DanS Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 ..and in a slightly, violently, disassembled condition at the moment. :deadhorse: Looking for an actual expression pedal this time, any suggs? Grazie What we record in life, echoes in eternity. MOXF8, Electro 6D, XK1c, Motif XSr, PEKPER, Voyager, Univox MiniKorg. https://www.abandoned-film.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 FC-7 baby. Cheap and dependable, plus longer throw than the EV-5. Be aware, the plug polarity is backwards from the roland, so make sure you can deal with that. Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridog6996 Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 A cheap adapter from Radio Shack will fix the polarity issue. +1, FC-7 is the best there is. My YouTube Channel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLeo Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Another (more expensive) option is the BOSS FV-500L which includes stereo analog volume control and a tuner output. It's very robustly built and versatile, but of course not neccessary if you only need expression control. And yes, the EV5 is rubbish. Had one, it never worked properly and the build quality is feeble. Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer. - W. C. Fields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mynameisdanno Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Yes, FC-7 is the champ. Reliable, cheap, nice long throw, great feel. One caveat - the pedal may occasionally come loose from the base in transport/handling, esp. if you toss it in a bag with a bunch of other stuff. It's a side effect of the way the pedal is constructed to allow for different baseline angles for easier use by standing vs. sitting players. It's a complete non-issue; very simple to re-situate it where it's supposed to go, and it will stay there while in use. This may not ever happen to you, but if it does, don't be alarmed. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceNorman Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Another (more expensive) option is the BOSS FV-500L which includes stereo analog volume control and a tuner output. It's very robustly built and versatile, but of course not neccessary if you only need expression control. I tried to replace my EV5 expression pedal with a BOSS FV-500L. When properly connected to my RD700SX (i.e., using the output labeled "expression" on the FV-500L with a TRS/TRS cable into the same jack on the RD700SX that I use when connecting the EV5) - the sweep (range) of the FV-500L would not send the full range of MIDI values (1-127). Putting FV-500L to the floor would send a max MIDI value just shy of 100 (typically somewhere between 97 and 99). Adjusting the "minimum volume" know did nothing to correct the issue. The Boss certainly did not perform as I would have expected as an expression pedal. Although I've tried a couple of the methods I've read about to switch up the polarity of an FC7 to allow it to work as a replacement for an EV5 - the modified FC7 has never behaved right. The "curve" of any modified FC7 I've tried has never seemed right. I ended up selling the FV500L to a guitar player that works in my office and took a beating - and am stillusing a POS EV5. The SpaceNorman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLeo Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 When properly connected to my RD700SX (i.e., using the output labeled "expression" on the FV-500L with a TRS/TRS cable into the same jack on the RD700SX that I use when connecting the EV5) - the sweep (range) of the FV-500L would not send the full range of MIDI values (1-127). Putting FV-500L to the floor would send a max MIDI value just shy of 100 (typically somewhere between 97 and 99). I've only used my FV500L with Korg and Nord gear, and it works fine in those applications. I would never have imagined that Roland and Boss would have compatibility issues - it just goes to show you can never take anything for granted. Thanks for the heads-up. Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer. - W. C. Fields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon G Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 I'm okay with the throw on the EV5. My problem is I break one about once a year. They're cheaply made but not so cheap to buy. The EV7 is more expensive but is it any more rugged? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanS Posted October 13, 2011 Author Share Posted October 13, 2011 Thanks guys. I came across the FC7 after posting, will probably pick this one up. There shouldn't be any compatibility issues as it's going into a Yamaha board. JonG, I had just started using mine recently, and only on a song or two. Had it velcro'd to a pedal board, and it still crapped out way prematurely. No more Roland pedals for moi. What we record in life, echoes in eternity. MOXF8, Electro 6D, XK1c, Motif XSr, PEKPER, Voyager, Univox MiniKorg. https://www.abandoned-film.