www.shortscale.org

[Ankhanu]

Shortscale, I've been wanting to pick up a volume pedal for a while, mostly for delay/reverb drenched swells, and creating sort of synthy sounds more accurately than picking and rolling volume knobs. I'm also kinda cheap... but I like good gear. What are your recommendations for a reasonably priced, smooth volume pedal with good action?

Or maybe I'll pick up an octave pedal... who knows
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[BearBoy]

I've got a Boss FV-500. Built like a tank. Nice and smooth action, which you can adjust to your liking. Also works as an expression pedal (certainly compatible with Boss/Roland stuff, not sure about other brands).

Probably not the cheapest pedal around but feels like it would survive a nuclear attack.
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[aen]

I'm still a fan of the Ernie Ball VP. I hear about them breaking now and then, but I've had one kicking ass for the last 5 or six years.
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High quality, low popularity Ecstatic Fury
https://theronaldraygun.bandcamp.com/album/surrender-dorothy

[Bacchus]

Quite like the look of the Boss FV-30. Bossy goodness but tinier.
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[Gabriel]

I'm using a Morley mini volume and it's pretty cool. Although I was messing about with my friend's pedalboard at the weekend and he uses an Ernie ball. To be honest, feel wise I think the Ernie ball's have the best taper.
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www.gabrielwareing.com

[Ankhanu]

Great, thanks.
Most of these are pretty close in price; within ~$10.
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[dezb1]

I use a Bespeco one which fills your cheap criteria because it is, and your good criteria cause it works
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Extreme distortion used discreetly...

[singlepup]

I just bought a BOSS FV-50 on eBay for $40 USD. Yes, it's plastic but seemed well worth the price. I like how BOSS has the high/low impedence option (I got low because I'll use this for a drum machine). I also like how you can set the minimum volume on this pedal. Reviews indicated a smooth taper as well.

I don't usually prefer BOSS for overdrive or modulation effects because they are a bit bland to my ear. But for utility pedals like tuners, BOSS has always served me well.

[Ankhanu]

Let me know how it actually feels under foot when it get in.
I'm kind of leaning towards a compact pedal, but, since I don't actually own a pedal board yet and have everything on the floor, compact isn't that big a deal yet.

I primarily want to use the pedal for saturated delay swells, and I think I'll be placing it between my OD/Distortion and the delay so the driven signal is equally driven in the early attack as in the end... but I may also end up using it at the start of the chain. From the sounds of things, I'd want the high impedance at the start, but likely the low impedance mid-chain?
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[dots]

only ever used the ernie ball full sized version, but man that thing was smooth as buttah.
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[singlepup]

[singlepup]

^Actually, I'm going to revise my earlier review of the FV-50L. I used it again today and it's not that bad... could be tighter, but still usable. I think my issue is that I'm just not used to using a volume pedal or wah. It's more difficult than I thought. I'll hold onto the pedal for now, but I'll likely just use an EQ as a clean boost instead.

Ankhanu, I'd say go for the full sized FV-500 if in doubt. "Adjustability" is a key feature.

[Ankhanu]

Interesting, interesting. Great info there, thanks.
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[royb8s]

I use a Dunlop DVP1 that I got several years ago at the pawn shop for about $40. I absolutely love it. Very smooth, and build like a tank. I can just about stand on it, and I'm a big boy. Doesn't seem to color my tone at all. I run it in my effects loop before any of my time effects.