The Ernie Ball VP Jr is an extremely sturdy pedal made of aircraft-grade aluminum. It feels solid and apart from the string that can potentially break at an unexpected time, it is built to last for a lifetime of abuse. On your search for volume pedals, you might have become aware that rather than offering the standard single-input single-output, some of them have dual outputs installed. This is more common on stompbox-style effects, but on some high-end volume pedals, manufacturers tend to install two outputs rather than one.

So how do you know which type of volume pedal is best suited to your signal chain? Generally, this can be decided based on the length of your cable run. As I mentioned in the previous paragraphs, true bypass pedals lose their effectiveness when your signal chain is made up of over 18.5 ft of cables. For anything less that than, they are an ideal choice and will perform adequately. This version of the Ernie Ball VP Jr features a 250k ohm impedance, specifically meant to be used with passive signals such as those from a guitar or a bass. Bottom Line: The Dunlop DVP3 Volume (X) pedal gets a lot of things right, and in a few ways is superior to its chief rival, the Ernie Ball VP Jr. Users who have owned both swear by the DVP3 over the VP Jr., but it just seems like the Ernie Ball wins in a popularity contest and is found on quite a few more pedalboards. Perhaps this is due to marketing, or more pro guitarists opting for the Ernie Ball. We actually slightly prefer the Dunlop Volume X, as we don’t have to worry about tone loss or string durability issues. Several reviewers like this one agree with us: Be in control of your sound with the diverse assortment of Ernie Ball pedals. A performance must-have, a volume pedal allows you to control the level of sound coming out of your amp using only your foot. A staple on any pedalboard, volume pedals come in handy when you need to adjust the sound between a high energy song and a ballad during a set. Volume pedals are the third musketeer to your guitar and amplifier.When recording with a volume pedal, you essentially have two options – you can either send your output into an amplifier and place a microphone in front of the speaker to capture the output, or you can send the output into a direct input on an audio interface, preamp, or mixer. Both methods offer contrasting results. A low-impedance pedal, the FV-50L is highly compatible with stereo effects units and keyboards. It includes singular minimum volume control, which can be used to set the baseline dynamic level to ensure that no sudden spikes occur.

Who is this best suited for: I’d recommend the EXP-001 to any musicians who are looking for a compact pedal to control either their dynamics or the expression of other effects. It is conveniently compact, so even if your pedalboard is a little on the crowded side, you can still easily find room for this MeloAudio volume controller. Who is this best suited for: The Boss FV-500L is built for low-impedance pedals, so it’s well suited to guitarists and bassists of all styles. Due to its road-ready durable built, it is also a great option for musicians who are likely to use it regularly. Who is this best suited for: If you require the maximum control over the volume of your instrument, then I’d highly recommend the Lehle Mono Volume Pedal. It has been designed using sophisticated inner mechanisms that combine to create a perfect blend of smooth operation, precise control, and noise elimination. Rounding out the winners circle for our top 5 best volume pedals is the Dunlop DVP3 Volume (X) pedal. Along with Ernie Ball, Boss, and Morley, Dunlop gets lots of mentions and recommendations when it comes to the volume pedal game. The DVP3 is an evolution of Dunlop’s DVP1, and is truly a fantastic pedal. Owners seem to agree it does most things right, which is a big part of the reason it landed a spot on our list. It’s largely considered the biggest competitor to the Ernie Ball VP Jr., so we’ll mostly compare these two. Let’s dig in. With an onboard polarity switch, what sold me on the EX-P is that it can work with any MIDI controller, instrument, or separate effects pedal, regardless of voltage differences. I found it simple to assign the pedal to any parameter on a MIDI controller, and use it to adjust the modulation, panning, filter sweep, or of course, the volume level.Alternatively, I found that you can simply use the Helix to control the volume of your guitar. It soon became apparent that this device is built using high-quality components, which include an all-metal chassis and a non-slip rubber surface for maintaining complete control over the pedal’s position.