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tusker Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Another vote for FC7... as strong as a tank and longer throw. My EV-5s are gathering dust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeyMoe Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 FC7 +++ Montage 7, Mojo 61, PC-3, XK-3c Pro, Kronos 88, Hammond SK-1, Motif XF- 7, Hammond SK-2, Roland FR-1, FR-18, Hammond B3 - Blond, Hammond BV -Cherry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meisenhower Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 +1 on the FC7. Best 49 bucks you can spend under your feet! I relegated my EV5 to "backup" status in my accessory case and it hasn't seen the light of day since! Yamaha C7 Grand, My Hammonds: '57 B3, '54 C2, '42 BC, '40 D, '05 XK3 Pro System, Kawai MP9000, Fender Rhodes Mk I 73, Yamaha CP33, Motif ES6, Nord Electro 2, Minimoog Voyager & Model D, Korg MS10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 What are you using it for? If it's for your XK3c, get the Hammond EXP-100f. You won't regret it. Yes, it's expensive. It's also built like the proverbial brick shithouse. I've had mine for five years and never a single issue. I have another in my rig with Janiva that has never had an issue either. For the XK3/c, they are the way to go, without question. For other uses, the FC7 is great. Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickey Keys Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 I personally have not had any issues with the EV5, but mileage varies and all that . . . I have an FC7 at home, from the days when I used to use a Yamaha P200. . . agreed it's the best pedal around, but I once tried it with my RD700NX - didn't do the trick, even when I tried reversing the polarity the old fashioned way (re-soldering). Restored it to its factory polarity and have been using it with my home Clavinova, but I have a Kurz PC3 arriving today and would like to give it a try with that beast if I can get it gig-ready for Saturday night. Can anyone give me a heads-up on the adapter I might need? -Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meisenhower Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 What are you using it for? If it's for your XK3c, get the Hammond EXP-100f. You won't regret it. Yes, it's expensive. It's also built like the proverbial brick shithouse. I've had mine for five years and never a single issue. I have another in my rig with Janiva that has never had an issue either. For the XK3/c, they are the way to go, without question. For other uses, the FC7 is great. Yeah, Jim. He said it was going into a Yamaha. For the Xk3/c, the EXP-100f is really the best option, even for its price. Same here. 6 years on mine and it's been bullet proof. +1. Yamaha C7 Grand, My Hammonds: '57 B3, '54 C2, '42 BC, '40 D, '05 XK3 Pro System, Kawai MP9000, Fender Rhodes Mk I 73, Yamaha CP33, Motif ES6, Nord Electro 2, Minimoog Voyager & Model D, Korg MS10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP3 Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 I'm okay with the throw on the EV5. My problem is I break one about once a year. They're cheaply made but not so cheap to buy. The EV7 is more expensive but is it any more rugged? The Yamaha FC-7 is less expensive and much better quality. I have 3 and have never had a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Moog EP-2 anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 I have issues with the throw on my EV-5 and my Roland V-Drum hi-hat pedals which are a modified control pedal. It does not bother me that much on keyboards but on drum it takes a lot of concentration to barely move that pedal and go from tight to loose without being fully open. This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyoctave Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 The FC-7 works great with my XK-1. However, my previous one just stopped working not to long ago. Used my 12 year old back-up EV-5. Never had a problem with it, but the FC-7 is just such a great pedal. Got my new one a few weeks ago from Music 123 for $39 with free shipping. Can't beat that! Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK-1 + Ventilator, Korg Triton. 2 JBL Eon 510's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 What are you using it for? If it's for your XK3c, get the Hammond EXP-100f. You won't regret it. Yes, it's expensive. It's also built like the proverbial brick shithouse. I've had mine for five years and never a single issue. I have another in my rig with Janiva that has never had an issue either. For the XK3/c, they are the way to go, without question. For other uses, the FC7 is great. Have you seen the seen the swell pedal Hammond put out for the SK series? I'm curious if it is the same build design and quality as the EXP-100f but with a 1/4" plug? "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...
