to be, and dialed it back with the pot - my rhythm volume. For solos, I just hit the bypass switch and had a nice boost to cut over the band with.
Brilliant! Always love the show, guys! Nice to see the return of the Timmy! I have both the Tim and Timmy. Incredible pedals!
Matt here. Loved this show in particular as I still use my Boss FV-300H (built like a tank) from the eighties. I use it, currently, to dial the dry amp in a wet/dry setup up and down. This is useful, and I recommend you try this, when you want a touch more drive, or -my favourite - to accentuate tremolo (on the dry side) over delays and such on the wet side. What a sound!!! (Dr Z wet/Vox dry.) Love for the Vox tremolo. Who does this best in a pedal format? My Fulltone Supa-Trem is now sulking in a corner. Kudos to Gig-rig; the Humdinger is awesome!
Who would of thought volume pedals could be so fascinating! the different pots, buffers, tricks you can do with them. Thank you guys!
14:15: Dan: "We're not gonna get the same... sort of suckiness.."
Mick: "Tone suck."
Dan: "Ex-suck-ly!"
Haha! Laughed hard :) Thanks for a great and well-explained episode guys!
Highly recommend the Hilton volume pedal - made in Missouri, and he has versions for both steel guitar and regular guitar - they're the standard among the Nashville guys for a reason : )
Great video guys
I just picked up a used Morley Little Alligator volume pedal on my way home, and lo and behold, TPS is talking volume pedals! What a coincidence. Thank you for a very, very good show and keep up the good work :-)
And so it begins... almost another whole hour of my 4 year old constantly asking me which one is Dan, and which one is Mick..
Same for me and i'm 39. My head mixes them up and they become Man (and) Dick
Good on you. Start them young!
It's like Ant and Dec, Mick's always on the left.
Australi-Dan and Mick-English
The intro playing was amazing as usual!
Have you seen the Rig Rundown for Jimmy Herring? Instead of monitors to hear the rest of the band he has separate combo amps and wedge monitors for each instrument of the band running through them, controlled by Volume Pedals. He can then give himself a stage mix hands free. He has a pedalboard full of volume pedals.
Nice idea but why combo amps? They have a very bad frequency response for everything but guitar, so you would hear the frequencies from the rest of the band that shouldn't be there, because they should be left to the guitar
Without watching it again I'd say they might be FFR "combos" not guitar amps? It's been a while...
@@davejackson8376 They're just wedges. Not combos.
Sounds pretty cumbersome and stupid tbh. Guess he REALLY doesn’t trust his sound guys!
Luke Bogart I should have clarified. I meant the combos were for the other guitars, not for everything. It’s just monitor wedges for vocals and keys.
Great show guys! The diagrams really helped. At some point, I hope you get a Reverend guitar or any guitar that has a bass roll off pot and show how controlling the amount of bass going to a dirt pedal (especially fuzzes) can be a revelation.
I had my guitar modded for a master tone and master bass cut. It's awesome. Basically a passive 2 band EQ.
I think '...Diagrams!...' with a Jazz-hands expression is the next TPS t-shirt image!! Nice work Dan & Mick!
Just ordered my first couple of shirts with this episode in the background lol can't wait for them to get here! You guys are informative, massively knowledgeable, great playing, awesome tones, and just plain entertaining. Cheers gents!
The fabric is really nice, I need more.
Dan's intro playing reminded me of some of the steel guitar swells in Beck's "Guess I'm Doing Fine". Great stuff!
Haha the bewildered Mick face appears @24:26 no worries Mick, we can tell volume pedal usage is something you haven’t explored much. This was a great episode. I really like these utility episodes. Not a pedal demo, a “how to use your pedalboard” -type episode. Very good job guys!
Thanks for the awesome content as always.
How about an episode that goes deep into the GigRig G2 and some complicated setups. For example; using the volume insert loop for other pedals, how to setup and use a looper on a stereo rig, how to setup a ‘sometimes’ stereo rig with stereo pedals that may run in mono sometimes, using remote loopy to get 2 alternatives in one loop, etc.
