Volume Pedals - The History, The Influential Players, and What To Look For When Buying - Ask Zac 153

The volume pedal was the first effect device created for the guitar. They were introduced in the mid-1930s, being offered by most major electric guitar makers, including Gibson & Rickenbacker, and pickup maker DeArmond. Although it was initially mainly used by steel guitarists from the 1930s-1960s, the 70s brought us 3 musicians that made it an important tool for guitarists, Reggie Young, Larry Carlton, and Mark Knopfler. These players used the volume pedal as an effect on numerous hit recordings, which caused it to finally take its place as a "must have" pedal. We also look at some important factors that one should consider when buying a volume pedal. Issues such as tone suck, buffers, pot taper, and more modern pot-less designs.
Spotify Playlist
open.spotify.com/playlist/7Am...
Gear Used:
2008 R9 Les Paul
Amp:
1965 Deluxe Reverb with a GA-SC64 speaker
Effects used:
Amp reverb, Line 6 Echo Park, Dunlop Volume X
#askzac #volumepedal #zacchilds

[@colinwallace5286]

I spotted a Morley volume pedal in a bargain bin for ten bucks. Someone cut off the power cord, and it didn’t light up when you turned it on. I had no idea that the lamp was part of the whole process. I opened it up, found a spare bulb in it, and scratched my head for a few minutes as to how the damn thing worked. That photocell circuit with the tiny blackout curtain is so damn simple, virtually indestructible.

[@Telecastersanonymous]

Zack I swear, If there’s anybody that could fill joe chambers shoes (god rest his soul) it would be you. The knowledge you have is so fascinating to me. I love every minute of your videos.

[@AskZac]

You are very kind

[@602davido]

In the intro to "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" the great Duane Allman did beautiful volume swells with his little finger on the knob of his Les Paul.

[@timothythompson6549]

I saw an old video, probably from the 80s, where dickey did swells like that m

[@ashevilleguitar]

I got a DeArmond 610 tone & volume pedal in the early 70’s because I heard Steve Howe :) ✌️❤️🎵

[@handle433]

I have a Morley volume pedal, and it’s the sweetest sounding thing ever. The light receptor in it gives it such a natural swing, and you can make lots of adjustments to the travel and the weight, feel etc. Mark Knopfler and Hank Marvin both used them because you could stand all your weight on one! They’re bulletproof!

[@AskZac]

Very cool!

[@genebrenner855]

I used a steel chromed Morley pedal in my first dedicated country band in the late 1970s using a Telecaster. Had the swell thing down. Several years ago I bought a slimmed down matte-black Morley pedal to get that felling back. It sits in my closet. As Barry Manilow said, hard to get that feeling again.

[@chrisfg71]

I modded my Dunlop VP Jr with a DIY kit (VPM-1) from Zeppelin Design Labs that converts a passive Dunlop into an active pedal. Now It sits after overdrive and before delay, which makes it more useful and doesn't mess with the tone.. Being active it does require a 9v supply, but no more string hassles.

[@AskZac]

Very nice!

[@PhilipMonsos]

You can not forget the late Peter Banks and Steve Howe of YES. That's the sole reason I started using a volume pedal. It has to be my favorite effect besides for fuzz, and when they're combined together it's simply magical.

[@thesjkexperience]

Size 14 untie! (im dyslexic, seriously). Thank goodness for REI and hiking boots! But, I play, what Leo called "the improved telecaster" and the volume knob is right there. After 45 years my body is bent to one and my right hand needs a volume knob and trem arm in it.

[@larrydering1598]

Zac, I'm sure you are also aware that Ernie Ball himself was also a steel player and at one time manufactured a steel guitar. My 1st VP was a Morley bought in the mid 70s. However my real introduction was from a guitarist I sat in with in the mid 70s that used a DeArmond with great tone and effect. His technique prompted me to buy what I could find in my area the Morley. Now as a pedal steel player I prefer Goodrich passive L120 volume pedals that have a 500k pot.

[@jfinester]

Wow, Zac! You sure hit me where I live on this one. I’ve used a volume pedal since about 1974. Seems like I can’t play without one! As I’ve said before, I’m a polio survivor. Can’t walk at all anymore, but in my younger days I used to stand up to play. I’m left-footed, (I’m left-handed too, but I play right-handed.) and standing on my right leg took its toll playing 4-1/2-hour gigs. I started using a stool and never looked back. I use the volume pedal like a steel player or Hammond organist would-my heel never goes down except when I’m setting the giutar down. I’m a frustrated steel player anyway-can’t play one; I don’t have enough functioning feet! I got to where I could do a fair job of imitating a steel player. I’m no Phil Baugh-he was a master at it-but I can duplicate steel parts pretty well on guitar. I wish I could play the real thing!

[@andrewpearson1903]

Wonderful comment, thank you for posting

[@nathankellstadt412]

It's nice to see a video focused on the humble volume pedal. I learned quite a bit. Thanks!

[@jeffp6072]

George Harrison used one on his song " I need you" from Help in '65. It was his first use of one on any Beatles record. Its not a stretch to say he got the idea from Reggie Young....

[@gordonoconnell1391]

Zac, thank you for a great video- I learned a great deal! In my live work with smooth jazz artist Andre Ward, the volume pedal is a particular necessity. The show contains very specific dynamics at different points, and the volume pedal allows for precise changes of volume while playing, independent from the hands. This would be impossible with the volume pot alone. The ability to take out the attack of individual notes is also a plus when playing unison lines with a saxophone. Several people have asked me over the years, why not just use your volume knob? In addition to the applications I’ve mentioned, I’ve also noticed that changing one’s volume from the volume knob of the guitar tends to changes the gain structure, tone, and feel- even with the very best potentiometers. My current volume pedal is an Ernie Ball active model, in the smaller format. I’m sure it changes the frequency response, etc., but I find the trade-off acceptable. I have often thought that if I had a choice of one effect, it would be a volume peddle.

[@zordakAU]

I remember having a Visual Sound Visual Volume with the led’s up the side, loved it!

[@matthewf1979]

I love the swell sound! I didn’t realize I had a pedal that could do it until recently. That Source Audio EQ2 is something else. I was just using it to EQ two amps separately with a little boost for leads. I hooked up the expression pedal that was already on my board controlling my rotary effect speed. Tons of fun!

[@camknorre3382]

Mark Knopfler with brothers in arms was my first time wanting a volume pedal, but never bought one. Thanks for the advice!!

[@billtice5057]

Great video Zac! I find that the volume pedal placed after the drive pedals creates a lot of dynamic control between the pedal and the guitars volume. It’s similar to the dynamics control with guitar volume and a Fuzz. One can really manipulate the amount of drive and the amount of volume for the drive. This and trails is my primary use for it.

[@chrisnash8411]

Wow ! That's a lot of info I did not know ! Great job as always !

[@AskZac]

Thanks for watching!

[@briannacery9939]

Thank you!

[@aminahmed2220]

What a fantastic video have a good week

[@realadamnixon]

Glad to hear a mention of Papa John Hughey! One of the most amazing musicians I've heard. Possibly my favorite pedal steel player.

[@larryayres4592]

I heard a folk singer backed by a nashville player and he had a chorus, delay and the volume pedal that he used for swells. It really helped the music, but did get old after a while. I photographed his pedal board because I liked the sounds.

[@guitareveryone]

Good episode Zac. I own a Dunlop 6166 but rarely use it because of the volume suck issue. For that reason I mostly rely on using my guitars volume knob that has a good taper and in most cases a Strat because of the volume knob placement. I find it easier than on a tele.

[@tomblack1583]

Thanx Zac. Ive had them all: Morley, Boss and various Ernie Balls. Finally I found the Lehle Mono Volume. German made, NO Tone Suckage, no loss of Volume. Build like a Tank but not too big and too heavy. If you have the chance, grab one.

[@telecasterbear]

I still have my Ernie Ball corduroy baseball cap from the late 70s, that I got for mailing in a few labels from strings.

[@iamgcase]

I always learn from your videos, Mr Size 14!!! 😀

[@FelixWengelin]

Thank you for that! Much appreciated

[@AskZac]

You're welcome!

[@superkeltic5593]

Thanx for the history

[@dw7704]

I own two Dunlop High Gain volume pedals, (one guitar & one for bass) and I like them a lot. I mostly use them for volume swells, and to turn down between songs

[@Rigel7WasAlreadyUsed]

I'm really happy you got to interview Reggie. I suppose you are too, haha

[@J.C...]

Woo! I've been considering a volume pedal for swells. Maybe one of these days.

[@marshallgibson1871]

Unrelated to volume pedals but I actually just got a Leslie 16 from the newly resurrected Emmons Guitar Co. So cool to see so many new/old pedal steels and shobud amps

[@RobertSaxy]

I use one as the volume pot on the guitar first in chain. I played organ among plenty of other instruments before electric guitar so I was use to that already

[@stevechance4422]

I'm really happy with my Lehle stereo volume pedal.

[@TheMax1230]

Pete Anderson got me into using a volume pedal. He was a Goodrich man at the time.

[@steveburchfield5576]

Good Show Zac !!! For me it was LC with the Crusaders. My fist VP was a ShoBud which was pretty good. Good Topic.

[@Marcus_C51]

Yes, me too-after reading that Carlton was using a ShoBud that was my first volume pedal too. It's all over Southern Comfort and his solo albums of course. They worked great until the rubber wire broke, I remember having to really make sure I checked it often to make sure it was in good condition. Also positioned just so for the throw to be right, I found that to be a hassle. Changed to Ernie Balls and they've always been dependable, have to replace the pots occasionally of course. How interesting, I knew that Buddy Emmons used ShoBuds on his pedal steel like alot of them were. However, I didn't know he was the one who influenced Larry to start using them too.

[@travismatheney4080]

Reggie young was and still is a influence of mine along with Roy Nichols and Roy Buchanan

[@davidtuck7735]

He’s not exactly a household name, but you could add Barry Chance to the list of devoted volume pedal users. I was privileged to get to see him many times at the Big Apple Cafe in Puryear, TN after his Buffett days and he rode an Ernie Ball pedal a bunch, especially on slide solos. He’s still a big influence on me!

[@steveburchfield5576]

Saw Barry with Jimmy Buffet , my friend Fingers Taylor on harp. They were all playing Really Well!!!

[@davidtuck7735]

@@steveburchfield5576 they were both awesome on Buffett’s first live album!

[@stevehorvath5855]

I have one of those big EB volume pedals that I use to tilt my amp back now. After eventually replacing everything inside it I bought a Goodrich.

[@joeldowdy404]

Really like to use my Hilton Electronics Volume pedal with my lap steel. Its very smooth and easy to control and doesn't suck your tone away. They had it dialed in very good when I ordered it. I've only messed around very little using it with my Telecasters.

[@leepence7549]

I use the Hilton Pro Guitar with a Telecaster, Stratocaster, Les Paul, 335, and several other popular builds. I've been through a lot of volume pedals in the past 30 years, and nothing comes close to the Hilton; the build and performance are art form.

[@TheBigGuppy]

For steel and guitar I would use my Goodrich pedals. They are passive but I never noticed any suckage. I have a Ernie Ball and I can’t use it on single coils. It murders the top end.

[@nicko6710]

That string on your Ernie Ball is like mine. 1/2 keeps slipping of the little roller. Most looper/switchers are set up these days to be placed 1/2 way through the loops and buffered to suit a passive pedal. The Boss FV500H seems to have replaced the Ernie Ball to a degree, no string. Side note I had to play Don't Forget about me a Dusty Track. Is the Bluesy psychedelic part Reggie? sure sounds like him. But the guitars are credited to Reggie and Tommy Cogbill. Any inside knowledge?

[@mooseymoose]

I love my Lehle, expensive but it will last forever.

[@billhunt4539]

Thanks for another great video Zac! Do you happen to know the voltage/amperage requirements to run an Ernie Ball Jr. VP Jr. from a One-Spot type of power supply? TIA!

[@AskZac]

Mine doesn't use power

[@billhunt4539]

Got it, thanks man...@@AskZac

[@stevesuv]

Kevin Ryan is doing great things at Goodrich.

[@jonnybeck6723]

Thanx Zac... That wuz most informative and your old Ernie Ball pedal looks just like mine (!) (complete with 'stretched' string) Know any trix to fix this? Cheers

[@AskZac]

Only to replace the string

[@halbertking2683]

Steve Morse told a story about getting pulled over by a state policeman . The band didn't have a wheel chock and the officer was gonna write them a ticket . Steve told the road manager to get the Ernie Ball volume pedal out . They didn't get a ticket .

[@marcgallant5270]

I always think Rush - La Villa Strangiato Part IV A Lerxst in Wonderland.

[@hansemannluchter643]

I don't recall Roy Buchanan using a volume pedal??

[@chokkan7]

Love my DeArmond volume pedals (yes, I have more than one); built like a tank, works flawlessly every time. Have there been any advancements since these were issued? ;)

[@AskZac]

In some ways yes

[@timothythompson6549]

Hey Zac, completely off topic, but Ian Moore has played an old strat with a tele neck for years. I have a strat from the 90s that I don't really love the neck profile of, and I kinda dig the mutt look of Ian's guitar. How complicated is it to fit a tele neck? I know they're shaped differently at the heel.

[@AskZac]

Just put it on. 4 bolts

[@flintdavis2]

Love that song " Good time Charlie's got the blues " stopped watching to listen, twice. Listening for pedal use. I don't have the ears. Please play with the pedal visual. Thanks if you can Zac

[@NickRatnieks]

I assume that Billy Butler used a DeArmond volume pedal. His playing is amazing- and I love his guitar playing on "Cherry" which he did on a solo album- but he had played on the same song for Bill Doggett on the album Dame Dreaming in 1957. Cherry and the amazing The Twang Thang are also on a great compilation album called Legends of Acid Jazz.

[@henryb160]

Roy Buchanan was a huge fan of Billy Butler.

[@NickRatnieks]

@@henryb160 I read Steve Cropper mentioning that the first thing he learned to play was Honky-Tonk which Billy Butler wrote with Bill Doggett.

[@markdeweese9288]

James Burton, and the late John Jennings used v-p.

[@chrisquinn9104]

I’ve relied on a volume pedal for years and few things have frustrated me more that the Earnie Ball Volume Pedal. They are not repairable, no matter what has been said. They also beak without warning.🤬. The Dunlop and Boss models are so much better. I also broke a band in a Dunlop, but it was an early model and repairable. They sent me a new band

[@joelghuggins]

Hey Zach, I’ve used the old Visual Sound, metal square box for years. I don’t notice any major tone suck. It’s last in my pedal chain, so my over drives stay consistent. What is your opinion, concerning transparency?

[@AskZac]

Those are great pedals! Nothing needed there

[@joelghuggins]

@@AskZac thanx man.. They were always great guys to correspond with..💙

[@larryrolando3542]

Zach I think Reggie cut Good Time Charley got the Blues in Atlanta when Chips moved them there. Before Reggie left Atlanta and moved to Nashville.

[@AskZac]

In "The Memphis Boys" book, it states it was one of the last Memphis sessions.

[@musicproductionvideos5019]

Which Dunlop X is that? I need the full size one. Seems there is a mini and another called X(8) and another DVP3. Sizes are not listed on GC website for some reason. Thanks~

[@AskZac]

DVP3

[@musicproductionvideos5019]

Thanks!

