Volume pre-set pedal

[Darth Sabbathi]

Is there a pedal out there that that allows you to switch between more than two volume settings? I use my guitar volume control a lot and switch between 3 or 4 settings:

1) full on [10 on the dial] - most of the time. Just, you know, full out.
2) slightly rolled off [7 or 8] - I use this with a lot of fuzz pedals as it reduces the woof factor
3) rolled off a lot [3] - I use this for my clean sound. My amp is always driving hard, but with the volume rolled right back I can get relatively clean.
4) all off [0]. Silencio. I actually usually stomp on my tuner for the kill switch, but sometimes use the volume knob.

I've just got a volume pedal (thanks Dan!) and it is awesome - I love having this control at my feet. Plus the taper on the pedal is a million times better than my guitars' controls, which tend to be pretty clumpy. But it can be a little tricky getting it in just the right spot. My VP has a min setting, so I thought I might set that for my clean sound, but finding the slightly rolled off point is still a trick.

So yeah, got me thinking whether someone has come up with a pedal that allows you to toggle through pre-set levels of volume cut. And google didn't give me an immediate and simple answer...

[StratMatt]

I know the Morley Little Alligator pedal, which is a Steve Vai signature volume has a minimum setting. Heel down for your rhythm or clean setting, and toe down for full noise.

[robnobcorncob]

You could wire up a volume pot in an aluminum box with a DPDT switch and that would give you a preset (decrease) when engaged. Easy.

[druz15]

You could wire up a volume pot in an aluminum box with a DPDT switch and that would give you a preset (decrease) when engaged. Easy.

I was gonna say this but bear in mind everytime you add one in series you're placing more load on your pickups.
e.g if you have a Les Paul on the bridge pickup with a volume pedal AND a preset volume pedal, that's a potential of up to 1.5 Meg load on your pickup when you normally have 500k on it, can sometimes significantly change the sound (unless you're talking no-load pickups or ONly ever using one option eg just volume pedal or just preset or just guitar volume)

[Darth Sabbathi]

Interesting. I was looking for an easy option, i.e. something I could buy. But if we're talking about the feasibility of such a thing...

Is a potentiometer the only way to cut volume? What is the volume pot actually doing? How does it decrease the signal? Could you do the same thing with switches rather than a pot?

[JHorner]

Im sure a resident sparky will correct me but: the volume pot adds resistance. 10 = minimum resistance, 0 = maximum resistance.

I would have thought that 3x true bypass switches would enable you to switch on/off 3 different pots with minimal added resistance.

/not a sparky
/have listened to endless lectures from a real sparky

[Vince]

Well... my early 2000s Zoom multi-FX box has an effect level setting for each patch.

You can get similar things on TradeMe for about $70.

I suppose it would be simple enough on a similar gadget to have four patches that are blank except for the patch level and put the multi FX at the end of the line. YMMV.

[sirvill]

Also definitely not a sparky but could you not use resistors instead of pots? Is a pot not a variable resistor?

[JHorner]

Have you tried an OD with the output down low and the gain off before the fuzz? Guitar stays on 10, when fuzz goes on, OD goes on too to cut the signal.

[Cdog]

It's definitely doable. A buffer, a bit of logic switching, & some trimmers so you could set your own levels.
Actually might need a little more planning to work with fuzz pedals as the impedance of the guitar helps them sound the way they do

[Reg18]

It's definitely doable. A buffer, a bit of logic switching, & some trimmers so you could set your own levels.
Actually might need a little more planning to work with fuzz pedals as the impedance of the guitar helps them sound the way they do

I was going to suggest something similar until I realised buffers can be funny with fuzz pedals.
I've had 2 pedals built for me to do this very thing in the past (no longer have them) one was a 2 button passive volume pedal. 2 foot switches one with just a passive volume knob and the other cut some bass acting as a treble booster type thing. Passive works just like your volume knob but it does loose some bottom
End etc.
the other was a pedal I called "Black Toast" which was a booster and buffer in one pedal, again 2 foot switches, 1 side boost and the other a buffer with a volume knob that was switchable. The builder questioned why I didn't just have the buffer as always on and forget about the foot switch but it was for this exact reason....a preset volume drop. Because it was a good quality buffer it kept the sound virtually the same when engaged no matter where the volume knob was set. A great solution but may not play nicely with fuzz.