I am considering get a real pedalboard setup, but am not sure how to solve some real world problems like those.
Andrew Nuttall Dan has a bunch of tutorials on the gigrig stuff. They tipically don't go too deep into it on TPS.
Been using the Boss volume pedal in parallel loops to swell in layered delays and ambient pads, great stuff! Used to have the FX17 until it broke down!
Hi guys. Thank you so much for doing this video. I have an or50 which is a single channel no fx loop amp. I always wondered what would happen if i used an expression pedal instead of the guitars volume. This video has answered all my questions regarding pedal position and possible options on getting a universal practical set up. Cheers guys, keep doing what you do you make a lot of like minded people very happy.
After Dans intro playing, mentioning preferred retailers and what not in the beginning of this video thru me off - normally they are at the end of videos. For a second I thought it was already the end of the video haha
Brilliant! Really helpful to see and hear the different positions, thanks for all the info.
This is so bad ass. At first you may think that, oh it's just a volume pedal, but really a volume pedal is a huge effect. After all, volume is quite essential when you consider its importance.
Dan I hope you're happy, your playing made me blow all my 21st Birthday money on a Telecaster. Now all I need to do is learn how to play the thing.
Happy birthday Harry ;)
I'M LEARNING SO MUCH ABOUT STUFF I DON'T OWN
I am a strat guy and I keep my amps just on the verge of breaking up.. thats where I live.. But Dan, the red tele and those particular 2 over drive pedals... are juSt Gloriusssssssssss!
Thanks for the clear explanation !
Dang you guys solved a few problems for me once again! Thanks mick and dan! Btw if you haven’t heard of Marcus King, you need to, and if by any chance you should have him on the show!
Thanks for an update! I had so many questions since the last episode you did with the active Morley pedal. Everyone has varying different opinions and theories about volume pedals and I appreciate your knowledge and input as always.
My usual chain is guitar->tuner (boss for buffer and mute) -> dirt -> vol -> wet. I love the flexibility it gives me.
Also check out: the Earth Quaker swiss things which has a brilliant volume pedal input. Fully buffered, post gain pedal loop, just plug a cheap expression pedal into the jack w a TRS cable and it works as a volume pedal. Allows you to not mess up your fuzz pedals with a buffered input and since it's post fuzz + you cut the "hiss" from the fuzz, but still get the trails from your ambient pedals, and control how hard you hit your fuzz with the volume pot on your guitar.
Putting volume pedal after fuzz/overdrive but before ambient effects is very practical, as you detail. Cut the noise, keep the trails.
Not just demos here. These videos are much more. Very educational for kinesthetic learners who never read directions. This type of thing should be helpful to many hobbyist or even pro rock musicians who are not the typical, band camp prodigies. Thanks for getting us through the boring crap! 🤘
Cheers Jeff 👍
Hey Dan - that trick you mention around 24:09 of putting the VP in the loop before the delay is very similar to what Jimmy Herring does with his digital reverb. The only pedals that Jimmy uses are volume pedals for the most part.
I think throwing in those preferred retailers etc at the beginning is genius! Let’s be honest .. after an hour of playing guitar creating musical fusion having to remember all that is a right challenge. Personally I’d need a sleep
One minute in: “thanks to our preferred retailers!”
Got really worried about my short term memory there for a second.
Although I'm quite glad that they have sponsors to keep them on the air. The quality of the video and gear keeps getting better. But I wondered if my UA-cam glitched to the end too!
Sven Broos I guess they realized a lot of us don’t always have time to make it to the end of their videos.
