bass harp
1 post
Aug 12, 2010
3:26 PM
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I play with a rack alot. Does anyone know of any volume pedals that work well with harps.
I get often get hired as a bass player and then play harp with a rack. My rig has both xlr and 1/4" mono output. I use a gutar volume pedal.(Morley Little Alligator Volume Pedal) But usable range is about 20% of the total pedal movement. I would be nice to have better control.
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LittleJoeSamson
399 posts
Aug 12, 2010
4:17 PM
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I know a player that made one from an old sewing machine pedal. It is quite funky. It's full volume when not stepped on, and reduces volume when depressed...so he must have reversed the pot someway. Has a spring return.
Sounds weirdly cool, as he plays it with an electric banjo. You should hear "Voodoo Chile".
He's awfully private about his gizmo's, but I'll see if I can get any info.
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isaacullah
1134 posts
Aug 12, 2010
6:31 PM
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I agree that the best bet will be to make one for yourself. Search at smallbearelectronics.com for all the parts, including the enclosure. I've made one from complete scratch from scavenged components I had lying around. It's wired just the same a normal mic VC, but there has to be som kind og mechanical coupling between the pedal and the pot. Mine it looks kind of ghetto. I have one of those sewing maching pedals, but i couldn't jerry rig the right kind of gearing system needed to turn the pot properly, so I just built a clunky thing out of scrap wood and some metal brackets. If looks matter, then building one from the small bear parts will be better for you. It's hard to find a commercial one that will work well with microphones. They are all for electric guitar. Maybe if you find one that's meant for use with acoustic guitars, it'll be set up so it's also useful with mics. Maybe there are equivalents for vocalists? I suppose so, since there are all kinds of vocal fx units.
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View my videos on YouTube!"
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Greg Heumann
707 posts
Aug 12, 2010
8:32 PM
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I don't see any reason a guitar volume pedal shouldn't work. If the travel isn't right it could simply be the value of the pot inside isn't well matched to your mic. Why not start with that and just replace the pot?
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/Greg
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Silvertone
36 posts
Aug 12, 2010
8:42 PM
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The DigiTech RP units can be used as a very effective volume pedal and much more.
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isaacullah
1135 posts
Aug 12, 2010
9:27 PM
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Greg's right, you could definitely just mod the one you have. But IMO, those volume pedals for guitar are SOOOO much more expensive than what they are really worth. Ridiculously expensive for what they are. It's just a pot, a rack and pinion to turn the pot, a couple of jacks, and an enclosure. Sure, some are a bit fancier with another pot to set the min volume level with toe all the way down, and some are even buffered (not necessary), but even then, I'd say $40 to $50 MAX should be the cost. Definitely NOT $80 to $100+ dollars. That's ridiculous. Greg, you ought to start building these things. You have all the parts (except the enclosures, which you can buy), expertise, and client base already. There is obviously a demand for this kind of product, made to work for harp player's needs. It's well within the scope of your product range too. Anyway, just a thought!
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View my videos on YouTube!"
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N.O.D.
91 posts
Aug 12, 2010
9:59 PM
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Hi Bro Playing through a rack you say,
the Lone Wolf Harp Tone+ pedal sounds like it
could be useful it has a Volume control:)
with the bass and Treble you can
shape your sound to suit the given enviroment
ie, small club, big club, or back yard party:)
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sounds good wachyareckon mate!!!!
Cheers:)
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Greg Heumann
708 posts
Aug 12, 2010
10:27 PM
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Actually I have done a few custom jobs for rack players - but so far I have never been convinced that the market is big enough to warrant "productization."
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/Greg
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hvyj
524 posts
Aug 13, 2010
11:43 AM
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Once upon a time i used to use a DeArmond volume pedal and it worked fine throughout its entire range. The guitar player and keyboard player also used one. Nice VP. I don't think they are still in production, though.
