Volume Pedals - High Impedance VS Low Impedance...which one should I get???

Whats the difference between High and Low Impedance Volume Pedals?? Which one should you get?? Which one sounds better?? Lets find out.
Thanks to Ryan Smith for asking the question!
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[@XlouietheflyX]

Low impedance should go in the effects loop or after buffered pedals. Most people use them after gain but before delay and reverb. High impedance works like guitar volume knob and goes between the guitar and your tuner

[@Cymanytb]

so there is no pedal that works with both? And if so why?

[@clausmichaelsiodmok363]

Yeah that´s right, that´s the thing!

[@Tcroal1113]

Is one or the other better suited to being used as an expression?

[@jamiebuchanan1500]

I've always tried to keep it pretty simple. High Impedance Vol Ped (first pedal in the chain) acts like a foot version of your guitar volume knob (the thing that causes the noises). Low Impedance Vol ped (either at end of chain or just before delay) is like a master volume for the amp (i.e. the thing that amplifies the noises). As for buffer, chances are there will be a Boss pedal (most are buffered I think) or another buffered pedal somewhere in the chain (e.g. a tuner, drive or modulation pedal, or simply a buffer pedal/box). Actually....maybe not so simple when I write it out!

[@ddo_bar]

Small one : high impedance Big one : low impedance Guitar to volume directly (with no buffer) 03:09

[@ryanthenormal]

Thanks so much for taking the time to do this, it's very much appreciated.

[@TSFAHTPS]

No probs...hope it helped a little...it was actually really quite interesting...never really thought about it before

[@johne1599]

Ryan, go watch the video on high and low impedance pedals put out by Sweetwater. Mitch Gallagher does an excellent job of demonstrating the difference and where they go in your signal chain and why!! Guys, why didn't you do your homework and educate yourselves before making a video in which you say you don't know anything about volume pedals???

[@DeuCeNTX]

you'll lose gain (top end) if the volume pedal is before your amp/overdrive pedal. If you just want to use it for volume, run guitar->overdrive->fuzz/screamer->volume pedal-> delay,reverb,etc.->then into your amp. at least that's what i've always heard. If volume is before OD and distortion, it's like turning your guitar volume down, less gain going into those pedals

[@CalitranoN]

I'm a 80s metal player and you guys need to get a Morley optical one, i have active but it doesn't matter, i had the Ernie ball 99 dollar one,,, an its a waste of money. you get what you pay for. Also, do the rhythm, lead boost thing... cuz lots of people use it for that, like me....

[@georgespiggot8502]

High Impedance for passive high impedance signals like that coming out of passive pickups, the low impedance is causing the volume drop. Active pickups and buffered pedals such as Boss are low impedance output so placing after would match with a low impedance pedal. So it depends where in the loop you want to use the pedal to which one to get. Used straight out of the guitar want high impedance. Yet doesn't make a lot of sense given there is a volume knob on the guitar. I'm sure there are uses but I haven't found them. Used first in the effects loop it will keep the tone of gain pedals and preamp while swelling and still leave the modulation and delay trails.

[@Chaps_Jr]

Volume pedals are very useful for creating swells or rolling off the volume while you are actively playing, when your hands aren't free to use the knob. Much easier to get an ambient or ethereal sound with a pedal.

[@milosgrujic7228]

@@Chaps_Jr but if i try to make ambiental sweels with elctro-acoustic guitare (active preamp) i must to use low impedance volume pedal,right?

[@Chaps_Jr]

@@milosgrujic7228 No. You should use high impedance for guitars. Low impedance is used for things like keyboards and synthesizers.

[@milosgrujic7228]

@@Chaps_Jr

[@tastyslopsicle2162]

Quite simply, high impedance is for unbuffered signals and low impedance is for buffered signals.

[@intothefoxhole7985]

What do you mean by buffered?

[@kernelspy]

Super weird and awkward video that these guys are sooo confused themselves 🤣☺

[@kayakguy8064]

You guys need to do some research before you do videos about things your not sure about. It will help a lot. 500k puts are for double coils or humbuckers. 250k are for single coils. Now volume pedal impedance I'm not quiet sure about. But great video. Oh, put your volume pedal last right before your amp. That way when you turn down your distortion is still present.

[@TSFAHTPS]

That was kinda the idea behind this video though...trying something out we didn't know much about and just using our ears to find out what the difference is.

[@danielmiddleman8613]

Most people don't know what an impedance bridge is. If you have a really high impedance on the input and that is attached to a low impedance output from another device this allows for maximum power transfer. I never understood this till I started using Rockman rockmodules which all have 1 megohm inputs and 1k outputs and then started doing research on impedance. I guess the standard name for it is buffering. The great thing about the rockmodules is you can use them between effects rack units that aren't well buffered to minimize signal loss.

