Enhancing tone - volume pedal

Donald Boyajian · Post by **Donald Boyajian** » 18 Apr 2013 9:58 am

So, my goodrich volume pedal has been a little scratchy. I decided to play without it for a little. I was shocked how much better my guitar sounded going straight through. So much clearer. What could I do to get closer to that tone when using the volume pedal? Black box? Some type of EQ change? Thanks!

john widgren · Post by **john widgren** » 18 Apr 2013 11:25 am

TELONICS FP-100 volume pedal...nuff said.

Dave Bertoncini · Post by **Dave Bertoncini** » 18 Apr 2013 1:07 pm

What John Said....can't be beat. Excellent customer service too

Steve Lipsey · Post by **Steve Lipsey** » 18 Apr 2013 3:43 pm

You could just stick a pedal such as a tuner in between the steel and the volume pedal to isolate the pickup in the steel from the pot in the pedal...or you could solve the problem and never have a scratchy pot again with an active volume pedal like the Telonics (which I also use).

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 18 Apr 2013 4:07 pm

I use a Lil' Izzy buffer when plugging into solid state gear.

Joshua Gibson · Post by **Joshua Gibson** » 19 Apr 2013 3:58 am

+1 for the Telonics FP-100, or I have also used a Cmats mods Buffer in front of My Goodrich model 120 too...good solution for less then $70,

Richard Tasso · Post by **Richard Tasso** » 19 Apr 2013 8:30 am

Telonic,s pedal

Richard Tasso · Post by **Richard Tasso** » 19 Apr 2013 8:30 am

delete

Daniel Policarpo · Post by **Daniel Policarpo** » 20 Apr 2013 4:10 am

In the long run, the Telonics is certainly worth the price. How much are they going for? Around $500? However, if you are looking for an immediate solution, a decent pedal with a buffer placed in the chain will do the trick. All BOSS pedals have a buffer, for example. If you have one of those laying around you can put that in the chain.

George Seymour · Post by **George Seymour** » 20 Apr 2013 8:08 am

john widgren wrote:TELONICS FP-100 volume pedal...nuff said.

Ditto, Superb!

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 20 Apr 2013 11:27 am

Daniel makes a good point putting a Boss pedal in line with passive VP to get the buffer effect. Also, this is a bit off topic but I use George L solderless cables from guitar to VP then a good quality regular cord from VP to effects pedals and then another George L cable to amp. George L cables are great but I find them exclusively gives a bit brighter sound than I care for.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 20 Apr 2013 3:30 pm

Not to knock either the Telonics pedal or the Hilton, but some top flight pickers use the passive pedal, without the buffer (but they're running tubes).
I won't run Solid State without a buffer, but if I run the Twin, I skip it.
I kinda get bothered when somebody tells a newbie they have to spend three to five hundred dollars on a volume pedal. If a 120 is good enough for Paul Franklin or Tommy White, I think it's good enough for a student.

Joseph Meditz · Post by **Joseph Meditz** » 20 Apr 2013 4:59 pm

Donald,

If your pedal is scratchy replace the pot. The difference between going through the pedal vs. straight into the amp should be negligible. Also, I didn't notice much difference when I went through a buffer before my Goodrich pot pedal at moderately low volume in my room.

On the other hand there is a marked difference in sound between my Goodrich LDR2 and Goodrich pot pedal. The LDR 2 has a lot more bass (I have to back off the bass on the amp.) than the pot pedal and a smooth, high fidelity, sound. I like them both. But if I had to chose one it would be the pot pedal for its simplicity, its raw, satisfying sound, and lastly because it is the reference standard to which all pedals are compared.

Two of the best sounding players I've ever heard in person are Bobby Black and Jim Loessberg who both use pot pedals. And on the great steel recordings pot pedals far outnumber electronic pedals.

Dan Beller-McKenna · Post by **Dan Beller-McKenna** » 21 Apr 2013 1:06 am

Another issue with pot pedals like the Goodrich 120 (which is what I use) is whether you have it strung to give you full on or full off; without being modded I don't think you can get both. Most have the pedal set up so that when you bring your heel all the way down you kill the volume completely, i.e., the string inside turns the pot to full-off position. I generally like it this way myself. However, given the length of travel on the pedal and the size of the shaft on the pot inside, this very likely means that when you put you toe completely down, i.e. run the volume pedal wide open, you are not turning the pot inside to full-on position, and thus not getting full volume. With most pots, this will also effect your tone somewhat. I have recently restrung my pedals to be full on; my band, including a couple of forum members who shall not be named (Chris, Bob) is pretty loud(!). This means I can't cut off my sound completely and noodle on stage between songs without being heard (better I wean myself off this bad habit anyway, right?), but really has no other drawbacks.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 21 Apr 2013 8:04 am

That is not a drawback, it is a protection feature. That way, the pedal does not try to overrun the fragile stops inside the pot. Ideally, the pedal should travel from just above off to just below fully on.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 21 Apr 2013 10:20 am

telonics pedal...$500ish...have to plug it in..

goodrich 10k pedal..$200ish (or less, used) no plug .. no hassle

or as lane says..any pot pedal with a lil izzy type unit which changes high imp signal to lo imp. incredible difference in clarity.

cheap fix as opposed to 'very' expensive boutique stuff.

Joseph Meditz · Post by **Joseph Meditz** » 21 Apr 2013 2:16 pm

chris ivey wrote:goodrich 10k pedal..$200ish (or less, used) no plug .. no hassle

This will probably be my next pedal because I don't like wall warts. Any opinions on how the sound of the Goodrich 10k compares to the LDR2 and the Telonics?

Joshua Gibson · Post by **Joshua Gibson** » 21 Apr 2013 6:18 pm

OK, so...I'm gonna get jumped on and already see that coming

, but I'm sorry there is no comparison between the LDR2, the 10K and the Telonics... No offence to any of Y'all that use and like Them, and I am speaking from MY EARS PREFERENCE, if You want to maintain a pot pedal sound or You just like the feel I would still recommend the Telonics FP-100!... One thing that not a lot of people seem to notice is the individual "tapers" of the FP-100 do more then change the supposed"feel"of the pedal, since I have been using the pedal I have found that there is an individual tone to each of the tapers in the pedal...for instance: I have found that dependent upon the acoustics of a room when I'm gigging I have found that taper 1 lends itself to a brighter room where as taper 5 will lend itself more to a muddy or dark sounding room.

Now, once again, I am speaking SOLELY from what I HEAR,
And I apologize for the novel but I am just trying to pass on My experience.

Thanks,

Joseph Meditz · Post by **Joseph Meditz** » 21 Apr 2013 7:09 pm

That's useful information Josh. Thanks!

I just checked the Telonics web site and learned that there is a taper selection switch on the unit. (I actually thought you had to download a taper every time you wanted to change it.)

I do believe that the Telonics is worth its high price. I paid around $250 (expensivish at the time) for the LDR2 about 7 years ago thinking it was the last pedal I'd ever buy. Oh well. Maybe some day I'll buy an FP-100. At this time I am satisfied with what I have.

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