Some harp players like volume pedals. In my experience, the problem with using one is that if your usual or "normal" playing volume is not wide open (fully depressed) it's very difficult to return the pedal to precisely the "normal" volume point after you adjust volume for particular passages. There is no visual reference point like there is on a volume control knob. So, you are going by feel and by ear when you try to set the pedal for "normal" volume on the fly as you are playing. I would often find myself being too loud or too soft when I tried to return to "normal" volume after using the pedal to temporarily increase or decrease volume during a performance. FWIW.
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Joe_L
535 posts
Aug 13, 2010
12:12 PM
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I wouldn't bother. I would vary my volume through harp playing.
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toddlgreene
1666 posts
Aug 13, 2010
12:16 PM
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Back at a time when I didn't have mics with volume controls and played with others whose stage volume forced me to make my own amp's volume way too loud, my old volume pedal worked well to temper feedback onstage, and also to let me creep up to full volume when it was time to solo, and back off a bit. Mine was a cheapie that eventually crapped out, but in lieu of a volume knob or standing right next to your amp to turn down a volume knob on it, it did the trick.
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Crescent City Harmonica Club
Todd L Greene, Co-Founder
Last Edited by on Aug 13, 2010 12:17 PM
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bass harp
2 posts
Aug 14, 2010
5:12 AM
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Good feedback, thanks
The first vol. pedal I tried (ernie ball V P Jr.)
I was thinking of replacing the pot (as greg suggested) with a different value but then I saw the morley was cheaper and had a min. vol. level. So I traded them. This one is optical (no string) and I have not looked inside to see if there is a easly replaced pot. The schematic I found on line was not clear to me.
Here is the schematic if anyone can tell from this:
http://www.morleypedals.com/plaes.pdf
Last Edited by on Aug 14, 2010 5:19 AM
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Shredder
187 posts
Aug 14, 2010
8:13 AM
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Bass Harp,I have been using an Electro Harmonics clean leniar boost pedal"LPB-1" for a while now with good results.
It has a clean bypass and when activated it just boost's the signal going out.Set it for normal playing volume unactivated then turn the boost level up a notch or 2 with the pedal activated when you play lead.
I was thinking of a volume pedal before but I think the boost pedal is more accurate when returning to your orignal playing level.I gave $50.at Guitar Center.
Mike
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jawbone
335 posts
Aug 14, 2010
8:13 AM
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Am I correct in hearing that a "Wah" pedal can make an acceptable volume pedal. I have the Ernie Ball Pedal as well and it did not do a good job, very little sweep.
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If it ain't got harp - it ain't really blues!!!!
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bass harp
3 posts
Aug 14, 2010
8:42 AM
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Yea the LPB-1 is a good option.
The min. knob on the Morley can set all the way back to the "normal" playing and all the way up to "lead".
Its the very sensitive in between that hvyi refered to that I am trying to improve. It goes from normal to lead in about 20% of travel. I was hoping to get a pedal to go from normal to lead in 100% of travel. This would make it easier to find the right volume to blend with the rest of the band.
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My home recordings:
http://home.roadrunner.com/~joejam2
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barbequebob
1123 posts
Aug 14, 2010
10:38 AM
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Back in the 70's, a lot of players were using wah-wah pedals not as a volume control (wah-wah pedals were originally volume control pedals for Hammond B-3 organs), but as a preamp for harp to get even more dirt.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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RobertRoth
1 post
Jul 21, 2019
12:01 AM
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Among the products mentioned on the list, which one is the best?
https://latestmusicalinstrument.com/best-volume-pedals/
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Lou
76 posts
Jul 21, 2019
6:28 AM
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Look into Mission Eng. by far the best pedal I've used for an acoustic instrument I use one for a mandolin where I'm looking for lot of range or a slight increase/decrease in volume it works great & doesn't affect the tone at all. Probably the most expensive one out there but totally worth it IMO.
https://missionengineering.com/product-category/products/volume-pedals/
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