Expression pedals are probably the most underutilized pedals around. With a simple rock of your foot, you can alter any number of different parameters your favorite effect units. Yeah, there might be a bit of under-the-hood tweaking needed to get the full results, but trust me—it’s worth it.
Dunlop DVP4 Volume (x) Mini
Purely on a value-per-inch basis, this volume/expression comes in heavy. At half the size of its larger counterpart, the mini offers an internal trim pot that controls minimum expression values, plus the aux output can also function as an always-on tuner output.
$139 street
Moog EP-3 Universal Polarity Expression Pedal
In some corners of the sonic-sculptor set, using a Moog pedal without an expression control is near criminal. This wildly affordable pedal is universally accepted among pedals, synths, and more thanks to a polarity switch.
$59 street
Lehle Dual Expression Pedal
What if you need to control more than one pedal? This dual expression pedal offers a ton of features that include accommodating TS, TRS, or RTS inputs, switchable polarity, momentary or latching switching, and a USB port for MIDI capabilities.
$259 street
Electro-Harmonix Expression Pedal
This lightweight, rugged design from one of the most esteemed pedal makers of all time features a polymer housing, range control, polarity switching, and a reverse switch that allows you to change the direction of the parameter you’re controlling.
$72 street
M-Audio EX-P
Crafted out of molded plastic, this expression pedal offers a slip-resistant surface, integrated TRS cable, and a polarity switch, which allows it to work with a wide range of controllers and pedals.
$29 street
Fender Tread-Light
Created around an original Fender circuit, this combo volume/expression pedal uses top-mounted jacks in order to squeeze into cramped spaces. It includes a switchable LED light and operates on
9V battery or center negative AC Adapter.
$119 street
Boss EV-1-WL Wireless MIDI Expression Pedal
If wireless is your preferred routing solution, this expression pedal uses wireless MIDI in addition to Bluetooth, USB, and TRS to control any parameter you can think of. It also uses an iOS/Android app for even deeper editing capabilities.
$169 street
Mission Engineering SP-1
The company’s most universal expression pedal is built to handle the rigors of night-after-night rocking. It’s designed to work with nearly any digital amp, effects pedal, or MIDI controllers with a single TRS cable.
$149 street
Source Audio Dual Expression Pedal
This fully customizable pedal features two TRS outputs and a 3.5mm sensor output designed for the company’s line of SoundBlox pedals. It also includes a range adjust knob that controls the sweep of the expression sent through the outputs.
$119 street
DOD Mini Expression Pedal
Space is never an issue with this pedal. It’s only 5" long and 3" wide and built from solid steel. It also has selectable output modes (TRS, TS, or RTS) to ensure it works with nearly anything you can throw at it.
$119 street
Last August, metalcore giants Poison the Well gave the world a gift: They announced they were working on their first studio album in 15 years. They unleashed the first taste, single “Trembling Level,” back in January, and set off on a spring North American tour during which they played their debut record, The Opposite of December… A Season of Separation, in full every night.
PG’s Perry Bean caught up with guitarists Ryan Primack and Vadim Taver, and bassist Noah Harmon, ahead of the band’s show at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl for this new Rig Rundown.
Brought to you by D’Addario.Not-So-Quiet As a Mouse
Primack started his playing career on Telecasters, then switched to Les Pauls, but when his prized LPs were stolen, he jumped back to Teles, and now owns nine of them.
His No. 1 is this white one (left). Seymour Duncan made him a JB Model pickup in a single-coil size for the bridge position, while the neck is a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound Staggered. He ripped out all the electronics, added a Gibson-style toggle switch, flipped the control plate orientation thanks to an obsession with Danny Gatton, and included just one steel knob to control tone. Primack also installed string trees with foam to control extra noise.
This one has Ernie Ball Papa Het’s Hardwired strings, .011–.050.
Here, Kitty, Kitty
Primack runs both a PRS Archon and a Bad Cat Lynx at the same time, covering both 6L6 and EL34 territories. The Lynx goes into a Friedman 4x12 cab that’s been rebadged in honor of its nickname, “Donkey,” while the Archon, which is like a “refined 5150,” runs through an Orange 4x12.
Ryan Primack’s Pedalboard
Primack’s board sports a Saturnworks True Bypass Multi Looper, plus two Saturnworks boost pedals. The rest includes a Boss TU-3w, DOD Bifet Boost 410, Caroline Electronics Hawaiian Pizza, Fortin ZUUL +, MXR Phase 100, JHS Series 3 Tremolo, Boss DM-2w, DOD Rubberneck, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, Walrus Slo, and SolidGoldFX Surf Rider III.
Taver’s Teles
Vadim Taver’s go-to is this cherryburst Fender Telecaster, which he scored in the early 2000s and has been upgraded to Seymour Duncan pickups on Primack’s recommendation. His white Balaguer T-style has been treated to the same upgrade. The Balaguer is tuned to drop C, and the Fender stays in D standard. Both have D’Addario strings, with a slightly heavier gauge on the Balaguer.
Dual-Channel Chugger
Taver loves his 2-channel Orange Rockerverb 100s, one of which lives in a case made right in Nashville.
Vadim Taver’s Pedalboard
Taver’s board includes an MXR Joshua, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, Empress Tremolo, Walrus ARP-87, Old Blood Noise Endeavors Reflector, MXR Phase 90, Boss CE-2w, and Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-200, all powered by a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus.
Big Duff
Harmon’s favorite these days is this Fender Duff McKagan Deluxe Precision Bass, which he’s outfitted with a Leo Quan Badass bridge. His backup is a Mexico-made Fender Classic Series ’70s Jazz Bass. This one also sports Primack-picked pickups.
Rental Rockers
Harmon rented this Orange AD200B MK III head, which runs through a 1x15 cab on top and a 4x10 on the bottom.
Noah Harmon’s Pedalboard
Harmon’s board carries a Boss TU-2, Boss ODB-3, MXR Dyna Comp, Darkglass Electronics Vintage Ultra, and a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus. His signal from the Vintage Ultra runs right to the front-of-house, and Harmon estimates that that signal accounts for about half of what people hear on any given night.
