Anyone have an Ernie Ball VPjr volume pedal modded?

Steel guitar amplifiers, effects, etc.

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Jim Fogarty
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Anyone have an Ernie Ball VPjr volume pedal modded?

Post by Jim Fogarty »

I really like the size and form/throw of the VP jr volume pedal. I've seen a couple places that do Active/ No Tone Loss mods on these. Has anyone had that done? Happy with the results?

Any drag would be needing another power supply. If it consumes less than 100mA, it would be nice if a battery was an option.

Thoughts?

https://www.jhspedals.com/products/bass ... ll-volume/
ajm
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Post by ajm »

What is the value of the pot in the stock EB Jr pedal?
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Charlie Hansen
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Post by Charlie Hansen »

250K.
I don't know much but what I know I know very well.
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Mike Bacciarini
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Post by Mike Bacciarini »

I have a VPJR that I put a 470K Bradshaw pot in and it's great. https://www.songwriter.com/bradshaw/potentiometers.php
New Kevlar string & spring kits for the VPJR go for about $4. I really like the size and feel of this pedal and it matches my EB Wah pedal exactly in height. I run the psg into this pedal then to a JHS buffer before the effects.

Image

I also have another VPJR that I installed a stereo 25K pot (had to drill a hole to install the 4th jack). I'll be using this one when I use my Steel/B3 rig. Each pot will control one of two selectable FX chains. The EB pedals are built like a tank and the Bradshaw pot is long-life. I've heard people say the string breaks, but a new Kevlar string should last a long time.
MCI Arlington S-10 3+5, George L E-66, BJS & Emmons bars, Fender Princeton 65W, Fender Satellite SFX, custom FX rack, 1983 Dobro 60D, SX-8 lap steel, Martin D16GT, Ibanez AS73, 1978 Rickenbacker 4000 custom.
ajm
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Post by ajm »

Sorry in advance if this hijacks the conversation.

"I also have another VPJR that I installed a stereo 25K pot......"

I have heard of volume pedals that use a 25K or 50K pot.
If you are running audio through it, wouldn't this severely load and destroy the signal?
Unless of course you have a buffer both before and after the VP.
I must be missing something.

Note that I'm not talking about using it as a DC voltage controller.
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Mike Bacciarini
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Post by Mike Bacciarini »

ajm...
The 25k pots are used in a path like this:
PSG > buffer > EHX B-9 > active Wah > 25k vol pot > Neo Ventilator II > HOF reverb > amp. I can't hear a difference between the pot inline or bypassed or through its travel. Just my experience.
MCI Arlington S-10 3+5, George L E-66, BJS & Emmons bars, Fender Princeton 65W, Fender Satellite SFX, custom FX rack, 1983 Dobro 60D, SX-8 lap steel, Martin D16GT, Ibanez AS73, 1978 Rickenbacker 4000 custom.
ajm
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Post by ajm »

Mike: Like I said, the only way that I can see a 25K pot working is if you have a buffer both before and after it at all times.

And that buffer before it had better have a very low output impedance. And/or some gain with it.

If you had something that could true bypass the volume pedal, you might be able to hear a difference that way.
Roland Scholl
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EBJR Volume pedal

Post by Roland Scholl »

Yesterday I finally got around to changing the pot in my EBJR pedal: I installed a 500k PEC pot in it (I had to drill a bigger hole in the pot holder, but since this is an aluminum piece, no biggie). The difference in tone and volume is like night and day! It sounded muffled before, now it's as clear as my Emmons and Goodrich pedals.
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