Home-made volume pedal

Steel guitar amplifiers, effects, etc.

Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn

Post Reply
Greg Quinlan
Posts: 14
Joined: 10 Mar 2008 8:18 am
Location: Brunswick, Maine, USA

Home-made volume pedal

Post by Greg Quinlan »

Has anyone out there ever made a volume pedal from a sewing machine pedal? If so, I'm looking for directions.

Thanks,

Greg
Jason Hull
Posts: 553
Joined: 16 Jan 2010 9:05 am

Post by Jason Hull »

Yes, I have. I replaced the pot with a 500K audio taper type. I drilled out the cable hole for a 1/4" jack, and there was enough room next to it (under the pedal, which covers most of the case) for another 1/4" jack. Works great, and built like a tank.
Greg Quinlan
Posts: 14
Joined: 10 Mar 2008 8:18 am
Location: Brunswick, Maine, USA

Post by Greg Quinlan »

So besides 2 1/4 inch jacks, what do I need? Thanks!
Jason Hull
Posts: 553
Joined: 16 Jan 2010 9:05 am

Post by Jason Hull »

That will depend on the pedal, of course, but you will need two 1/4" jacks, and a 500k audio taper pot.
Greg Quinlan
Posts: 14
Joined: 10 Mar 2008 8:18 am
Location: Brunswick, Maine, USA

Post by Greg Quinlan »

Thanks Jason...much appreciated! Greg
User avatar
Papa Joe Pollick
Posts: 1968
Joined: 4 Mar 2005 1:01 am
Location: Swanton, Ohio

Post by Papa Joe Pollick »

Mine is made from an old Wha pedal..
User avatar
Walter Killam
Posts: 485
Joined: 9 May 2006 12:01 am
Location: Nebraska, USA
Contact:

You may want to look in to Craig Anderton's "De Scratch

Post by Walter Killam »

I haven't built one myself, but I do know someone that has and it works quite well!

http://www.diyguitarist.com/PDF_Files/vpr.pdf

http://www.diyguitarist.com/DIYStompbox ... -Retro.htm

Check it out!
Mostly junque with a few knick-knacks that I really can't do without!
Greg Quinlan
Posts: 14
Joined: 10 Mar 2008 8:18 am
Location: Brunswick, Maine, USA

Re: You may want to look in to Craig Anderton's "De Scr

Post by Greg Quinlan »

Walter Killam wrote:I haven't built one myself, but I do know someone that has and it works quite well!

http://www.diyguitarist.com/PDF_Files/vpr.pdf

http://www.diyguitarist.com/DIYStompbox ... -Retro.htm

Check it out!
Thanks for the links! Looks like I need to be a Rocket Scientist though to do this. :roll:

Greg
Last edited by Greg Quinlan on 28 Feb 2011 2:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
David Mason
Posts: 6072
Joined: 6 Oct 2001 12:01 am
Location: Cambridge, MD, USA

Post by David Mason »

Wow! Every pot-based volume pedal I own has a pot, some way to connect it to the pedal, an a few wires for the jacks - that Anderton thing looks like overkill.
Greg Quinlan
Posts: 14
Joined: 10 Mar 2008 8:18 am
Location: Brunswick, Maine, USA

Post by Greg Quinlan »

David Mason wrote:Wow! Every pot-based volume pedal I own has a pot, some way to connect it to the pedal, an a few wires for the jacks - that Anderton thing looks like overkill.
Do they look anything like this?
Image
User avatar
Glenn Taylor
Posts: 155
Joined: 24 Jul 2001 12:01 am
Location: Denver, CO, USA

Post by Glenn Taylor »

Here's a small one I built using a potentiometer from Tom Bradshaw.
Image
Here it is next to the Hilton. Works great!
Image
User avatar
Rex Myers
Posts: 44
Joined: 18 Feb 2007 8:05 am
Location: Risingsun Ohio, USA
Contact:

DIY Volume Pedals

Post by Rex Myers »

I have been playing around with the Volume pedal Idea myself. I haven't built anything from scratch yet But have been toying around with the idea. I have an old BMI low profile Volume pedal I want to make a copy of. I just recently took an old Snarling Dogs wah and Converted it to just volume it works really great and looks cool as heck Good luck on your project let us know how it turns out
Rex Myers Fessenden U-12, 6 string Lap, Randall Steelman. Fender Princeton ReverbII, QuilterTT12
User avatar
CrowBear Schmitt
Posts: 11624
Joined: 8 Apr 2000 12:01 am
Location: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
Contact:

Post by CrowBear Schmitt »

from the Fo's archives
Image
Jim Pitman
Posts: 1901
Joined: 29 Aug 1998 12:01 am
Location: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA

Post by Jim Pitman »

I've never been able to leave a piece of musical equipment I own alone. Seems I mod everything eventually.
Here's my old classic Shobud pedal.
Note in the picture of the underside I've added a brass piece that supports the other end of the pot.
The pots lasts alot longer since doing this. I'm only on my third pot in 25 years.
Image
Image
User avatar
Dale Hampton
Posts: 309
Joined: 21 Oct 2011 11:45 am
Location: Missouri, USA

Post by Dale Hampton »

Here is one I bought at a flea market as a joke
Image
Greg Lambert
Posts: 763
Joined: 10 Oct 2016 3:07 pm
Location: Illinois, USA

No more string breakage

Post by Greg Lambert »

Image
User avatar
Bill A. Moore
Posts: 1310
Joined: 2 Jul 2007 3:17 pm
Location: Silver City, New Mexico, USA

Post by Bill A. Moore »

Wouldn't you need some sort of spring to return the fan when the air stops?
User avatar
Tommy Mc
Posts: 522
Joined: 29 Feb 2000 1:01 am
Location: Middlesex VT

Post by Tommy Mc »

Jim Pitman wrote:I've never been able to leave a piece of musical equipment I own alone. Seems I mod everything eventually.
Here's my old classic Shobud pedal.
Note in the picture of the underside I've added a brass piece that supports the other end of the pot.
The pots lasts alot longer since doing this. I'm only on my third pot in 25 years.
Image
Jim, Didn't you get that pedal from Scott Kokins? I'm pretty sure it's the same one I traded with him for an old Vox wah-wah. One of my more stupid trades. Scott wanted the pedal for his old Maverick, and I didn't have a steel at the time. My cunning plan was that if I ever needed a volume pedal, I could just disconnect the wah circuitry. Two for one, so to speak.....not.
Jim Pitman
Posts: 1901
Joined: 29 Aug 1998 12:01 am
Location: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA

Post by Jim Pitman »

Hi Tom. I think i did get it from Scott. Hope i'm not surprising you with the fact that Scott passed about a year ago. Scott was my music/fishing buddy. I miss him dearly. Ya know,8 you and i should get together at some point before one or the other of us meets the same fait. I'd love to try out your MSA.
User avatar
Tommy Mc
Posts: 522
Joined: 29 Feb 2000 1:01 am
Location: Middlesex VT

Post by Tommy Mc »

Jim Pitman wrote:Hi Tom. I think i did get it from Scott. Hope i'm not surprising you with the fact that Scott passed about a year ago. Scott was my music/fishing buddy. I miss him dearly. Ya know,8 you and i should get together at some point before one or the other of us meets the same fait. I'd love to try out your MSA.
Yes, I heard about Scott. Very sad. He was a great picker, and it was through our friendship that I ended up in VT. Any time you want to get together, I'd be into it. It would be great to hear my MSA in the hands of a pro....
Post Reply