The Steel Guitar Forum

I am hoping to be able to practice my new steel through my headphones. Without having to power up an amp--or headphone amp.
I have not bought my volume pedal or my fx yet.
I see that the Pandora Stomp by Korg has a headphone out. (I don't know if Zoom does.)
But I have been told that in the signal chain, the volume pedal needs to be last, so that creates a problem if I want to practice with the vp too through headphones. Questions: 1) If the Korg sends out a signal for headphones is there a pedal (esp a passive pedal like the Goodrich 120 that I can plug headphones into one of the outs? And if it absolutely won't work to plug headphones into a Goodrich pedal (fed by a line-level pedal/preamp), then is it really bad form to go from volume pedal, to fx pedal and then to amp/headphones. 3) is there a VP that actualy has a headphone out or an out that would work?
Obviously, I am trying to cut down on wires, plugs, etc. And if I can do this without adding a headphone amp, or plugging into the back of my amp, and just use a passive pedal, and a battery powered fx box (even if the sound is mono or just in one ear), that would give me a lot of freedom to practice.

thanks and sorry for the long question.

mike

Hi Mike.
I have often used and old Digitech RP series pedal or say a zoom 505. They power headphones just fine and can be found cheap in pawn shops.

When running a headphone amp the volume pedal is not supposed to be last... you wouldn't put it between the amp and speaker, would you?

I'd put it between guitar and pandora.

Just to be sure I am clear about things, I do not have a headphone amp but was hoping that my fx pedal or the second out on a volume pedal could serve to send sound to my headphones.
So it is ok to go guitar, to volume pedal, to fx pedal---for the sound chain? It made most sense to me to have the volume pedal last, just before the amp. But if it is normal to have the fx pedal last then getting a headphone signal will be pretty easy.

thanks
mike

You will need some sort of amplified output to the headphone. Volume pedals do not amplify.

Anyone use a Rolls PM351? I'm thinking of buying one for on stage but I suspect it might work for this too.

I don't have the PM351, but have used the HA43 at church. You will have to make up a mono to stereo cable for the input, unless you can feed it stereo.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Rolls-HA43- ... 1145958.gc

Why wouldn't you just use mono cables, and let the left channel short to ground?
I think if you have very efficient phones, you might drive them by a hot pickup, sans volume pedal.

The rolls will work well, or a mini mixer that you could hook up cd or tape decks to the mixer also.

There are a multitude of small cheap amps made for practicing that have headphone outputs. There are also plenty of "guitar trainer" type practice boxes that will do the trick. I would look for one that has inputs so you can play along with a computer or CD player.

If you have an ipad there is some cool stuff for them also.

Maybe head to a guitar center and check out what they have available and to educate yourself. You may want to get a little hands on help to get yourself in the ballpark.

Find an experienced player/teacher to help you out with this stuff. The internet is not a good place to look when you are trying to understand the basics.

I'd double the suggestion for a Digitech "RP__50" or "RP__55." The cheapest ones are the 150 or 155, the 250 or 255 can still be found for way under $100, AND - as you build up your pile (oh yes you will) you'll find that the RP's reverb, delays and chorus/flange type effects may be better than anything else you may get at any cost. Avoid the "100", and "200" series, what you're looking for is their "DNA-2" chip.

On the "2__" series and up, there's a pedal included and a line-thru for playing with other sources. Quite seriously, Digitech observed the clamor of those who insist that only stand-alone pedals will be the best for reverb and such - so they took the same chip out of the RP's, hooked it up in their "Hardwire" series to do one-tenth of what it can do, priced them for MORE than the RP155, and now everyone's happy...

And then there is the Nashville 112 amplifier with a built in headphone circuit and CD input which mutes the speaker when rehearsing. Here is a link from the Peavey website;
http://peavey.com/products/index.cfm/it ... ille%20112

as paul said...pick up a used zoom 505 guitar processor. headphone outs and lots of effects to play with.

this way you just plug from your vp into the little box and that's all you need. i got the 505 years ago for $50.

If you are interested, I have a Rolls Personal Monitor Amp model PM50s that I have never used. I will take $25.00 plus $5.00 shipping. It has one guitar input, one low z mic input, one low z mic output, two headphone outputs, and one volume control for the guitar and a separate volume control for the mic. Included is the Rolls AC power adapter.

I thought this was related to the question asked, so I posted it under electronics. You can move it to classifieds if need be.

I use a digitech RP1000.

Guitar then Goodrich 120 then into the RP1000.

Loads of options and a headphone out too.

Then.... For live work

Once you get your sound dialed in hook you RP straight to a power amp and your fave speaker and viola you got sound. Use two speakers and go stereo..



Kevin