- Learn about how volume pedals work
- Learn the different ways to use volume pedals
- Discover the best model that fits your sound
Guitar volume pedals have always been a bit of an outlier in the effects world. They’re not fancy or flashy.
But they get the job done.
They’re more of a utility than anything, adding a handy volume pot at your feet.
And yes — while you can ride the volume control on your guitar, that can be difficult to do while keeping the sweep smooth and consistent. That’s where a volume pedal comes in.
Despite how simple they are in concept, volume pedals can be a bit confusing.
What are all these numbers? What is the difference between 250K and 500K? Should I get an active volume pedal or a passive volume pedal?
Most are mono, but some are stereo. How do I know which one to choose?
Some are high impedance, some low. High impedance is best for passive electronics, and low impedance for active electronics.
Study up on Ohms Law. It will come in really handy in your music career.
What are the Best Volume Pedals for Guitar?
Overall the Ernie Ball 6165 and 6166 are the best volume pedals. They are mono and stereo, respectively and work well with passive and active signals. So no matter what type of pickups you use and how your signal chain is designed, they’ve got you covered.
When making the selections for this list, a few things were considered. Not just any boring old volume pedal will do.
We factored in build quality, additional features and connectivity options to ensure the list caters to all types of guitarists.
With that said, here are the best volume pedals currently available on the market today:
- Ernie Ball 6180 VP JR 250K
- Dunlop DVP4 Mini
- Sonuus Voluum
- Lehle Mono Volume Pedal S
- Dunlop DVP5
- Ernie Ball 40th Anniversary Volume Pedal
- BOSS FV-500
- Morley 20/20 Volume Plus
- Ernie Ball MVP
- BOSS FV-30L
- Ernie Ball 6165 500K Stereo
- Ernie Ball 6166 250K Mono
1. Ernie Ball 6180 VP JR 250K
Plug into Ernie Ball's fantastic (and pedalboard-friendly) VP Jr 250K volume pedal and find out just how expressive your playing can be! Bring pedal steel-style swells to your performances.
- Smooth feel and sweep
- Durable
- Affodable
You’re going to see alot of Ernie Ball stuff here. Why? Because they make some of the best volume pedals around.
They’re not all that flashy, but they’re durable, reliable, and affordable. The 6180 is one of their most common models.
- For use with passive electronics
- Smooth feel and sweep
- Micro Taper allows for two different swell rates
The 250K designation is the pot’s value, which means it’s designed for use with passive instruments (i.e. most guitars).
A Micro Taper switch lets you choose between two settings depending on how you want to step on it.
And at just under $100, why not?
2. Dunlop DVP4 Mini
The Dunlop DVP4 is an ultra-compact volume pedal with an aux output that can be used for a tuner or for expression pedal control over effects.
- Very compact
- Great for volume and expression control
Pedals with treadles (yeah, I just did that) are no stranger to Dunlop.
The DVP4 is their mini volume pedal, small enough to fit in some guitar cases.
- Very compact
- Aux output lets you connect a tuner
- Can be used as an expression pedal
The only volume control smaller than this is the one on your guitar. The coolest feature is an aux out that can be used for a tuner or to use the DVP4 as an expression pedal.
If used for expression there is an internal pot that dials in the minimum control value.
The only downside is it might be too small for some players.
3. Sonuus Voluum
The sonuus Voluum volume and effects pedal stands out in the field of multi-effect guitar pedals by giving you expression pedal control over up to five effects.
- Creative control over your effects
- Innovative
- Control via MIDI or USB
By far the most esoteric model on this list. Sure, it can be just a volume pedal.
But it also has five onboard effects that integrate with the treadle. It’s an entire signal chain and one of the most unique guitar volume pedals.
- Volume pedal with onboard effects
- Effects can be arranged in any order
- External control through USB or MIDI
Whoever thought of this deserves the Grammy for “best musical engineering concept” this year.
Aside from being a volume pedal, it also has five effects (compression, gate, tremolo, limiter, and standard volume).
The effects can be arranged in any order, and saved to a bank of 100 presets. The best part? They all sound pretty darn good.
