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Topic: Volume pedal photos |
Gareth Carthew
From:
West Sussex, UK
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Posted 3 Jun 2006 3:13 pm |
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Hi guys.
In my thriftyness and also because being an engineer I enjoy to build things myself rather than buy wherever possible, I'm making my own volume pedal.
I'm going for a "Carter" style case, since it's easy to do out of sheet steel.
If any of you have a Carter pedal and would be able to take a photo or two of the "inner workings" I'd be very interested to see how they put it all together in there.
Thanks very much
Gareth
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Russ Wever
From:
Kansas City
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Posted 3 Jun 2006 6:51 pm
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Gareth,
Look into
your email.
~Russ |
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Bobby Boggs
From:
Upstate SC.
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Posted 3 Jun 2006 8:53 pm
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Oh brother.It's about to hit the fan now.  |
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Gareth Carthew
From:
West Sussex, UK
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Posted 4 Jun 2006 5:08 am
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Thank you gentlemen.
My curiosity has been satisfied!
Interesting to see how similar the Carter and Goodrich designs are.
I was still thinking allong the lines of Ernie Ball, with the cord attaching at both ends of the pedal. I like this method.
I'm constructing a "super low" pedal, i.e. as low as I can possible go whilst still maintaining a workable sweep, since my legs are just too long
Thanks for your help.
If anyone is interested I'll throw up a couple of photo's once it's finished.
Gareth |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 4 Jun 2006 8:40 am
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| Quote: |
| I'm constructing a "super low" pedal, i.e. as low as I can possible go whilst still maintaining a workable sweep... |
Fender already did that...about 50 years ago! They designed the lightest, lowest, most reliable, easiest to service, and best shielded pedal out there.
And you want to copy a Carter pedal?
Knock yourself out, Mr. Engineer!  |
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Gareth Carthew
From:
West Sussex, UK
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Posted 4 Jun 2006 9:34 am
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I wouldn't say I'm copying the Carter pedal by choice.
I'm just using the same "open ended" case design because I can easily bend it from sheet steel.
I don't have access to a machine shop any more which severly limits what I can construct as a home project.
If I still had some aluminum U-Chanel lying around I'd have gone for an Ernie Ball style since that's even easier to construct.
After all, it's only a bit of fun. One day I'll actually get around to buying a decent pedal.
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Bobby Boggs
From:
Upstate SC.
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Posted 4 Jun 2006 6:32 pm
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| Donnie are the Fender pedals you mentioned still available? |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 13 Jun 2006 12:48 pm
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Bobby, they're no longer manufactured, but there's always used ones available. The pedal is quite ingenious in design. It's made of stamped-steel, and the bottom is so well fit that the 4 screws that hold it on aren't really required. It has a long string that runs from the front to the back that makes repairs a piece of cake, though they're seldom required. The only 2 drawbacks that most players had with it were the lack of a pedal-bar bracket (which I don't mind because I like the pedal 4 or 5 inches back from the pedal-bar anyway), and it has a center-pivot (which I also prefer) instead of one nearer the back of the pedal. This feature is great because it's perfectly balanced and always stays where it is put, and it requires no tension-device or periodic screw-tightening. I've used the same pedal now for over 41 years, and in that time have changed pots probably 4 or 5 times, and I've replaced the string 2 or 3 times. It's extremely well shielded, very low profile, and requires no batteries or "wall wart". Because it has no electronics (other than the pot), there's also no need to worry about static electricity, power surges, or water affecting the operation. Unlike some other pedals, you get the complete rotation of the pot, and I notice no treble loss when using the pedal.
My pedal has outlasted a couple of houses, 3 wives, 6 long-term bands, about a dozen vehicles, and thousands of gigs.
Yeah, you might say I like it. |
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Jon Light (deceased)
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 13 Jun 2006 12:56 pm
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| I consider my Fender pedal best suited (for me) for stand up playing because when the pedal is full-on it has a downward incline matching the full-off incline symmetrically due to the center pivot. This feels right when standing but ergonomically awkward to me when seated. But it may simply be a matter of being used to the Goodrich type of geometry where the full-on position is flat/level. I find that very often what feels 'right' is simply a matter of what I first started with. |
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Ray Minich
From:
Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra
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Posted 13 Jun 2006 12:58 pm
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No, no, no, not mechanical anymore, do it by radar, or ultrasound. Don't even need a mechanism. Just get one of them Polaroid ultrasound sender/receiver disks and adjust the volume by "waving your foot around".
Blame the Theremin for this idea... |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 13 Jun 2006 2:29 pm
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It would be fairly easy to do the "one channel inside another" type pedal with some aluminum channel from these guys: http://www.industrialmetalsales.com/
They sell small quantities. You might need a Dremel mototool & a hacksaw, but no major metal shop work.
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John Fabian
From:
Mesquite, Texas USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 13 Jun 2006 3:14 pm
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| Quote: |
| And you want to copy a Carter pedal? |
This design is easy and economical to manufacture. That's why it's bundled (along with 2 good cords, a bar, and finger picks) with the Carter-Starter.[This message was edited by John Fabian on 14 June 2006 at 03:22 AM.] |
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Ray Uhl
From:
Riverside, Missouri, USA
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Posted 13 Jun 2006 9:52 pm
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I assume you're talking about the combination chrome plated Fender pedal with the volume and tone control?? Before going to a Hilton, I used this pedal exclusively. I disconnected the tone control, which allowed the top to swivel. Works very nicely, allowing more movement....the three chord hook up method works fine, also.
Sometimes I miss the easy hookup of the old pot pedals. Don't have to "fight" attached power supply and electrical hook ups. Hilton does work and sounds good, though.
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Bob Tuttle
From:
Republic, MO 65738
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Posted 14 Jun 2006 9:14 am
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| Fender also made a volume only pedal that was much thinner (lower profile) than the volume/tone pedal. I think that's the one Donny is talking about. |
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Jon Light (deceased)
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 14 Jun 2006 11:29 am
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These are the two--the volume pedal and the volume/tone pedal. The second picture demonstrates the angle of the pedal-down position.
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Gareth Carthew
From:
West Sussex, UK
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Posted 14 Jun 2006 11:31 am
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quote:
It would be fairly easy to do the "one channel inside another" type pedal with some aluminum channel from these guys: http://www.industrialmetalsales.com/
It would.
But this (like so many of mine) is one of those "What can I make out of what I've got lying around" projects.
I kind of enjoy the fun of making something usefull out of scrap/junk/spares (call it what you will ) that I've got sitting about - Makes me feel better about actually hanging on to all this stuff!
I think I know the slimline Fender pedal that Donny is talking about. I've not used one but it sure looks like a very nice pedal.
~ edit ~
Ah, pictures.
Yes, that is the pedal I was thinking of.[This message was edited by Gareth Carthew on 14 June 2006 at 12:33 PM.] |
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