Alchemist Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 what about the Moog EP-2?????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAJUSCULE Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Another happy FC-7 user over here. Eric Website Gear page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam C. Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Hi guys! Sorry to resurrect this old thread, but I'm new to the forum and could use some advice from those of you veterans "in the know". I have a Yamaha FC-7 volume pedal that I'd love to use with my Roland VK-8 Clone-wheel Organ, but this whole 'polarity' thing is screwing me over! I noticed someone posted above that, "A cheap adapter from Radio Shack will fix the polarity issue." Any specifics on that, by chance? I'd love to be able to make that happen. Thanks guys! -Adam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridog6996 Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Oh hey, that was me! You just need to reverse the connections for the tip and ring on the FC-7's TRS plug. You could pretty easily re-solder it yourself, but if you don't want to mess with that, this is the most elegant of solutions right here: FC-7 Adapter In a pinch, you could accomplish the same thing with two Y adapters: a female TRS to 2 male TS, and a 2 female TS to male TRS. Any Radio Shack type place would carry those for a couple bucks each. They might even carry a one-step adapter like the Ashby one. I haven't really checked, so I'm not sure. My YouTube Channel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffLearman Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Right. The Radio Shack solution involves two stereo Y adaptor cables. You basically split the pedal's plug into what would be left and right (if it was stereo), and then plug the "left" into the "right" and vice versa on the other Y adaptor. Messy, but works. When buying the adaptors you have to pay careful attention to male/female so they connect and you end up with a male TRS at the end. I wouldn't hesitate to pay the $21 for the Ashby if I had both Roland and Yamaha style keyboards. My keyboards are all the same, so I'd just resolder the connector, swapping Tip and Ring connectors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delaware Dave Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 the Roland EV-5 IS a piece of shit.... +1 57 Hammond B3; 69 Hammond L100P; 68 Leslie 122; Kurzweil Forte7 & PC3; M-Audio Code 61; Voce V5+; Neo Vent; EV ELX112P; GSI Gemini & Burn Delaware Dave Exit93band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffLearman Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 BTW, I use a POS expression pedal. It has Kurzweil logo on it (bought it on ebay, figured K was a good name), but as it turned out it's a cheapie made by Fatar. The throw isn't long, and the travel isn't smooth, but it's worked reliably for a decade now (and no idea how long the original owner used it). It's also very small and light. I've had to replace the cable. I keep considering getting an FC-7, but I think I'd have to replace my gearbag with a backpack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floyd Tatum Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Just to provide an alternate POV... Years ago, I used to use a midi rig that involved a couple of expression pedals. I tried both EV-5's, and FC-7's. I ended up using the EV-5's, I never had any problems with them, and they were quite a bit lighter, therefore easier on the schlep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Stanfield Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Not only is the EV-5 rubbish, but so is the EV-7 - a larger version with the same electronics. I also recently tried out the Boss FV-500H as an in-line alternative, and it still has the same narrow curve as the others. It seems to not change the volume at all (or affect expression) until it gets about 3/4 of the way, then rapidly swoops to LOUD, and doesn't change much from there. Alternatives: The M-Audio EX-P expression pedal is a little better built, and the curve is a little better. Still not 100% linear from soft to loud, but better than Roland's. It's a cheaper alternative at around $29 retail. Hammond's SK1 comes with the EXP-20 pedal, and I've used with my Roland VR-700 with no problem; even the polarity is the same. Unfortunately, it's about $150 retail. I've never used one, but I'd like to check out Mission Engineering's EP-1 at some point. They make their pedals like (or out of) guitar wah pedals, so they're sturdy and don't run around the floor, and they're about $100. I'll buy one and try it out soon, and if it works out, I'll get a few more. Jason Stanfield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tusker Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Another vote for FC7... as strong as a tank and longer throw. My EV-5s are gathering dust. I've since been astounded to find that despite their plastic build and shallow throw, my EV-5s are by far the smoothest of several pedals I have tried when controlling the CV inputs of my Moog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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