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Topic: Foot VOLUME/Tone control useage............... |
Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 22 Apr 2013 12:04 pm |
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Back in the early 1950-60's, virtually all steel players just had to have a foot/volume/tone control pedal. The BIGSBY pedal was quite popular as were others of that era.
Why do you suppose their popularity diminished?
What brand do you believe was the most popular?
Do you still have or use one?
How many BIGSBY pedals are still among you Forumites? |
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Jeff Mead
From:
London, England
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Posted 22 Apr 2013 1:46 pm
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I've got a couple of DeArmond 610 pedals and an old Fender but they are all a bit temperamental in that they seem to work fine with some amps but have hardly any effect when used on others.
Always wanted to try a Bigsby but they are as rare as hen's teeth over here.
I'm wondering if the Fender re-issue might be a bit more consistent? |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 22 Apr 2013 6:58 pm
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I bought a Goodrich foot/volume control pedal for the purpose of making my playing more smooth and fluid.
Then I got some far-fetched, non-sensical, big idea that I should work on making my playing smooth and fluid without a foot/volume control pedal.
Now for the rest of the story - the foot/volume control pedal has now been moth-balled.
Last edited by Don Kona Woods on 22 Apr 2013 7:07 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Mike Anderson
From:
British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 22 Apr 2013 6:59 pm
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| By sheer concidence I was wondering the same thing on my way home from work today Jeff. I have a vague memory of there being threads on the Fender pedal here but can't find them offhand. Any help appreciated! |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Roy McKinney
From:
Ontario, OR
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Posted 23 Apr 2013 6:40 am
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| I still have my old Wright volume/tone control pedal. It is just setting up on a shelf up in the barn. |
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Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
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Posted 23 Apr 2013 7:19 am
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I have a half dozen or more of the Bigsby volume/tone pedal but actually prefer the one Wright v/t pedal I have because it has a lower profile.
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Posted 23 Apr 2013 7:56 am
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I've owned a couple of Bigsby V&T pedals in the past, and IMO they didn't work all that well. Kind of big and clunky, and not very smooth. I like the Fender V&T more.
I too am curious about the reissue Fender V&T pedal. I wonder if the tone control (side to side) does the "boo-wah" effect like the original ones did. That effect/technique is discussed in another thread about tone controls in older guitars. I wonder if the tone control in the reissue Fender pedal is a gradual roll off, bass to treble, like modern guitars? Or is it the instant bass-to-treble that creates the "boo-wah" sound? IMO the pedal would not be much good as a vintage reissue if there is no "boo-wah" in it. 
_________________
My Site / My YouTube Channel
25 Songs C6 Lap Steel / 25 MORE Songs C6 Lap Steel / 16 Songs, C6, A6, B11 / 60 Popular Melodies E9 Pedal Steel |
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Mike Anderson
From:
British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 23 Apr 2013 11:09 am
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| I have a feeling, based only on owning the IK Multimedia virtual Fender amp plugin, that the reissue is really for guitarists looking for wah-wah. That said, the plugin is only a piece of software and I'd be curious to find out how the real thing responds. If I can find one locally I'll try it for sure. |
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Mike Anderson
From:
British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 23 Apr 2013 11:13 am
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| Mike Anderson wrote: |
| I have a feeling, based only on owning the IK Multimedia virtual Fender amp plugin, that the reissue is really for guitarists looking for wah-wah. That said, the plugin is only a piece of software and I'd be curious to find out how the real thing responds. If I can find one locally I'll try it for sure. |
Edit: read Jody's review and that's pretty much all I need.  |
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Tim Whitlock
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 24 Apr 2013 9:10 am
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I own both the Fender reissue v/t pedal and an original. The reissue is identical to the original, except that the output is on the left side (opposite the input) and there is a tuner output. The design change is no doubt to appeal to guitarists who want to add them to their effects board. Otherwise the re-issue performs just like the original and does the doo-wah just great. Fender uses the same value of tone pot and cap as the original.
The only issue I had with mine was the side to side action was very stiff out of the box. I had to open it up, loosen the center screw a bit, apply some lube to the contact points and then work it until it loosened up. Watch out you don't lose the tiny ball bearings as you poke around between the top footplate and the base. |
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Mike Anderson
From:
British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 24 Apr 2013 9:14 am
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| That is really good info Tim - just found out after work last night that the pedal is discontinued though dammit - will have to keep my eyes open, Craigslist and whatnot. |
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Nate Hofer
From:
Overland Park, Kansas
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Posted 26 Apr 2013 4:12 am
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I've gotten better at the boo-wah. I own two Fender reissues and one old Bigsby that I had refurbished. I use the Bigsby on gigs where I want to impress people with my gear. And I use the fender for everything else - which is more comfortable. Shorter throw.
For the money the Fender pedals are pretty good. I agree though they are stiff. At first. |
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Chris Templeton
From:
The Green Mountain State
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Posted 26 Apr 2013 5:13 am
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The tone control is nice for the "Boo-Wah". I look at it as sort of a gimmick, not a style of play.
As often happens with effects, one finds what they like and usually stick with it.
I used to play through a Lexicon MPX1 and the amount of effects was way too much for me. I remember hearing Jeff Newman play with two amps using slight delay. amp reverb and an Ibanez chorus. The sound and the "spread" was fantastic.
I don't hear any tone variations of the steel and in general on any songs recorded today.
Tone controls on guitars are also another factor in the decline of the volume/tone pedal.
_________________
Excel 3/4 Pedal With An 8 String Hawaiian Neck, Sierra Tapper (10 string with a raised fretboard to fret with fingers), Single neck Fessenden 3/5
"The Tapper" : https://christophertempleton.bandcamp.com/album/the-tapper
Soundcloud Playlist: https://soundcloud.com/bluespruce8: |
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Rick Abbott
From:
Indiana, USA
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Posted 26 Apr 2013 5:47 pm
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I did some reversable mods to my GuyaTone D-8. One was to remove the volume pot entirely and go direct to the output jack. I then installed a mono RCA jack where the tone control was and used a 90-degree-end RCA to 1/4" mono cable to go to a modified cheap VP. I used the hot for signal and the ground to shield the signal down to the 500K pot. The cap and body of the pot end up grounded at the output jack of the guitar. It works as a wah (almost) and can alter the tone in real time for loud or soft playing. The Boo-Wah is beginning to work too...it's harder to do than I thought it would be! I can't believe this isn't a normal feature on steels; it's easy to accomplish and works well. The guitar can use a separate VP if you really need one. I don't.
_________________
RICK ABBOTT
Sho~Bud D-10 Professional #7962
Remington T-8, Sehy #112
1975 Peavey Pacer 1963 Gibson Falcon |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 26 Apr 2013 6:05 pm To all of you that participated in this thread..............
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Just a word of THANKS to each of you that took the time away from busy schedule to share with the rest of us, your personal views as well as the technical side of your interest in said topic.
It's great that we can all share such information.
I sure appreciate it. |
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Rick Abbott
From:
Indiana, USA
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Posted 26 Apr 2013 6:31 pm
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My modification basically moves the guitar's tone knob to a floor pedal. I wonder if someone did this back in the 50's?
Ray, have you seen this done before?
_________________
RICK ABBOTT
Sho~Bud D-10 Professional #7962
Remington T-8, Sehy #112
1975 Peavey Pacer 1963 Gibson Falcon |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 26 Apr 2013 9:32 pm In answer to your question................
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| NEGATORY........... Sorry |
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