The Free The Tone DVL-1H is a high-impedance volume pedal from the Japanese maker's Direct Volume line, designed to sit after high output impedance sources such as guitars and basses with passive pickups, fuzz pedals and vintage effects units1. Free The Tone announced it in December 2019 as the Direct Volume DVL-1H, a volume pedal with what the company calls a Full-Rotation Belt-Drive System2, and it reached North American dealers after January 20, 20202.
What it does and where it goes
A volume pedal varies the level of your signal as you rock the pedal, and the impedance of its potentiometer, the resistive element inside, decides where it belongs in a signal chain. The DVL-1H is the high-impedance model of the pair, fitted with a 500K ohm potentiometer1. Free The Tone describes it as a high-impedance type volume pedal for use after high output impedance sources1, and Pedal of the Day's review puts it the same way: it is meant for connecting after a high impedance device, "often found in guitars & basses with passive type pickups, fuzz pedals, or vintage effects"3.
That matters in practice because a volume pedal with the wrong impedance can load the source down. Premier Guitar's report on the launch says the DVL-1H "eliminates the variable resistor's unusable range, and prevents a decrease in volume when connected"2. Free The Tone also describes the volume action itself as smooth and musical, with smooth rotation and an optimized volume curve2.
The DVL-1H is a pedal-format unit, and it joins a field where, as Free The Tone puts it, "there are many different types, sizes and build structures to volume pedals throughout the world"3. For how it compares with other designs, see the volume pedal type page.
The Full-Rotation Belt-Drive System
The mechanism is the pedal's distinguishing feature. Premier Guitar's announcement describes the DVL-1H as "a volume pedal with a unique Full-Rotation Belt-Drive System"2. A belt drive turns the potentiometer through the pedal's travel rather than coupling it directly to the rocker, which is how the maker achieves the smooth rotation and optimized volume curve it describes2.
Price and availability
Free The Tone announced the Direct Volume DVL-1H in December 2019 with a suggested retail price of $360.002. guitar.com reported the pedal would be available after 20 January for $3604, and Premier Guitar's press release said it could be purchased after January 20, 2020 through Free The Tone's North American dealers2. On the maker's own product page, the DVL-1H is listed at 45,100 yen including tax1.
The $360.00 figure is the suggested retail price reported at the December 2019 announcement2. Free The Tone's product page lists the pedal in yen at 45,100 yen including tax1; the two figures come from different sources and currencies.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day reviewed the DVL-1H in February 2020 and came away impressed with both the build and the sound3:
"Basically, this thing is a tank that feels like you're stepping onto a feather."
The same review called it built to last and sounding absolutely pristine, and noted that at the time it was available for purchase through the Free The Tone website3.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
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Questions
What does high impedance mean on a volume pedal?
A high-impedance volume pedal is designed to sit after sources with a high output impedance, such as guitars and basses with passive pickups, fuzz pedals, or vintage effects units. Free The Tone fits the DVL-1H with a 500K ohm potentiometer for this purpose. A low-impedance pedal in the same spot can load the source down and reduce volume, which the DVL-1H is built to prevent.
Should a volume pedal go before or after a fuzz?
A fuzz pedal usually wants to see a guitar's signal directly, so a high-impedance volume pedal like the DVL-1H is intended for use after high impedance devices including fuzz pedals. Placement depends on the rest of the rig, but the DVL-1H's high-impedance design is aimed at positions where passive pickups or fuzz-style circuits are upstream of it.
How much does the Free The Tone DVL-1H cost in the US?
Premier Guitar reported a suggested retail price of $360.00 when Free The Tone announced the Direct Volume DVL-1H in December 2019. Free The Tone's own product page lists the pedal at 45,100 yen including tax.
What is the difference between the DVL-1H and the DVL-1L?
The DVL-1H is the high-impedance model, meant to follow passive-pickup guitars and basses, fuzz pedals and vintage effects. Free The Tone announced a low-impedance version, the DVL-1L, which guitar.com said would be released at a later, unannounced date after the DVL-1H launched.
Does the DVL-1H work with passive pickups?
Yes. Free The Tone describes the DVL-1H as a high-impedance volume pedal made for use after high output impedance sources, and Pedal of the Day's review names guitars and basses with passive type pickups among the devices it is designed to follow.
Sources (4)
- DVL-1 SERIES / DIRECT VOLUME｜Products 商品紹介｜Free The Tone, Free The Tone
- Free The Tone Releases the Direct Volume DVL-1, Premier Guitar, 2019-12-13
- Free The Tone DVL-1H Direct Volume Pedal, Pedal of the Day, 2020-02-02
- Free The Tone rolls out the Direct Volume DVL-1H, guitar.com, 2019-12-16