What about a lo-z in the effects loop? I have a stereo rig that starts with my guitar to a Morley A B Y into a GT 100 & a Alesis IO Dock II with a iPad Pro. The GT 100 L /R out go the input L/R of a RC300. The IO Dock L/ R outputs go into a Korg lo z stereo volume/expression pedal into aux input of the RC300 loop staition. Ufda then into two Roland 30 monitors with new speakers that don’t fart like the old ones. The guitar is a Fernandez sustainer/locking vibrato . I put in a Scream n Demon F spaced pickup in the bridge. Sounds much better. Now I bought a Mackie 16 Ver 2 FX mixer to expand on the never ending options of hooking up cables & drinking beer. At least my wife knows where I am. Love you’re show. First one I saw was the Marshall Guv into a Marshall amp. You got that Gary Moore tone down perfectly. Thanks
Great video again. I learn so much from you guys and I been playing for over 30+ years. 😉
My Dad showed me in the late 70's using his home made volume pedal (he rejigged an old wah) that putting the volume pedal at the end was a great way to control and shape sounds. Dad used it because his amp was a 68 Marshall Super Bass head that he played at insane levels of volume. I was lucky to inherit that amp many many years later.
I never got what the point was in volume pedals, then I got one and now I don't like doing a gig without one! After my drives but before delays and verbs is my favourite place. Great video as always chaps!
@@Murry_in_Arizona Yeah man the way he uses it is brilliant! Handy to hide noise too if it's needed (if after drives)
Always entertaining and informative, a big thank you from a long time beginner. Keep up the good work, we are watching in Brazil.
Smart move, switching the video outro to the intro! On the other hand, I am a bit worried as I read the written intro - Mick seems to have come down with a bad case of barfelonus of the blowhole. Very interesting topic to me - I am constantly amazed at how many ways we can modify a guitar signal. For that matter, I am constantly amazed at how we derive that signal in the first place! Thanks again for a super show.
Just got to say.... Frome again! Looking forward to it.
I swear you read my mind - been looking at volume pedals the last two days! Ripper!
I'm such a Larry Leadfoot with Volume/Expression/Wah pedals. All or nuffin.
Bloody good thing I'm not a driver - I'd be an over-driver
*rim shot*
Thank you, thank you save your applause for after the show.
Can you guys please do a harmonic tremolo comparison with the Monument V2, and the new Fender Tre-Verb?
Worth a mention: a friend uses the Vertex Effects Boost because it has an expression out, so you can put your “volume pedal” later in the chain but without any tone-suck (and without a switcher, or weird cabling issues). And this works even with the boost off!! I think the boost is also very good, but that’s why he has it on multiple boards.
I’m still loving my Chase Bliss Condor for my “volume pedal,” but I use the Low Pass Filter instead! Very different curve, especially stacked before other gain pedals.
My Space-Echo, er, our Space-Echo... Same problem with the Jazzmaster... I sense the need for a Pedal Show Pre-nup. lol. Great show. I use a an Ernie Ball VP Jr. 250K model with my lap steel and, recently, on the wet output of an EHX B9 pedal to gently bring in and control a touch of simulated organ when I play acoustic fingerstyle. Only caution with volume pedals is pot maintenance. Good to work them back and forth through their full range to fend off a scratchy pot or give 'em a spritz of good quality contact cleaner now and then.
Ok. Anyone else think Dan and Mick should create a second channel where we can just listen to them play? You know, for those of us who can't make it to their gigs... I'd support that channel on Patreon, too. Beautiful licks and tones as always! (Plus valuable knowledge!)
thanks matey :)
OK, thanks sooooo much to the brilliance and wisdom of this show that I am now able to use my vintage Vox AC30 with a wonderful clean delay on the second channel with gain in the High TB channel!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👋🏼👏🏻👋🏼👋🏼👋🏼
Another great master class on what most of us would view as a rather mundane utility pedal! I, like Mick, have never gotten on well with volume pedals in the past, however after Dan's, yet again AMAZINGLY well diagramed (insert diagram hands) & explained examples, I am going to dust off my trusty Earnie Ball volume pedal & have a shwang! Thank you so much Gents!
great stuff Ross :)
Is there a place to easily find specs on current volume pedals? I learned from this video, but still am having trouble finding out what the difference is between brands.