MIDI and USB connections mean you can trigger the pedal with an external source.
And via USB you can even edit, save, or offload effects for storage. An analog signal path keeps things from getting too sterile and bypass is switchable.
4. Lehle Mono Volume Pedal S
This iteration of the Lehle Mono sports an optimized size and weight, in addition to MIDI capability via USB for even more control options.
- Consistent tone
- Consistent I/O impedance
- MIDI control through USB
Lehle created a really cool passive volume pedal with some serious extras in the S.
- Magnetic control for a more fluid sweep
- Consistent I/O impedance across all sweep
- MIDI control through USB
One of the downsides to volume pedals is that it can be hard to get a fluid sweep in the heat of the moment during performance, and Lehle fixed that.
With magnetic control, the pedals do some of the work for you.
The impedance is balanced at every stage so your sound will never lose consistency – a big problem when factoring in other effects in the chain.
Through a VCA triggered by the magnetic sensor, the signal level is more even.
It’s got outputs for volume and direct signals as well as the mono input. LEDs give you a heads-up of where the level is at.
Expensive for a volume pedal? A little bit. But this is one you’ll have on your board for a while.
5. Dunlop DVP5
Designed in collaboration with Pedaltrain, the Dunlop DVP5 (X) 8 volume and expression pedal is built to be a perfect fit for Pedaltrain’s Metro, Classic, Novo, and Terra Series pedalboards.
- Highly Responsive
- Great I/O
The alternate volume/ expression pedal option from Dunlop is perfect for pedalboards with a tight squeeze.
- Designed with Pedaltrain to fit a variety of professional-made pedalboards
- Highly Responsive
- Great I/O
Pedaltrain makes some of the best pedalboards on the planet. So it makes sense that Dunlop partnered with them for the DVP5.
It’s very responsive so you won’t have to find the “sweet spot” in the sweep.
It has input and output as well as expression and tuner outs. An internal control lets you set the minimum effect level when using it for expression.
The price point isn’t out of anyone’s budget. And we all know the level of build quality Dunlop products bring to your board.
6. Ernie Ball 40th Anniversary Volume Pedal
Few pedals have been placed at as many musicians' feet as the Ernie Ball Volume Pedal (VP). To celebrate, this limited-edition 40th Anniversary VP was released.
- 40th-anniversary edition of a legendary pedal
- Beautiful aesthetics
- Works well with passive or active signals
You could consider Ernie Ball the king of volume pedals, and this 40th-anniversary edition is a celebration of that.
- Anniversary edition aesthetics
- Works well with passive or active signals
- Tuner output
Bring 40 years of Ernie Ball design to your pedalboard with a well-made volume pedal that works equally well with passive or active signals.
There’s a tuner output so that you can stay in tune without it loading down your signal chain. The internal cord is made of Kevlar for longer life.
The enclosure is VP JR size, so it won’t take up as much room. It’s not flashy, but that’s not the point.
7. BOSS FV-500
These tank-tough die-cast pedals are designed to meet the needs of the most demanding customers.
- Low or high impedance options
- Industrial-strength
For a
- Low or high impedance options
- Adjustable feel
- Expression and tuner outputs
The durability of
This model is built of die-cast aluminum and could probably survive the apocalypse. Or at least your roadie’s abuse.
It’s got a smooth sweep, but if you want to tighten it or loosen it you can customize it to your preference. Aside from volume, it has expression and tuner outs.
Whether you need a high or low impedance volume pedal, the FV-500 has you covered.
8. Morley 20/20 Volume Plus
The 20/20 Volume Plus pedal features a rugged cold-rolled steel housing, LED indicator, and quick-clip battery door.
- Electro-optical design
- Glow-in-the-dark treadle
- Sounds great in any context
Morley is a unique company. They’re best known for their selection of wahs and volume pedals, and they’ve expanded recently to include some pretty unique stuff.
This is their passive volume pedal.
- Minimum volume control lets you set the floor of the low range of the sweep
- Electro-optical design
- Glow-in-the-dark treadle
It’s widely accepted that volume pedals with an electro-optical design are superior to their counterparts. Whether true or not, their sweep is indisputably smooth.
