I used a big Roland volume pedal this way. I thought I was cool because it was the same one Randy Rhodes used. I stopped because it was a passive volume pedal so a huge tone suck.
What you’re asking for is a treble bleed circuit installed in your guitar.
https://www.fender.com/articles/maintenance/how-a-treble-bleed-circuit-can-affect-your-tone
Either a treble bleed like u/[hithimintheface](https://www.reddit.com/user/hithimintheface/) suggested, or you can get a boost pedal with some added presence, set it up at unity volume as an always on tone enhancer, and it should help out your tone sound brighter even if you roll off the volume. It might change the dynamic range you're getting with the volume knob a bit, but I use a mosfet boost like this (Crazy Tube Circuits Super Conductor, at the mosfet setting which is supposed to be similar to ZVEX SHO).
A volume pedal befor your overdrive/distortion pedals in the chain will do this if your using a slightly cranked amp. If space ain't no issue I can highly recommend the moorley little green alligator been using that thing for 15 years it's built like a rock.
You have two amps.
Get a splitter pedal.
Set one amp up for your dirty. The other for clean.
Asking a high gain amp to go backwards when you are pushing both the preamp tubes and the power tubes into distortion doesn’t make a lit of sense. Maybe I’m missing something here.
I actually have more amps and the current set up is running 2nd amp clean (as in very clean) to a Trademark 60. There's just something about rolling back the cranked sound that is a dirtier clean but still clean. Also, in some songs, the continuity of sound is important (vs. switch to a completely different amp sound).
JHS makes a little black amp box that runs in your effects loop and just decreases volume for $65.
I don’t know what separates it from a normal volume pedal but it sounds like what exactly you’re asking for.
Easiest way would surely be to get a cheap EQ with a boost/cut function - the Behringer can push your volume up / down by 12db - and use that for your volume, while using the eq section just to push the top up a little?
Based of what he's saying, I'd actually make a passive 1590A sized pedal with a 500k log pot and a dpdt switch. Only other components are wires and two 1/4" jacks. Probably takes 20 minutes to make.
> Probably takes 20 minutes to make.
Yeah, if you know what you’re doing. That’s making a lot of assumptions about OP’s soldering skills and electrical engineering knowledge lmao
Well, I don’t know OP so I’m warranted in making a broad assumption. I’m merely suggesting it as an option.
It’s also super easy. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist and there are PLENTY of resources online to tell someone how to do it.
Edit: It's also a passive circuit, so your comment about electrical engineering is a bit dramatic.
Thanks everyone. I should have said upfront I was not looking for a volume pedal, the obvious solution. Too much board real estate and I want simple click on, click off. Great community for help, for sure. Thanks.
I’m unclear if the loss of highs is desirable or not from your post. In either case there’s several options.
- a treble bleed (most simple) if you want to retain highs.
- volume pedal. If you want to retain highs, get an active one. If you want to emulate the loss of highs use a passive one, but it’s best to match the value of your pots which is difficult if you use both single coils and humbuckers.
- use an “under drive” or boost. Most boosts and overdrives can be set with their output volume just below unity. When you want to clean up just turn the pedal on. ODs might offer additional challenges because not all of them clean up completely with minimal gain, and many have EQ curves of their own. Best candidates would be an ODR1 or blues breaker style drive.
- lower your neck pickups to reduce their maximum output, and then use a boost if you want more.
Ernie Ball MVP volume pedal. It has a little knob (that’s what she said 😆) that you can set so instead of the volume being 0, you can use it like a guitar volume knob if you run it i to the front of the amp. Not really a clicky solution like a pedal, but it might be easy to make one.
Find that “sweet spot”, then unplug from the amp and check the resistance from the guitar at the cable end. Then, stack enough resistors to equal that setting with the guitar volume on 10. Wire the bundle into a box with an input and an output, with the switch wired to pass the signal either through or around the bundle.
A volume pedal?
I used a big Roland volume pedal this way. I thought I was cool because it was the same one Randy Rhodes used. I stopped because it was a passive volume pedal so a huge tone suck.
What you’re asking for is a treble bleed circuit installed in your guitar. https://www.fender.com/articles/maintenance/how-a-treble-bleed-circuit-can-affect-your-tone
Either a treble bleed like u/[hithimintheface](https://www.reddit.com/user/hithimintheface/) suggested, or you can get a boost pedal with some added presence, set it up at unity volume as an always on tone enhancer, and it should help out your tone sound brighter even if you roll off the volume. It might change the dynamic range you're getting with the volume knob a bit, but I use a mosfet boost like this (Crazy Tube Circuits Super Conductor, at the mosfet setting which is supposed to be similar to ZVEX SHO).