Also, so happy to see the Lazy J make a return, loved hearing that amp in earlier videos!
Thanks guys! I didn't think I would on this Topic - but I watched every second of it!
DOD: LookingGlass LookingGlass LookingGlass
- if you ever do a gain stage show again and you're not featuring it as a tone/gain shape, I'd be very sad
I have yet to find a more transparent pedal! (Ok, I have not tested as many as you have but you may be challenged by that?) Plus, with it's unique control features (filter, bass cut before/treble after gain) it shapes every other OD to your liking… (btw Mick, I also have 8 on my board :)))
I play guitar in our churches worship band and the volume pedal is absolutely essential! I definitely learned way more about them during this episode! Great work gents! Is there a volume pedal out there with a boost built in? I just know that like dan said, you have to be very disciplined to have the pedal set a hair back and step on it for solos, a boost on the pedal would be handy!
Damn, Dan has some crazy chords and harmony knowledge. Killer intro.
Great tip on jumping the channels. I did it with my LazyJ20 ( without the trem option) using a Boss Tr2 and it’s fantastic.
OK.... Only part way through but, the hand gesture thing at around 8:40 - a tribute to Wallace and Grommet? Please say yes. And, I should finish it before asking, but a clean boost pedal with an expression pedal option? Would that prevent tone suck? Thanks as always.
Another great episode, thanks guys. I'll also throw in that I've bought a couple pedals from Riff City since I started watching your show and can attest to their wonderful service and product selection. Solid preferred retailer.
This show came at just the right time for me, I have been trying different ways to use my volume pedal and you've helped me get a new perspective on it. However, I'm going to watch it again (maybe more than once) to revisit some specific points I probably missed, because it was waaay too early this morning when I turned on TPS. Probably right after you uploaded this episode!
Just revisited this video again as I’m in need of a volume pedal for a gig coming up in a few days.. would love to hear your recommendations for specific pedal for use after drives before delay and reverb as I’m really confused by the whole topic and not sure what to go for.. thanks for your help!!
Triddo I want to know this too. Does impedance matter as much in this position (or the 4 channel amp cleverly routed for effects loop-like configuration)?
2 questions I have are 1.) where to place the volume pedal when effect pedals (chorus, flanger, tremelo, etc) are added. If I like the volume pedal before my delays and after my overdrives, where would the effect pedals be placed??? 2.) Also, where would it be best to place the volume pedal when a buffered tuner (boss) is added, before or after the tuner???
I used to use an Ernie Ball Volume pedal to change from rhythm to lead level stage. It has the adjustment on the side to change the amount it lowers the volume, which wasn't enough so I put a block to prevent the pedal from going all the way back. It worked very well, and much smoother than any kind of switch or boost pedal, plus it was a bigger target on stage :-) It was last in the chain to act as a 'master' volume. Too bad it broke one day and I've never fixed it :-( Thank you for the video. Lots of great ideas and knowledge transferred.
Great timing, I just bought a volume pedal last night. I bought that DOD volume pedal back in the 80's, and it was ok, but not great. DOD does/did make great stuff in general.
1 hour on volume pedals : lvl master
You now have gained access to the god level : 1 hour on picks
Picks are important tho!
Great show... volume pedals are so helpful in recording!
I’ve been using one, as a master volume- going after my tone chain, but before my DAW. It’s fantastic for defeating 60 cycle hum, or any noise for that matter- when recording.
Like anything, you develop technique to use one so it’s not “apparent”. It’s a wonderful tool that has many, many uses... thanks boys!
