Scott Henderson Discussion

[AlexThanos]

Hi Scott, hope you're well! I have a couple questions regarding the topic above.

I noticed that without a buffer right before the volume pedal, the Vertex Volume pedal drops the volume a bit on my tone. I have mine in a 10 loop switcher (One Control Crocodile Tail Loop) on Loop 7 individually before the delay, reverb and Strymon Flint. I noticed that when i turn the loop on and off for my volume pedal i hear a volume drop. I didn't want to use a buffer before my overdrives cos i use a short cable like how you would use it. I noticed however if i stick my prototype RJM buffer on the same loop as the Vertex the tone remains the same...im guessing its the high impedance to low impedance thing. My Vertex Volume pedal is the stereo one.

So seeing as you use it in the fx loop…are all your cables, Suhr MiniMix, and Roland Delay all operating on balanced +4 signal? Can you explain your solution to this issue please and whether or not you have the same issue?

Thx so much Scott!

[Scott Henderson]

It sounds like you're using the volume pedal before the amp, or in other words, not in the amp's FX loop. The Vertex volume pedal, as far as I know, is a modded Boss FV500L. The L stands for low impedance - this pedal is meant to take a +4 line level signal from an FX loop. If you're running it before the amp, you're gonna have problems. The correct pedal for that would be the FV500H (high impedance).

I use the volume pedal in the FX loop - I don't want the pedal to affect my gain, which I control with the guitar volume.

[AlexThanos]

Hi Scott, thx for the clarification.

My volume pedal is actually in the FX Loop though. From the amp fx send to the switcher and back to the return after loop 10 (delay) so my amp gain is there too. I also tried placing the volume pedal between the FX send on the amp to the switcher which means its always on...i can still hear a bit of loss on the high end though.

I tried using a buffer at the beginning of the chain and that helped except when i kick in a compressor on loop 1 then you can hear the volume pedal on loop 7 drop. Its probably cos its high impedance(guitar)-low impedance(buffer)-compressor(high impedance)-volume pedal(low impedance) ? Could that hv caused that? Which is why apparently after all the gains and mods sticking a buffer right before the low impedance volume keeps the tone in tact but I'm trying not to use buffers altogether.

Do you use a balanced stereo +4 cable in your FX loop or are they regular mono ones?

Thx again Scott!

[Scott Henderson]

I'm sure the problem comes from using the volume pedal in a switching device - most of those are meant to loop pedals which go if front of the amp. I can't tell you if my volume drops a little when using the volume pedal since it's in the chain all the time. If it's causing a little high end loss, that's OK.

I did a test one time - I compared using only the mixer in the FX loop with very short cables, to using long cables out to my volume pedal and then back to the mixer. I liked what the long cables and volume pedal did to the tone - in my case it made the tone less shrill by getting rid of some annoying ultra-high frequencies. I use high gain a lot, but want a smooth tone without a lot of hair on the top end, so that setup works for me. I always thought the high end was being affected by the long cables, but I guess the volume pedal could be part of it too. Whatever it is, I like it.

My cables are all mono - Mogami 2524.

[AlexThanos]

Ah ok i see your point Scott. You're a smart man! lol

I kept thinking 'ok if Scott thinks its important enough to play with a 4ft cable so that theres no high end loss that means the tone should remain with that high end in tact all the way'

I realised that u have a short cable so that the full high end is in tact going into the pedals before you turn down the tone to taste as opposed to how buffers work which is long cables causing original guitar tone to lose high end only to add it 'artificially' with a buffer and add that weird stiff feeling to the tone....is that right?

[Scott Henderson]

Yes, most buffers add an "ultra high" frequency which is above the range of the guitar or amp's tone controls - you can't dial out that kind of treble. Some buffers are more subtile, but if you play high gain tones with a buffer, there's always more hair on the top end.

I don't play with a short cable to give my tone more treble when I have the guitar volume up loud - I use it so I don't loose treble when I turn down to play chords.