Ernie Ball Expression Pedals Help

Paulg2uk

Paulg2uk

Power User
Hi everyone,

This morning i got my MFC-101 lovin' it by the way can't believe how compact it is yet so many features lol. I've managed to upgrade the firmware and sort out some instant access buttons. One thing that is really puzzling to me is setting up my ernie ball pedals just until I can afford to buy the mission stuff. I've set everything as the manual says as I want to control wah with one and volume with the other just for the time being.

The only thing I can't seem to get working is on the modifier page with the ball and the graph. I move the pedal up and down and nothing happens. When you go to calibrate on the mfc it detects it no problem.

Am I going mad or is there something I have switch on?

Any ideas guys?

Thanks

Paul
 
Managed to sort it out had the external 1 set to pedal instead of cc16. All sorted now though. The on;y thing I don't like is the auto on feature when turning its self off. Doesn't seem so smooth to me. Anyone else found that?
 
ernie ball pedals are not linear. They need to be modded or there is a special y cable that fixes the tapper to work well with midi. ATM I can not use my EB volume pedals as expressions either. Going to take some money, no way around it. As for the cable, I think I saw something here about it, but can not find the post right now. Do a few forum searches for "Ernie Ball" and you might find it. GL.

edit: check this out.
http://www.dbinstrumentamp.com/drupal/content/easy-expression-converter
 
Last edited:
Funeral said:
ernie ball pedals are not linear. They need to be modded or there is a special y cable that fixes the tapper to work well with midi. ATM I can not use my EB volume pedals as expressions either. Going to take some money, no way around it. As for the cable, I think I saw something here about it, but can not find the post right now. Do a few forum searches for "Ernie Ball" and you might find it. GL.

edit: check this out.
Easy Expression Converter | dbinstrumentamp.com
Click to expand...

Does anyone know how this cable works? I love the feel of my EB Jr. (250K) volume pedal and want to use for expression (dedicated for volume) with the MFC/AXE. I guess the 250K non-liner pot doesn't work well (don't know for sure, I haven't tried it yet). But, I usually make all my own cables (TS or TRS that is). I'm just wondering how this "easy expression converter" cable works? It appears to just be a standard Y-Cable. Is this something I can build on my own? I wonder if it's some proprietary cable or something? I can't find much about how it's constructed.

On a related note... since the AXE taper control seems so flexible, has anyone had success using a 250K non-linear type pedal with the AXE, just simply by dialing in the calibration/controls or whatever?

Also, this cable only comes in 6 feet. I prefer to have only a small cable and not a pile of extra cable lying around.
 
Well, I'm trying to avoid buying another pedal if (big IF) I can somehow get mine to work. I was considering the Mission EP-1, but don't like some of the comments about the tension wearing out and I'm going to be using for volume all the time, I need it to stay exactly where I leave it. But, I might concede to the 25k ohm pedal. Still curious about this cable though...

oh... and stereo 25K or mono?
 
there is supposed to be a tension adjustment screw on the mission pedals for if it gets less tight, as stated on their site.
 
wake911 said:
there is supposed to be a tension adjustment screw on the mission pedals for if it gets less tight, as stated on their site.
Click to expand...

I know, but it seems several people have had problems with the constant loosening and tightening and bent brackets etc.. I'm still going to use a Mission for my true expression needs (wah, whammie, etc.) but for volume, I need something different, I think...
 
Yes, thanks Rex, I've read that thread as well. It's mostly about modding the EB Jr. for a linear pot, which I'm not sure I'm up for that challenge. I think I will consider the easy expression cable and see how that works with my 250K pedal. I would rather make one of those myself because I don't want a 6 ft cable coiled up, when I only need about 1 foot. I was hoping somebody knew more about that cable.
 
Found a little more info on the Easy Expression in case anyone is interested... doesn't look like I'll be building one myself, some sort of internal circuitry in the wiring harness.

HRI
 
My guess is that the Easy Expression pedal contains a resistor or two that it adds to the circuit. I remember seeing a scematic somewhere that described the use of a resistor to get a more-or-less linear response out of an audio-taper pot.
 
Rex said:
My guess is that the Easy Expression pedal contains a resistor or two that it adds to the circuit. I remember seeing a scematic somewhere that described the use of a resistor to get a more-or-less linear response out of an audio-taper pot.
Click to expand...

here you go: Analog Alchemy - EMH
check the "linear pot" page. it works, no need to change the pot
 
Thanks, Enzo!

This is for converting an audio-taper pot to a linear taper? (It doesn't actually say so on the web page—it says it can fake a custom-value linear pot with "one of a larger value.")
 
Cool. Any idea what my "Desired value" should be, given that I'm starting out with a 250K pot in my Ernie Ball pedal? Default is 100K, but I'm not sure how my target value will affect the actual linearity of the circuit.
 
Rex said:
Cool. Any idea what my "Desired value" should be, given that I'm starting out with a 250K pot in my Ernie Ball pedal? Default is 100K, but I'm not sure how my target value will affect the actual linearity of the circuit.
Click to expand...

For the background on this see: The Secret Life of Pots

You need to come up with some R1 and R2 values that are actually obtainable. If you have a 250 kOhm logarithmic potentiometer and you plug some values in to that calculator, if you can find R1 and R2 in the 100 - 500 Ohm range you'll be fine. You'll end up with a linear taper and a sweep range that'll work.
 
wake911 said:
there is supposed to be a tension adjustment screw on the mission pedals for if it gets less tight, as stated on their site.
Click to expand...

They can say what they like on their site, but I have two relatively new Mission EP's an the tensioning system is lame, and just does not get the job done. Even with the tensioning mashed, the pedals droop and slowly slide to the toe forward position. Stick with a modded EB.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom