MusicRadar

The DVP1's shiny but tank-like build inspires confidence.

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• Review

This recent addition to the Dunlop effects range revamps the basic volume pedal by making use of some clever thinking and similarly smart styling.

The latter concerns a beefy but smooth casing in space-age brush-finished aluminium, with chunky looks matched by measurements that easily accommodate a size 10 boot.

An accordingly long treadle section is topped with a tyre-like, heavy patterned rubber insert that gives you some serious grip underfoot. The pedal's substantial weight helps keep it firmly in place, with further anchorage provided by the rubber-covered baseplate.

Volume changes are made using a conventional passive pot, but the partner treadle mechanism employs Dunlop's new Steel Band Drive, designed for minimum maintenance and friction-free performance.

A rear-mounted tension screw adjusts sweep action stiffness, while all connections are at the opposite end of the case, comprising input and output jacks plus an independent tuner feed.

In Use

The well-chosen components ensure that there's no noticeable signal degradation, while appropriate level amendments are smoothly progressive from off to the full-on position.

Dunlop's DVP1 is an obvious competitor to the BOSS FV-500H, but lacks the latter's minimum volume facility. Despite this deficit, it's a viable alternative, although the asking price could be considered quite steep for such a simple pedal.