[@musicman1976]

I've always noticed alot of church bands use volume pedals alot. I'm sure they work well with organ settings if that makes sense 🤔

[@picksalot1]

When a Volume (Expression) Pedal is connected directly to a Modeler, like the HX Stomp, is it true that there should be no Tone Suckage, or Buffering requirements, as the Volume Pedal is only adjusting settings inside the Modeler without itself actually becoming part of the signal path?

[@babalaughing]

That is exactly what I've been doing, too. The pedal has a pot in it, just like a volume pedal (but the circuit is different so you can't use an expression pedal as a stand-alone volume pedal). The guitar signal does not go through the cable or the pedal, so the pedal doesn't suck tone in the usual way. Modelers are usually buffered, so as long as the tone change of the modeler doesn't bother you, you're good- there shouldn't be any further change with the exp. pedal.

[@gordonoconnell1391]

I cannot speak to that question, but I will point out something else out. The expression pedals on the multi effects that I’ve used had a “stair step” quality that I couldn’t tolerate. In other words, instead of a smooth taper, from 0 to 10, I could hear tiny steps up in volume, perhaps conforming to the 0 to 127 value range in the MIDI volume parameter. Pretty far away from the sound of Larry Carlton on Joni Mitchell’s “Just Like This Train”.

[@picksalot1]

@@gordonoconnell1391 Thanks for pointing that out. I'll have to keep that in mind when listening to Volume/Expression Pedal demos.

[@gordonoconnell1391]

@@picksalot1 No problem! We're all in this together!

[@robamaral9089]

Excellent man. I’m so leery of the tone-inhalation of all pedals. Amen on the feel of the guitar and amp. Even reverb itself kills volume etc. players can really “ move up” in their guitar brains by playing straight into a great tube amp Or just playing the electric with no amp.

[@TheBigGuppy]

The old DeArmond stereo volume was a hoot. Up and Down controlled the volume like normal. But to controlled how much went to your right amp vs the left amp you would wiggle your foot side to side.

[@jeffsquires6620]

After watching bonamassa utilize the volume knob, is it really needed.

[@henryb160]

Producers aren't keen on session guys missing their cue or fumbling for a control setting.

[@jeffsquires6620]

@@henryb160 if you're recording and can't find the volume knob, then should be really be there. I'm saying that Bonamassas swells in concert are incredible. Listen to Mountain Time live.

[@nicko6710]

If you play a in musical in a pit you need the pedal, or need a easy was to silence your rig yes a pedal works better.

[@nicko6710]

@@jeffsquires6620 The volume pot will not silence the white noise of a drive pedal.

[@henryb160]

@@jeffsquires6620 Well if you were correct in your thinking then the majority of Nashville cats "shouldn't really be there" because, as Zac points out, they all have a volume pedal on their boards.

[@mrjessemarshall]

Zac with a Les Paul...like seeing KISS without makeup.

[@geecheer7098]

I feel cheated - my buffer has no "happy area".

[@BobbyCulpepper.srv3fender]

Why don't they just use no load pots

[@superkeltic5593]

Sho Buds weighed a ton

[@MAP448]

Since they're out of print, you could scan them & let people read them free of charge. Isn't that the principle the internet was originally founded on? Free information? No more secrets? Should all information be free? Should everyone have free access to the information that could change their lives & possibly revolutionize all of our lives?

[@shawnhelsel923]

I get a bit bummed when people slag Varitones. I think it’s unfair and many of us know how cool they are. Some possible negativity on them may be because they were put in guitars that were also wired stereo. Now that definitely had issues . . .

[@AskZac]

That is a fair rebuttal.

[@jeremyversusjazz]

lehle.

[@mikeoneill7671]

Good grief! How do you know all this stuff! 😂

[@jeffbriggs4268]

Due to hip issues, I use my Dunlop mini volume pedal at the end of the signal chain. It's awesome with my Ibanez hollow body. As I lower the volume, it sounds like I switched from an electric to an accoustic guitar. However, your idea of putting it before time-based effects, intrigues me. I'll have to try it. Good coverage of this topic, Zac!