Do you guys often also omit volume knobs on pedals?

[deadlyshart]

One of the pedals I'm building right now is a Red Llama clone, from here:

http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.com/2012/06/way-huge-red-llama.html

Like many pedals, it includes a volume knob... but I've never really understood why. I mean, I guess it's kind of another feature if you're gonna have a gain stage anyway, but to be honest, in practice I almost never really want to futz with the volume there. I have it at roughly the level I want on the amp, and then slightly more fine tuning on the guitar itself.

Additionally, it takes up some more enclosure area, which covers my pretty designs 

So, a few times now, I've replaced them with resistors that essentially "set" the pot in the middle (i.e., instead of a 10k pot, two 5k resistors in series, center tapped, etc).

Do you guys always include a volume pot? They just seem so redundant.

[anotherjim]

As volume control pots are usually specified to have logarithmic taper, equal resistors don't actually produce half volume (as we hear it). It might be better to find room for a small preset pot inside the box, so it can be preset by trial & error?

Many distortion pedal designs have levels extremely hot before the output volume control, and when driving an amp input, that volume control can bring extra tonal variety by letting you set how much the amp is over-driven.

Other fx types, such as phasers & chorus maybe ought to be designed to output close to the input signal level.

[stallik]

You could use a trimmer plus a panel mount adapter. Located out of the way?
http://docs-europe.electrocomponents.com/webdocs/002b/0900766b8002bb34.pdf

[nocentelli]

Like many pedals, it includes a volume knob... but I've never really understood why. I mean, I guess it's kind of another feature if you're gonna have a gain stage anyway, but to be honest, in practice I almost never really want to futz with the volume there. I have it at roughly the level I want on the amp, and then slightly more fine tuning on the guitar itself.

...Do you guys always include a volume pot? They just seem so redundant.

Do you turn your pedals on and off? Some players might want a big volume boost (or a volume cut) when they kick on a pedal.

Di you change the settings on your pedals very often? I find some designs have a control that affects the output level (or perceived output) of the effect: Dirt pedals usually have a gain control that affects either the input level or the gain level of an early stage, turning this up may make the pedal a bit louder, and a corresponding cut it volume is needed. Tremolo effects will often cut the volume as the depth is turned up, so a small boost maybe needed at higher depths.

[GibsonGM]

I put the V control in just because someone else may use or buy the pedal and want it to 'behave normally'.  I find that when you DIY, you get cash offers on things that sound good, ha ha! 

[duck_arse]

if you V omit, you'll havva sick pedal.

coat?

[GGBB]

You could extend that reasoning to any knob - what's the point in having a knob on the front that is just going to get accidentally moved if you only ever use it at one position? How much time do we spend tweaking each pedal before a gig? The downside of using internal trimpots or fixed resistors is how hard it is to make adjustments when you are trying to find what setting you like. Volume is probably the easiest one though.

I have a hardwire reverb that came with a stomplock, which I think is an awesome idea. Somebody ought to sell a kit for DIYing these. It never comes off my reverb.



Some players use other means like tape to do the same thing.

[anotherjim]

Fit preset pots behind cunningly placed holes in the case, and use one of these...

Which can't short out anything accidentally.
One end is a socket for multiturn pot screws...

Essential piece of kit I think. If you have adjustable core inductors (not in pedals) or trimmer capacitors (also not in pedals but your x10 scope probe does), this is the right tool too.

[R.G.]

There is at least one reason to have a volume knob on a pedal, although it's usually not used that way, at least consciously. It's to adjust the level of the signal fed to the next pedal.

This is a corollary to the use of the volume knob for a boost or a cut when engaged. In the misty dawn era of pedals in the 1960s, volume controls on pedals only had the two uses of changing level when engaged, or overdriving an amp. Today, almost no one uses only one pedal. So inter-pedal signal levels get to be at least interesting, and can be a tool.

[deadlyshart]

As volume control pots are usually specified to have logarithmic taper, equal resistors don't actually produce half volume (as we hear it). It might be better to find room for a small preset pot inside the box, so it can be preset by trial & error?

Many distortion pedal designs have levels extremely hot before the output volume control, and when driving an amp input, that volume control can bring extra tonal variety by letting you set how much the amp is over-driven.

Other fx types, such as phasers & chorus maybe ought to be designed to output close to the input signal level.

Oooh, the internal trimpot is actually a really good idea, I'm gonna steal this.

I see what you're saying about the overdriving and tone, I guess I hadn't considered that.

Yeah, I mean, to be honest my ideal use is just having the output be the same exact level as the input. I like things being mostly separable, so if I really wanted a volume boost I could do it with a separate pedal or something.

[GibsonGM]

Yeah, but - the interesting thing is that depending on what you've done to the signal, unity output may not sound the same level as the input!  If you cut treble (or other freqs....), unity may seem lacking, lower...even tho a scope may show the same input and output!

So you'd likely have to hand-tweak and not go for just the academic unity situation.  A minor point that affects nothing about what you want to do, tho, Shart...

[LightSoundGeometry]

put the same pedal on three different amps, like a solid state and two different style tube amps, and then ask yourself that question again 

[Ben Lyman]

I was waiting for you guys to bring this up because I don't know how to explain it myself. PRR schooled me just over a year ago on it and it has stuck with me, so without further ado let me post this quote, edited to try and keep it simple. Let me know if it does or doesn't apply to the subject.


"Works but inconsistently"

"...UN-known amount in different setups..."

"...depends directly on the impedance of the thing it is driving."

"...some next-boxes have much lower impedance, and the signal will get very weak. For "no particular reason" (you can't see impedance by looking in the jack)."

"Unity gain" is a slippery thing for a distorter which takes dynamic input level and outputs a near-constant mangle-wave. In real life (different guitars, pre-effects, genres) we usually wind up wanting an input gain, an output gain(level), or both."

"And if you only ever use ONE guitar, effects, and amplifier, you can test-trim the collector resistor tap for YOUR pleasure (but leaving the possibility of displeasure if anything changes)."

[deadastronaut]

 i always add a volume....even on phasers, chorus, delays....

boost, cut....

[J0K3RX]

I really can't imagine why I would not want a volume/level especially on a OD or distortion pedal? Redundant..? Nah.. Maybe if you had 3 volume controls on one pedal, that I would consider redundant.. For each pedal is not quite the same. If I had a tube screamer without the level control it would be kinda useless to me.. I could probably do without a volume/level pot on a power amp since I usually have the power amp dimed and control the volume using the preamp out volume control. I would be more inclined to leave a tone pot off here and there like on a tube screamer and I have done this a few times. I guess if it were just for myself on like a live rig or something and I knew exactly where I like the volume I may leave it off and use a fixed resistor but, still not very likely. If I were building a pedal to sell I wouldn't even consider not having a volume pot on it..

[EBK]

If anything, I'd remove the volume control on my guitar before removing it from a pedal.  Better to attenuate further down the chain.