Volume Pedal Recommendations

[Mark Levesque]

Is anyone using a volume pedal?
Any favorite brands? I have this old clunky thing from 1972, they must be more high tech these days.

[mikeo2]

Although its not something I've used a lot with mandolin, I think Ernie Ball makes the best volume pedals on the market. (http://www.ernieball.com/site/products_pedals.php) I personally like the 6166 model. It's smoooooooth.

[Jim Hilburn]

Morley uses an optical control instead of a pot, so they're theoretically quieter. You can probably get them cheap on Ebay.
As good as the Ernie Ball is, it can get scrathy. I had to send mine in for an overhaul.

[jeffvog]

I work with a fiddle player who uses one, and he gave me some good advice on volume pedals & related gear-- he said find out what pedals and cables pedal steel players are using, because they tend to be super fussy about clean tone and low noise. Goodrich is a brand that they use, also Dunlop, & Hilton (infrared-based attenuator system). As a cheaper alternative, I often use a Zoom Acoustic pedal ($60)as a volume pedal, by doing several "stomp" settings that are identical except for differing output levels--I don't use the effects, except maybe a little reverb. That way, you have one pedal that works as a tuner and a volume pedal rolled into one, and it works great on the effects in/out stereo 1/4" jack on a baggs paracoustic d.i., with a stereo Y cable. Plug mandolin pickup into d.i. input, and Y cable connects pedal to d.i., then xlr out of d.i. to board.