Hilton Pedal or Black Box???

Steve Haws · Post by **Steve Haws** » 2 Oct 2004 2:01 pm

I have $300 to spend on improving my rig at the momment. I use a Peavey Nashville 112 amp and old Sho-Bud vol pedal. If a choice between purchasing a Hilton Pedal or Black Box, which will give me the most noticable improvement in tone?

John Walden · Post by **John Walden** » 2 Oct 2004 4:44 pm

Hey Steve, About a year ago I bought my first pedal steel. A used 2000, LeGrand III. I recently bought a hilton and a Black Box. An amazing improvement.
I also bought a pro Fex II. I'm running in stereo through a pair of Mesa Boogie mark IVs. It doesn't get any better.
I'd go for the Black Box.
J. W.

Morton Kellas · Post by **Morton Kellas** » 2 Oct 2004 5:39 pm

If your pedal is not giving you any problems
at the present time, I would opt for the Black Box and then pick up a Hilton as soon as you get a chance. They work extremely well together.[This message was edited by Morton Kellas on 02 October 2004 at 06:40 PM.]

Jackie Anderson · Post by **Jackie Anderson** » 2 Oct 2004 5:42 pm

The Hilton pedals sound like great pedals. But speaking as one who has two Sho-Bud pedals and a Black Box, I can only say I am not in the market for anything else between my steel and my amp....

Larry Behm · Post by **Larry Behm** » 2 Oct 2004 7:07 pm

Go for the Hilton first the BB second. The biggest difference will come from the Hilton the BB is icing, but oh how sweet it is.

Larry Behm

Steve Haws · Post by **Steve Haws** » 3 Oct 2004 7:01 am

Thanks for the feedback. Just curious Larry, why do you feel the pedal is the way to go first? Steve

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 3 Oct 2004 10:58 pm

It IS an interesting question.

Now the Hilton does even off some of the capacitance tone changing issues of pot pedals,
in relation to pick ups and amps.
But not all of them.

On the other hand the BB makes a direct connection between the tube and the pick up,
making the pot in the older pedals LESS of an issue.
But not entirely, not taking it out of the equation, since it is still changing signal form relative to the amps 1st stage.

I have a Hilton and it is wonderful,
and I have tried Brad's BB and it is wonderful too...
it is high on my purchase list.
To add to my Hilton.

So I guess we need an impirical test from someone with all three.

Jack A. gets close with a very positive responce on BB with pot pedal improvement.
but not an AB ; BB with Pot or Hilton test.

John W. have you tried this AB test with your BB and both pedals?
IF so what did you observe.

I like both Brad and Keith and their products,
so can't say, either or, one over the other, without testing specifically in the above manner...

BOTH does work for me for sure.[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 04 October 2004 at 12:00 AM.]

John Walden · Post by **John Walden** » 4 Oct 2004 3:45 am

Steve, I put all three to work as soon as they arrived. But there was a problem. check out my thread " Overdriven "
One kind soul new exactly what I was talking about. I had forgot that the Hilton pedal has factory set controls
on the bottom. My fix was backing off of the vol. control just a tad, on the Hilton. Too much pre-amping. As it has been said before, most of the " tone "
is in the hands,... how a person plays.
The mechanics of it all is a learning thing. As a guitar player ( thus the Mesa Boogies ), and I have been playing guitar for about 40 years. Self taught and I don't read notes well, toneality
is something that is like an instinct.
I had the Emmons D 10 for about a year, and even with the Lawerance pickups, I felt that the tone wasn't quite there.
I'm one who wants to have the right equiptment, leaving it up to me to learn how to play better. Now, I can pull up almost any of the songs on my song list ( a few thousand perhaps ) an fake my way through on steel. There are so many different guitars out there, and I'm sure that each one has a tone of it's own. What you add for effects, and the amp, will change the sound. Once you find what your looking for, then have two of everything, just in case.
b0b's Forum has been a very big help.
Good luck
J.W.

Larry Behm · Post by **Larry Behm** » 4 Oct 2004 3:51 am

Steve this is a no brainer. The Hilton does not impede the sound of the steel like a pot pedal, what you have (gear) is what you hear. With a pot pedal you might loose 30% volume potentail and most pots sound thin when turned down and fat when turned up, not the Hilton, it is the same all the way throught the throw of the pedal.

This is more dramatic than the BB. If you get a BB and keep your current volume pedal you will get that same volume pedal problem.

If you get a Hilton, you are 85% there in a hurry. Add the BB when you can, but add it.

Larry Behm

Marty Holmes · Post by **Marty Holmes** » 4 Oct 2004 8:40 am

I just bought a Hilton pedal,and a black box.There are only these words to describe them,"TONALLY AWESOME".I suggest a true tone pick-up and a Nashville 1000.It is all you need ,and all you will ever use.This is the ultimate set-up.Way to go Keith,and Brad

Steve Haws · Post by **Steve Haws** » 4 Oct 2004 6:29 pm

Thanks for the input on this subject guys. Looks like I need to find another 300 bones!!
Steve

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 4 Oct 2004 11:17 pm

well so far, i got a Zum D10, Nash1000, True Tone, and Hilton VP
i, too gotta get them $$$ for a black box