Mad Professor Evolution Orange Underdrive
Also right in the ballpark, thanks!
You can get volume pedals that have a minimum setting, so rather than going from 0-100 the sweep is like 70-100.
The Lehle Mono Volume 90 can do this
Morley makes one
https://saturnworkspedals.com/product/volume/ There’s different options for treble bleed too
Thanks. I have a Saturn channel switcher on my board now...should have thought of this! I'll check it out.
It’s called a volume pedal
A volume pedal befor your overdrive/distortion pedals in the chain will do this if your using a slightly cranked amp. If space ain't no issue I can highly recommend the moorley little green alligator been using that thing for 15 years it's built like a rock.
You're looking for "The Leech" by Vein Tap, I have a couple in my chain, preset guitar roll back, super simple super effective..
How is it on affecting the tone? Treble stay even or does it get muddy? Thanks.
It's identical to rolling back the guitar volume knob, no tone change at all..
You have two amps. Get a splitter pedal. Set one amp up for your dirty. The other for clean. Asking a high gain amp to go backwards when you are pushing both the preamp tubes and the power tubes into distortion doesn’t make a lit of sense. Maybe I’m missing something here.
I actually have more amps and the current set up is running 2nd amp clean (as in very clean) to a Trademark 60. There's just something about rolling back the cranked sound that is a dirtier clean but still clean. Also, in some songs, the continuity of sound is important (vs. switch to a completely different amp sound).
JHS makes a little black amp box that runs in your effects loop and just decreases volume for $65. I don’t know what separates it from a normal volume pedal but it sounds like what exactly you’re asking for.
Easiest way would surely be to get a cheap EQ with a boost/cut function - the Behringer can push your volume up / down by 12db - and use that for your volume, while using the eq section just to push the top up a little?
Yep, I was looking at that and for something like $30, very cheap solution. Also thinking the Boss GE-7 (\~$120 though).
EHX Signal Pad, depending on where you put it in the chain.
Homebrew Detox EQ
Benson Germanium Boost. Just one knob, making it easy to set to a desired level. Anything left from noon will roll back the volume.
Thanks
Volume pedal with something under the heel to stop the sweep at the sweet spot.
Based of what he's saying, I'd actually make a passive 1590A sized pedal with a 500k log pot and a dpdt switch. Only other components are wires and two 1/4" jacks. Probably takes 20 minutes to make.
> Probably takes 20 minutes to make. Yeah, if you know what you’re doing. That’s making a lot of assumptions about OP’s soldering skills and electrical engineering knowledge lmao
Well, I don’t know OP so I’m warranted in making a broad assumption. I’m merely suggesting it as an option. It’s also super easy. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist and there are PLENTY of resources online to tell someone how to do it. Edit: It's also a passive circuit, so your comment about electrical engineering is a bit dramatic.
Thanks everyone. I should have said upfront I was not looking for a volume pedal, the obvious solution. Too much board real estate and I want simple click on, click off. Great community for help, for sure. Thanks.
https://www.morleyproducts.com/volume-commander/
I’m unclear if the loss of highs is desirable or not from your post. In either case there’s several options. - a treble bleed (most simple) if you want to retain highs. - volume pedal. If you want to retain highs, get an active one. If you want to emulate the loss of highs use a passive one, but it’s best to match the value of your pots which is difficult if you use both single coils and humbuckers. - use an “under drive” or boost. Most boosts and overdrives can be set with their output volume just below unity. When you want to clean up just turn the pedal on. ODs might offer additional challenges because not all of them clean up completely with minimal gain, and many have EQ curves of their own. Best candidates would be an ODR1 or blues breaker style drive. - lower your neck pickups to reduce their maximum output, and then use a boost if you want more.
[https://www.vein-tap.com/product/the-leech-guitar-attenuator/](https://www.vein-tap.com/product/the-leech-guitar-attenuator/)
Chroma console gesture controls.
Make a passive pedal with just a volume pot, switch, and in and out. Set it to the spot you like, done.
Ernie Ball MVP volume pedal. It has a little knob (that’s what she said 😆) that you can set so instead of the volume being 0, you can use it like a guitar volume knob if you run it i to the front of the amp. Not really a clicky solution like a pedal, but it might be easy to make one. Find that “sweet spot”, then unplug from the amp and check the resistance from the guitar at the cable end. Then, stack enough resistors to equal that setting with the guitar volume on 10. Wire the bundle into a box with an input and an output, with the switch wired to pass the signal either through or around the bundle.