Has the old pot volume pedal gone out of style?

Austin Tripp · Post by **Austin Tripp** » 17 Jul 2014 7:49 pm

I've been using a Hilton for the past 7 years but I've just purchased a new Goodrich 120 and I was just wondering who still uses the old pot pedals.

Austin Tripp

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 17 Jul 2014 7:54 pm

They have for me, Austin. With the decline in quality of replacement pots and the availability of excellent alternatives like the Hilton and astounding Telonics pedals, it's a no-brainer to move on. The power cords are the only downside to me.

Paul Sutherland · Post by **Paul Sutherland** » 17 Jul 2014 7:55 pm

I use a Goodrich 120 pedal that I bought back in the 70s. I'm in no rush to get anything else.

Last I heard Paul Franklin was using a pot volume pedal. Seems like his tone is pretty good.

Keith Currie · Post by **Keith Currie** » 17 Jul 2014 8:26 pm

Yep I agree I cant get the feel or sound I like with out the pot petal, I tried the other but stayed with my old ways.

Austin Tripp · Post by **Austin Tripp** » 17 Jul 2014 8:57 pm

I agree totally about the power cords Mark lol. Have been through 3 with my Hilton. And Keith I agree about tone. Something about those ole 500k's just have a sweet tone. One thing I do like about the electric pedals is it seems to me like they have a little more "get up and go" as opposed to the pot pedals. And I believe Paul s still using the ole stereo Franklin volume pedal last I heard. There's pros and cons about both I guess lol.

AT

Tim Marcus · Post by **Tim Marcus** » 17 Jul 2014 10:25 pm

I use both the Telonics pedal and a Goodrich L120

I was frustrated with the lack of good pots and bought the Telonics - and it's a great sounding pedal - but I agree that the mojo is in the passive pot pedal.

I've been using regular PEC 500k pots (not the hi life) and it's been over a year since I have heard a scratch. I changed my pedals to be full on when they are pressed down all the way and I gotta say that it really brings the sparkle out when doing that.

Sometimes I just don't want to deal with running a power cable to my steel setup. If it's a rehearsal or a gig with little time to sound check for example the L120 is the easy way out. For a recording session I'll generally use the Telonics pedal - can't take a chance on scratchy. Also, if I use a single channel amp I'll use the Telonics because it plays nice with tele too, but with a 2 channel amp with one dedicated for steel the Goodrich is my choice.

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 17 Jul 2014 11:26 pm

Mine isn't that old. I bought it about 4 years ago. Still has the original pot.

Pots last a long time for me. I don't pump the pedal a whole lot. For some songs I take my foot off it. Blues and folk-rock don't really need a volume pedal. Often they sound better without it.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 18 Jul 2014 1:31 am

The pot pedals have gone out of favor with a lot of people who say that the pots kill the tone.
While Tommy White and Paul F. still use the pot pedal. I'm not gonna tell THEM to move on....

Scott Duckworth · Post by **Scott Duckworth** » 18 Jul 2014 2:47 am

One on the floor and one in the seat... just in case.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 18 Jul 2014 4:08 am

I've went to the Hilton as there is no pot to wear out and no string to break. The extra power cord is not an issue for me.

Whether "so and so" uses a pot pedal, does not mean that I should still use one. Just like my Franklin guitar. Several suggested I bought a Franklin guitar (new in 1981) because of Paul Franklin. I never heard of him until after I bought the guitar.

Jim Bates · Post by **Jim Bates** » 18 Jul 2014 8:33 am

No. I still use my Goodrich L120, Dekley low boy, and even a DeArmond (nylon gear) pot pedals.
AND, a Little Izzy with them makes them even better.

Thanx,
Jim

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 18 Jul 2014 8:36 am

Jack Stoner wrote:Several suggested I bought a Franklin guitar (new in 1981) because of Paul Franklin. I never heard of him until after I bought the guitar.

I bought a Goodrich because of Ollie Goodrich. Never regretted it.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 18 Jul 2014 9:37 am

I've always used a pot pedal. Never could understand the "tone suck" thing. My feeling is that a lot of players just look for anything they can to blame their shortcomings on - except themselves.

