LPB1 as active volume pedal?

[RLangham98]

Does anyone know of an active volume pedal/boost pedal based on the LPB-1 circuit? Or has anyone here built one or considered it?

It seems to me, as simple as the LPB-1 circuit is that this would be a pretty foolproof design. I would still put a volume pot on the side of the enclosure… that way the rocker pot can be set so that heel down is zero output, and then the max boost at toe down is determined by the separate volume knob. I almost feel like you could also put a switch on the side to add some clipping diodes into the circuit and have a basic OD/distortion pedal too, maybe add a tone knob…

I feel like, as simple as this circuit is, just a transistor and a power supply/biasing network for it, then a completely discreet, basically passive volume knob, and as cheap as wah enclosures are, you’d think this would be a popular first pedal project for people. Does it just not work as well as I’m predicting?

 

[Reivaj]

Doesn’t it crackle when you adjust the level pot?

 

[FenderLover]

...just a transistor and a power supply/biasing network for it, then a completely discreet, basically passive volume knob, and as cheap as wah enclosures are, you’d think this would be a popular first pedal project for people. Does it just not work as well as I’m predicting?

Correct, and a good question. It would be a simple mod in a volume pedal, but also the same thing as putting the LPB-1 (or any) boost directly before or after a volume pedal.

 

[FenderLover]

Doesn’t it crackle when you adjust the level pot?

No, you may be thinking of the SHO. The level control is on the output circuit in the LPB-1.

 

[Reivaj]

No, you may be thinking of the SHO. The level control is on the output circuit in the LPB-1.

Interesting!

While we’re at it: what’s the quietest volume on the level pot? Is it below unity? Even silent?
Thanks

 

[FenderLover]

Interesting!

While we’re at it: what’s the quietest volume on the level pot? Is it below unity? Even silent?
Thanks

The LPB-1 output volume will go all the way down to zero

 

[archetype]

Does anyone know of an active volume pedal/boost pedal based on the LPB-1 circuit? Or has anyone here built one or considered it?

It seems to me, as simple as the LPB-1 circuit is that this would be a pretty foolproof design. I would still put a volume pot on the side of the enclosure… that way the rocker pot can be set so that heel down is zero output, and then the max boost at toe down is determined by the separate volume knob. I almost feel like you could also put a switch on the side to add some clipping diodes into the circuit and have a basic OD/distortion pedal too, maybe add a tone knob…

I feel like, as simple as this circuit is, just a transistor and a power supply/biasing network for it, then a completely discreet, basically passive volume knob, and as cheap as wah enclosures are, you’d think this would be a popular first pedal project for people. Does it just not work as well as I’m predicting?

IMO there's no reason why it wouldn't work. The circuit is dead simple. I don't think it would produce enough voltage to clip with silicon diodes. Germanium diodes like the 1N34A conduct typically around 0.35 to 0.40 V, and so should clip when you've got the gain turned up

 

[Ayipioeeay]

Maybe just get one of these things and hook it up to the LPB-1, lol.

 

[monkeybanana]

Maybe just get one of these things and hook it up to the LPB-1, lol.

I have one of those and unfortunately doesn't work too well.

 

[Swirling Snow]

I think the Morley volume pedal has boost built in.

 

[drmordo]

I think the Morley volume pedal has boost built in.

I was just thinking that I've seen some volume pedal with a boost. Maybe it was the Morley.

If I was building one, I'd also put different output caps on a switch so I could make it into a treble booster if I wanted.

 

[RLangham98]

I was just thinking that I've seen some volume pedal with a boost. Maybe it was the Morley.

If I was building one, I'd also put different output caps on a switch so I could make it into a treble booster if I wanted.

There's also an Ernie Ball "expression overdrive" pedal built in the shape of an EB VPjr. The locally-owned guitar store in town discounted it like three times to get it to move before it apparently found a person that could put up with it.

I tried it and I think I see the problem with the concept I had of adding clipping to an active volume pedal: it's just not that musically useful to have an expression pedal that rolls on and off the overdrive. Not the way Ernie Ball did it, where the expression controls the gain, and probably not the way I was thinking, where the expression controls the output level. Controlling the input level maybe marginally better but still, no more useful and less versatile than a volume pedal in front of an overdrive pedal.

You know, as an aside, I saw the Morley Oil Can pedal at a repair shop I visited a week ago, disassembled and cleaned out, presumably awaiting new oil. Never thought I'd see one in person. My desire for it was intense but alas, it belonged to another customer.

 

[drmordo]

There's also an Ernie Ball "expression overdrive" pedal built in the shape of an EB VPjr. The locally-owned guitar store in town discounted it like three times to get it to move before it apparently found a person that could put up with it.

I tried it and I think I see the problem with the concept I had of adding clipping to an active volume pedal: it's just not that musically useful to have an expression pedal that rolls on and off the overdrive. Not the way Ernie Ball did it, where the expression controls the gain, and probably not the way I was thinking, where the expression controls the output level. Controlling the input level maybe marginally better but still, no more useful and less versatile than a volume pedal in front of an overdrive pedal.

You know, as an aside, I saw the Morley Oil Can pedal at a repair shop I visited a week ago, disassembled and cleaned out, presumably awaiting new oil. Never thought I'd see one in person. My desire for it was intense but alas, it belonged to another customer.

Many years ago I built an Ampeg Scrambler, which is a fantastic octave fuzz, but I housed it in a volume pedal enclosure. I wired the pedal as a blend pot, which is part of the design of the original pedal.

It was wicked fun. The best part was sustaining a note and then fading in the octave, so it almost sounded like feedback.

I really should dig it out and play with it again.

That said, what made it interesting was the octave. If it was just plain fuzz or distortion, rolling it in wouldn't be very interesting IMO.