Guitar Tech GTE005 Active Volume Pedal review

  • £49.99
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The GTE005 has independent minimum and maximum level pots.

MusicRadar Verdict

For everything from Alex Lifeson-style swells to silencing your noisy rig on the fly, the GTE005 has your back. None of the similar units that we're aware of made by BOSS, Ernie Ball or Morley provide independent minimum and maximum volume pots in this way - the GT005 is among the most versatile volume pedals we've played.

Pros

  • +

    The minimum and maximum level pots.

Cons

  • -

    The faux diamond strip on the treadle.

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This is a unique volume pedal in that it includes independent minimum and maximum level pots as well as a dedicated fixed-level output for connection to a tuner.

The untidy plastic strip on the treadle and inconsistently-bent chassis wings let the construction down somewhat, but the pedal seems robust enough. It rests on a quartet of removable rubber feet and the battery compartment is also located on the bottom panel.

"The treadle is smooth and nicely balanced, which equates to a satisfactory volume swell."

In Use

The pedal uses a special MAG-POT system based around a magnetic sensor rather than a traditional potentiometer at the heart of its operation, which will certainly extend the pedal's life.

The treadle is smooth and nicely balanced, which equates to a satisfactory volume swell, and the only criticism we have is that the fade-down to no signal can be a little abrupt.

The MAG-POT system is quiet and unobtrusive and, most impressively, the two level controls allow the pedal to be set as a genuine and stable boost for solos from minimum to maximum levels, which is simple to pull off every time.

Simon Bradley

Simon Bradley is a guitar and especially rock guitar expert who worked for Guitarist magazine and has in the past contributed to world-leading music and guitar titles like MusicRadar (obviously), Guitarist, Guitar World and Louder. What he doesn't know about Brian May's playing and, especially, the Red Special, isn't worth knowing.