Comments on: Mark Knopfler’s Ernie Ball Volume Pedal – and how I use mine http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/2008/09/10/knopflers-ernie-ball-volume-pedal-and-how-i-use-mine/ Ingo Raven's blog about the Mark Knopfler guitar style and electric guitar in general Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:02:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Andy de Ronde http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/2008/09/10/knopflers-ernie-ball-volume-pedal-and-how-i-use-mine/comment-page-1/#comment-5544 Andy de Ronde Sat, 01 Oct 2011 09:18:51 +0000 http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/?p=259#comment-5544 Looking back into it again it seems the Morley he used has a strange kind of angle to it (the way it's rocked back an forth). I'm confused now, he does seem to push it forward but he's almost standing on it (Rockpalast video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz51p5PZuGQ at aprox 2:40) For years i have thought he reversed the pedal and never gave it a further thought!! Looking back into it again it seems the Morley he used has a strange kind of angle to it (the way it’s rocked back an forth).
I’m confused now, he does seem to push it forward but he’s almost standing on it (Rockpalast video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz51p5PZuGQ at aprox 2:40)
For years i have thought he reversed the pedal and never gave it a further thought!!

]]> By: Andy de Ronde http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/2008/09/10/knopflers-ernie-ball-volume-pedal-and-how-i-use-mine/comment-page-1/#comment-5541 Andy de Ronde Fri, 30 Sep 2011 22:03:10 +0000 http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/?p=259#comment-5541 One thing is missing here as far as i can see. Knopfler used to reverse the volumepedal (top down) so it's easier to control with heel, especialy when simultainiously singing. You just stand on it actualy and drop the heel instead of pushing with the toes. Some of your early day pictures actualy show this setup. I think in a song like "Lions" the swells would have been difficult to achieve the normal way. Dont know if he dropped this habbit in a later stage. What's your take on this? One thing is missing here as far as i can see.
Knopfler used to reverse the volumepedal (top down) so it’s easier to control with heel, especialy when simultainiously singing.
You just stand on it actualy and drop the heel instead of pushing with the toes.
Some of your early day pictures actualy show this setup.
I think in a song like “Lions” the swells would have been difficult to achieve the normal way.
Dont know if he dropped this habbit in a later stage.
What’s your take on this?

]]> By: Richard Sweeney http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/2008/09/10/knopflers-ernie-ball-volume-pedal-and-how-i-use-mine/comment-page-1/#comment-4994 Richard Sweeney Thu, 14 Apr 2011 11:12:36 +0000 http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/?p=259#comment-4994 I was going to say swap the input and output as the lines are the same shape just rotated 180degrees. I was going to say swap the input and output as the lines are the same shape just rotated 180degrees.

]]> By: Ingo http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/2008/09/10/knopflers-ernie-ball-volume-pedal-and-how-i-use-mine/comment-page-1/#comment-4499 Ingo Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:47:07 +0000 http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/?p=259#comment-4499 That is another interesting thought. The wiper itself is the output, so the resistor must be from the wiper to the input clip. See this thread for more discussion plus a link for the schematics: http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=86390.msg724223;topicseen That is another interesting thought. The wiper itself is the output, so the resistor must be from the wiper to the input clip. See this thread for more discussion plus a link for the schematics:
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=86390.msg724223;topicseen

]]> By: Stan http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/2008/09/10/knopflers-ernie-ball-volume-pedal-and-how-i-use-mine/comment-page-1/#comment-4497 Stan Mon, 16 Aug 2010 22:01:58 +0000 http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/?p=259#comment-4497 Did a little more research and all you need to do is connect a 220k resistor from the wiper of th pot to output. My EB actually has a switch underneath the pedal that you can switch to turn this taper on and voila. Did a little more research and all you need to do is connect a 220k resistor from the wiper of th pot to output. My EB actually has a switch underneath the pedal that you can switch to turn this taper on and voila.

]]> By: Stan http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/2008/09/10/knopflers-ernie-ball-volume-pedal-and-how-i-use-mine/comment-page-1/#comment-4492 Stan Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:23:59 +0000 http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/?p=259#comment-4492 I own one and the mechanism is not rocket science. It appears that EB uses a standard pot with a special "spool" attached to the shaft for the string. You could order a 250K reverse log/audio taper pot. Then take off the "spool" on the old one and attach it to the new one and solder the new on in. In fact when I get home am going to take a close look at the pot that comes with the pedal. I own one and the mechanism is not rocket science. It appears that EB uses a standard pot with a special “spool” attached to the shaft for the string. You could order a 250K reverse log/audio taper pot. Then take off the “spool” on the old one and attach it to the new one and solder the new on in. In fact when I get home am going to take a close look at the pot that comes with the pedal.

