The Electro-Harmonix Volume Pedal is a passive volume pedal for guitar, bass and keyboards, released by Electro-Harmonix in 2017 as part of its Performance Series1. It sits in your signal chain and lets you raise and lower your instrument's level with your foot, for swells, fade-outs or quick muting, without touching your amp. Because it is passive, it needs no battery or power supply, and its HI-Z/LO-Z switch gives you two impedance options, 25K or 250K, in one pedal1.
Electro-Harmonix discontinued the Volume Pedal in 20251.
What it does and who it is for
The pedal is a straightforward level control: your instrument feeds the 1/4 inch TS input jack, and the output jack feeds your amp or the next pedal in the chain1. Rocking the treadle changes the volume. Electro-Harmonix bills it as "a lightweight and rugged volume pedal for any player" and describes it as "rugged and road-worthy"1.
When the pedal was introduced in October 2017, Guitar Interactive Magazine reported it was "well suited for both active and passive pickup equipped guitars and basses as well as keyboards, other electronic instruments and line level signals"3. That breadth comes from the impedance switch, which Electro-Harmonix calls a "selectable high and low impedance switch for universal compatibility"1.
Controls and connections
The pedal keeps things minimal, with one button beyond the treadle itself.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| HI-Z/LO-Z button | Selects the impedance of the volume pedal from LO-Z to HI-Z, choosing between the 25K and 250K options1 |
| Input jack | 1/4 inch TS instrument cable input for your instrument1 |
| Output jack | 1/4 inch TS instrument cable output to your amp or other effects pedals1 |
The two impedance values map onto the button's two positions: 250K (HI-Z) and 25K (LO-Z). As a general rule, a high-impedance setting suits passive pickups with the pedal placed early in the chain, while the low-impedance setting suits active electronics, keyboards and line-level sources, or a pedal placed after buffered effects. The maker's own framing is simply universal compatibility1.
Power and bypass
The Volume Pedal is a passive circuit, so it requires no batteries or external power supply, as gearnews.com noted when it covered the pedal in October 20174. There is nothing to plug in and nothing to drain, which also means it cannot add gain or buffer your signal on its own.
The pedal is mono, with one input and one output1. Players who need stereo volume control would look elsewhere, for example to a dedicated stereo model.
Where it came from
Electro-Harmonix announced the Volume Pedal in October 2017, and Guitar World and Guitar Interactive Magazine both reported it as the latest offering in the company's Performance Series, housed in the lightweight Performance Series enclosure53. MusicRadar highlighted the price at launch, a US street price of $62.75, with UK and EU pricing of approximately £45 and €502. gearnews.com listed the same figures as RRP, GBP 45 / USD 62.754.
The company had an earlier go at the format. The Electro-Harmonix Next Step Volume Pedal, part of the Next Step Effects series, was announced in September 2012 alongside pan and expression pedals6. Premier Guitar's announcement described it as able to be powered by a 9V battery or an optional 9.6V AC adaptor, and it featured a buffered bypass output7. Electro-Harmonix's page for it lists direct and effect outputs with bypass level control, and promises "accurate and very expressive control over your volume"6. It was discontinued in 20206.
The two pedals are easy to confuse. The Next Step Volume Pedal (2012) used a battery or optional 9V supply and had a buffered bypass output76. The Performance Series Volume Pedal (2017) is fully passive with no power of any kind14.
How it compares
Against other passive volume pedals, the EHX pedal's distinguishing feature is the impedance switch. Most passive models pick one value: an Ernie Ball VPJR 25K or an Xotic Volume Pedal (Low Impedance 25K) is built for low-impedance duty, while a 250K model such as the Ernie Ball VP Jr 250K or Xotic XVP-250K targets passive pickups. The EHX pedal covers both roles with one button press, at a launch price of $62.75 that MusicRadar called "seriously affordable" in its headline2.
Its limits are the flip side of its simplicity: mono only, no tuner output, no expression-pedal function, and no active circuitry to preserve tone over long cable runs. Players wanting those features would look at active designs such as the Lehle Mono Volume S or the Boss FV-500H and Boss FV-500L, which pair volume control with expression jacks.
What the press said
Coverage at launch was brief but consistent across outlets:
- MusicRadar called it a "smooth-operating" volume pedal in the lightweight Performance Series enclosure, at a US street price of $62.752.
- Guitar World reported the announcement and the $62.75 US street price, noting it as the latest Performance Series offering5.
- Guitar Interactive Magazine highlighted its suitability for active and passive pickups, basses, keyboards and line-level signals3.
- gearnews.com summed up the appeal of the design: "On top of all that it is also a passive circuit and so requires no batteries or external power supply, nice."4
No long-term reviews or artist endorsements appear in the coverage from the period around its release and discontinuation.
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Questions
Does the Electro-Harmonix Volume Pedal need power or a battery?
No. The Volume Pedal is a passive circuit, so it requires no battery or external power supply. You plug your instrument into the input jack and run a cable from the output jack to your amp or the rest of your pedalboard, and the pedal works without any power at all.
Should I use the high or low impedance setting on the EHX Volume Pedal?
The HI-Z/LO-Z button selects between the pedal's two impedance options, 250K (HI-Z) and 25K (LO-Z). Electro-Harmonix describes the switch as providing universal compatibility. As a general rule, high impedance suits passive pickups placed early in the signal chain, while low impedance suits active electronics, keyboards and line-level signals, or placement after buffered effects.
Can I use the EHX Volume Pedal with active pickups?
Yes. When the pedal was introduced in 2017, Guitar Interactive Magazine reported it was well suited for both active and passive pickup equipped guitars and basses, as well as keyboards, other electronic instruments and line-level signals. The selectable impedance switch is what lets one pedal cover that range of sources.
Is the Electro-Harmonix Volume Pedal stereo?
No. The maker lists the pedal's audio as mono, with a single 1/4 inch TS input jack for your instrument and a single 1/4 inch TS output jack for your amp or other effects pedals. Players needing stereo volume control would need a different pedal.
Is the Electro-Harmonix Volume Pedal discontinued?
Yes. Electro-Harmonix marks the Volume Pedal as discontinued in 2025 on its product page. It was released in 2017 as part of the Performance Series, so it was on the market for roughly eight years before being dropped from the lineup.
What was the difference between the EHX Next Step Volume and the Performance Series Volume Pedal?
The Next Step Volume Pedal (2012, discontinued 2020) shipped with a battery included and an optional 9V power supply, and offered direct and effect outputs with a bypass level control. The 2017 Performance Series Volume Pedal is fully passive with no power at all, and is mono with a single input and output.
Sources (7)
- Volume Pedal, Electro-Harmonix (ehx.com)
- Electro-Harmonix debuts seriously affordable Volume Pedal, MusicRadar, 2017-10-20
- Electro-Harmonix Introduces New Volume Pedal, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2017-10-20
- Jef's Pedal roundup this week: Anasounds, EHX, NUX and DarkGlass, gearnews.com, 2017-10-23
- Electro-Harmonix Unveils New Volume Pedal, Guitar World, 2017-10-13
- Next Step Volume Pedal, Electro-Harmonix, 2020
- Electro-Harmonix Launches Next Step Pedals, Premier Guitar, 2012-09-25
