The Morley Volume Boost is a volume pedal with a built-in boost stage, made by Morley. It combines an optical volume circuit with a Boost knob that allows up to 40 dB of boost, in or out of Volume Mode, so a player can use it to swell volume with the treadle and then step on the boost for a lead-level jump1. Morley positions it as a modern revival of the original Tel-Ray Volume Boost, which the company describes as having combined an optical volume circuit with a foot-selectable boost1.
How the volume circuit works
The Volume Boost uses an optical volume circuit rather than a mechanical potentiometer. Morley's own description of the design is direct about the benefit1:
"an optical Volume (no pots to wear out or get scratchy)"
Morley product page1
A conventional volume pedal rotates a pot with the treadle, and that pot is the part most likely to become noisy or fail over years of use. An optical circuit instead reads the treadle position without that mechanical contact point. For a player comparing volume pedals, this is the main design difference on the Morley side: the trade is a circuit that needs power, where a passive pot-based pedal does not.
The boost stage
The Boost knob allows up to 40 dB of boost, and Morley states it works in or out of Volume Mode1. In practice that means the boost is available whether the treadle is being used as a volume control or not, so the pedal can serve as a dedicated boost pedal as well as a volume pedal.
For comparison, Morley's wah-and-volume pedals carry smaller boost ranges. The 20/20 Power Wah Volume has a Boost knob allowing up to 20 dB of clean boost in Wah mode2, and Morley's 20/20 Volume Plus takes a different approach entirely: Guitar World's 2025 volume pedal buying guide notes it has "a handy minimum volume off switch that you can use as an instant boost"3. The Volume Boost's 40 dB is double the wah models' figure.
| Pedal | Boost | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Volume Boost | Up to 40 dB | Boost knob, in or out of Volume Mode1 |
| 20/20 Power Wah Volume | Up to 20 dB | Boost knob in Wah mode2 |
| 20/20 Volume Plus | Instant boost | Minimum volume off switch3 |
Power
The Volume Boost is powered by one 9-volt battery or an optional Morley 9V adapter, and Morley says the pedal is designed to power up from a 9V adapter1. The company recommends the Truetone One Spot adapter specifically1. Because the volume circuit is optical, the pedal needs power to function, unlike a passive volume pedal.
Morley recommends the Truetone One Spot adapter for this pedal1.
Where it came from: the Tel-Ray Revival Series
The Volume Boost is a revival of the original Tel-Ray Volume Boost, which Morley says combined an optical volume circuit and a foot-selectable boost1. It is also the first of a group of Tel-Ray Revival Series pedals that Morley says are coming down the pipeline1.
The styling makes the lineage explicit. Morley says that "to pay homage to the 70's Tel-Ray Morley pedals, we decked it out in a chrome base and treadle"1. The company also increased the pedal base height so it sticks up above other pedals on a board, and fitted a vintage style knob1. The dimensions are 6.85" x 4.5" x 3.25" (L x W x H)1.
How it compares to other Morley volume pedals
Morley's current volume pedal line covers several approaches:
- Volume Boost: optical volume plus a 40 dB Boost knob, chrome Tel-Ray Revival styling1
- 20/20 Volume Plus: an optical volume pedal powered by one 9-volt battery or optional Morley 9V adapter, compatible with most 9V adapters, with a one-year warranty and a lifetime warranty available with registration4
- Volume Commander: a volume pedal with volume and tone shaping circuitry, powered by a standard 9V power supply or 9V battery, with a one-year warranty5
The Volume Commander, announced by Morley in November 2023, "uses special Volume and Tone Shaping circuitry that will cause your gear to react in new ways," which sets it apart from the Volume Boost's straightforward volume-plus-boost design6.
Warranty
The Volume Boost carries a one-year warranty1. Morley's 20/20 Volume Plus and 20/20 Power Wah Volume both add a lifetime warranty available with registration42, and the Volume Commander carries a one-year warranty with the advice to keep your purchase receipt5.
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Questions
Does the Morley Volume Boost use a pot?
No. Morley builds the Volume Boost around an optical volume circuit, which the company describes as having no pots to wear out or get scratchy. Instead of a mechanical potentiometer, a light source and sensor control the volume, so the part that normally fails on a volume pedal is not there.
What adapter does the Morley Volume Boost use?
The pedal runs on one 9-volt battery or an optional Morley 9V adapter, and Morley recommends the Truetone One Spot adapter. The company says the pedal is designed to power up from a 9V adapter, so a standard 9V supply of that type is the intended option.
How much boost does the Morley Volume Boost have?
The Boost knob allows up to 40 dB of boost, and Morley states it works in or out of Volume Mode. That is a large amount of clean gain for a volume pedal, enough to push an amp or a later pedal well past its normal input level.
What is the Tel-Ray Revival Series?
It is a group of pedals with which Morley pays homage to the 1970s Tel-Ray Morley pedals. The Volume Boost is the first of the series, and Morley says more Tel-Ray Revival Series pedals are coming down the pipeline. The styling references the old chrome-based Tel-Ray units.
What is the warranty on the Morley Volume Boost?
Morley covers the Volume Boost with a one-year warranty. That matches the standard warranty on several other current Morley volume and wah pedals, though some of those also offer a lifetime warranty if you register the product.
Sources (6)
- Volume Boost, Morley
- 20/20 Power Wah Volume, Morley
- Best volume pedals 2025: control your tone with these essential pedal picks, Guitar World, 2023-12-08
- 20/20 Volume Plus, Morley
- Morley Volume Commander, Morley
- Introducing the Morley Volume Commander, Morley, 2023-11-21
