The Steel Guitar Forum

I have a question regarding my volume pedal. I have been playing for 2 months and have not payed much attention to it yet. My question is, how should the pedal be adjusted? Should the pedal go from no volume to maximin, or should the range be less, somewhere in between. Thanks for any advice. Jeff.

I think most are set up to go from "no sound" to "nearly full" sound. (Pot pedals usually have a little loss, but it's not to be considered significant.) Some powered pedals can actually be adjusted to make your guitar louder than going straight into the amp, but this can cause problems with overloading and distortion, so it's not usually recommended. Lastly, a few players seem to want some signal always going through the amp, so they adjust the pedal so the sound never is completely off.

Thanks for your help, Donny.

Donny Hinson wrote:I think most are set up to go from "no sound" to "nearly full" sound. (Pot pedals usually have a little loss, but it's not to be considered significant.) Some powered pedals can actually be adjusted to make your guitar louder than going straight into the amp, but this can cause problems with overloading and distortion, so it's not usually recommended. Lastly, a few players seem to want some signal always going through the amp, so they adjust the pedal so the sound never is completely off.

I'm one of those. I have my Hilton pedal set for some signal to come through when off. It is the volume I know I will never go below, and set my amp level to that. That way I have more headroom at the end of the pedal throw.

Using a Hilton or a Goodrich my volume is never off. I pull back when needed. I use the pedal for sustain and also bringing me in when a fill or lead is present. My right foot is basically in a floating motion at all times. Use it to present your tone between moves on the neck. Easier to show than it is to tell. Takes a while to get used to. Works in the same reaction as my left hand, right hand, left knee, right knee, left foot and right foot. It just sort of works naturally with each other. Use it without thinking mostly.

I have never worked on an electronic like a Hilton.
On a Goodrich pedal or other pedals that uses the pulley wheel and string system, The size of the wheel determines how many degrees the pot will turn, Within the movement range of the pedal. The larger the pulley the less degrees it will turn. The smaller the wheel the more travel.
I like to use just the collar that fits on the shaft with a set screw to loop the string around, The string runs on the pot shaft itself for the most rotation possible. From off to full volume. My choice is just barely hear it when at its lowest.
Some pots when completely turned off will make a strange clunk sound when they are turned on.
Good Luck and Happy Steelin.

Most players I know that use one (I normally don't) do not set them for "full off" except at home - maybe. With a band "full off" is actually quite a bit beyond the "audible" off level, as ambient and band backup sound quickly bury the sound at lower volume levels. It can help to have some level left when the pedal is backed all the way off.

It might not matter to you now, but you might want to get used to it being set like that if you ever plan to play with others.

Word to the wise;
Never tell a studio engineer that it's a Volume Pedal;
Tell them it's an Expression Pedal, like on a Hammond!
Cuz they want to control ALL volumes!