POLL: What's the VERY BEST volume pedal?

[Richard Cooper]

Hilton

[Bill Moran]

I'm still using a Goodrich pot pedal. I feel sure the Hilton is better but if my HWP sounded any better
I don't think I could stand it.

[David Doggett]

I always felt that pot pedals going scratchy was inconvenient. Also, the string action was never perfectly smooth with my Goodrich. It became fashionable to use a Matchbox to buffer and keep the tone balanced throught the whole throw. I tried that and liked the improvement, but didn't like having to unscrew the thing to add a battery in the middle of a gig. I hate all battery operated devices for just that reason. Based on word of mouth, and the promise of no pots, strings or batteries, I tried a Hilton with a money back guarantee. It solved all my problems and I don't mind plugging another device into my power strip.

I find the Hilton factory tone setting (all the way over in the high direction) to be a bit too bright for my taste, what some might call thin. But it has a tone control. You can't conveniently tweak this control during a gig, but it is not intended for that. Here's the way I discovered is best for me. I set my amp EQ controls all midway. I then carefully adjusted the pedal tone control for the tone I like (cut back on the highs maybe a third). I have not touched it since then. Now my amp controls have maximum range in both directions. I don't need a tone control on my guitar, because I usually play through an amp head that sits beside me in easy reach for tweaking. That also allows me great flexibility in which speakers I use, and where they are placed.

I am very happy with the Hilton, but I do wish the transformer was somewhere in the cord rather than integral with the plug. That way the plug would not cover more than one socket in my power strip.

[Gerald Menke]

Okay, watch out everybody. I like both the Hilton and the Goodrich LDR2 pedals. I usually travel with one of each. They have different qualities, that I like the sound of. I abandoned my pot pedal after the string came off for the 7th time, I am either too dyslexic or too impatient to deal with restringing those things.

My only gripe with both would be the power supply connection. I believe it is the Fulltone company who make a pedal with a detachable IEC type power cords, I have never understood why the Hilton pedal has that nutty massive Motorola wall-wart, or the Goodrich, with its smaller one. I do like the fact that the Goodrich is detachable. Leave that thing connected and put it in steelseat, travel a bit over Brooklyn roads, and you will have a non-working unit. Is there something in the circuitry of these light dependent resistor pedals that demands an external transformer, instead of just a direct connection to the mains?

You can see the Deja Vibe 2 in the product part of the Fulltone site, if anyone is curious. The input location for a detachable IEC is clearly visible.

http://www.fulltone.com/

Gerald

[Keith Hilton]

Gerald, there is a really good reason why I don't plug 120 volts AC directly into the Hilton pedal. The National Electrical Code says anything over 30 volts is dangerous, meaning it can kill you. My power supply is transformed down to 12 volts DC. Besides being transformed down in voltage, my power supply is filtered,regulated, and double fused. I personally would be afraid of using 120 volt AC plugged directly into a metal pedal. You might need a parachute to bail out if anything went wrong.

[Gerald Menke]

Dear Keith,

I sit corrected and most humbled by your answer, certainly makes sense. Hopefully the Deja Vibe hasn't done any damage to anybody out there. Thanks very much for the explanation, and for repairing my pedal, and putting a nice new decal on it for me. And only charging me shipping. You are the best.

Gerald