Dunlop DVP5 Volume (X) 8

The Dunlop DVP5 Volume (X) 8 is a compact volume pedal and expression pedal from Dunlop, designed in collaboration with pedalboard maker Pedaltrain to take up as little board space as possible¹². At just 20cm (eight inches) in length, it is built for players whose pedalboards are already crowded². Dunlop's own description of what it does is simple: "step on this pedal to create incredibly smooth volume swells or control your favorite FX parameters"¹.

It is a passive unit, so it needs no power supply, no battery, and no wall wart: you plug in and play¹³. It works in two modes. Volume mode uses a 250 kΩ pot for conventional volume control with your guitar plugged into the input jack. Expression mode uses a 10 kΩ pot and lets you control a parameter on another effect, such as delay time or wah sweep, through the FX jack¹.

The jacks: input, output, FX and tuner

The DVP5 has four jacks: Volume, FX, Output, and Tuner¹. The front-mounted rather than side-mounted socketry saves left and right space on a pedalboard, which matters when every centimeter counts².

The tuner jack is one of the pedal's most practical features. It sends signal to your tuner regardless of where the rocker is, and it keeps the tuner out of your main signal chain¹². Guitar World's reviewer Trevor Curwen noted the benefit: "There's a separate jack to connect your tuner, so you keep that clear of the main signal chain, plus you can tune silent"². MusicRadar agreed, writing that "The tuner input is very handy. Simply rock the pedal back on your heel and tune up without anyone noticing"³.

In volume mode, the output signal is muted when the rocker reaches the full heel-down position¹. That is what makes silent tuning possible: heel down, your amp is quiet while the tuner jack keeps reading your guitar.

Using it as an expression pedal

Hook up a TRS cable from the FX jack and the DVP5 becomes an expression pedal³². Expression use requires a TRS cable, not a standard instrument cable².

As an expression pedal, you can adjust the maximum and minimum parameter settings via the treadle or an internal pot³. The usual method is to set the toe value first, then the heel². The internal 50 kΩ pot, wired in series with the expression pot, sets the minimum heel-down value, and it ships fully counterclockwise from the factory¹. To reach it you have to unscrew the baseplate, which is held by four screws³².

There is also an internal switch for reversing foot/heel polarity, so you can set the maximum value at the heel-down position instead of toe-down if an effect works better that way¹².

Treadle and size: an eight-inch board-friendly design

A curved rear end to the chassis and a complementary recess on the treadle deliver a wide range of travel despite the small footprint².

The treadle runs on Dunlop's patented Low Friction Band-Drive, which the manual calls road-proven¹. Guitar World found that "the smooth treadle action courtesy of Dunlop's patented Low Friction Band-Drive feels just right and will sit exactly where you leave it"². The pedal also has a flat rubber base and an adjustable torque clutch³, with provision to tighten or loosen the treadle tension using an Allen key².

Mounting plate and accessories

For players who want to fix the pedal to a board, West Coast Pedalboard makes a dedicated mounting solution for the DVP5⁵:

• Translucent and durable 3/16 inch cast acrylic plate⁵
• Four stainless steel #6X32 by 3/8 inch screws included⁵

• Fits the Volume X 8 volume pedal⁵

History: developed with Pedaltrain

The DVP5 was designed in collaboration with Pedaltrain, the pedalboard company¹². According to MusicRadar, it was developed alongside the Cry Baby Junior while Dunlop and Pedaltrain were spitballing ideas; since the two companies were already working together on a compact wah, developing a similarly compact volume pedal made sense³. The Volume (X) line sits alongside other Dunlop products including the MXR Carbon Copy delay line⁶.

What reviewers said

Both published reviews were positive about the pedal's practicality. MusicRadar called it "a very practical volume/expression pedal, so handy it could well become a perennial fixture on your 'board," noting it works well for instant muting, rolling things back to clean up a dirty amp, or swelling to a violin-like attack³. Guitar World's verdict was similarly enthusiastic: "We're talking serious utility with this diminutive charmer, it's a shoo-in for any pedalboard!"²

MusicRadar added one reservation about value: "At this price, it may struggle to wow your attention away from larger pedals, but if a crowded pedalboard is compromising your pedal choices, the two-in-one format and dinky design tick all the boxes"³.

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