Personally, on all my boards I have the Volume pedal at the beginning of the musical chain, as I saw in Lukather's or Gilmour's pedalboards or in Mike Stern pedalboard (back in time, today he travel with one or two things!) and in many other friends. That's why a love to have a couple of overdrive with different setting before the gritty distortions (Muffs, OCD, Rat or other distortion) and I need to dosate the volume between OD and Dist. Moreover, I found that many volume pots, when closed a little, also close the band ends, specifically in the high frequencies, while the volume pedal gives the possibility to lower the volume without losing all the definition of the volume pot open. Of c course, this is my experience and, as Mick says, there's no Universal way to use RIGHT the volume pedal. ❤️
My usable preference is the
- Volume pedal after gain, but before delay and reverb:Dan Greg to here you playing thr Lazy J love th clarity of thr Alnico Cream. Love to hear the L azyJcruiser again. Very informative presenrartion, thanks ro both of you for your hard work nd dedication.cheers
Excellent!! I've been waiting for EQ and pedal videos. Cheers and keep them coming!! My offer for the loan of the Egnater Tweaker 88 still stands, but I have to come with her since she's never been to England before and would need a chaperone.
Hey guys, amazing video! Switching gears a little bit, I'm wondering if you guys would consider doing an episode on pedals from Darkglass Electronics or similar style bass pedals. If so, somebody like Nolly Getgood or Nathan Navarro would be an excellent guest!
Thanks guys I just bought my final volume pedal after renting a couple much appreciate the great video !!!!!!!!🤟🤟🤟🤟 crackn !!!!
renting a volume pedal? is that really a thing? like renting your sister maybe?
Nice description, Mick. I’m sure no wine was harmed in the writing of it. 🍷😎
Brian Ricker 😅
I may use "observifacting" at work 😂
Hah! My thoughts exactly while reading it, must have been a very large glass ( half a bottle) of red! I find myself doing the same after imbibing a pitcher or two. If anything I make myself laugh!
It reads like a transcript from my linguistics classes from university.
Love the show in general, but can I dissent somewhat? 1. It's my understanding that the pot in a passive volume pedal is operated in 'voltage divider' mode, so the loading on the pickup is constant and does not vary according to the setting. 2. Surprised you omitted to discuss the advantage of buffers/opto solutions that eliminate the problem that if you have a passive pedal, any wear or problem on the pot will cause noise/problems in the signal path. Using the pot to control the gain of a buffer/boost is more reliable and one of the main reasons that active pedals were developed.
To all of the sponsor hatters, we can all start sending Mick & Dan, money to provide us with this content... Until then, we can enjoy great content for free.
Where can I get one of these Sponsor Hats please ?
FREE HAT
Agreed, the guys do this for us if you want to not have sponsors, then help them by using patreon...I do
...and without UA-cam ads on their videos.
Lol this guy said sponsor "hatters" 😂
That is such a great idea Dan! Could never get a clean reverb going with my old ac30. Will try this out tomorrow!
Great segment, however, one thing that you didn’t cover is how vintage-type fuzz pedals react to a volume pedal and the best ordering for that pre/post. Keep up the interesting content.
Is there a show that discusses how to deal with AB/Y Pedals that are buffered and Fuzz? Please share the link. I'm looking at splitting the signal for a fuzzy left and non-fuzzy right. Any ideas how to do this? Thank you.
Yes! A DOD comeback. What about a DOD OD250 show? It was Yngwie's choice to put before a crunchy Marshall style amp. There are a few clones out there, too: Analog Man, MXR Distortion+, Bigfoot FX Drive 250. It's the sound of 80s lead guitar, everything from Yngwie to Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Hi there from the Netherlands, love the show!
Q : What about the effect of a Volume pedal before a compressor?
At the moment I've got my Ernie Ball VP jr as 3rd pedal in the chain after my Fuzz (first in the chain, less noisy) and Compressor. Thinking about putting an overdrive before the Vol pedal as well.
Thanks for another great episode!
This board is oddly close to my rig, some different brands but same philosophy w volume after drive, before delay. I get a tone of use and play mainly Christian rock.. ambient U2 type stuff. Rattler and Timmy are gold... Nice episode fellas.
For me, a volume pedal before a cooking amp is the holy grail. Everything else before, and delays in the loop.