Morley Volume Pedal

Bob Mainwaring · Post by **Bob Mainwaring** » 16 Apr 2002 8:29 pm

I couldn't find any info on any past issues with the Morley Volume Pedal.

I aquired this unit sometime last year,it's about 10.1/2" long X 6.1/2" wide, chrome plated with the actual pedal on top with maximum included height 3.1/2".

What kind of actuator is it with a rubber matt kinda' thing that's being rolled and just being bent??
Co-ax in for instrument and out for amplifier; there is a 110/115v line to plug it in to a wall socket - no battery required.
It seems to work O.K. although I know I've seen them in the past being used by guitarists.
What would something like this be worth??

Bob Mainwaring.Z.Bs. and other weird things.

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Bob Mainwaring · Post by **Bob Mainwaring** » 17 Apr 2002 8:43 pm

Anybody out there might know????

Bob.

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Tim Rowley · Post by **Tim Rowley** » 18 Apr 2002 7:27 pm

Your Morley is an older unit. It's designed for a guitar player. Way too awkward for me to use with a steel.

I'd guess it might be worth $40 and that's only a guess. The chrome looks cool.

Tim R.

Bob Mainwaring · Post by **Bob Mainwaring** » 19 Apr 2002 12:03 am

Many thanks for the comeback Tim, any ideas on the way the sound is regulated?? I've never seen anything like it.

Bob.

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Bill Crook · Post by **Bill Crook** » 19 Apr 2002 5:20 am

The Morley pedal is a LDR type pedal.

It has no pots or strings to go bad.
It basically uses a pice of black non-reflective material that travels up and down in front of a photo-cell (CSD) A light is used to provide a source for the photo-cell.

The light may be a LED or (in my case,) a 6 volt screw-in lamp. SOme may run on battery or a wallwart. Others use the 110 A.C. line voltage. The 110 units usally have a transformer in them for the 6-volt bulbs. As there is NO physical connection beween the A.C. power and the signal path,hum is a definatly NOT a problem. The LED type are generaly of the battery driven type.

The draw-backs to this "Morley" pedal:

1) It is extreamly big (phicially)for PSG use.
2) The lamps may burn out or become loose in socket.
3) Battery types are very hard on battries.

To replace a lamp, the pedal must be disassembled, not something you would wish to do on a gig. The battery units(LED) often have a wall-wart plug which is a great feature, as you can pay for the device in saveings on battries.

Overall, I did enjoy useing this pedal with a 6-string lead guitar. It was big and one could rest his foot on it and regulate the volumne easealy. But for a PSG,it isn't a good thing. Too big. Power connections are in the wrong place. Wont fit into the pac-a-seat.

Matt Steindl · Post by **Matt Steindl** » 21 Apr 2002 7:36 am

I build rocket ship sculptures out of old space aged looking vacuum cleaners from the 40's and 50's. I found one of these cool old Morleys Volume pedals broken at a pawn shop, talked the guy down to $10 and I made it the base(launch pad) for one of my sculptures. Looked super cool.

Amazingly, Morley still has the schematics posted somewhere on the web. Do a search for Morley Schematics on your browser, and you should be able to find it.

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Mattman in "The Big Sleazy"-:
S-10 Dekley, Suitcase Fender Rhodes, B-bender Les Paul