Telonics Pedal WOW!

Niels Andrews · Post by **Niels Andrews** » 24 Jan 2015 1:15 pm

I just received my Telonics pedal. I am impressed. I already had a Telonics combo amp and I had Bruce put a telonics 128 in my Zum a couple months ago. My pedal was a name brand pot pedal and was content with the tone. I played around with a Telonics pedal in Phoenix and liked the action, so when I got home I ordered one from Jim Pale scar. Got it last night and will match my tone with any I have heard. If I would have to put it in words I would say it has better definition a richer tone, if that makes sense? Pricey but like all Telonics stuff worth it.

John King · Post by **John King** » 26 Jan 2015 11:30 am

I totally agree. I got one at the Dallas show last spring and I LOVE IT . You can hear the difference. They are great people to deal with.

Marty Holmes · Post by **Marty Holmes** » 26 Jan 2015 1:36 pm

Can you truly hear a difference in the Hilton vs the telonics pedal can you justify 200 extradollars ttone wise if so what's the major ddifference?

Joshua Gibson · Post by **Joshua Gibson** » 27 Jan 2015 1:13 am

Marty, yes there is most definitely $200+ extra worth of difference between the Hilton and Telonics...I could go into detail but I've done that enough times...enough difference simply in the customer service, Dave, Sophie and Ron are all awesome.

Niels, I digress lol, welcome to the"house of blue lights"club,

Dale Rottacker · Post by **Dale Rottacker** » 27 Jan 2015 2:42 am

Just bought a used one a couple of weeks ago from a Forum member...I think Iâ€™m going to be happy with it...I still want to download the AB taper they have online, but love the response of whatâ€™s already in it...it goes from off to on as gentle as a summer breeze.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 27 Jan 2015 2:41 pm

I tried a friend of mine's Telonics on a gig one night. I was not impressed at all considering the price tag on it. But, I will say that the one night at a gig was probably not enough time, and not the right conditions to getting used to it. Dialing it in at home is probably the best. I still wouldn't shell out $500 for a volume pedal. It's great that you can use your favorite taper/pedal brand. But, I could get the real thing for probably $300 less. But many do like them and have the extra cash to buy them. Must be something good about them.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 27 Jan 2015 2:56 pm

Tom Bradshaw is such a nice man that he sent me a Telonics pedal on approval. I did quite an extensive comparison with this pedal and my Hilton. I really couldn't tell any measurable difference and certainly not enough to justify the difference in price. I returned the Telonics to Tom.

Roger Francis · Post by **Roger Francis** » 28 Jan 2015 7:40 am

Erv Niehaus wrote:Tom Bradshaw is such a nice man that he sent me a Telonics pedal on approval. I did quite an extensive comparison with this pedal and my Hilton. I really couldn't tell any measurable difference

I used a Hilton pedal for 7 yrs, when i purchased the telonics pedal we had a sit down gig at a club so when i got to the club i picked my guitar a bit then hooked up the telonics, soon as i hit the first chord i could tell the diff for the good. The Hilton is a great pedal but the diff i heard was worth the extra cash, plus the extras you get with it.
I guess it shows diff ears hear diff things

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 28 Jan 2015 7:59 am

When I road tested it at my gig, I chose the Hilton setting as that is what I was using, and switched between them. The taper wasn,t an exact copy of the Hilton as I saw. It didn't sound any better or worse than the Hilton.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 28 Jan 2015 8:25 am

In my mind's eye, the Telonics pedal is overdesigned.
We're not trying to get to the moon, we're just trying to control the noise coming out of this machine.

Dave Bertoncini · Post by **Dave Bertoncini** » 28 Jan 2015 9:16 am

If you shoot for the moon, you'll get over the fence

George Redmon · Post by **George Redmon** » 28 Jan 2015 10:03 am

Count me in with Erv, and Richard. I tried a Telonic pedal, didn't think it was that big a deal to justify the sky high price tag. Yeah, you can set the taper, do all kinds of fancy adjustments, look impressive on stage. But when it comes down to the meat and potatoes, the Hilton is in a class all by itself, and so is the guy who builds them. I like to think of the Hilton as "The Working Mans Pedal". And you can't find a better guy then Keith to deal with. Mr. Hilton has been taking care of us Steelers for years. You even mention the name "Hilton", and almost every steel guitarist around the world knows the brand. And may I suggest you purchase your new Hilton pedal from Fred Justice, he's a classy guy to.Just my 2cents worth, your mileage may very .

