Axe FX II and the Ernie Ball Volume JR

[Brogen72]

I was curious if any Axe II users here are using the EB Volume Jr with their MFC? Is it possible to use the Volume Jr as an expression pedal or just as its intended volume control? I know Mission pedals are the way to go but I am trying to decide how much I really need one. Thx!

 

[Rexgtr]

I tried and tried then gave up, sold the Jr and bought the Boss FV500 expression pedals.

 

[Brogen72]

I tried and tried then gave up, sold the Jr and bought the Boss FV500 expression pedals.

What did you not like about it?

 

[chris]

I'm pretty sure you need to mod the pedal or use a specific cable to get it to work right. Expression pedals use TRS cables and that's the mind of signal the MFC and Axe expect.

Of course it can be used as an analog volume pedal with the axe, but I believe it won't control things with a regular 1/4" cable.

 

[Rexgtr]

What did you not like about it?

Mostly that I couldn't get it to work as an expression pedal 8)
I used TRS cables but wasn't going to mod it. I even tried a TRS mod cable that swapped the tip and ring. No go.

 

[unix-guy]

I'm pretty sure you need to mod the pedal or use a specific cable to get it to work right. Expression pedals use TRS cables and that's the mind of signal the MFC and Axe expect.

Of course it can be used as an analog volume pedal with the axe, but I believe it won't control things with a regular 1/4" cable.

Most passive volume pedals can be used as a controller pedal - you just need a TRS->Y cable. The TRS end goes to the CC jack and then the TIP side of the Y goes into one side of the vol pedal and the RING side goes into the other side of the volume pedal (don't remember which one is which at the moment).

HOSA makes some decent 2' or 3' cables that work well for this...

Of course, I don't have an MFC but the GCP uses the same type of setup (and I am assuming it works the same)... and with the original Ground Control pedals you can just use a 1/4" cable from the "output" jack to the exp pedal jack.

 

[Sixstring]

Another GCP user... I use two of them and have so for years with the Axe, not through the MFC but as expression pedals none the less. Some complain about the taper of the pot not being completely liner. It doesn't bother me as I have grown used to it. There is a company that makes a mod to fix that issue if you already have one and it bothers you. Other wise Mission or Boss are the alternatives, personally I like the foot print of the EBVjr small light and simple.

For the cables I built my using Gorge L's cable and 90's and SwitchCraft TRS 90 fairly easy to do and you get a finished look with you cable runs.

 

[levipeto]

Lots of thread about this, do a search.

There is a micro switch inside. You can reach in, no need to dissemble it. You can switch between liner and logaritmic.

Works fine as an expression pedal.

Also need an 1 Stereo to 2 Mono, Y cable.

 

[Brogen72]

Pain in the ass it sounds like...I'll just buy Mission pedal, or try my Cry Baby in the front of the Axe. :encouragement:

 

[unix-guy]

Another GCP user... I use two of them and have so for years with the Axe, not through the MFC but as expression pedals none the less. Some complain about the taper of the pot not being completely liner. It doesn't bother me as I have grown used to it. There is a company that makes a mod to fix that issue if you already have one and it bothers you. Other wise Mission or Boss are the alternatives, personally I like the foot print of the EBVjr small light and simple.

For the cables I built my using Gorge L's cable and 90's and SwitchCraft TRS 90 fairly easy to do and you get a finished look with you cable runs.

I use George L's cables for everything else in my old rig / pedalboard... and I have 2 20' George L guitar cables. Great sound, clean look, custom length

You can use standard Dunlop volume pedals, too.

 

[Rex]

For most people's tastes, volume pedals make lousy expression pedals. Expression pedals have a linear taper to make them change their values evenly. Volume pedals have logarithmic tapers that make them do very little for part of the sweep, then act abruptly for the rest of the sweep.

That said, I love the feel of Ernie Ball pedals. Search the forum for ways to modify the EB's taper. Some mods are more involved than others.

The little switch inside the EB pedals will change the sweep, but it won't make it linear. It might change it enough to suit you. If you already have one, try it and see whether you like it.

 

[gitrbldr]

I got one of these cables and the ernie ball works great
Strymon Tech Corner #3

 

[unix-guy]

I got one of these cables and the ernie ball works great
Strymon Tech Corner #3

Yep - exact same ones I use that I referred to in my previous post, except mine are right-angle plugs which work a lot better on a pedal board.

 

[Rex]

I got one of these cables and the ernie ball works great
Strymon Tech Corner #3

If you don't mind the taper, that cable is a good solution. For me, the taper is exactly why it doesn't work. As they say in the link you posted, "One thing that may be a little bit different about using the volume pedal as an expression is that if the volume pedal uses an audio taper potentiometer you won’t get a linear sweep of expression pedal values from toe to heel. In other words, much of the action will happen at one extreme of the pedal."

That's why it doesn't work for me. It doesn't act much like an expression pedal—it's more like a "soft" on/off switch, with everything happening near the toe-down position. You can hear it in the video, too.

I wound up modifying my EB pedal to have a more linear sweep, and it works like a charm.

 

[unix-guy]

If you don't mind the taper, that cable is a good solution. For me, the taper is exactly why it doesn't work. As they say in the link you posted, "One thing that may be a little bit different about using the volume pedal as an expression is that if the volume pedal uses an audio taper potentiometer you won’t get a linear sweep of expression pedal values from toe to heel. In other words, much of the action will happen at one extreme of the pedal."

That's why it doesn't work for me. It doesn't act much like an expression pedal—it's more like a "soft" on/off switch, with everything happening near the toe-down position. You can hear it in the video, too.

I wound up modifying my EB pedal to have a more linear sweep, and it works like a charm.

Using them as a controller for a Wah or Volume (and probably Whammy) probably actually makes sense then... since those actual effects have a logarithmic taper already.

However, it also probably all depends on the particular midi controller pedal they are plugged into... for example, with both my GCP and original Ground Control pedals (which have different methods of connecting CCs, as I mentioned above) I am still setting the taper on the Wah controller to LOG30A and it "feels" correct to me.

 

[Rex]

Using them as a controller for a Wah or Volume (and probably Whammy) probably actually makes sense then... since those actual effects have a logarithmic taper already.

I wish it were true. Humans percieve volume logarithmically, but that math is already done for you by the effect, which expects to see a linear controller.

However, it also probably all depends on the particular midi controller pedal they are plugged into... for example, with both my GCP and original Ground Control pedals (which have different methods of connecting CCs, as I mentioned above) I am still setting the taper on the Wah controller to LOG30A and it "feels" correct to me.

If it works for you, that's all that counts.

 

[Brogen72]

I'm pretty sure you need to mod the pedal or use a specific cable to get it to work right. Expression pedals use TRS cables and that's the mind of signal the MFC and Axe expect.

Of course it can be used as an analog volume pedal with the axe, but I believe it won't control things with a regular 1/4" cable.

Thanks guys...and Chris thank you for the great Axe FX videos, they have helped a lot!!