The design is basic with just input, output, and pedal. What sets it apart is the Minimum Volume control.
This means you can set where the low end of the sweep is. Only want the volume to drop halfway even at full range? No problem.
This feature is switchable with a stomp switch to the right of the treadle. It even glows in the dark!
9. Ernie Ball MVP
The Ernie Ball MVP volume pedal is a powerful tool to put in your guitar's signal chain.
- Flexible setting options
- No loss in high frequencies when engaged
When using a guitar volume pedal, you don’t really think about boosting your signal. But you can do just that with the MVP.
- Minimum volume setting for heel position
- Toe position can be set to 100% volume or gain boost
- No loss in high frequencies when engaged
Ernie Ball has so many different volume pedal designs it can be hard to keep them straight.
The MVP sets itself apart with a minimum volume option and a gain boost. Either way, you won’t experience any loss in high frequencies when using it.
The heel position can be set anywhere from 0%-50% volume. The gain boost can go all the way up to 20dB! These provide a unique way to tailor your level.
10. BOSS FV-30L
The BOSS FV-30L is a compact volume foot pedal designed with your pedalboard in mind.
- Gives maximum signal control
- Compact
- Designed for low-impedance signals
This is the smaller option from
- Saves pedalboard space
- Stereo I/O
- Designed for low-impedance signals
Its enclosure is aluminum die-cast like the FV-500. It’s got a smooth pivot that keeps your signal in check at all times.
Stereo I/O means you won’t have any issues with more complex chain routing. It’s an ergonomic low-impedance volume pedal.
11. Ernie Ball 6165
The dual potentiometer 6165 Stereo Volume/Pan Pedal has a 500k ohm resistance suitable for the audio path of passive or active instruments.
- Controls volume or pan
- Mono or stereo
The 6165 is a stereo volume/pan pedal designed to work with passive or active signals.
It comes in a standard Ernie Ball enclosure, but there’s a lot going on under the hood.
- 500k ohm resistance for passive or active signals
- Can control volume or pan
- Mono or stereo
With 500k pots, the 6165 is a solid choice for passive and active signals.
It can operate in volume or pan modes and is ideal if you run a stereo rig. But if your signal chain is mono it will fit in just as well.
It’s got the same long-lasting construction that makes all of Ernie Ball’s volume pedals one of the best choices around.
The fact that it can be used as a pan pedal too makes it one of the more useful choices on the list.
12. Ernie Ball 6166
The Ernie Ball 6166 Mono Volume Pedal puts complete volume control right at your feet!
- Simple but effective
- Ideal for passive signals
Passive pickups are much more common than active. The 6166 is a no-frills and well-built mono volume pedal with a few extras.
- The swell rate can be customized
- Ideal for passive signals
- Tuner output
It’s simple but effective. It sports a 250k pot, so it’s designed to work with passive pickups.
An internal taper switch gives you two swell rates. It’s got a tuner out so you don’t have to worry about tone suck.
If you just need a good volume pedal this is one of the best choices available.
FAQ
What volume pedal works best with guitar for ambient swells?
This is a bit of an open-ended question. “Ambient” implies some sort of time-based effect like reverb and/or delay is involved.
Really, any model could be the best volume pedal for swells. The bigger issue is where it’s placed in your signal chain. Read two questions down to find out why.
Do I need a volume guitar pedal?
No. But they have a range of uses. And there are a number of interesting ways you can integrate them into your rig.
Where do you put the volume pedal for swells?
It depends on how you want to integrate it with your other effects. Many players prefer to use them at the beginning for the most apparent control of volume.
But if you want the tails of effects like delays and reverbs to taper off more naturally it would work better for you at the end.
Do volume pedals affect tone?
They can, very much. This is why it’s important to match the impedance of the pedal with the rest of your signal chain.
Since volume pedals are essentially just an additional volume pot like the one(s) in your guitar itself you’ll need to match the value of the pot in the volume pedal with those that are in your guitar wiring.