AWkeys Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 Hello all, Does anyone have any recommendations for sustain pedals? The $15-$20 ProLine/On-Stage/made in China stuff is absolute shit. The switches inside are frustratingly unreliable. While I know how to replace a bad cable, it's another thing when the heart of the device is defective. I searched back the maximum 2 years and read a couple of threads, but there were no satisfactory answers inside. Thanks for your input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Wright Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 I have had good luck with Yamaha Quote "I cried when I wrote this song Sue me if I play too long" Walter Becker Donald Fagan 1977 Deacon Blues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardware Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 Yamahas are good but my favorite is the Casio with extra rubber. Ive had it for 16 years and have Yamahas as spares. Stay away from Donner. It looks okay but are meant for a child. Quote Magnus C350 + FMR RNP + Realistic Unisphere Mic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Clark Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 After going through about 3 M-Audio pedals, a friend recommended OnStage pedals. Haven't had a problem with the one I bought probably a year ago now. Quote Soul, R&B, Pop from Los Angeles http://philipclark.com Cannonball Gerald Albright Signature Alto, Yamaha YC73, Fender Rhodes, Roland Juno-106, Yamaha MX61, Roland VR-09, MicroKorg XL, Maschine Mikro, Yamaha Reface CP, Roland MKS-50 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyS Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 Roland DP-10. Ive had mine for many years ,,, never had a problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiefDanG Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 +1 for Yamaha -1 for M-Audio Quote Professional musician = great source of poverty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksoper Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 +1 for Yamaha -1 for M-Audio Ditto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reezekeys Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 I searched back the maximum 2 years and read a couple of threads, but there were no satisfactory answers inside. Not a surprise since you can't account for each person's "technique", lol. My hated M-Audio pedal has lasted me years, although I did redo the cable once. The suggestion to use a Yamaha is fine but you didn't say whether your keyboard uses the Yamaha or Roland standard afaik the Yams are not switchable. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cphollis Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 I have 2-3 Yamaha pedals floating around. I like the way they feel, solidly built, etc. but most every pedal slips unless you take steps to prevent it. So +1. The only pedal I own that doesn't slip is the Nord Triple Pedal which has this rubber sheet that extends out the front. Great design, really. A nice piece of gear, but ... Major downsides include outrageous cost ($399? WTF?), they only work with Nord gear, and I've burned through two that have stopped working due to the optical sensor getting dirty or similar. The only reason I have them is that they come included with the Nord Pianos that I play. That being said, always a joy playing with it for acoustic gigs. It helps with the illusion that maybe I'm playing a real grand. That, and great amplification. Quote Want to make your band better? Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 Roland makes that DP-10 with the rubber under heal mat to keep it from sliding away. Sturdy, but pricey at $49.99. I can give a thumbs up to the $19.99 Nektar NP-2 pedal. Its pretty sturdy feeling and it has a polarity switch. I find most pedals fail in the cable where the wire gets kinked. If they use decent gauge wire and the cable feels well insulated - those are good signs. Quote Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesG Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 That depends a LOT on what board youre playing. I use both Roland and Yamaha pedals, depending on rig. M-audio sucks. Quote Hammond: L111, M100, M3, BC, CV, Franken CV, A100, D152, C3, B3 Leslie: 710, 760, 51C, 147, 145, 122, 22H, 31H Yamaha: CP4, DGX-620, DX7II-FD-E!, PF85, DX9 Roland: VR-09, RD-800 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Beaumont Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 I use a Korg DS1-H with my SP6 and a DP10 Roland with my FA-08. But I always keep an M-audio in my gig bag just in case, because it works. Quote Boards: Kurzweil SP-6, Roland FA-08, VR-09, DeepMind 12 Modules: Korg Radias, Roland D-05, Bk7-m & Sonic Cell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoodyBluesKeys Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 I've had good results with Kurzweil's older pedals. The older ones appeared to be made by Fatar or one of the other Italian companies. I do have one later model that is made different and has a switch that doesn't look as sturdy, but it has not given any problems. I also modified two of the dual-pedal Kurzweils by cutting out the center area and adding the mechanism from a single pedal in the middle to make a three pedal arrangement. Kurzweil pedals follow the normally-open standard (i.e. not the same as Yamaha), although their boards will sense the pedal when first turned on if it is already plugged in. Quote Howard Grand|Hamm SK1-73|Kurz PC2|PC2X|PC3|PC3X|PC361; QSC K10's HP DAW|Epi Les Paul & LP 5-str bass|iPad mini2 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drawback Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 I still use Yamaha FC4 for almost everything. With the SL88 I splurged and bought the SLP3-D. Great build and solid. Quote ____________________________________ Rod Here for the gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Nightime Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 I use a Yamaha FC4 as well. Sure, it slips around, but after a while I got used to it. I have an M-Audio that I have strictly as a backup, should the Yamaha ever fail. Quote "In the beginning, Adam had the blues, 'cause he was lonesome. So God helped him and created woman. Now everybody's got the blues." Willie Dixon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RudyS Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 For my pop rig I use the boss fs5us as sustain pedals. Really small and reliable. For jazz (piano) gigs I use a Roland. Quote Rudy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 