Marty Holmes · Post by **Marty Holmes** » 28 Jan 2015 10:35 am

Can you truly hear a difference in the Hilton vs the telonics pedal can you justify 200 extradollars ttone wise if so what's the major ddifference?

Tony Glassman · Post by **Tony Glassman** » 28 Jan 2015 11:28 am

I have both. The Telonics is a tad "crisper" but otherwise they are indistinguishable from each other. I'm equally happy with either at a gig. I tend to use the Telonics more often - it has a cool blue glowing light, which looks great onstage

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 28 Jan 2015 12:53 pm

Yeah Tony. I just have to settle for the red light on my Hilton. Red is my least favorite color.

I second the suggestion to buy your Hilton from Fred Justice, if that's how you go.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 29 Jan 2015 12:20 pm

Niels Andrews wrote:I just received my Telonics pedal. I am impressed. I already had a Telonics combo amp and I had Bruce put a telonics 128 in my Zum a couple months ago. My pedal was a name brand pot pedal and was content with the tone. I played around with a Telonics pedal in Phoenix and liked the action, so when I got home I ordered one from Jim Pale scar. Got it last night and will match my tone with any I have heard. If I would have to put it in words I would say it has better definition a richer tone, if that makes sense? Pricey but like all Telonics stuff worth it.

it's nice to see all the newer rich forum members seeking out good tone.
wow..$500 pedal, big buck amp, zum, ..and..you sent your steel all the way back to bruce to install a pickup? ..impressive!

Niels Andrews · Post by **Niels Andrews** » 29 Jan 2015 12:35 pm

I apologize Chris for not being broke. If it upsets you don't read my post. I certainly wasn't bragging over a $500.00 pedal and having good equipment. I have worked hard and indulge myself in what I enjoy.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 29 Jan 2015 12:40 pm

yes indeed. i was impressed.

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 29 Jan 2015 1:12 pm

Jealousy is an ugly emotion.

Roger Francis · Post by **Roger Francis** » 29 Jan 2015 4:03 pm

Yes it is

Marty Holmes · Post by **Marty Holmes** » 29 Jan 2015 5:21 pm

Seriously if I can get a better tone and better sustain from a telonics pedal then by all means I'll spend the $550 on a new telonics pedal to get where I need to be. tone yes tone wise but I've had my Hilton for ten years and if my tone is still the same and I have no improvement on tone it is just not justifiable for me.plus I've only had one problem in the last ten years and Keith's service was phenomenal.

Tom Gorr · Post by **Tom Gorr** » 29 Jan 2015 5:36 pm

Its the only pedal in the world you can put a device on your hat and control volume by nodding your head.

While true...I just think the design concept behind the pedal...programmable tapers... expression pedal output option all work to make it a good long term investment.

In ten years i will have used the pedal for 3000 hours or so...never will have to fix a pot pedal...less than twenty cents an hour total cost...

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 29 Jan 2015 5:41 pm

right, marty. i feel that way. i should be improving on what i have before switching to something in hopes of 'it' making me better. i know that playing with years of perhaps less than 'the best' equipment helps build character and technique. of course i understand upgrading as you progress.
the jealousy statement is out of place. i feel that i am more 'practical'.
there is alot of pricey stuff that people rave about that i wouldn't buy even if i won the lottery, because for me it's not necessary.
i don't need to control my volume by nodding my head, and the taper on my pot pedals is just right.

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 30 Jan 2015 12:32 am

I have both Hilton and Telonics volume pedals. Both are great to use, and both have been reliable. I have to use a step down transformer with the early fixed-cable Hilton pedal, which is a pain, and one transformer let me down on a gig once.

I power the Telonics pedal from a single lead from a 24V DC output socket on the front panel of my Telonics combo, and that is a nice feature. Of course having to power a volume pedal is inconvenient compared to a pot pedal, but for me the clean signal and elimination of having to replace pots is worth it. I have a whole range of pot pedals including an original 50's Fender Vol/Tone that has the original AB pots in it that work fine to this day. That is the crux of the matter really - if Allen Bradley type J pots were still available, would Hilton or Telonics have bothered to create their electronic pedals? Probably not, as they are expensive solutions to a problem of unreliable alternative modern pots (the Hot Potz excluded).

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 30 Jan 2015 10:20 am

Here ya go guys... This will sell quick.

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=278752

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Telonics Pedal WOW!

Telonics Pedal WOW!

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