How many of you use a volume pedal?

[Bill Wynne]

can someone explain why the pages on this thread will not fit on my monitor screen...I have to scroll to the right to see the rest of each one....
is it me...or just this thread...

You're not crazy. It is just this thread. It's due to the waveform images inserted above.

[Ron Whitfield]

Bill, if I have heard it, it's been a long time since, and that's just the way I like to hear Jerry, solo.
Just beauitful.

Can't wait to hear your JB show!

[David Simenson]

Thanks for this discussion and for the example of swells from the lap steel player in Wilco. I bought my first lap steel 2 months ago (and my 2nd one yesterday!) to play in a New Country band. Now my band leader is asking me to use a volume pedal for the swell effect demonstrated so well above. My problem is that I don't want to spend as much on the volume pedal as I did on a used Chandler RH-2 (and a Melobar Rattler on the way--one single coil and one humbucker guitar). Can you recommend a volume pedal for less than $200? Thanks to all for the info.

[Roman Sonnleitner]

Thanks for this discussion and for the example of swells from the lap steel player in Wilco. I bought my first lap steel 2 months ago (and my 2nd one yesterday!) to play in a New Country band. Now my band leader is asking me to use a volume pedal for the swell effect demonstrated so well above. My problem is that I don't want to spend as much on the volume pedal as I did on a used Chandler RH-2 (and a Melobar Rattler on the way--one single coil and one humbucker guitar). Can you recommend a volume pedal for less than $200? Thanks to all for the info.

I personally use a George Dennis volume pedal, Ernie all and Morley also make good ones (those are all vol. pedals usually used for regular electric guitar, and will work with your lap steel - pedal steelers usually prefer vol. pedals with a flatter profile).

Oh, and Fender announced at NAMM that they are going to re-issue their volume and volume/tone pedals - but they are not in stores yet, AFAIK.

[Anthony Locke]

I never use one. I don't think that they are necessary, it's more of a personal preference. Dick Mcintire, Joaquin Murphey, Andy Iona, Jules Ah See, and many others didn't use them, and they got along just fine.

[Carroll Hale]

can someone explain why the pages on this thread will not fit on my monitor screen...I have to scroll to the right to see the rest of each one....
is it me...or just this thread...

You're not crazy. It is just this thread. It's due to the waveform images inserted above.

well.....maybe not crazy on this one...
just on most everything else....per my sweet little wifef of 33 yrs.....

thanks for the explanation...not a real pro with pc so I just did not understand....
ch

[Chris Scruggs]

Affordable volume pedals, well you can get an Ernie Ball VP JR for around $119.00, The new fender straight volume (with no side to side tone control) seems to go online for $99, and a Vox volume goes for about $69 (that's what I paid for mine anyways).

My take on volume pedals:

for some things I must have one but I try to keep it subtle. I play about 70% up but will lean in a little bit more for hramonics. I will play at 100% for the occasional bar "crash". I will also vibrate my right foot to simulate a amp tremelo. If I do this will chimes it sounds alot like vibes.

I think VP pumping is one of the key differences between good players and great players, so I try to avoid pumping into all my notes and keep a consistant level.

CS

[John Burton]

I'm still a newbie to steel. I have a Ernie Ball VP Jr. I use it for regular guitar and naturally put in in line with my lap steel. Mainly just cause it's nice to be able to quickly cut the sound when changing instruments, tuning etc. I never really used it for volume swells on guitar much. Used it a lot for bringing down the volume during vocals or playing in the background and then lean a little on the pedal for fills etc. I find it useful in that same way with Lap.
As for playing with volume swells or adding sustain. Well, I've been really trying to copy Don Helms stuff from the "your Cheatin' Heart" Book/CD set and its' apparent that he makes subtle use of it, so I've been trying to copy "that" sound.
I find it best to use it as little as possible, as "bad" volume pedal playing really stands out, while "good" volume pedal playing is hardly noticeable.
My 2 cents.

[Kevin Greenberg]

I'm just a lowly drummer who's been hacking away for 2 years, but I usually never use any devices, pedals, or effects of any sort. Just straight to the amp. I think it has greatly improved my attack dynamics. On the other hand, I slide into notes excessively. I just scored a nice old fender volume-tone pedal. I'm going to use it backwards, so wish me luck. If that doesn't work, I'll have to break out the power tools and see what I can "adjust".

[Bill Brummett]

I'm still a newbie to steel. I have a Ernie Ball VP Jr. I use it for regular guitar and naturally put in in line with my lap steel. Mainly just cause it's nice to be able to quickly cut the sound when changing instruments, tuning etc. I never really used it for volume swells on guitar much. Used it a lot for bringing down the volume during vocals or playing in the background and then lean a little on the pedal for fills etc. I find it useful in that same way with Lap.
As for playing with volume swells or adding sustain. Well, I've been really trying to copy Don Helms stuff from the "your Cheatin' Heart" Book/CD set and its' apparent that he makes subtle use of it, so I've been trying to copy "that" sound.
I find it best to use it as little as possible, as "bad" volume pedal playing really stands out, while "good" volume pedal playing is hardly noticeable.
My 2 cents.

I agree 100%. It's just like --- in my opinion --- the truly outstanding pedal steel payers use the pedals in such a way that you're not really aware that they're being used if you're not watching. It just sounds good ,period!!!! Some good examples of this are David Wright, Sarah Jory, Herb Remington, Joe Wright, and in a lot of his stuff the late Jeff Newman. It's interesting to me to see these players sometimes use slants on their pedal steels instead of the pedal. I once asked Jeff about his and he said that if what he's trying to hit is easily available with a slant it makes more sense than the pedal and gives a broader range of transition control than the pedal.

[seldomfed]

for pedal steel I use a pedal, but for lap styles including Hawaiian I don't. Personally I think going without has helped me be a better player. I like controlling dynamics with my hands and not having anythings else in the mix. It's simpler for set up too.

[Twayn Williams]

I used a volume pedal on electric guitar for 20 years before I started playing steel. For me, a volume pedal is as necessary to the electric guitar as the amp is. Steel is no exception.