Volume pedal

[Jack Hanson]

For electric lap and/or console steel players, how often do you use a volume pedal?

[David Knutson]

I don't use a volume pedal at all for straight steel. My approach is about the same as when I'm playing acoustic steel, with straight up attack and natural decay. Back in the day when I was playing PSG (not very well, as I recall) volume pedal was just part of the instrument - a vital part of the sound.

[Joe Cook]

I only use it when I'm playing with others. I change guitars when I'm playing with a band. It just makes it easier.

[Dave Mudgett]

For lap/console steel, depends on what kind of music I'm playing. Country/swing - generally yes. Blues/rock - generally not. But pedal steel - almost always.

[Bob Shilling]

It's part of my pedal steel. I've only recently started learning lap steel and it's still part of the psg. When I get better at bar slants and other lap steel nuances, I may try it. But, for now, I voted "never."

[Jerry Overstreet]

Lap steel almost never. When I used to play the Fender Dual Pro, I would use an old Ernie Ball vp with a 250K pot in it. I liked that sound pretty good, so I used it most of the time...outside and to the right front ala Kayton Roberts.

[Nic Neufeld]

As a "grandstudent" of Jerry Byrd, you'd think I might use it more but I never do. Never felt natural to me and JB was more of an exception rather than the rule with Hawaiian steel guitar styles.

[Joe A. Roberts]

I seldom use a volume pedal, but I have always been curious about volume tone pedals.
Does anyone use one regularly? (Volume vertical axis, tone horizontal axis)
I know Fender and Bigsby made them but are there any modern ones?

Some interesting discussion on them from an old Oahu lesson from 1947:

[Madeline Dietrich]

Joe, thanks for sharing this! I've always wondered what such a foot pedal would look like. (About what I expected, but really cool to see it!)

[Joe A. Roberts]

Two more interesting pages acquainting players new to electric instruments with the new fangled tone control and volume knob:

[Frank James Pracher]

I will use one on gigs, but just for instrument changes, and to turn down the guitar between songs. I will occasionally do volume swells with it, but not very often.

[David M Brown]

I voted "sometimes"...many times I just use the controls on the steel guitar but there are times I want foot control over volume. It depends on the musical situation.

I will use one on gigs, but just for instrument changes, and to turn down the guitar between songs. I will occasionally do volume swells with it, but not very often.

That would be one of those times!

[Fred]

I chose always because it's almost always there. I don't ride it like a pedal steel player. It's not used to enhance sustain. It's a volume knob. Adjust the volume. Adjust how hard the overdrive or amp gets hit. It's used for "violining" because it's easier than a guitar mounted volume knob. If for some reason it's not plugged in, or I'm playing a regular guitar, I use the volume knob.