MAS Effects makes a desktop expression pedal: a slider you set with your fingers rather than a rocker you push with your foot. The listing covered here is for the prototypes and special editions of that slider, made in preparation of a larger production run, with graphics featuring the UFO and the split skull1. It sits in the same family as the company's other hand-operated controls, such as the MAS Effects Expression Slider and the MAS Effects Expression + (optional) Volume Slider, and it plugs into the expression input of any compatible pedal, the kind of control normally reserved for expression pedals on the floor.
Versions and availability
These units are special edition prototypes, made in preparation of a larger run1. The listing was showing as sold out1, and the variants carried different prices and stock states1:
| Version | Price |
|---|---|
| Expanse | £36.00 GBP |
| Plain Black | £36.00 GBP |
| Split Skull matte black | £46.00 GBP |
All units in this listing are 100k. The production run will also have 10k variations which work with Boss pedals1. If you need Boss compatibility, this listing is not the one for it.
Compatibility
The B100k potentiometer works well with a particular group of pedal makers, according to MAS Effects1:
The maker is equally direct about the limits: it will not work well with Boss, Eventide, or Line 61. That is a consequence of the potentiometer value: expression inputs expect a particular resistance range, and the 100k value in these units suits the first group of makers rather than the second. The planned 10k variations in the production run are the answer for Boss users2.
Using it
Because it is a desktop unit, the slider is operated by hand. MAS Effects is unambiguous about how not to use it1:
"DO NOT USE YOUR FEET ON THESE"
It is built to sit on a desk or table and be swept with a finger, which suits players who tweak a parameter mid-song without wanting a floor pedal underfoot1.
Connection is TRS, which requires a stereo cable1. A standard mono guitar cable will not do the job; the expression input on the target pedal needs the tip-ring-ring-sleeve wiring of a stereo cable to read the slider's position.
Questions
Does the MAS Effects expression slider work with Boss pedals?
Not this version. The prototypes and special editions in this listing all carry a 100k (B100k) potentiometer, and MAS Effects states these will not work well with Boss, Eventide, or Line 6 gear. The company says the larger production run will also include 10k variations that do work with Boss pedals, so players with Boss equipment would need that version rather than these.
Can I use my foot on the MAS Effects desktop slider?
No. MAS Effects is explicit about this: the maker's own product page says in capital letters not to use your feet on these units. It is a desktop slider designed to be operated by hand, sitting on a desk or next to a pedalboard, not a floor pedal.
What cable does the MAS Effects slider need?
The slider's connection is TRS, which requires a stereo cable rather than an ordinary mono guitar cable. A standard stereo (tip-ring-ring-sleeve) 1/4-inch cable is what to reach for when connecting it to an expression input.
Is the MAS Effects Special Edition Slider still available?
The listing was showing as sold out as of the date on this page. These were prototypes and special editions made in preparation of a larger production run, so the regular production versions are the ones to watch for instead.