[@lyellw571]

Oh man.. guys! Why make an instructional video when you don’t actually know! I’m just confused. The high vs low is for impedance... high z and low z are very different, not just difference in long cable runs etc. Thank you for showing what it sounds like with the low z pedal on a high z signal though. That was interesting to hear.

[@TSFAHTPS]

Well...it was kinda meant more as an instructional for ourselves...because neither of us really knew much about it

[@dongconrad]

@@TSFAHTPS that's a shame to be honest dude..

[@TSFAHTPS]

What can I say...I never use a volume pedal

[@markwhite2183]

@@TSFAHTPS maybe don’t do a video on one then…?

[@Vireo]

@@dongconrad not really. There’s nothing wrong with them doing an “exploratory” video of sorts, and kinda learning along with us, as it were.

[@cliffgold3840]

Never use vol pedals so not input there but the Silver Kiss is a killer pedal...!

[@diyfixguy8999]

Which would be quieter H or L impedance for recording ie. signal noise?

[@hirvy]

A volume pedal first in your signal chain can act like a volume pot in the way it tapers off and lowers the guitar pickup gain whereas if it's after drive pedals it only lowers the overall volume. Also I suppose if you used a low impedance pedal, you would compensate the volume/treble loss with a buffer and/or just turn your amp treble/volume up to a suitable level. Great to hear the comparison in a switcher. I've never been a fan of volume pedals but to some they're really swell. :P always enjoy seeing your videos/faces guys.

[@TSFAHTPS]

Thanks mate!! We need to catch up sometime...

[@Vireo]

“…to some they’re really swell”; ha ha, good one ;)

[@johnsantos1348]

Would of been nice to include the actual models your using in your description

[@sjb1957]

The Low impedance models are more versatile, but not suitable for use straight after the guitar. They need a stronger signal. The High impedance models would work straight after the guitar, but very limited usefulness since you have a guitar volume knob. Also note that some of these have a calibration knob on the side, which modifies the volume range.

[@MrPortisaac]

If you have an acoustic guitar with an active pick up and need to get a bit louder and quieter whilst playing you can`t fiddle about with a volume knob buried inside the sound hole, hence the need for a vol ped which I guess should be a high impedance model.

[@marcuslewitzki4610]

This test is utterly useless! Low or high impedence obviously depend on WHERE in a signal chain you plan to use it, and WHAT that signal chain consists of. To simply run your guitar straight into them both, listening for differences in tone makes no sense. As long as you're a fairly normal guitar player you will want to get a low impedence volume pedal since you probably will want to use it in the middle of your pedal board, most likely after any dry effect pedals (overdrives), before any wet effect pedals (modulation or time-based effects). The only time you'd want to use a high impedence volume pedal is when you plan to run your guitar straight into it, before any other pedals. However, this basically turns your volume pedal into the exact same thing that you most likely already have on your guitar - a volume knob. To each their own I guess but that seems like quite a waste when you could be using it for beautiful swells instead. But hey, if you want both then go for it, it's up to you.

[@TSFAHTPS]

🤷🏻‍♂️

[@glenwhite1781]

Me same never use them very interesting

[@kogutikaue]

This made me confused a little, but I’ll subscribe cause you guys are fun hahah

[@saadweiss2548]

hello, which one is better as an expression pedal for my midi keyboard H or L?

[@hoangquan5490]

Definitely L

[@josuecostademacedo290]

Muito top esse pedal azulzinho,qusl o nome dele?

[@ottmarsoulier7432]

Ok... Compare switch on, switch off... Of course there's a difference. But..... Since you put pedal at beginning of your chain the top end (toe) will be your new max volume sound. Don't give a f....how it sounds without the low impedance pedal. This pedal is there and there to stay. Piece of pie

[@madmanscomment]

guys are so confused to talk about this...

[@TSFAHTPS]

We were confused that's why we did this video...we wanted to hear the difference and we made a video about it

[@diyfixguy8999]

How about best pedal for a keyboard H or L imp.? Also line noise.

[@miltonoberto]

Show....

[@TSFAHTPS]

...me the money??

[@wesley_evaristo]

@@TSFAHTPS hahaha he's a brazilian guy like me! When we say "show" in situations like that it means "awsome" ;)

[@AminDehnavi]

Rubbish review guys. What I’d like to see in a volume pedal review: 1) Possible tone loss 2) How pedal swell (shit should be controlled by foot not hand)

[@TSFAHTPS]

We are not reviewing the pedals...we are checking what the differences between the two are