Depends on the board. My favorite are the Kawai but they only work on my Kawai stage pianos. I like Yamaha but they only work on my Yamaha. I think it is the way each company implements half-dampening. On the Korg Kronos I use the Korg DS-1H. It also supports Half Dampening but I didn't like the travel at first. Also I can't really feel the half damper. But I eventually adjusted to it and it's okay now. I have an M-Audio SP-2 connected to the FA-06. I'm surprised that I've had no problems with my M-Audio. Maybe it's because all pedals are mounted in a pedal case. So far it still works since buying it when I preordered the FA-06. The best pedal is probably the one you use. Meaning the more reps you put on a piece of gear the more you become physically attuned to its characteristics. Quote "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real MC Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 I got so tired of cheap sustain pedals that I modified the Polypedal from my Moog Polymoog to work with my MIDI controller (wasn't currently using it with the Polymoog). The sweep pedals are a bonus for MIDI volume. Owned them since 1985 without a problem and it doesn't move at all, I no longer have to "hunt" with my feet. Frankly I don't think there is a decent sustain pedal made these days. http://www.analoguediehard.com/tour/offsite-rig/offsite-rig-base-system-01-controllers.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 Wow - youve got a fully functional Kurz Midi board after years of gigs in the park? They really dont make them like they used to. Quote Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real MC Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 Wow - youve got a fully functional Kurz Midi board after years of gigs in the park? They really dont make them like they used to. Bought new in 1989, zero issues. They don't make 'em like they used to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Weiser Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 Roland DP10. My UK partner and I use literally hundreds of 'em on our shows on Broadway, in the West End and around the world. Very, very well made and robust. Quote https://www.theboywhowantedtorock.com http://www.weisersound.com https://www.facebook.com/weisersound Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Williams Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 I've been using a Studiologic triple pedal (normally open) for several years with no problems. Quote -Tom Williams {First Name} {at} AirNetworking {dot} com PC4-7, PX-5S, AX-Edge, PC361 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chigson Posted May 23, 2019 Share Posted May 23, 2019 I use Kawai's F30 pedal that comes witn vpc1, but with this modification. Have no clue how it would work with other controllers though. AFAIS - works like a charm, shouldn't ever brake down thanks to the mod, and you can change calibration in the pedal's app. Quote if you can't tell the difference, does it matter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EscapeRocks Posted May 23, 2019 Share Posted May 23, 2019 I still have and occasionally use the FC3 that came with my CP33 waaaay back in the day. It doesn't get along with my Casio PX5S. I actually have the inexpensive ProLine. It works. Quote David Gig Rig:Depends on the day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doerfler Posted May 23, 2019 Share Posted May 23, 2019 I don't use hundreds of them, only 2, but like Dave Weiser, the Roland DP 10 pedal works best for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazz+ Posted May 23, 2019 Share Posted May 23, 2019 The pedals I have had in the past were a Yamaha (never failed), several Rolands (failed after a couple years). M Audio had lock nut problems from the start and then failed after a year. It had a good heavy spring though. I buy the Chinese Doppler pedal on Amazon for $12. I buy 2 in case one fails. Quote Find 675 of my jazz piano arrangements of standards for educational purposes and tutorials at www.Patreon.com/HarryLikas Harry was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AWkeys Posted May 26, 2019 Author Share Posted May 26, 2019 Thanks for all the tips! A day after my post a fellow keyboardist and FB friend posted his sustain pedal woes on FB, and a bunch of people chimed in. It's a dilemma! So just the other night my Yamaha FC-? died on me and I was stuck with a backup OnStage that only seems to consistently work if you apply a ton of pressure to it. Since most of my two-rig gigs involve my Nord Stage and a Casio PX-5 controlling the Nord Stage - so all sounds are coming from the Nord - I can easily get by with one sustain pedal (unless I use "Dual Kybd" mode on the Nord.) I was examining the OnStage pedal, and I noticed the rubber stop keeps the pedal from fully bottoming out unless you really apply pressure. I had a small knife on me and shaved off a couple millimeters of the stop, and now the pedal works like it should. Brought out one of my M-Audio pedals last night that I replaced the cable on. Seemed to work okay. The thing I have to remember at the end of the night and packing up is to remove the sustain pedals carefully, both from tangling with other cables and from the sharp corners of the bottom of the K&M 18880 stand I use. You all probably know to do this or have better solutions, but I'll share my cheap fix for bad sustain or expression pedal cables. Hosa cables are almost the same "girth" (not sure about wire gauge), so I buy 15-foot TS (for sustain) and TRS (for expression) cables, cut them in half and solder them in as replacements. I don't go through the trouble of creating jacks for these pedals as they're all cheaply made anyway. And RealMC, that's a badass setup! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WheelHead Posted May 27, 2019 Share Posted May 27, 2019 I have 2-3 Yamaha pedals floating around. I like the way they feel, solidly built, etc. but most every pedal slips unless you take steps to prevent it. Did that with the 3 pedal unit on the Kawai VPC1. I used a spring-rod part from a window curtain part I bought at Home Depot. Painted it black and adjusted its length. Has worked perfect for years. The top of the spring-rod goes under the controller and the bottom on the 3-pedal unit. Spring pressure holds the pedals in place. It removes and replaces easy by pushing the inner rod in by the spring with a stroke of about 2 inches. Sets up in 2 seconds. WH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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