]]> By: Blake http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/2008/09/10/knopflers-ernie-ball-volume-pedal-and-how-i-use-mine/comment-page-1/#comment-4400 Blake Fri, 18 Jun 2010 19:50:22 +0000 http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/?p=259#comment-4400 Is the volume pedal, pictured above, the actual one you own? I own an older style as well with the open front and the jacks on the right hand side. Does yours have the black knob on the outside like mine does? If so, do you know what it is for? Mine doesn't seem to do anything at all. Is the volume pedal, pictured above, the actual one you own? I own an older style as well with the open front and the jacks on the right hand side. Does yours have the black knob on the outside like mine does? If so, do you know what it is for? Mine doesn’t seem to do anything at all.

]]> By: Ingo http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/2008/09/10/knopflers-ernie-ball-volume-pedal-and-how-i-use-mine/comment-page-1/#comment-3282 Ingo Mon, 18 Jan 2010 20:38:12 +0000 http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/?p=259#comment-3282 of course not of course not

]]> By: Sean http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/2008/09/10/knopflers-ernie-ball-volume-pedal-and-how-i-use-mine/comment-page-1/#comment-3281 Sean Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:14:48 +0000 http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/?p=259#comment-3281 Will swapping the input and output jacks damage the pedal? Will swapping the input and output jacks damage the pedal?

]]> By: Chris http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/2008/09/10/knopflers-ernie-ball-volume-pedal-and-how-i-use-mine/comment-page-1/#comment-2211 Chris Thu, 26 Feb 2009 10:16:02 +0000 http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/?p=259#comment-2211 Hi, the poti used in early EB volume pedals is definitely different from those they use the current versions or ship as replacement parts now. I came to know this when I had to replace the original poti in my 1993 EB pedal due to scratching problems (first generation or so, 6160 model I guess but there are no numbers anywhere, the one with only two jacks and no tuner out) some time ago. Not only that the new poti is rather crappy in comparison to the old one (original 250K mono EB replacement part that comes in a sealed plastic bag, costs a whopping 27 EUR - but much smaller, cheap plastic case instead of metal on the backside, really crappy tin contacts instead of solid brass ones, so that the cable jacks hardly fit anymore and so on, plus: the old poti had a black pen marking on the front, i.e. was obviously hand selected - and it came from Canada), it also sounds different (cuts off treble when fully open somehow, IMHO, in particular when used with my 1995 maple Am Std Strat that was retro-fitted with Texas Specials) and behaves generally like your blue curve now where the old one implemented the red curve and worked over the entire pedal range. Was rather disappointed after all, but well. At least, it doesn't scratch anymore, an I may get accustomed to the new behaviour over time. I remember that when I got it, I also struggled to get accustomed to the long pedal range, first, and wished it would react more instantly back then :-) Hi,

the poti used in early EB volume pedals is definitely different from those they use the current versions or ship as replacement parts now. I came to know this when I had to replace the original poti in my 1993 EB pedal due to scratching problems (first generation or so, 6160 model I guess but there are no numbers anywhere, the one with only two jacks and no tuner out) some time ago. Not only that the new poti is rather crappy in comparison to the old one (original 250K mono EB replacement part that comes in a sealed plastic bag, costs a whopping 27 EUR – but much smaller, cheap plastic case instead of metal on the backside, really crappy tin contacts instead of solid brass ones, so that the cable jacks hardly fit anymore and so on, plus: the old poti had a black pen marking on the front, i.e. was obviously hand selected – and it came from Canada), it also sounds different (cuts off treble when fully open somehow, IMHO, in particular when used with my 1995 maple Am Std Strat that was retro-fitted with Texas Specials) and behaves generally like your blue curve now where the old one implemented the red curve and worked over the entire pedal range. Was rather disappointed after all, but well. At least, it doesn’t scratch anymore, an I may get accustomed to the new behaviour over time. I remember that when I got it, I also struggled to get accustomed to the long pedal range, first, and wished it would react more instantly back then :-)

]]>