The GigRig More or Less is an active volume module, boost, attenuator and active splitter from UK maker The GigRig. Instead of a treadle, it takes an expression pedal or CV signal on its EXP input and uses that to control the volume, so a small box on your board can do the work of a full size volume pedal. With 12 dB of boost available in the toe position, it can also work as a traditional volume pedal, a booster, or a way of driving a tube amplifier into overdrive1.
The idea began as the Homenoise More or Less Boost, which Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio described as a tool that "can function as a tool for adjusting the sound of a setup to the acoustics of a room, as a buffer when" cables run long, or for pushing an amp harder2. It has a mono audio input and output2.
How it works
More or Less is always in the signal path as an active circuit rather than a passive pedal with a potentiometer in it. TheGigRig says it is "internally balanced for exceptional audio quality," and the buffer stage runs a high input impedance of 680K Ohm into a low output impedance of 100 Ohm, the arrangement that keeps a pedal from loading down your pickups or losing treble through long cable runs1. Internally the supply voltages are fixed at +/-18Vdc, so feeding it a higher supply voltage will not change the headroom1.
The LED indicator tells you at a glance what the module is doing to your level1:
| LED color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Red | Boost |
| Amber | Unity |
| Green | Attenuate |
Expression pedals and setup
The EXP input needs a 10K expression pedal with the center pin of the potentiometer, the wiper, connected to the RING of the TRS cable. Pedals that meet this out of the box, according to TheGigRig, are the TheGigRig TGR1, Dunlop DVP4/5, DOD Mini Exp and MOOG EP-31.
A pair of switches on the underside of the circuit board, reached by unscrewing the bottom panel, select the expression pedal curves, so the treadle's response can be matched to how you play1.
Unplugging the TRS cable from the EXP input is not a fault condition: More or Less simply becomes a high quality unity gain buffer, which TheGigRig describes as a transparent balanced buffer1.
For switching, plugging in The GigRig FSL Footswitch lets you toggle between the Heel and Toe values, which TheGigRig says turns More or Less into "an amazing Boost" you can bring in from the floor1.
Where it fits on a board
Because the volume control is remote from the audio box, More or Less can sit on a pedalboard, in a rack, or off-stage behind your amplifier, with only the expression pedal at your feet1. TheGigRig recommends using pedalboard tape to attach it to a Loop Velcro or a dry flat surface1. At roughly 2.9 x 2.3 x 1.5 inches and about 0.24 lbs, it mounts where a treadle pedal could not1.
It draws 150mA at 9VDC, so plan your power supply accordingly1.
At 150mA, More or Less is beyond what most daisy chain outputs on a pedalboard power supply are meant to feed. Give it its own outlet on a regulated supply.
For comparison, conventional treadle pedals such as the Ernie Ball 250K Mono Volume Pedal or the Dunlop DVP1 put the whole pedal in the signal path, while More or Less separates the control from the circuit. You can browse more options on the Volume Pedals and Buffer Pedals type pages.
Videos
TheGigRig
TheGigRig
TheGigRig
Questions
What does The GigRig More or Less do when no expression pedal is plugged in?
Unplug the TRS cable from the EXP input and More or Less becomes a high quality unity gain buffer. TheGigRig describes it as a transparent balanced buffer in this state, with a high input impedance of 680K Ohm and a low output impedance of 100 Ohm, so it can stay on a board permanently even if you only use the expression pedal part of it some of the time.
Which expression pedals work with The GigRig More or Less?
More or Less needs a 10K expression pedal with the potentiometer wiper connected to the RING of the TRS cable. TheGigRig lists pedals that do this out of the box as the TheGigRig TGR1, Dunlop DVP4/5, DOD Mini Exp and MOOG EP-3. Other pedals can work if they meet the 10K and wiper-to-ring requirement.
How much boost does The GigRig More or Less give?
TheGigRig specifies 12 dB of boost available in the toe position, which lets More or Less serve as a traditional volume pedal, a booster, or a way of pushing a tube amplifier into overdrive.
What do the LED colors on The GigRig More or Less mean?
The LED indicator shows what the module is doing to your level: red means boost, amber means unity, and green means attenuate.
Can The GigRig More or Less be switched between heel and toe values with a footswitch?
Yes. Plug in The GigRig FSL Footswitch to toggle between the Heel and Toe values, which turns More or Less into a boost you can switch from in front of the board.
How big is The GigRig More or Less?
TheGigRig lists the dimensions as 7.45 cm x 5.73 cm x 3.86 cm, or 2.9 x 2.3 x 1.5 inches, with an approximate weight of 0.109 kg, about 0.24 lbs. It is small enough to mount out of the way with pedalboard tape.
Sources (2)
- The GigRig, TheGigRig (www.thegigrig.com)
- New Pedal: Homenoise More Or Less Boost, Delicious Audio, 2023-08-14