When you consider:

"Black Album" (pot pedal)
"Panther Hall" (pot pedal)
"Fifteen Years Ago" (pot pedal)
"Don't Come Home 'a Drinkin" (pot pedal)
"I'll Come Runnin" (pot pedal)
"Jukebox Charlie" (pot pedal)

And everything Emmons and Charleton ever did with Tubb (pot pedal).

Well, 'ya just gotta wonder what the "tone heads" are hearing.
$:\$

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 18 Jul 2014 10:04 am

You lose high frequencies when a pot pedal is at low volume. I say that's good. I don't want highs when I'm playing in the background - I want them when I'm soloing. I played with an active pedal for a long time, and I switched back to a pot pedal very deliberately. It's just better for the way that I play.

Tim Marcus · Post by **Tim Marcus** » 18 Jul 2014 10:18 am

if you set a Goodrich pedal to go all the way off when your heel is down, when its all the way up (toe down) the pot is still attenuating the signal some. There is just a little bit of rotation left on that pot, and it will load your pickup just a hair. Sometimes thats a good thing

I think both are good to own. The active pedal can be a real life saver, and the pot pedal can be a real time saver. They both sound good in different ways.

I know that Wayne Dahl uses a pot pedal and will probably never convert. He told me, and I agree, that the pot pedal has the mojo as long as you can find the reliable pots

Marty Broussard · Post by **Marty Broussard** » 18 Jul 2014 2:05 pm

B0b and other pot pedal users, are you using the Lil Izzy? I use it in some situations. It may or may not produce the same results as the powered pedals but it's easy to own.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 18 Jul 2014 2:09 pm

Marty, I won't run solid state without my Izzy. The tubes is sometimes yes, sometimes no.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 18 Jul 2014 2:12 pm

I like the old Shobud pedals. They sound great, and just seem ergonomically correct for me. I was using an L 120, and liked it. But Eddie Rhea gifted me an old Shobud in primo condition, and I love it!
When I was foolishly using a complicated stereo rack set up, I got a Goodrich active stereo pedal. Everytime I went into the studio, the engineers complained about hum and buzz, which only disappeared when I pulled out the old pot pedal. And the engineers always said the guitar sounded much better.

Marty Broussard · Post by **Marty Broussard** » 18 Jul 2014 2:32 pm

Lane I think we're on the same page. In addition, my experience is similar to Bob 's; I don't wear out many pots so I continue to use them.

Edward Rhea · Post by **Edward Rhea** » 18 Jul 2014 2:33 pm

JB, you are so welcome my friend! Your friendship and advice has been well worth it to me.
Randy Tatman gave me a Marlen pot pedal(still use it), over a year ago when I started. I use my Shobud pedal with my Shobud s10. So I have two vp's and two psg's.
About 2/3 of the steel players I've met still use a pot pedal. The others almost exclusively use a Hilton or a Telonics. FWIW, I like my pot pedals and have no desire to switch to an electronic/powered type.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 18 Jul 2014 2:38 pm

Ha! Thanks Ed! And aren''t those D2F covers great? They fit right into the case. I'm going to have them make a cover for my '63 F-Tip S-10. I can't recommend them highly enough!

Edward Rhea · Post by **Edward Rhea** » 18 Jul 2014 3:06 pm

Right you are John! Thanks so much for the pedal cover and turning me on to a great product!

Eric Philippsen · Post by **Eric Philippsen** » 18 Jul 2014 6:09 pm

I carry both a Telonics and a Goodrich 120 to gigs. Always good to have a backup.

Which one do I usually gig with? Well, I gotta say that I make up my mind when I open up my seat and see both lying there. Heck, both sound good, just different. Truth be told, lazy guy that I am, sometimes I'll throw the Goodrich down and use that rather than mess with yet another power cord. It always sounds fine.

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 19 Jul 2014 4:57 am

I've got two Goodrich 120's and a Sarno FreeLoader and couldn't be happier. Brad puts some sort of voodoo magic in the FreeLoader. You can dial in as much or as little twang as you desire.

Paul Wade · Post by **Paul Wade** » 19 Jul 2014 6:37 am

have three i carry since 1979

p.w

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Has the old pot volume pedal gone out of style?

Has the old pot volume pedal gone out of style?

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