history of volume pedal usage?

Mark Deffenbaugh · Post by **Mark Deffenbaugh** » 26 Mar 2011 7:57 am

I'm wondering if anyone can sketch for me the history of the use of the volume pedal with steel guitar. Who were the first to use it, and how did it come about, and how did it develop from there? Who manufactured the first pedals, and how did they come about (adapted from electronic organ?)?

Dick McIntire is the earliest use I've heard of a volume control to eliminate pick attack, but I always figured he used the pot on the guitar - or am I wrong? And did he originate this technique? - thus perhaps inspiring the use of the pedal? Jerry Byrd must have been at least an early adaptor (and unsurpassed master): when did he start using it? Herb Remington and others?

I'd be grateful for whatever tidbits anyone might have to contribute.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 26 Mar 2011 8:08 am

The first volume pedal that I am aware of was made by Epiphone in 1937, designed by Anthony Rocco. Actually, it was a tone/volume pedal called the Tonexpressor. They also made a simple volume pedal.

The Hawaiian players, like Dick McIntire, used the guitar's volume control.

Mark Deffenbaugh · Post by **Mark Deffenbaugh** » 26 Mar 2011 8:11 am

Interesting, Mike.

Can you think of any use it prior to Jerry Byrd?

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 26 Mar 2011 12:51 pm

As I remember my Roccco volume/tone pedal turned the Pot shaft by gears which were a little noisy. I bought this pedal in 1945. When Bigsby came out with his "String" Pedal that was the end of using Roccos.

John Dahms · Post by **John Dahms** » 26 Mar 2011 2:37 pm

Attached is an ad for a Rickenbacher volume pedal. On the same page is a one knob Silver Hawaiian and Model B and Spanish bakelite. Must be ca. 1937.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 26 Mar 2011 3:36 pm

I owned an Alkire volume pedal, probably 1940s, very primitive. And I've owned three early Supro/Valco pedals, MOTS covering, with cloth covered output cord hard-wired to the pedal(s). Interesting items from a historical perspective, but clunky, crude, and not something I'd trust on a gig!

Guy Cundell · Post by **Guy Cundell** » 26 Mar 2011 3:56 pm

This is a page from a 1933 Richenbacker catalogue.

http://www.rickenbacker.com/catalog_pos ... cf33-3.jpg

John Dahms · Post by **John Dahms** » 26 Mar 2011 4:41 pm

Guy, The Rickenbacker site has had those catalogs listed incorrectly for years now. The Silver Hawaiian first came out in 1937 and the bakelite models in 1935. Frying pans were the only models that I know of that were made in '33.

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 26 Mar 2011 5:00 pm

I don't know when the DeArmond volume pedal came out, mine is a 1950. It has the rack & pinion type gears in it, but it eats pots fairly often.

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 26 Mar 2011 9:04 pm

I forgot about the Rickenbacker pedal with the big spring that you pressed down. It was actually the first pedal I had. I bought it used from Leodie Jackson. Used it just a fairly short time until I bought a Rocco. I should have held on to those pedals in hindsight.

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 26 Mar 2011 10:35 pm

I'll stick my neck out here re: DICK McINTIRE. I am certain he never used a foot volume control on any of his recordings. He was a master at using his finger on the guitar volume control.

Back in 1943 I fashioned a volume pedal using a discarded sewing machine pedal (shaped like a foot). I rigged up a housing for the vol pot which was mounted about 4" up, attached a strong wire. Crude as heck, but the darned thing worked quite well until I could afford a DeArmond ... ha!

Mark Deffenbaugh · Post by **Mark Deffenbaugh** » 27 Mar 2011 7:15 am

Great information, guys, thanks. But I don't want this moved to the Electronics section!

I was more wondering about the use of the volume pedal as a stylistic device. What folks pioneered it? Was Anthony Rocco that influential as a player? What were the classic recordings that popularized the volume pedal?

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 27 Mar 2011 6:40 pm

I used one in the 50s when I played country music of that era, but not much at all for anything since.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 27 Mar 2011 8:10 pm

I was more wondering about the use of the volume pedal as a stylistic device.

I think the volume pedal became "part of the style" of playing steel in later years, the 1950s, 60s. Names like Byrd, Day, Chalker, and Emmons come to mind. Their smooth use of the volume pedal contributed to their sound IMO.
Earlier players (prior to 1950) may have had volume pedals, but I don't think they used them as a "stylistic device". I'm guessing that they used them more to control their volume level in different sections of the song, i.e. come up for solos, down for backup playing, etc. and not really for special effects. For swells and boo-wah sounds they used the volume and tone controls on the guitar (Alvino Rey, Roy Smeck, Speedy West, etc).

Mark Deffenbaugh · Post by **Mark Deffenbaugh** » 28 Mar 2011 12:30 pm

Billy Tonnesen wrote:As I remember my Roccco volume/tone pedal turned the Pot shaft by gears which were a little noisy. I bought this pedal in 1945. When Bigsby came out with his "String" Pedal that was the end of using Roccos.

Very interesting, Billy. Was using a volume pedal already more or less standard in 1945? Was there someone you were emulating at this point?

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 28 Mar 2011 1:52 pm

Mark:

Just about everyone on the West Coast was emulating Noel Boggs and Joaquin Murphy. This included my friend at this time, Speedy West.

Mark Deffenbaugh · Post by **Mark Deffenbaugh** » 28 Mar 2011 4:57 pm

Billy Tonnesen wrote:Just about everyone on the West Coast was emulating Noel Boggs and Joaquin Murphy.

Yow - I guess everyone still is. Do you recall if Boggs and/or Murph were using the volume pedal at this time?

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 28 Mar 2011 9:54 pm

Mark: I know Boggs used a Volume foot pedal as he was a personal friend. I'm not too sure about Joaquin, he probably did.

I used a Volume Pedal mostly for expression and more substain when needed.

Bob Stone · Post by **Bob Stone** » 29 Mar 2011 7:10 am

Hi,

Interesting thread.

I expect Michael Lee Allen will be chiming in pretty soon. He has an incredible archive of printed matter related to steel guitar. He's probably scanning away as I write...

Best,

Bob

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 29 Mar 2011 7:38 am

There's always that one pic of Murph where he is standing playing his T-8 Bigsby. I cannot find the picture, but if memory serves correctly, he's using a volumes pedal.

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 29 Mar 2011 8:05 am

Bob Stone wrote:I expect Michael Lee Allen will be chiming in pretty soon. He has an incredible archive of printed matter related to steel guitar. He's probably scanning away as I write...

That would be nice.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 29 Mar 2011 8:12 am

That is too bad. Besides all of the great info that vanished, you lose a great guy in MLA.