Karen Sarkisian
From:
Boston, MA, USA
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Posted 20 Oct 2009 7:30 am |
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I have an Ernie Ball VP Jr pedal that i have been using. however it has been recommended to me to get a better one for steel. can someone recommend one and also let me know the benefits of it over the one I have? thanks
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Emmons, Franklin, Mullen |
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Bill Myers
From:
Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 20 Oct 2009 8:43 am
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The ernie ball pedal is really designed for guitar players that are standing over the pedal. The pivot point is in the center and when the pedal is wide open the top of the pedal sits parallel to the ground. Steel guitar volume pedals have the pivot shifted towards the back of the pedal giving you better control over volume. The enrine ball pedal is a bit higher than most steel pedals and this makes it difficult to get the steel low enough on your leg to be able to comfortably be able to use your knee levers. Also the enrie ball pedal is passive (meaning it is just a pot with increases the resistance to close the volume). There are alot of older Goodrich, Emmons and Sho-bud pedals out there that are passive, but there are goodrich pedals that have an active impedance matching system, as well as many others that are digital out there...all of which tend to have less of an impact on the tone of the guitar. The ernie ball and the dunlop high gain pedals are just not the right pedal for playing steel. A goodrich, hilton or the telonics pedals will just feel right when you try to play. I started out with the dunlop pedal and when I got a used goodrich L10k from a forum member it made all the difference in the world. It's kind of like trying to run a marathon in a pair of work boots. Can you do it? Yes, they are shoes and cover your feet...but your not going to run nearly as well or be as comfortable as you would be in a pair of running shoes.
A used goodrich 120 would be an inexpensive place to start. The l120 is the low profile version (low profile means that the overall height of the pedal is lower..this is helpful if you are tall or have long legs). Both are pretty much bomb proof and at worst you may have to put a new volume pot in it every year or two. Beyond one of these pedals...it's just a matter of how much you want to spend.
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Carter D10 9 x 5, Nashville 112, Goodrich L10K |
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