The Electro-Harmonix Signal Pad is a passive attenuator: a small pedal that lets you instantly switch to a preset lower volume with one press of a footswitch. Electro-Harmonix describes it as "like your guitar's volume knob, with a fully-passive and color-free circuit," and pitches it as a way to "turn any single channel amp into a two channel setup"1. It was released in 2008 and discontinued in 20251.
Unlike a boost pedal, which adds gain to push an amp harder, the Signal Pad works in the other direction: you set your amp loud, then use the pedal to cut back to a quieter preset level for clean parts or rhythm work. One press of the footswitch returns you to full volume1.
The controls and jacks
The Signal Pad keeps its control surface to a minimum: one knob, one footswitch, and two jacks1.
| Control or jack | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume knob | Controls the output volume of the Signal Pad1 |
| Footswitch | Toggles between the two modes1 |
| Input jack | ¼" audio input to the Signal Pad1 |
| Output jack | ¼" audio output from the Signal Pad1 |
The two modes work off the status LED. When the LED is lit, the pedal is in effect mode and your volume is set by the knob. When the LED is off, the pedal is in true bypass mode and the signal passes through untouched1. In practice you set the knob to the quieter level you want, then use the footswitch to jump between that preset level and your full, unattenuated signal.
Power and tone
Because the volume circuit is passive, the Signal Pad needs no power to do its job. The battery or optional adapter exists only to light the status LED, which is why the current draw is a mere 3mA1. A player who runs it without power at all simply loses the visual mode indicator.
On tone, the maker's claim is that the circuit is color-free: it attenuates level without adding gain, EQ, or the treble loss some players hear when rolling back a guitar's own volume knob1. The independent Guitar FX Layouts blog echoed the maker's description in 2017, calling it "like your guitar's volume knob, with a fully-passive and color-free circuit"2.
"It's like your guitar's volume knob, with a fully-passive and color-free circuit."
That same blog took issue with the price, writing that while Electro-Harmonix are "typically they're the kings of bargain priced amazing pedals, but $45 for this is insane"2, a view rooted in how few parts a passive attenuator needs. The $45 figure is the 2017 price as listed at the time2.
Where it sits in the Electro-Harmonix range
The Signal Pad is a utility pedal rather than a gain stage, which sets it apart from the company's boosters such as the LPB-1 and the LPB-3, or the Mole bass booster. Those pedals raise your level; the Signal Pad only lowers it, and only when you ask it to. Since it was discontinued in 20251, it is now a secondhand purchase, and its simplicity means there is little to go wrong or to research before buying one used.
Videos
EHX
Joby
Brandon Holt Music
Questions
Does the Signal Pad need power if it is passive?
No. The volume circuit itself is fully passive and needs no power to attenuate your signal. The 9V battery or optional 9.6VDC-200mA adapter only lights the status LED that shows which mode you are in, so you can run it with no power connected at all.
Is the Electro-Harmonix Signal Pad discontinued?
Yes. Electro-Harmonix discontinued the Signal Pad in 2025, according to the maker's own product page. It was released in 2008 and is now found secondhand rather than new from the company.
Does the Signal Pad color your tone?
Electro-Harmonix describes it as a fully passive, color-free circuit, comparing it to your guitar's volume knob. Because the attenuation is passive, it cuts level rather than adding gain or EQ, so it does not boost or shape the tone the way an active boost pedal would.
Is the Signal Pad true bypass?
Yes. When the status LED is off, the Signal Pad is in true bypass mode and your signal passes through untouched. When the LED is lit, the pedal is in effect mode and the volume is set by the knob.
Does the Signal Pad take a battery?
Yes. A 9V battery was included with the pedal, and an optional 9.6VDC-200mA power adapter could be used instead, though the adapter was not included. Current draw is only 3mA, so a battery lasts a long time.
Sources (2)
- Signal Pad, Electro-Harmonix, 2025
- Guitar FX Layouts: Electro-Harmonix Signal Pad, Guitar FX Layouts (tagboardeffects.blogspot.com), 2017-06-16
