slow gear/volume swells

DiRtyFranK38 · January 2008

lately i've been really into 'inside job' and i can't help but love the violine-like volume swells that mike does in the begining. i know that he is using a typical volume pedal, but here's the thing. no room on my board for a wah sized volume pedal. from past knowledge i knew that there is a discontinued boss pedal that exists called the slow gear. this is specifically made just to create those kind of violine like swells without needing the expression pedal. i took a nice look on ebay and it seems that these are so rare that they were all being sold around $3-400. RIDICULOUS. obviously that is for the diehard boss collector. so now i did some more research and came across a typically priced and sized pedal by guyatone. calld the slow volume. does the same type of thing appearently. has anyone ever tried that? and if not, are there any other sorts of pedals you would recommend for this sort of thing? thanks

xtremehardy388 · January 2008

DiRtyFranK38 wrote:

lately i've been really into 'inside job' and i can't help but love the violine-like volume swells that mike does in the begining. i know that he is using a typical volume pedal, but here's the thing. no room on my board for a wah sized volume pedal. from past knowledge i knew that there is a discontinued boss pedal that exists called the slow gear. this is specifically made just to create those kind of violine like swells without needing the expression pedal. i took a nice look on ebay and it seems that these are so rare that they were all being sold around $3-400. RIDICULOUS. obviously that is for the diehard boss collector. so now i did some more research and came across a typically priced and sized pedal by guyatone. calld the slow volume. does the same type of thing appearently. has anyone ever tried that? and if not, are there any other sorts of pedals you would recommend for this sort of thing? thanks

Making a volume pedal is pretty easy. I think you can make your own footpedal so that it's not as big as a wah. Maybe you could try this?

DiRtyFranK38 · January 2008

xtremehardy388 wrote:

Making a volume pedal is pretty easy. I think you can make your own footpedal so that it's not as big as a wah. Maybe you could try this?

hmmm .. if you send me some directions i know people that can. thanks

edpearson · January 2008

I bought an SV-2 on eBay about a year ago (paid about $60 ???). I got it for similar reasons as you and ended going down the same path of being horrified w/ that Boss pedal going for $350+. I like Boss pedals, too, but the Slow Gear supposedly didn't do that much to warrant such a high price tag (it's value is because it's a collectible as you know). I've heard plenty of folks say the SV-2 accomplishes about the same that the Slow Gear does and for what I paid, it was a no-brainer to try it out. Give that pedal a shot. You may find that you won't use it that much so it doesn't have to take up precious pedal board space (and it's a tiny pedal anyway), but it is kinda fun -- especially for pulling off trippy tones. Enjoy!

DiRtyFranK38 · January 2008

edpearson wrote:

I bought an SV-2 on eBay about a year ago (paid about $60 ???). I got it for similar reasons as you and ended going down the same path of being horrified w/ that Boss pedal going for $350+. I like Boss pedals, too, but the Slow Gear supposedly didn't do that much to warrant such a high price tag (it's value is because it's a collectible as you know). I've heard plenty of folks say the SV-2 accomplishes about the same that the Slow Gear does and for what I paid, it was a no-brainer to try it out. Give that pedal a shot. You may find that you won't use it that much so it doesn't have to take up precious pedal board space (and it's a tiny pedal anyway), but it is kinda fun -- especially for pulling off trippy tones. Enjoy!

thanks that pretty much sold me on it.
you can get the 'inside job' type effect from it i pressume?

edpearson · January 2008

DiRtyFranK38 wrote:

thanks that pretty much sold me on it.
you can get the 'inside job' type effect from it i pressume?

Yes! Will it sound exactly the same? No guarantees! Since this will be a "once in a blue moon" effect pedal you use, see if you can score one second-hand or on eBay. Shouldn't be hard. The guy I bought it from loved the pedal, just had no use for it (hence the term "once in a blue moon"). I don't have mine in my chain, but I break it out every once in a while when I feel like playing trippy, spacey, psychedelic stuff. Enjoy!

DiRtyFranK38 · January 2008

edpearson wrote:

Yes! Will it sound exactly the same? No guarantees! Since this will be a "once in a blue moon" effect pedal you use, see if you can score one second-hand or on eBay. Shouldn't be hard. The guy I bought it from loved the pedal, just had no use for it (hence the term "once in a blue moon"). I don't have mine in my chain, but I break it out every once in a while when I feel like playing trippy, spacey, psychedelic stuff. Enjoy!

thanks! where do you run it in your pedal chain?

Pacomc79 · January 2008

yeah definately guyatone SV2.

I can get that effect with my DL4 but it's tough to dial in perfect.

there are a few slow gear clones out there as well.

BYOC might actually be offering a kit.

exhausted · January 2008

byoc does have the kit.

i've never actually tried a swell pedal. i've tried the patch in the DL4 but i find that it ends too abruptly.

if the SV-2 or the slow gear has a soft knee at the top so that the transition from ramp to full volume isn't a abrupt, it would be nice. can anyone comment on that?

i just use a volume pedal but an actual swell pedal would be nice for certain things. and it should be up at the front of the chain. my DL4, back at the end of the chain, isn't the ideal spot for the swell effect.

DiRtyFranK38 · January 2008

exhausted wrote:

byoc does have the kit.

i've never actually tried a swell pedal. i've tried the patch in the DL4 but i find that it ends too abruptly.

if the SV-2 or the slow gear has a soft knee at the top so that the transition from ramp to full volume isn't a abrupt, it would be nice. can anyone comment on that?

i just use a volume pedal but an actual swell pedal would be nice for certain things. and it should be up at the front of the chain. my DL4, back at the end of the chain, isn't the ideal spot for the swell effect.

so if i am to get it, should i place it even before my wah, and plug my guitar straight intp the sv2?

exhausted · January 2008

that's not as critical as it being in front of gain pedals. if you intend on using it at the same time as the wah, see what you like best.

since it's an envelope effect that responds to your playing, i'd tend to have it as close to the guitar as possible.

mind you, it can be fun to put it after gain pedals for certain effects as well.

no rules really.

Novawind · January 2008

This is what you're looking for:
http://buildyourownclone.com/swell.html

$75. Some soldering knowledge recommended, but anyone can build one of these kits given a little time. You can also find them pre-built here:

http://axeandyoushallreceive.com/store/page1.html

Just scroll down till you find the Lazy Sprocket, it's $120 pre-built. (not that bad?).

edpearson · January 2008

DiRtyFranK38 wrote:

thanks! where do you run it in your pedal chain?

I have it near the top of the chain, not the end. I actually run my compressor first, then the SV-2, then overdrives/distortions, UniVibe, delays, then amp. Of course, as I mentioned I hardly use this pedal so it's actually NOT on my pedal chain, but if I feel like playing with it, it goes as described above. If you have a lot of pedals, definitely keep it near the top. I did experiment by putting this pedal at the end and it was worthless. Someone mentioned it being similar to an envelope filter which is true -- so the more responsive your playing, the more effect you get with the volume swells. Have fun!

slow gear/volume swells

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