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Topic: Hilton Pedal Questions? |
David Hartley
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Posted 17 Feb 2008 12:19 pm |
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What members here use the Hilton Pedal?
Who recommends them?
Who would never use anything else?
Who prefers a POT pedal?
Any info on these please, as I am thinking about getting one in the big D. I know Keith is a member of the forum here but it would be handy to hear all your comments on these pedals..
AND..
I'm doing a youtube posting this week, thinking about doing the grand tour by GJ, has this been done as an instrumental on the steel before? For some reason this song has been going around in my head and I haven't heard it for years but something's telling me to do it as an instrumental. Its funny how my mind works sometimes...David |
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Tommy Young
From:
Ethelsville Alabama
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Posted 17 Feb 2008 12:42 pm hilton pedal
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DAVID THERE ISN'T A BETTER PEDAL EVER BEEN UNDER MY GUITAR THAN THE HILTON IT IS WITHOUT A DOUBT THE BEST BUILT, NO NOISE, NO PROBLEM, NO TONE CHANGES FROM START TO FINISH, YOU WILL NOT EVER FIND A BETTER PEDAL THAN IT IS AND i DON'T SELL THEM EITHER JUST MY HONEST OPINION
TOMMY YOUNG
MAX-TONE MODIFICATIONS
WHEN YOUR GUITARS TONE HAS TO BE ITS VERY BEST |
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Tommy R. Butler
From:
Nashville, Tennessee
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Posted 17 Feb 2008 1:51 pm Re: hilton pedal
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| tommy young wrote: |
DAVID THERE ISN'T A BETTER PEDAL EVER BEEN UNDER MY GUITAR THAN THE HILTON IT IS WITHOUT A DOUBT THE BEST BUILT, NO NOISE, NO PROBLEM, NO TONE CHANGES FROM START TO FINISH, YOU WILL NOT EVER FIND A BETTER PEDAL THAN IT IS AND i DON'T SELL THEM EITHER JUST MY HONEST OPINION
TOMMY YOUNG
MAX-TONE MODIFICATIONS
WHEN YOUR GUITARS TONE HAS TO BE ITS VERY BEST |
I Second That !!!!. I love mine... Pot pedals do what we call TONE SUCK !!! Although there are some ok pot pedal out there they still kill tone to a certain degree. HILTON !!!! |
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Ken Levesque
From:
Welland,Ontario, Canada
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Posted 17 Feb 2008 2:33 pm Hilton Volume Pedal
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Hi David,
I echo Tom Young's and Tom R. Butler's reply.Best i ever bought!
Ken  |
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Bill Miller
From:
Gaspe, Quebec, Canada
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Posted 17 Feb 2008 2:39 pm
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| I've had mine for about five years and it's been trouble-free and a pleasure to use. It's rugged, quiet and completely transparent tonewise. Plus, you can be sure of first rate customer service in the unlikely event that you ever need it. That's not as common as it once was. |
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Eric West
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 17 Feb 2008 2:42 pm
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Count me in with the Toms.
My Ernie Ball pot pedal of 25 years has spiders living in it. I won't be dislodging them anytime soon.
EJL |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 17 Feb 2008 2:51 pm
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| Keith makes a fine pedal (I have one). Still, I like the operating ease and smoothness of my old Fender pot-pedal. The fact it's simple, and I don't have to plug it in (and the fact that I can fix it in 10 minutes if it ever goes bad), are also advantages I appreciate. |
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Greg Cutshaw
From:
Corry, PA, USA
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Posted 17 Feb 2008 3:11 pm
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I have both a pot pedal and the new Hilton. They both deliver tons of highs and are both totally noise free (yes a good conductive plastic pot can last well over 10 years with no noise, even longer than the original Allen Bradley pots). Last time I checked, Ralph Mooney and many others had no trouble getting highs and good tone and great reliability out of a pot pedal.
I mostly use my new Hilton nowadays, but, seriously, either one will do the job.
Greg |
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Paul Norman
From:
Washington, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 17 Feb 2008 4:57 pm
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With a pot pedal you need a matchbox of some kind.
Either a steeldriver, matchbox, or some kind of
pre-amp to equalize the signal.
The Hilton is an Electronic pedal and has all this
built in and gives a clear sound. |
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Fred Justice
From:
Mesa, Arizona
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Posted 17 Feb 2008 6:46 pm
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Hilton, Hilton, Hilton
_________________
Email: azpedalman@gmail.com
Phone: 480-235-8797 |
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Frederic Mabrut
From:
Olloix, France
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Ken Byng
From:
Southampton, England
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Posted 18 Feb 2008 4:39 am
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I have 4 pot pedals - 3 ShoBuds and one Fender vol/tone. I also have a Hilton.
The Hilton is very clean - too clean for some on this forum - but fine for me. (Some prefer the colouration that a pot pedal gives). It has lots of adjustments for those who want to tinker with the taper, tone etc. The downside is the fact that it has to be plugged in to a mains source.
The pot pedals are fine performance wise - thanks Dunlop for manufacturing a reliable long life pot after all these years.
I will still keep my pot pedals, but I do tend to use the Hilton for recording and concert gigs.
You pay your money and take your choice. |
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Billy Carr
From:
Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)
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Posted 18 Feb 2008 4:47 am volume pedals
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| HILTON is by far the best I've ever had. I have two. Have no intention of ever going back to a pot pedal if I can help it. I tell players to just go ahead and spent the money on a HILTON and be done with worrying with volume pedals. No comparison in my opinion. |
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Howard Tate
From:
Leesville, Louisiana, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 18 Feb 2008 5:04 am
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| Since I got my Hilton my dandruff has cleared up. It's a very good pedal. |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 18 Feb 2008 5:12 am
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| Paul Norman wrote: |
With a pot pedal you need a matchbox of some kind.
Either a steeldriver, matchbox, or some kind of
pre-amp to equalize the signal. |
IMHO, that is simply not the case.
As proof, I offer all those classic hits (famous records that established pedal steel and made it so popular back in the '60s), that were recorded before these devices were invented. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 18 Feb 2008 5:53 am
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I've used the Hilton pedal for quite a while. No change in tone, but the main reason is that there is no pot to contend with or replace and no string (or whatever) to break.
The initial price is more than a pot pedal, but considering the cost of replacement pots and just the hassle of having to replace it or pay to have it replaced, it doesn't take long to justify the Hilton's price.
I also agree with Donny that a Matchbox or similar is NOT needed with a Pot pedal. |
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Ernie Pollock
From:
Mt Savage, Md USA
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Posted 18 Feb 2008 5:54 am Humm?
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Truth is, I hate any pedal you have to 'plug in', the ease of the goodrich with the dunlop pots in them is the best I have ever used, I admit, never tried a hilton, but then, you have to plug it in. I have two goodrich lowboys, would be lost without them. I must admit however, you may spend a bunch of money on a fancy pedal, but ya really don' t need one!! Damn, Donnie, why do I always seem to agree with your posts?? Beats me.
Ernie |
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Don Sulesky
From:
Citrus County, FL, Orig. from MA & NH
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Posted 18 Feb 2008 6:22 am
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I'm with HILTON all the way.
I find it more responsive to my playing and very clean.
I don't mind plugging it in as as I plug it into the same three way extension cord I use for my amp and DD-5 delay unit. I'll never go back to a pot pedal.
Don |
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Eric West
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 18 Feb 2008 6:40 am
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Actually pot pedals provide a function of cutting the signal of overwound pickups. Probably that way to begin with because of the loss inherent with pot pedals.. Something to think about.
My pickups are wound to 16k, standard JW wire, and I really appreciate the Hilton pedal letting ME chose when I cut my signal by 25-30 percent.
About the time I say anything....
Keith Hilton, (I don't know personally, and I know he probably doesn't sleep while these threads are going on..) has picked up on the most important aspect of modern internet sales and service.
If a guy has a problem with a pedal he MORE than makes good on it. If he does it right, every fifty bucks he spends making sure the most pissy, or terminally stupid people (like me I guess, that pinch their cords in folding chairs, pour beer in their pedals to clean the electronics off, or whatever they do) that he oversatisfies, gets him at LEAST another 200$ in profit from increased sales. I know I'll pay up for my new pedal when this one wears out in another ten or twenty years....
I'd like to see how his overall sales have increased because of the PSG, or if the sale to members alone has been a large part of the overall sales.
