The Tapestry Audio Bloomery Volume Pedal is a slim, steel-built volume pedal that does its work with a slide potentiometer and a direct shaft drive, using no string1. That mechanical choice matters to players: string-driven volume pedals can wear and need servicing, while a direct drive moves the pot straight off the pedal's shaft. The Bloomery comes in two models, an Active and a Passive, and both have a tuner out1.
Size, build and feel
The Bloomery measures a mere 7.8″H x 2.25″W, and it weighs in at almost 3 pounds due to the fact that it is built from solid, durable steel1. The narrow footprint is the point: Pedal of the Day's reviewer found that "it takes up WAY less room on your pedalboard, allowing you to squeeze another pedal or two into any crack or crevice you can muster"1. Despite the slim body, the reviewer added that "it still feels nice and comfortable underneath your foot, which is key to any volume pedal"1.
Both models come with a smooth, flat pedal surface, but included in your box is a piece of strong and sturdy grip tape, which you can choose to put on or not1.
Active and Passive versions
Tapestry Audio offers two different models, an Active and a Passive, and they differ in what happens to your signal and what the second jack can do1.
| Active | Passive | |
|---|---|---|
| Buffer | Dual buffer, for no tone suck | Not part of the design |
| Tuner out | Yes | Yes, configurable as an expression output |
| Power | 20mA center negative 9mm power jack | Not detailed in the review |
The Active version features a dual buffer, for no tone suck, and it runs from a 20mA center negative 9mm power jack1. The Passive version, on the other hand, lets you configure the tuner out to become an expression output if you so choose, turning it into an expression pedal with a quick flick of a couple of internal DIP switches1. That makes the Passive Bloomery a two-role pedal: a volume pedal for most boards, and an expression pedal for controlling another device when the switches are flipped.
The expression-output conversion is a feature of the Passive version only, and it is done with internal DIP switches, so it is not a jack you can repurpose on the fly during a set.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day reviewed the Bloomery in April 2016 and came away convinced on both sound and build. On the sound, the reviewer pointed readers to a demo, saying "Make sure to check out the rather straightforward (sorry) video below to hear how crisp the Bloomery sounds"1. The overall verdict was broad:
"look, design, features and sound quality are unparalleled, and although the price might seem a bit high for a volume pedal, just know that it will probably be the last one you ever need"
For players comparing it with other options in the category, the Bloomery sits among the slim, board-friendly designs listed on the site's Volume Pedals page, alongside compact units like the DOD Mini Volume and the MOOER Free Step.
Videos
TapestryAudio
shnobel
Eirik Stordrange
Questions
Does the Tapestry Audio Bloomery use a string?
No. The Bloomery uses a slide potentiometer with a direct shaft drive, so there is no string to stretch or break. That is one of the design choices Tapestry Audio made when building the pedal, and it sets the Bloomery apart from volume pedals that rely on a string-and-pulley arrangement to move the pot as you rock the pedal.
What is the difference between the Active and Passive Bloomery?
Tapestry Audio offers the Bloomery in two models. The Active version features a dual buffer, which the maker describes as eliminating tone suck, and it needs power, using a 20mA center negative 9mm power jack. The Passive version does not use that buffer arrangement, but it lets you configure the tuner out to become an expression output with a couple of internal DIP switches.
Can the Bloomery's tuner out work as an expression output?
On the Passive version, yes. Both models have a tuner out, but the Passive version lets you configure that tuner out to become an expression output if you choose, turning the Bloomery into an expression pedal with a quick flick of a couple of internal DIP switches.
Does the Bloomery Volume Pedal need power?
The Active version does. It uses a 20mA center negative 9mm power jack, so it will need a spot on your power supply. The Passive version works without that powered buffer arrangement, though the review that covered the pedal did not detail the Passive model's power situation beyond the expression switching.
Does the Bloomery come with grip tape?
Yes. Both models come with a smooth, flat pedal surface, and included in the box is a piece of strong and sturdy grip tape that you can choose to put on or leave off, depending on how you like the pedal to feel under your foot.
How big is the Tapestry Audio Bloomery?
The Bloomery measures 7.8 inches high by 2.25 inches wide and weighs in at almost 3 pounds, thanks to its solid, durable steel build. Pedal of the Day's reviewer noted that despite the steel construction it still feels comfortable underfoot and takes up far less room on a pedalboard than a standard volume pedal.
Sources (1)
- Tapestry Audio Bloomery Volume Pedal, Pedal of the Day, 2016-04-14
