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DIY Stompboxes => Building your own stompbox => Topic started by: bilo01 on December 30, 2017, 12:01:32 PM

Title: Passive volume box
Post by: bilo01 on December 30, 2017, 12:01:32 PM
Hi, been here years ago and was never a really good diy. Want to build a passive volume pedal as a one klick boost for my solos. Can anyone help me with a diagram?


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Title: Re: Passive volume box
Post by: GibsonGM on December 30, 2017, 12:07:50 PM
Welcome Bilo!

Here, someone already solved your problem: https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/19549-state-of-the-stomp-build-a-preset-volume-box (https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/19549-state-of-the-stomp-build-a-preset-volume-box)

Google is your friend!

I prefer to BOOST for leads rather than using this approach, but whatever you want to do is just fine!

Happy building!
Title: Re: Passive volume box
Post by: stallik on December 30, 2017, 12:11:27 PM
If you want it to be passive then all it can do is to lower the volume, not boost it. It would still work in the same way as the volume pot on your guitar. You could play at three quarters volume and then go to full for solos which may work for you. Is this what you want or do you want to increase the level above 100% guitar output? If that's the case, active is the only way to go

Edit: Ahh. Mike beat me to it
Title: Re: Passive volume box
Post by: bilo01 on December 30, 2017, 12:27:40 PM
Quote from: GibsonGM on December 30, 2017, 12:07:50 PM
Welcome Bilo!

Here, someone already solved your problem: https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/19549-state-of-the-stomp-build-a-preset-volume-box (https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/19549-state-of-the-stomp-build-a-preset-volume-box)

Google is your friend!

I prefer to BOOST for leads rather than using this approach, but whatever you want to do is just fine!

Happy building!
Thnx for replying so quick. Very useful.


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Title: Re: Passive volume box
Post by: bilo01 on December 30, 2017, 12:29:49 PM
Quote from: stallik on December 30, 2017, 12:11:27 PM
If you want it to be passive then all it can do is to lower the volume, not boost it. It would still work in the same way as the volume pot on your guitar. You could play at three quarters volume and then go to full for solos which may work for you. Is this what you want or do you want to increase the level above 100% guitar output? If that's the case, active is the only way to go

Edit: Ahh. Mike beat me to it

Thnx Stallik. I'm gonna try the passive one first and then see what happens


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Title: Re: Passive volume box
Post by: GibsonGM on December 30, 2017, 01:52:04 PM
Quote from: bilo01 on December 30, 2017, 12:27:40 PM
Quote from: GibsonGM on December 30, 2017, 12:07:50 PM
Welcome Bilo!

Here, someone already solved your problem: https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/19549-state-of-the-stomp-build-a-preset-volume-box (https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/19549-state-of-the-stomp-build-a-preset-volume-box)

Google is your friend!

I prefer to BOOST for leads rather than using this approach, but whatever you want to do is just fine!

Happy building!
Thnx for replying so quick. Very useful.


Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met Tapatalk

Try it out (it is very easy, and you can mock it up with just the pot to see what it is like).   

Like Stallik was saying - an active boost, perhaps a JFET, Opamp or (my favorite) Mosfet boost,  can really sound nice and get you loud enough for leads to punch through.   

I have always found that trying to play rhythm with the pot turned down enough killed my tone.  Only good for a few quiet, cleaner passages, not rockin' stuff.
Title: Re: Passive volume box
Post by: stallik on December 30, 2017, 02:09:01 PM
Yeah, turning the pot down can sound poor but there are many good guitarists that made their name by cranking their amp and controlling everything from the guitar. Personally I find this harder to do with a plethora of effects so it probably depends on how and what you play.
Title: Re: Passive volume box
Post by: GibsonGM on December 30, 2017, 02:20:48 PM
Sure is (difficult to do).   Jerry Garcia supposedly had an Out on his guitar (using a stereo jack and cord)...run that out to his effects, then BACK into the guitar, then thru his volume and tone pots...so the effects would always see the same input voltage, and therefore not sound different when he turned his volume back!
Title: Re: Passive volume box
Post by: bilo01 on December 31, 2017, 01:43:17 AM
Quote from: GibsonGM on December 30, 2017, 02:20:48 PM
Sure is (difficult to do).   Jerry Garcia supposedly had an Out on his guitar (using a stereo jack and cord)...run that out to his effects, then BACK into the guitar, then thru his volume and tone pots...so the effects would always see the same input voltage, and therefore not sound different when he turned his volume back!

If there's one booster i'ld like it's the Rory Gallagher tribute Hawk 2 by Flynn Amps. He used only the original version on his amp to get his killer tone. When you see him play he's adjusting his volume constantly. Never saw a diagram of that one but it's my holy grail


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Title: Re: Passive volume box
Post by: bilo01 on December 31, 2017, 07:36:43 AM
Quote from: GibsonGM on December 30, 2017, 01:52:04 PM
Quote from: bilo01 on December 30, 2017, 12:27:40 PM
Quote from: GibsonGM on December 30, 2017, 12:07:50 PM
Welcome Bilo!

Here, someone already solved your problem: https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/19549-state-of-the-stomp-build-a-preset-volume-box (https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/19549-state-of-the-stomp-build-a-preset-volume-box)

Google is your friend!

I prefer to BOOST for leads rather than using this approach, but whatever you want to do is just fine!

Happy building!
Thnx for replying so quick. Very useful.


Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met Tapatalk

Try it out (it is very easy, and you can mock it up with just the pot to see what it is like).   

Like Stallik was saying - an active boost, perhaps a JFET, Opamp or (my favorite) Mosfet boost,  can really sound nice and get you loud enough for leads to punch through.   

I have always found that trying to play rhythm with the pot turned down enough killed my tone.  Only good for a few quiet, cleaner passages, not rockin' stuff.

I think i'll have a go with the Mosfet boost later. Wanted to start with the passive box from the link but i only got a reverse log 500 k pot. Would that work also?


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Title: Re: Passive volume box
Post by: GibsonGM on December 31, 2017, 08:30:07 AM
Search the internet high and low, Bilo - you may find that booster!  The schematics are out there....

Yes, a 500k rev log pot will work, for you to try this out, but for a permanent build you'll want a typical audio taper ("normal" log taper; the pot will be marked "500KA").   

If you're using humbuckers, the 500k value is likely the right resistance; the reverse taper will just mean the control will feel 'bunched up'.