Anyhow, Donnie, the most popular and famous music was done before there were pedal steels, let alone amplifiers... which you have to plug in..
More people over history have been killed with sticks and rocks than guns and cars..
Anyhow, these things are GREAT, and from what I've seen, Keith is a modern success story, like several others including JW, BJS, Bobbe, the late and loved Duane Marrs.
I think, though that these guys are probably "just that way".
I know Duane was.
That's all..
EJL
Last edited by Eric West on 18 Feb 2008 8:20 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Michael McNeill
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 18 Feb 2008 7:36 am Hilton Pedal vs 500K Pot Pedal
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I have used the same Sho-Bud Pedal for 30 years. I replaced the pot 1 time and took my time adjusting the taper. I works just fine. I am probably going to jinx it by writing this. I also have a Marlen Volume Pedal that I carry as a back up. I replaced the pots at the same time with the same pot. They should sound identical but they DO NOT. The Marlen sounds dead and gives me way more midrange than I want. I can't explain it.
I have never tried a Hilton. Since I started reading the FORUM I may have to make the investment. You guys are a wonderful resource with a combined Milleniums of experience to draw upon.
I have been serriously thingking about upgrading to a Hilton because I am:
1. Currious
2. I am a gear junkie
3. I value your input
4. I am always looking for that ellusive perfect tone
5. I love the idea of being able to nail the volume pedal down with the optional bracket shown for Goodrich and Hilton pedals
6. Often times I go for pedal # 8 and find that my volume pedal has snuck (sneaked, snook) right up against it so I either get a unwanted swell, total volume cut out, or have to abort that BooWap if I am thinking far enough ahead.
Enough. Sorry to ramble. I think you guys are about to cost me some money. You all are great.
Have a great day,
Mike |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 18 Feb 2008 7:48 am
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I keep a Hilton and a Goodrich in my pac seat. Mostly I use the Hilton. I do think it is well worth the money. Sometimes the Goodrich comes out based on battle conditions. Its a great pedal also. Either one will work fine. The Hilton has the edge based on that it has a consistent sound, its reliable and it was very easy to adjust to just the right feel.
_________________
Bob |
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Eric West
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 18 Feb 2008 8:12 am
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You'll like it Mike.
I used the same EB pot pedal over more than two thousand gigs in 25 years, probably 6 pot replacements. Not too spendy. AB Type EJ Extra Life. They aren't "bad pedals". They just cut and change too much of my signal for my taste.
I am glad, I guess, for the habits I picked up compensating for signal loss, and tone change. That's about it though.
From the first day I got the Hilton 4 years or so ago, I haven't even thought of using the old EB. Not even for practice. Maybe for a spare, but that hasn't happened either in the few hundred gigs I've played with it.
At least try one that somebody else has.
EJL |
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Roy Ayres
From:
Riverview, Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 18 Feb 2008 9:43 am
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Mr. Keith Hilton must be credited with the first significant improvement in pedal volume controls in at least 50 or 60 years.
I am one of the individuals who would never go back to a potentiometer type pedal as long as Hilton pedals are available.
I just hope that Keith makes arrangements with someone to pick up where he left off, just in case he steps out in front of a high-speed locomotive. Keith, I'm not sure whether we would miss you or your invention the most.
(' ') ('')
_________________
Pioneers of Western Swing HOF, Seattle 2005
Western Swing Music HOF, Sacramento 2006
International Steel Guitar HOF, St.Louis 2007
Visit my Web Site at RoysFootprints.com
Browse my Photo Album and be sure to sign my Guest Book. |
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John Sluszny
From:
Brussels, Belgium
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Posted 18 Feb 2008 9:59 am
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I have a Goodrich LDR (which I understand is discontinued)
Just love it.
But the Hilton is great too. |
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David Hartley
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Posted 18 Feb 2008 11:23 am Thanks
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| Keep your comments coming please, its good reading BUT... I have made up my mind... FRED J... You better bring me one of these to Dallas, New, Boxed and tested please with the 240volt Supply.. I will pay you in Dallas.. You can now take this as an ORDER for my HILTON pedal FRED..Erh? How much is one? I need change for a BIG Steak!! David |
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